Shows
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubPoor Charlie's Almanac - Charlie MungerThe favourite mental models and timeless lessons from Charlie Munger on how to build worldly wisdom.Charlie Munger was the business partner of Warren Buffet and the cofounder of Berkshire Hathaway. The most successful investing company in history. He was obsessed with how ot make better decisions.His book is full of ways to help you be less wrong and how to find an edge where you can perform at your best and minimise risk of losing. From the inversion principle to understanding opportunity cost and your own circle of competence. He has...2025-07-2935 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe World Until Yesterday - Jared Diamond - Stone Age Lessons on InnovationHeard enough lame insights about caveman psychology? Jared Diamond goes hard into what life was really like, how we thought and how it compares to today.A masterclass of a book when it comes to truly understanding our history and humanity and packed full of insights. Sam digests the book from a lens of innovation and what the reality of our life meant for taking risks and trying new ideas and making them happen.We cover various tribe studies across the world and the episode is brimming with stories and...2025-07-1531 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon - Brad StoneWe share the 10 best mental models about innovation from tech titan Jeff Bezos.This episode covers the story of Amazon and some of the incredible shifts it has created on the planet. From the obvious online shopping wave to things like the e-reading industry and audiobooks, web-servers giving us Uber and Netflix, devices like Alexa. We also learn about their failures like the Fire Phone and other things you probably haven't even heard of, Amazon Destinations, anyone?Lessons to think like an innovator and be more decisive:Primitive Thinking - Creating the...2025-07-0136 min
Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-ImprovementUncertainty: How to Handle Life's Surprises (+ What is a Black Swan event) - w/ Nicolas VereeckeEver felt like life just sucker-punched you out of nowhere? That's exactly what Nassim Taleb calls a Black Swan event.
Most people think they can predict the future by looking at patterns. They study charts, analyze trends, and feel safe in their little bubble of certainty.
However, the biggest events that shape our lives—market crashes, pandemics, breakthrough innovations—are the ones nobody sees coming. ..
Beyond that, it's about how your brain tricks you into thinking you understand a world that's fundamentally unpredictable:
Stop trying to predict everything and start building resi...2025-06-0627 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubMorgan Housel - Same As Ever: Timeless lessons on risk, opportunity and living a good life.Every investment plan under the sun is, at best, an informed speculation of what may happen in the future, based on a systematic extrapolation from the known past.Same as Ever reverses the process, inviting us to identify the many things that never, ever change.Morgan Housel wrote this to be a master class on optimizing risk, seizing opportunity, and living your best life. But does he achieve it?We break down the best ideas and mental models he shares and how they could be applied in your life.2025-03-2844 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Dark Forest - Liu Cixin [Three Body Problem pt.2]A philosophical discussion on part 2 of the Three-Body Problem series, The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin.We ponder different answers to Fermi's paradox and how we'd deal with different levels of intelligence in the Universe. This of course requires pondering how different levels of intelligent beings might deal with us.We also ponder at large adaptions of books into screenplays, why writers change the races of original characters and a lot of interesting stuff about aliens, the Universe and the space-time continuum.- - -2025-03-1437 min
Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-ImprovementEternal Laws of Human Nature: Timeless Investing Principles from “Same As Ever" - Morgan HouselDive into the timeless insights of Morgan Housel's book 'Same As Ever' and the nature or things that never change.We unpack the most profound lessons from the book, exploring how subtle shifts in perspective can lead to monumental changes in personal finance and decision-making. Sam invites his book review cohost Nicolas Vereecke on the show to discover how Housel's principles can be applied to everyday life, providing clarity and guidance through the complexities of economics and behavioural finance.Lessons and principles include:
