Johanna

First off, goals have an endpoint. This is why many people revert to their previous state after achieving a certain goal. People run marathons, then stop exercising altogether.(...) Second, goals rely on factors that we do not always have control over. It’s an unavoidable fact that reaching a goal is not always possible, regardless of effort.(...)... See more

As the market got bigger, the rewards for winning were greater. The best widget producers of the 19th century made significantly more wealth than the best in the 18th century, even if they took over less of the market. This is why wealth inequality soared when capitalism went global in the 20th century. Potential markets grew to astronomical size,... See more

If you get 10% more done and 1% better every day compared to someone else, the compounded difference is massive.

How would you improve our interview process? “I find this question powerful for a couple of reasons. One, it's an opportunity to see if they’re willing to speak up. Two, it's a window into their thinking process. When they encounter something that they don't like, do they have the instinct not only to raise why it may be broken but also suggest how... See more

When we cut off the supply and discovery of new drugs, it’s like outlawing the electric motor or the idea of a randomized controlled trial. Without drugs, modern people have stopped making scientific and economic progress. It’s not a dead stop, more like an awful crawl. You can get partway there by mixing redbull, alcohol, and sleep deprivation,... See more

Smart people respect simple language not because simple words are easy, but because expressing interesting ideas in small words takes a lot of work.

Don’t ask around about the person before you interview them; and never, ever talk to the other interviewers about the candidate until you’ve both made your decisions independently. That’s the scientific method.

Chat is the most essential and omnipresent form of communication you can have when people are working remotely, so you need to make absolutely sure it’s functioning smoothly before going any further.

In a way, basic income as an automation solution is both too much and not enough. It’s too much of a solution for the problem of long-run mass technological unemployment, primarily because that’s a fake problem that hasn’t happened yet and likely never will. But it’s not enough of a solution for the temporary dislocation that automation will, in... See more