Eat a Bit of Candy
Happy Sunday, friends.
Greetings from Memphis, Tennessee. I’m here with my family for the weekend doing a half-marathon for the St. Jude’s Memorial Race in honor of my late cousin, Stephen. If you feel like donating, if you feel free to do so here. Inline with last week’s article on Things You'll Never Regret, I can definitely say I’ve added this event to the list.
Last week, we lost Charlie Munger, one of the great investors and minds of the 21st century. So this week’s R&R is a sub-5 min read with some reflections and recommendations highlighting the wisdom he gifted us. If you don’t have time to read the entire article, here’s the TL;DR version:
Weekly reflection: Eat a Bit of Candy
Product, Tool, or Framework: Cognitive Bias Codex
Read: Seeking Wisdom or Poor Charlie’s Almanack
Reminder, this is a way for me to clear the cognitive cobwebs and share the reflections and recommendations that I’ve pulled together for the last two weeks. No affiliate links or sponsorships here, just simple links to things I genuinely love and recommend.
Alrighty, without wasting any more time, here are a few amazing things that will totally up your thinking, working, and living game.
Have an awesome week ahead!
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“I think that a life properly lived is just learn, learn, learn all the time.”
Charlie Munger
Reflections
▶︎ Eat a Bit of CandyCharlie Munger’s intelligence was otherworldly; but his appetite for sweets was his true kryptonite. In a memorable CNBC interview last February, Charlie Munger offered a delightful and seemingly unconventional tip:
I'm eating this good peanut brittle,' he said with a grin. 'That's what you want to do if you want to live to be 99.'
Munger's remarks aren't just a lighthearted jab; they belie a secret to his success and longevity in life and business: don't be so serious. Behind his illustrious career as an investor, Munger and his renowned business partner Warren Buffett embraced a refreshingly simple and straightforward approach to investing and life. Living modestly and remaining intensely focused on continuous learning and growth, Munger embodied discipline and unwavering dedication. Yet, even in his pursuit of brilliance, he prioritized indulging in what he loved, even if it meant risking a few cavities. To borrow from another legendary thinker and creator, Charles Eames, he took his pleasures seriously. And after 99 years of brilliance and wisdom, Munger leaves us with plenty to chew on.
Rec: Product, Tool, or Framework
▶︎ Cognitive Bias Codex
I’m a sucker for a good infographic, or any interesting visual representation of a complex idea. The Cognitive Bias Codex has been around for a while and often gets shared and referenced in articles by anyone thinking about… well, thinking. As much as I love simplicity and approachability of the design, the form itself isn’t the most exciting part about it. What interests me most is its function; a roadmap to understanding the way we think, live, and work. Looking to be a better communicator? It can help facilitate better awareness and communication. Learning to lead? Yep, it can help you better understand and motivate your team. No matter your interest, a bias will likely come into play. So, if life is about learning, then studying the biases serves to help you enhance your life.
Rec: Reading
▶︎ Seeking Wisdom or Poor Charlie’s AlmanackWhen I was fumbling through founding my first company, I was lucky enough to stumble upon both of these little gems—and they became my bible. As most know, founders face dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of decisions in rapid succession on a daily/weekly basis, and each decision can literally mean the life or death of your company. While the life of a company may sound a bit dramatic, when it has a real impact on your life and your family, those decisions feel particularly weighted. Hence, coping with the weight and depth of those decisions is a high-value skill critical to survival. So, in many ways, Munger’s books act as a survival guide; each offering detailed advice on investing, life, and decision-making. What I love most about Seeking Wisdom is that the checklists referenced throughout the book—and listed at the end—help you walk through decisions consistently and objectively. I loved them so much that I painfully copied each of them into a tool called TextExpander so I could reference them with just a few strokes of the keyboard, and improve my thinking in real time. Now, you may not need to go as far as I did with the checklists, but I’d definitely recommend you check out either of these books if you’re interested in becoming a better thinker and worker.
Rec: Watching
▶︎ The Psychology of Human MisjudgmentMunger saw life with a lot of clarity. He’s a thousand-yard stare in human form; focused, precise, resolute. In this talk, he breaks down what he calls “standard thinking errors,” or how humans misjudge the world. Many of these have been studied at length by some of the world’s best investors, entrepreneurs, and builders, and for good reason. Knowing what we don’t know is the first step to knowing anything.
Rec: Listening
▶︎ Acquired Podcast Interview with Charlie Munger“Legend” isn’t a strong enough way to describe Charlie Munger—it cheapens his existence and legacy. Though his career was in finance, he garnered icon status with all modern thinkers for building and sharing wisdom across all industries, sectors, and experiences. As mentioned, beyond his wildly successful career with Berkshire Hathaway (and Warren Buffett), Munger was well-known for his takes on decision-making and thinking. And while he’s done many past interviews, according to Ben and David, this was his most extended podcast, coming in at right around an hour. For many, that sounds too long. But like everything Munger produces, it’s worth your time. It’s a helpful reminder with insights on how to frame your life, which can be incredibly helpful as we enter a new year. If you have any breaks or downtime over the upcoming holidays, I recommend listening to this podcast. But be sure to have a pen and paper to take notes—you’re going to need it.
And, just in case you missed it…
Here are some things that I’ve written and shared that people enjoyed that were influenced by Charlie Munger, either directly or indirectly.
Until Next Time!
That’s it for this week. As always, if you like the content, please do me a favor and hit the like button, share it with your friends, or drop in a comment — this newsletter runs on overpriced whiskey and reader engagement.
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Thanks for reading, and see you soon,