...2024-07-2652 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubNo Offence, But... by Gina MartinHow to have difficult conversations, for meaningful change.We break down Gina Martin's book addressing how to navigate some of the worst conversation-stoppers and poor thinking in our culture today.It also features chapters from other widely recognized speakers on the topics of equality and diversity.Labeled as "An empowering guide to navigating difficult conversations from climate naysayers to the #notallmen brigade, featuring chapters from brilliant writers and activists like Cathy Reay, Ben Hurst, Salma El-Wardany, and many others."Gina Martin is a gender equality activist, speaker, a...2024-03-0644 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Signal and The Noise - Nate SilverMaking good predictions is tough. We think we know more than we do and let emotions and biases creep in. How do some forecasters beat the odds? Our hosts, Nico and Sam, chat about the book "The Signal and the Noise" by Nate Silver exploring why predictions fail and uncovering practical insights.A little statistical training can go a long way! We geek out on Bayes' Theorem, discuss why poker develops useful reasoning skills, and tackle investing decisions using probabilities. Improving predictions requires tracking your results and having the courage to map what you don't know.2024-02-0235 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe 48 Laws of Power - Robert GreeneThe 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene are described as amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive. This multi-million-copy New York Times bestselling book brands itself as the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control.50 Cent loved the book so much that he reached out to the author to work with him.But what can we learn from this book about power, society, and morality and what are its limits?Hosts Sam Webster Harris and Nicolas Vereecke provide a summary of the 48 laws of power, and dis...2023-08-0939 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe changing world order - Ray DalioFrom legendary investor Ray Dalio, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Principles, who has spent half a century studying global economies and markets, Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order examines history’s most turbulent economic and political periods to reveal why the times ahead will likely be radically different from those we’ve experienced in our lifetimes—and to offer practical advice on how to navigate them well.He discusses how nations that control the world have seized and lost their global power in predictable cycles. He explores where we are at today with t...2023-06-2739 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Three Body Problem - Cixin LiuReview of the Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, one of the most impactful hard-science fiction books this century. Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.We discuss the book and its philosophical ideas...2023-05-0327 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubFalse Alarm - Bjorn Lomborg - The cost of climate change panicIn False Alarm, Bjorn Lomborg examines how climate change panic costs us trillions, hurts the poor, and fails to fix the planet. This is a divisive book and even had us as hosts disagreeing on subjects.Bjorn Lomborg proposes to debunk the myths and hype surrounding climate change, revealing the true costs and benefits of our response to this global challenge. Lomborg argues that our current approach to climate change is doing more harm than good, and offers a bold and pragmatic alternative that puts the world's poor first.This book is worth...2023-04-0732 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Culture Code: Secrets of Highly Successful Groups - Daniel CoyleTeamwork is renowned for being the key to success. The practicalities of making it happen to rely on building a brilliant culture. But what does that mean?This book breaks down some memorable and thought-provoking examples leading to some actionable lessons.In our view, it is a perfect book for anyone in management or trying to bring out the most in their teams.- - -Contact the hostsWiser pod websiteNico's projectsBeing a VC - Bitkraft.vcFuture of Gaming podcast - Website - YouTubeSam's projectsYoutube - World records and adven...2023-03-2135 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book club4000 weeks: Time management for mortals - Oliver Burkeman4000 weeks is a productivity book that is anti-productivity. We are all going to die and optimising our day for every last morsel of work is not the way to be happy or effective.We break down the biggest lessons from the book which are practical to adopt in your life. We also discuss what the opportunities are economically and philosophically.- - -Contact the hostsWiser pod websiteNico's projectsBeing a VC - Bitkraft.vcFuture of Gaming podcast - Website - YouTube2023-03-0932 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from ScratchWhat we do if most of civilization collapsed to survive as a species? What human knowledge is most important to preserve and use to rebuild society as quickly as possible? Lewis Dartnell assesses the most important actions to take during an apocalypse to survive. He then cherry-picks the most important inventions to teach us how to rebuild everything we need from modern society to survive and thrive. - Why read? -This is a great book for the inner geek learning about the history of human invention and how humanities progression has shaped society and the things we t...2023-02-2419 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubHow To Change Your Mind - Michael PollanWhat the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. We break down our main lessons from the book and open our own minds to a new way of thinking. About Could psychedelic drugs change our worldview? One of America's most admired writers takes us on a mind-altering journey to the frontiers of human consciousness When LSD was first discovered in the 1940s, it seemed to researchers, scientists and doctors as if the world might be on the cusp of psychological revolution. It promised to shed light on the deep...2023-02-0824 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody Keeps the scoreBody Keeps the score is a book that you keep hearing about especially as mental health and trauma become more and more relevant.Bessel Van Der Kock explains what we experience in the brain, mind and body whilst healing from trauma.Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Even if you haven't experienced trauma yourself it is useful to understand its effects on others...2023-01-1624 minWiser Than Yesterday: Book clubWe're back - A quick updateWe had a long hiatus since the summer of 2022. The mind series rather dragged and we realised we needed to sort out a better system for things.We also had a few big life updates as Sam went on a long cycling trip and Nico's job became a little overwhelming along with launching his own podcast on the Future of Gaming.Back on track with a schedule and if you're intrigued you can hear about some of Sam's world-record ideas and Nico's gaming obsessions here.Nico's projectsBeing a VC - Bitkraft.vcFuture of...2023-01-1205 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubNEURODIVERSITY: The Man Who Mistook His Wife and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver SacksIn this book, neurologist Oliver Sacks, describes the case histories of some of his patients. Sacks chose the title of the book from the case study of one of his patients who has visual agnosia, a neurological condition that leaves him unable to recognize faces and objects. Sacks wrote the stories of 24 patients and their neurological conditions which was split into four sections – ‘Losses’, ‘Excesses’, ‘Transports’, and ‘The World of the Simple’ each dealing with a particular aspect of brain functionHost rating for 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat'NicoRatin...2022-05-1131 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubNEURODIVERSITY - PSYCHOPATHS: The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success by Kevin DuttonThe Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a scale of "madness" along which we all sit. Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit, and that a mugger in a dimly lit parking lot may well, in fact, h...2022-04-0627 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubNEURODIVERSITY - AUTISM: NeuroTribes; The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve SilbermanNeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of NeurodiversityBy Steve SilbermanWhat is autism? A lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more—and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. Wired reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years. Goi...2022-03-2329 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubNEURODIVERSITY - ADHD: Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain by Peter ShankmanFaster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain By Peter Shankman In Faster Than Normal, Shankman shares his hard-won insights and daily hacks for making ADHD a secret weapon for living a full and deeply satisfying life. Both inspiring and practical, the book presents life rules, best practices, and simple but powerful ways to: Harness your creative energy to generate and execute your ideas Direct your hyperfocus to get things done Identify your pitfalls--and avoid them Streamline your daily routine to eliminate distractions Use apps and other tech innovations to free...2022-03-0238 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting RecapThoughts and Learnings in InvestingEveryone should be thinking about investing.Every money decision you make is an investment decision.All investments are broadly equal on the risk/reward spectrum.Only actively make investment decisions when you have an edge.Your investment strategy will depend on your situation (your age, tolerance for downturns, goals, etc.)Compounding is key in investing and in lifeDownturns are the price you pay for being invested.Think positive-sum (put your money in positive-sum industries) - shorting!List of Investing Books and Topics That We Have ReadIntroduction to InvestingTalking To My Daughter About The Economy by Yanis...2022-02-1641 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: Art of the Deal: Contemporary Art in a Global Financial Market by Noah HorowitzArt of the Deal: Contemporary Art in a Global Financial MarketBy Noah HorowitzArt today is defined by its relationship to money as never before. Prices of living artists' works have been driven to unprecedented heights, conventional boundaries within the art world have collapsed, and artists now think ever more strategically about how to advance their careers. Artists no longer simply make art, but package, sell, and brand it.Noah Horowitz exposes the inner workings of the contemporary