People don’t like to think, if one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.

Quotes to Prepare You for a World That’s Constantly Changing

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

meditation

Meditation

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

The Wisdom of Continuous Learning

These quotes offer insights into the power of creative thinking, the importance of active learning, and the transformative nature of altering one's perspective. Discover wisdom from renowned minds that will inspire you to embrace innovation, engage in lifelong learning, and view the world from fresh and enlightening angles.

Inspirational Quotes on Creativity, Learning, and Perspective

It took hundreds of years for the West to develop its distinct culture. <ol><li class="ql-align-justify">The Rise of Monogamous Nuclear Families: The Catholic Church's promotion of independent families weakened kinship networks and fostered individualism.</li><li class="ql-align-justify"> Impersonal Markets and Urbanization: The growth of market economies and urban centers with diverse populations encouraged cooperation and exchange.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Rise of Voluntary Associations: Guilds, universities, and other self-governing groups created opportunities for people with shared interests to collaborate. </li></ol>

Historical Factors for WEIRD Societies

Joseph Henrich argues that people from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich & Democratic (WEIRD) societies have distinct psychological characteristics compared to the rest of the world. He traces these to unique cultural features and historical developments that shaped WEIRD societies over time.The premise is that culture matters a lot. It affects us biologically. It can and does alter our brains, hormones, and anatomy, along with our perceptions, motivations, personalities, emotions, and many other aspects of our minds.

WEIRD Societies

Try completing this sentence: I am ___.If you are WEIRD, you probably answered with words like “curious” or “passionate”, “a scientist,” “a surgeon” etc ...You were probably less inclined to respond with things like “Josh’s dad” or “Maya’s mom,” even though those are equally true.This focus on personal attributes over personal relationships & inherited social roles is a distinctive feature of WEIRD psychology, but one that sets them apart from the rest of the world. Because most people think of themselves in terms of their social context rather than focusing solely on individual traits.

Who Are You?

WEIRD people are the exception. Key areas of differences:<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Collectivism vs. Individualism: WEIRD societies emphasize individual goals & achievements, whereas the rest prioritize group identity: family, tribe.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">High vs. Low Trust in Strangers: WEIRD societies show higher levels of trust in strangers compared to the global average.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Formal Rules vs. Informal Norms: WEIRD societies often rely on laws to govern behavior. In contrast to traditions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Openness to Novelty vs. Traditionalism: WEIRD populations tend to be more open to new ideas over preserving traditions.</li></ol>

WEIRD People vs the World

The ability to read and write not only leads to cultural progress but also changes our biology and psychology. Literate societies have thicker corpus callosa and have difficulty recognizing faces. This is because reading (a skill acquired later in human history) requires using areas of the brain that oral communication does not. The spread of literacy can be traced back to the rise of Protestantism, which emphasized the importance of individuals engaging with divine words directly. Hence, reading became essential in Western societies, while oral communication ruled the rest of the world.

The Impact of Literacy on Individuals and Society

WEIRD people are racked by guilt as they fail to live up to their culturally inspired, self-imposed, standards. 🤔 In most non-WEIRD societies, shame—not guilt—dominates people’s lives. ➡️ People experience shame when they, their relatives, or even their friends fail to live up to the standards imposed on them by their communities. <ul><li class="ql-align-justify"> Non-WEIRD populations “lose face” when their daughter loves someone outside the social network. </li><li class="ql-align-justify"> WEIRD people might feel guilty for taking a nap instead of hitting the gym.</li></ul> 💡 Guilt is based on our own standards whereas shame stems from societal standards.

Shame vs Guilt

Innovation is driven by the recombination of ideas, insights, and technologies, along with a healthy dose of serendipity and unintended consequences. As a result, any institutions, norms, beliefs, or psychological inclinations that increase the flow of ideas among diverse minds or open up more opportunities for fortune to show us the way will energize innovation.It is a form of cumulative cultural evolution, which is fundamentally a social and cultural process that turns societies into collective brains.

WEIRD Innovation

Weird people are psychologically peculiar. Highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control-oriented, nonconformist, and analytical. They focus on themselves - over their social roles.<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">They aim to be “themselves” across contexts and see inconsistencies in others as hypocrisy.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">They are less willing to conform to others when this conflicts with their own beliefs.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">They see themselves as unique beings, not as nodes in a social network.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">When reasoning, they tend to look for universal categories and rules with which to organize the world.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Through self-regulation, they can defer gratification </li></ol>

WEIRD Individuals

WEIRD means Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. An acronym to describe the characteristics of modern civilisations.

