Existential fear
“You don’t have twenty years of experience — you have one year of experience repeated twenty times.”
That idea absolutely terrifies me.
But it also hints at a fascinating opportunity: the future favors those who figure out how to compound skill faster and for longer durations.
Most broadly, I care about studying craft. In particular, I find myself drawn to craft in a few particular domains:
code: I was a quant in a former life, and did math/CS in undergrad — I started in imperial Russian history, but that’s a story for another time…
capital: I’m an early-stage investor now, working on technical AI projects with our portfolio companies
sports: my NBA dreams ended prematurely when I realized I had neither the talent, height, nor skill to compete with real basketball players
Great, where do I start?
Good question! Here’s a few of the most popular pieces:
1) Opinions on business school at Stanford
My first year at the Stanford GSB was full of highs, lows, and unexpected lessons learned from being surrounded by brilliant, ambitious classmates. Even if you’re not sold on business school, there’s plenty here about focus, forging deeper connections, and alchemizing FOMO into JOMO (joy of missing out) — ideas that can help anyone looking to learn faster and live with more intention.
2) Nerds should train like professional athletes
Professional athletes break down their training, analyze every play, and enlist coaches to sharpen their game—so why shouldn’t knowledge workers do the same? Knowledge workers should adopt that elite athlete mindset, from finding your “calling card” skill to recording your own “game tape” for feedback.
3) Decoding Silicon Valley’s newest religion
Silicon Valley idolizes AI like it’s a mysterious new deity, but the truth is that you don’t need a PhD to grasp the basics. By understanding Dr. Seuss and library searches, you can understand how AI actually works.
4) A tennis legend takes center court in the Ivy League
This is one of the best commencement speeches that I’ve ever seen, on par with Steve Jobs’ famous 2005 Stanford commencement speech. Roger Federer isn’t just a tennis legend: he’s a role model for navigating life’s biggest challenges with a rare combination of discipline and grace.
5) The purgatory of endless possibility
Impending graduation imposes the unnerving realization that “you can be anything, but you can’t be everything.” Ultimately trading infinite possibilities for something real is the key to genuine fulfillment.
In conclusion…
I’m fascinated with creating faster learning iteration loops and asking better questions, so this is a place where I can put ideas out there to other people.
Reach out to me on Twitter. Or better yet, subscribe here and let me know your thoughts.