art market, explaining how this unique economy came to be, how it works, and where it's headed. He takes a unique look at...2022-02-0235 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: What is Decentralized Finance or DeFiDecentralized Finance or DeFiDecentralized Finance offers financial instruments without relying on intermediaries such as brokerages, exchanges, or banks. Instead, it uses smart contracts on a blockchain. DeFi platforms allow people to lend or borrow funds from others, speculate on price movements on assets using derivatives, trade cryptocurrencies, insure against risks, and earn interest in savings-like accounts. DeFi uses a layered architecture and highly composable building blocks. Some applications promote high interest rates but are subject to high risk.In this episode, Nico and Sam thoroughly explained what is DeFi all about, the importance and risks involved, how it works and...2022-01-1954 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness by Eric JorgensonThe Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and HappinessBy Eric JorgensonGetting rich is not just about luck; happiness is not just a trait we are born with. These aspirations may seem out of reach, but building wealth and being happy are skills we can learn.So what are these skills, and how do we learn them? What are the principles that should guide our efforts? What does progress really look like?Naval Ravikant is an entrepreneur, philosopher, and investor who has captivated the world with his principles for building wealth and creating long-term happiness. The Almanack of Naval...2022-01-0552 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan HouselThe Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and HappinessBy Morgan HouselDoing well with money isn’t necessarily about what you know. It’s about how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people.Money―investing, personal finance, and business decisions―is typically taught as a math-based field, where data and formulas tell us exactly what to do. But in the real world people don’t make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. They make them at the dinner table, or in a meeting room, where personal history, your own unique view of the world, ego, pride...2021-12-2943 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: The Education of a Value Investor: My Transformative Quest for Wealth, Wisdom, and Enlightenment by Guy SpierThe Education of a Value Investor: My Transformative Quest for Wealth, Wisdom, and EnlightenmentBy Guy SpierWhat happens when a young Wall Street investment banker spends a small fortune to have lunch with Warren Buffett? He becomes a real value investor. In this fascinating inside story, Guy Spier details his career from Harvard MBA to hedge fund manager. But the path was not so straightforward. Spier reveals his transformation from a Gordon Gekko wannabe, driven by greed, to a sophisticated investor who enjoys success without selling his soul to the highest bidder. Spier's journey is similar to the thousands that flock...2021-12-2248 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups—Timeless Advice from an Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 Into $100,000,000 by Jason CalacanisAngel: How to Invest in Technology Startups—Timeless Advice from an Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 Into $100,000,000By Jason CalacanisOne of Silicon Valley’s most successful angel investors shares his rules for investing in startups.There are two ways to make money in startups: create something valuable—or invest in the people that are creating valuable things.Over the past twenty-five years, Jason Calacanis has made a fortune investing in creators, spotting and helping build and fund a number of successful technology startups—investments that have earned him tens of millions of dollars. Now, in this enlightening guide that is sure to becom...2021-12-1543 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), explainedNFTs (Non-Fungible Token), explainedA non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique and non-interchangeable unit of data stored on a digital ledger (blockchain). NFTs can be associated with easily-reproducible items such as photos, videos, 3D models, audio, and other types of digital files as unique items (analogous to a certificate of authenticity). NFTs use blockchain technology to provide a public proof of ownership. Copies of the original file are not restricted to the owner of the NFT, and can be copied and shared like any file. The lack of interchangeability (fungibility) distinguishes NFTs from blockchain cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin.NFTs have drawn...2021-12-0839 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean AmmousThe Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central BankingBy Saifedean AmmousThe Bitcoin Standard analyzes the historical context to the rise of bitcoin, the economic properties that have allowed it to grow quickly, and its likely economic, political, and social implications. While Bitcoin is a new invention of the digital age, the problem it purports to solve is as old as human society itself: transferring value across time and space. Ammous takes the reader on