A New York Times Notable Book of 2020 A Bloomberg Best Non-Fiction Book of 2020 A Behavioral Scientist Notable Book of 2020 A Human Behavior & Evolution Society Must-Read Popular Evolution Book of 2020 A bold, epic account of how the co-evolution of psychology and culture created the peculiar Western mind that has profoundly shaped the modern world. Perhaps you are WEIRD: raised in a society that is Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. If so, you’re rather psychologically peculiar. Unlike much of the world today, and most people who have ever lived, WEIRD people are highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control-oriented, nonconformist, and analytical. They focus on themselves—their attributes, accomplishments, and aspirations—over their relationships and social roles. How did WEIRD populations become so psychologically distinct? What role did these psychological differences play in the industrial revolution and the global expansion of Europe during the last few centuries? In The WEIRDest People in the World, Joseph Henrich draws on cutting-edge research in anthropology, psychology, economics, and evolutionary biology to explore these questions and more. He illuminates the origins and evolution of family structures, marriage, and religion, and the profound impact these cultural transformations had on human psychology. Mapping these shifts through ancient history and late antiquity, Henrich reveals that the most fundamental institutions of kinship and marriage changed dramatically under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church. It was these changes that gave rise to the WEIRD psychology that would coevolve with impersonal markets, occupational specialization, and free competition—laying the foundation for the modern world. Provocative and engaging in both its broad scope and its surprising details, The WEIRDest People in the World explores how culture, institutions, and psychology shape one another, and explains what this means for both our most personal sense of who we are as individuals and also the large-scale social, political, and economic forces that drive human history. Includes black-and-white illustrations.

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Religion & Spirituality

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

books

Books

humanresources

Human Resources

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

Joseph Henrich

The WEIRDest People in the World

Warren Buffett, the famous investor, stated that his most important investment was in Dale Carnegie's speaking course because being a good communicator (both in speech and in writing) highlights, even more, the other skills you happen to have.

Warren Buffett's best investment

Specialization makes sense when you know you can reach the top of the domain you are trying to excel in.If you want to specialize and become a basketball player, for example, you have to reach the top 0,001% to have phenomenal financial gains.

When specialization makes sense

This means to take the time and consider the projects you choose to pursue based on the skills and the relationships you will be able to develop that have the potential to last even after those projects will finish.Skills to consider: public speaking, writing, and negotiation. These are examples of marketable skills that can be transferred to other areas outside those particular projects.

Winning even if you fail

It's what Tim Ferriss recommends in this ever-changing world. Being a specialized generalist means aiming to combine a few skills that are not usually combined.If you associate two valuable skills that are even more valuable together (for example, computer science and a law degree, or math and public speaking), you will have a competitive advantage that allows you to reach the top of the earning power.

Being a specialized generalist

Should you specialize or be a generalist? | Sign up for Tim's free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: https://go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/ SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW About Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 400 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running. Connect with Tim Ferriss: Sign up for "5-Bullet Friday" (Tim's email newsletter): https://go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-1/ Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://tim.blog/podcast/ Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: https://tim.blog/ Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/tferriss/ Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/timferriss/ Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TimFerriss/

Should you specialize or be a generalist? | Sign up for Tim's free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: https://go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/

SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW
 
About Tim Ferriss:
Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 400 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running.

Connect with Tim Ferriss:
Sign up for "5-Bullet Friday" (Tim's email newsletter): https://go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-1/ 
Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://tim.blog/podcast/
Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: https://tim.blog/
Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/tferriss/
Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/timferriss/
Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TimFerriss/

Tim Ferriss has been listed as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and one of Fortune’s “40 under 40.” He is an early-stage technology investor/advisor (Uber, Facebook, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ others) and the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, including The 4-Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers. The Observer and other media have called Tim “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, which is the first business/interview podcast to exceed 100 million downloads. It has now exceeded 800 million downloads. 

Listen to The Tim Ferriss Show podcast: https://tim.blog/podcast
Sign up for Tim's "5-Bullet Friday" free email newsletter with 1.5M+ subscribers: https://tim.blog/friday 


Tim Ferriss

Should You Specialize or Be a Generalist? | Tim Ferriss

Should You Specialize or Be a Generalist?

Good state = good story = better strategy<ul><li>🧘‍♂️ Take care of your state first: sleep well, exercise, take a cold shower</li><li>🧠 State affects the story you tell yourself</li><li>💭 Story influences your action plan</li></ul>When facing a problem, most people have a story in their head that dictates their strategy. But taking care of your state can change that story and lead to a better plan of action. Your mental state is downstream from your physical state.

