Secret Lives, Parables, and The Hidden Math of Crowds
Article Round-Up: 3.5.23
Enjoy this week’s curated list of articles, podcasts, and more from the web.
“The Secret Life of Water Mitty”
Takeaway: Pulling some life lessons form my favorite (and highly under-rated, imo) Ben Stiller movie. If someone ever asks what makes you interesting, make sure you have something to say. Seize the opportunity of life, and enjoy all its beauty in the process.
“Don’t Let Your Strengths Become Your Downfall”
Takeaway: Leaning into our strengths might have its limits. The extrovert who spends less time preparing a presentation because they have the gift of gab. That presentation would likely be far better with practice and preparation. Or the gifted athlete who dedicates less time to practice because they don’t think they need it. Eventually, that star athlete will get beat on a long enough time horizon by the mediocre athlete that put in the hours.
“The Horse and The Farmer - A Parable”
Takeaway: Life is cyclical, periods of creation followed by periods of destruction. Embrace the moments of creation and persevere through the moments of destruction. Additionally, learn to adopt the “maybe” mindset. Let things pass as they are, without trying to make them what you want them to be.
Just For Fun:
“Hidden Patterns of Chaotic Crowds”
Takeaway: “Rogers’s team of researchers discovered curious phenomena when they conducted an experiment that asked volunteers to walk within a maze of entrance and exit gates.”
Rogers shared, “At a glance, a crowd of pedestrians attempting to pass through two gates might seem disorderly… But when you look more closely, you see the hidden structure. Depending on the layout of the space, you may observe either the classic straight lanes, or more complex curved patterns, such as ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas.”