an engaging journey through the history of technologies performing the functions of money, from primitive systems of trading limestones and seashells, to metals, coins, the gold...2021-12-0151 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin GrahamThe Intelligent InvestorBy Benjamin GrahamThe Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, first published in 1949, is a widely acclaimed book on value investing. The book provides strategies on how to successfully use value investing in the stock market. Historically, the book has been one of the most popular books on investing and Graham’s legacy remains. Key TakeawaysInvestment is not gambling or speculatingAn investment is going to protect the principal and provide an adequate return. Anything that does not meet these criteria is speculation. Margin of SafetyIn simple term, Graham's goal was to buy a dollars worth of assets for $0.50Defensive InvestorNot ev...2021-11-2444 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: Talking To My Daughter About The Economy by Yanis VaroufakisTalking To My Daughter About The Economy: A Brief istory of CapitalismBy Yanis VaroufakisIn this letter to his teenage daughter, one of the world's most famous economists uses vivid stories to explain what economics is and why it is so dangerous. What is money and why does debt exist? Where do wealth and inequality come from? How come economics has the power to shape and destroy our lives? Economics is not a technical science, it is an epic drama: a battleground of ideas, a war between the powerful for our allegiance. In this universally accessible book, Yanis Varoufakis describes how...2021-11-1945 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubInvesting: Introduction to InvestingIntroduction to InvestingWe live in a capitalistic society, where everything revolves around adding value. Adding value can be anything: farmers, bakers, architects, artists, teachers, athletes. When you go to school, you are being trained to bring value to society. After you finish school and start working, you are being paid for creating value. In this episode, we will lay down the groundwork for the rest of the book that we will be reading in this season. We will also discuss why should everyone should take investing seriously or at least think about.Subscribe!If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe...2021-11-1539 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody RecapRecap of the human body books that we have readIf Our Bodies Could Talk: A Guide to Operating and Maintaining a Human Body - James HamblinWhy We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams - Matthew WalkerBreath: The New Science of a Lost Art - James NestorLifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don't Have To - David SinclairGut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ - Giulia EndersBurn: New Research Blows the Lid Off How We Really Burn Calories, Lose Weight, and Stay Healthy - Herman PontzerDeath by Food Pyramid: How Shoddy Science, Sketchy Politics and Sh...2021-10-2736 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Born to Run by Christopher McDougallBorn to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never SeenBy Christopher McDougallInspiration for reading this book came when Nico's friend came for dinner wearing these weird-ass shoes. Naturally - he asked him about it, cause Nico love weird stuff, and told him that humans have evolved to walk and run barefoot, and that cushioned shoes are the reason why so many people have issues in their knees, hips and backs, both from running but also from daily life.And the best way to convince Nico of anything is to tell him that ancient humans...2021-10-1333 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Death by Food Pyramid - Denise MingerDeath by Food Pyramid: How Shoddy Science, Sketchy Politics and Shady Special Interests Have Ruined Our HealthBy Denis MingerDenise Minger shares her personal story about how she got convinced to go all-out raw vegan at a pretty young age. She initially saw tremendous health improvements, but after a while she started losing a lot of weight. She decided to stop eating vegan after her dentist told her that he/she had never seen such bad teeth in someone her age. She exposes the forces that overrode common sense and solid science to launch a pyramid phenomenon that bled far beyond...2021-09-2932 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Burn by Herman PontzerBurn: The Misunderstood Science of MetabolismBy Herman PontzerWe burn 2,000 calories a day. And if we exercise and cut carbs, we'll lose more weight. Right? Wrong.the Hadza, who every day move around for ~4 hours and 15,000 steps, use the same amount of energy as couch-potato North Americans.Exercise doesn't increase our metabolism. Instead, we burn calories within a very narrow range: nearly 3,000 calories per day, no matter our activity level.Our extremely effective "metabolic compensation" shifts calories around so we break even at the end of the day no matter how much we move.Basically, you can't lose weight through exercise...2021-09-1532 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Gut by Giulia EndersGut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organby