State > Story > Strategy

productivity

Productivity

problemsolving

Problem Solving

The Golden Circle is a narrative structure from Simon Sinek. His claim is   can be used as a guide to vastly improve every aspect of your business or organization—from leadership and hiring, to product development, sales, and marketing.<ul><li>Why: Why the company exists (Why are you in this business? What motivates you)</li><li>How: How the company fulfills its Why</li><li>What: What the company does to fulfill its Why (i.e. your products and services).</li></ul>

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle

Dale Carnegie usues a more dramatic structure for storytelling<ul><li>Incident: Share a relevant, personal experience, to grab your audience’s attention.</li><li>Action: Describe the specific action taken to solve or prevent a problem, showing that a change was needed.</li><li>Benefit: State the benefits of the action/change.</li></ul>

Dale Carnegie’s Magic Formula for Storytelling

<ul><li>Before: Describe the world with Problem A.</li><li>After: Imagine what it’d be like having Problem A solved.</li><li>Bridge: Here’s how to get there.</li></ul>Set the stage of a problem that your target audience is likely to experience ( a problem that your company solves). Describe a world where that problem didn’t exist. Explain how to get there or present the solution (i.e. your product or service).

Before – After – Bridge Storytelling Formula

<ul><li>Departure: A hero receives a call to go on an adventure, receives advice from a mentor, and heads out on her journey.</li><li>Initiation: The hero meets a series of challenges but eventually completes the mission.</li><li>Return: The hero returns and helps others with her new found power or treasure.</li></ul>This formula is used by many of the greatest storytellers including George Lucas for his Star Wars films!

The Hero’s Journey Storytelling Formula

In a famous TED talk, Nancy Duarte presents the structure of a presentation made famous by Steve Jobs.<ul><li>What is: The status quo</li><li>What could be: The future that could be possible</li></ul>Go back and forth between the two and end off with a …<ul><li>New bliss: The wonderful future with your idea/product/service adopted.</li></ul>

Nancy Duarte’s Secret Structure of Great Talks

<ul><li>Introduce the character;</li><li>Bring the story to its lowest point;</li><li>Turn it around and finish with a happy ending.</li></ul>Once you introduce the character of the story, describe how things went awful for him/her, using emotions to draw your audience into your story. At the lowest point of the story, turn things around, describe how things improved, and end the story on a high note.

Dave Lieber’s V Storytelling Formula

<ul><li>Star: An attention-getting, positive opening</li><li>Chain: A series of convincing facts, benefits, and reasons</li><li>Hook: A powerful call-to-action.</li></ul>The star grabs your audience’s attention. The chain turns your audience’s attention into a desire. The hook gives them something actionable to fulfill their desire.

Star – Chain – Hook Storytelling Formula

<ul><li>Problem: Present a problem</li><li>Agitate: Agitate the problem</li><li>Solve: Solve the problem</li></ul>First, you present a problem. Second, instead of presenting the “After”, you intensify the problem with emotional language. Finally, you solve the problem by offering your product or services.

Problem – Agitate – Solve Storytelling Formula

One of the oldest and most straightforward storytelling formulas:<ul><li>Setup: Set the scene and introduce the character(s)</li><li>Confrontation or “Rising action” : Present a problem and build up the tension</li><li>Resolution: Resolve the problem</li></ul>

Three-Act Storytelling Structure

Once upon a time there was.... Every day, ... One day, ... Because of that, ... Because of that, ... Until finally, ... The idea is to introduce a character or a group of character, describe their usual routine, present a twist that disrupts their daily lives, explain how they overcome it, and celebrate!

Pixar’s Award-Winning Storytelling Formula

Also known as Freytag’s Pyramid:<ul><li>Exposition: Introduce important background information</li><li>Rising action: Tell a series of events to build up to the climax</li><li>Climax: Turn the story around (usually the most exciting part of the story)</li><li>Falling action: Continue the action from the climax</li><li>Dénouement: Ending the story with a resolution.</li></ul>

Five-Act Storytelling Structure

How to get someone else to feel a connection to you and your purpose. How to get them to empathise with your story.

career

Career

moneyandinvestments

Money & Investments

communication

Communication

Persuasive storytelling

How do great presenters tell their stories

Legendary marketer, Seth Godin, describes marketing as "the art of telling a story that resonates with your audience and then spreads." If you look at some of the biggest brands around, you might notice that they are often amazing storytellers.

marketingandsales

Marketing & Sales

writing

Reading & Writing

Storytelling Formulas: 11 Quick-Fire Ways to Create Your Stories

A brief collection on learnings📚 from sciences & other fields☑️ to expand knowledge & become smart in life 😎💫along with tips for studying and taking notes efficiently and smartly🚀

Inspirational Quotes on Creativity, Learning, and Perspective

The WEIRDest People in the World

Should You Specialize or Be a Generalist?

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

State > Story > Strategy

CURATED BY

Inspirational Quotes on Creativity, Learning, and Perspective

The WEIRDest People in the World

Should You Specialize or Be a Generalist?

It's time to Read like a Pro.

State > Story > Strategy

CURATED BY

It's time to
Read like a Pro.