1: Notes To Self

Cashflow, attractive cities, great conversation, wealth of nations, & real value

Author

Luke Clancy
August 15, 2023

Yo!

Here is your weekly dose of 5 things I’m pondering and exploring.

I love when world-class experts explain their bread and butter. For Bill Ackman, that’s investing in quality businesses. He crystallizes the core concept behind great businesses in only 3 minutes. So clear & simple — it’s beautiful.

This video hits all of the sweet spots: animated, educational, 10-15 min, & surprisingly original. It outlines 6 ways we can make better cities (like having order & variety in building structure). Great watch.

This video is a nuanced conversation on great conversationalists.

I was reminded that active listening, lack of bias, & presence are hugely impactful on the quality of your conversation. It’s easy to turn off your ears once you think of something to say. You need to truly be IN the conversation to help lead it to an original place.

PS: the dynamic between Peterson, Murray, and Gladwell might seem a bit intense. But trust me, the insights are worth the ride.

A great Philosophize This podcast episode on long-term incentives and mercantilism.

My big takeaway: The bedrock of your beliefs shape your future. So build a strong intellectual foundation on topics that matter to you & your future. If the foundations of your beliefs are based on a faulty premise, all of your future decisions could sabotage you. Many nations this mistake by basing their country’s wealth by total gold reserves (rather than more holistic measures).

Personal Insight

Difficult to attain ≠ valuable. Just because something is hard to get, doesn’t mean it matters to you.

Yet, our brains are wired to think that rare things are also valuable (ex: nice car, cool network, lots of followers, prestigious job, etc).

That said, are any of my personal goals or beliefs are based on perceived rarity rather than genuine personal value?

Have a wonderful weekend, all.

Much love to you and yours,

Luke