Giulia EndersFor too long, the gut has been the body’s most ignored and least appreciated organ, but it turns out that it’s responsible for more than just dirty work: our gut is (literally and figuratively) at the core of who we are. The book starts with a voyage through our full digestive tract, discussing the pain-killing powers of our saliva, the shape and structure of our intestines, and the best position to sit on the toilet. The second part discusses the nervous system of the gut, why we vom...2021-09-0329 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Lifespan by Dr. Savid SinclairLifespan: why we age - and why we don’t have toBy Dr. Savid Sinclair#1: Aging is a disease: We must move away from treating age-related diseases and focus on their root. Reclassifying aging as a disease is a critical first step in this shift in approach.Sinclair believes we’re wasting money and time on what he calls “whack-a-mole” medic“There is nothing more dangerous to us than age. Yet we have conceded its power over us. And we have turned our fight for better health in other directions.”ine.Failure to define aging as a disease is also stunting res...2021-06-3044 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Breath by James NestorBreath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James NestorNo matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you're not breathing properly.The missing pillar in health is breath, it all starts thereNestor finds that the science of breathing really is a lost art, and discovers more in ancient burial sites and secret Soviet facilities than in modern science labs. Points to antifragility.Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance; rejuvenate internal...2021-06-2337 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: Why We Sleep by Matthew WalkerWhy we sleepWritten by Matthew WalkerAmazing breakthrough - science has discovered a new treatmentLive longerEnhances memoryMore creativeLook more attractiveMakes slimLowers food cravingsProtects cancer and dementiaWards off colds and the fluLowers risk of heart attacks and stroke and diabetesYoull even feel happier, less depressed and less anxiousNeglecting sleep undercuts your creativity, problem solving, decision-making, learning, memory, heart health, brain health, mental health, emotional well-being, immune system, and even your life span. Why do we sleep? After all, when you’re sleeping—and all animals do—you can’t hunt, gather, eat, reproduce, or defend yourself. Yet Walker concludes that the evolutionary upsides...2021-06-1638 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBody: If Our Bodies Could Talk by James HamblinIf Our Bodies Could Talk: A Guide to Operating and Maintaining a Human Bodyby James HamblinDoctor turned journalistLaunched a series of videos for the atlantic in 2014explores the human stories behind health questions that never seem to go away—and which tend to be mischaracterized and oversimplified by marketing and news media.He covers topics like:DietSleepAging• Can I “boost” my immune system?• Does caffeine make me live longer?• Do we still not know if cell phones cause cancer?• How much sleep do I actually need?• Is there any harm in taking a multivitamin?• Is life long enough?In considering these questions, H...2021-06-0944 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness RecapRecap of the business books that we have readShoedog: Autobiography of Phil Knight, founder of NikeThe lean startup, Eric Ries:How to build a startup, the antifragile wayBen Horowits The Hard thing about hard things helps throw light at the challenges a CEO goes through.The Messy Middle - Scott Belsky: Talks about stuff between the most romantic parts of a venture, from starting in a garage or college dorm to successfully doing a multi-billion dollar IPO.Obviously Awesome - April Dunfordpositioning framework that actually works, because she sees that positioning is often misunderstood, and can be really powerful, especially...2021-06-0236 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy - Richard RumeltGood strategy, bad strategy: The difference, and why it mattersBy Richard RumeltKey insightsStrategy =/= ambitious goal setting, vision, charismaAround the 60’s, many authors started ascribing leader’s success to their vision, combined with their charisma. This has resulted in a lot of bad strategy, based on ambitious goal setting. Example: 20/20 plan - 20% growth with 20% profit margin. Often a goal or a vision can be a perfectly fine starting point for a strategy. However, the strategy itself must include precise information on how these goals will actually be achieved.Example: warzoneEvery good strategy has the same foundation: a diagnosis, a guiding policy and...2021-05-1942 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: Venture Deals - Brad Feld and Jason MendelsonVenture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason MendelsonEver thought about getting investments for your startup? Ever thought about investing in a startup?Whether you are an entrepreneur, an investor, a lawyer or just a stakeholder in the venture capital market, this book is for you!In it, renowned investor Brad Feld addresses some topics within the Venture Capital ecosystem, explaining in a practical and didactic way how things work. You'll understand a bit more about raising money, how to get away from some legal issues, who are the top players in VC deals, and how to deal with investors.The...2021-05-1238 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: Hooked - Nir EyalHooked - how to build habit-forming products by Nir EyalHow do successful companies create products people can't put down?Why do some products capture widespread attention while others flop? What makes us engage with certain products out of sheer habit? Is there a pattern underlying how technologies hook us?Nir Eyal answers these questions (and many more) by explaining the "Hook Model" - a four steps process embedded into the products of many successful companies to subtly encourage customer behavior. Through consecutive “hook cycles,” these products reach their ultimate goal of bringing users back over and over again, without depending on c...2021-04-2837 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: Obviously Awesome - April DunfordObviously AwesomeApril Dunford extracts from her own 20+ years of real-world tech marketing experience a basic positioning framework that actually works, because she sees that positioning is often misunderstood, and can be really powerful, especially for saas startupsDefinition: Positioning is the act of deliberately defining how you are the best at something that a defined market cares a lot about.When customers first encounter your product they look for "signals" to try to understand what box to put your product in. These include your messaging, features, price, other customers, and most importantly, your competitive alternatives.Customers use what they know, to...2021-04-2130 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: The High Growth HandbookThe High Growth HandbookGlobal technology executive, serial entrepreneur, and angel investor Elad Gil has worked with high-growth, tech companies like Airbnb, Twitter, Google, Stripe, and Square as they've grown from small companies to global enterprises.Across all of these breakout companies, a set of common patterns has evolved into a repeatable playbook that Gil has now codified in High Growth Handbook. In this definitive guide, Gil covers key topics, including:* the role of the CEO* managing a board* recruiting and managing an executive team* mergers and acquisitions* initial public offerings* late-stage fundingInterspersed with and informed by interviews with some of...2021-04-1432 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: The Messy Middle - Scott BelskyThe Messy middle by Scott BelskyMost startup stories describe the most romantic parts of a venture, from starting in a garage or college dorm to successfully doing a multi-billion dollar IPO. Scott Belsky, who is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, Chief Product Officer at Adobe, and product advisor to many of today's top start-ups, goes about it differently. He dedicates this book to the messy middle, the middle stretch, which is the least talked about, but probably the most important part of any venture. The book is broken into 3 sectionsEndure the roller coaster of successes and failuresOptimize what’s workingFinish strongSam an...2021-04-0732 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben HorowitzThe Hard thing about hard thingsA valuable book for tech entrepreneurs, The Hard thing about hard things helps throw light at the challenges a CEO goes through. Ben Horowitz launched Loudcloud in 1999, just before the dotcom bubble. Their company offers enterprise SaaS to tech clients. Then the trouble began* Because of the dotcom bubble, many of their customers went out of business* Had to IPO to survive, during hard times* After going public, they pivoted to become OPSware, a radically different business* They got threatened to delist from NASDAQ* They had mass employee revoltsIn the end, he sold OPSware for 1,6...2021-03-3127 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: The Lean Startup - Eric RiesThe Lean Startup by Eric RiesA startup is a grand experiment = "a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty"Too many startups begin with an idea for a product that they think people want. They then spend months, sometimes years, perfecting that product without ever showing the product, even in a very rudimentary form, to the prospective customer.Scientific management has been used to optimize processes at the beginning of the 20th century (ford automobiles). It is now used to optimize building the right product, instead of building the product as efficient...2021-03-1233 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubBusiness: Shoe Dog - Phil Knight - The story of NikeShoe Dog is a memoir by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The memoir chronicles the history of Nike from its early struggles to its evolution into one of the world's most recognized and profitable companies. It also highlights certain parts of Phil Knight's life.This book is a great insight into the world of business and how a huge company and brand is made from humble begginings. It highlights the amazingly stressful and difficult trials of an entrepreneur and the mistakes and lessons along the way.We learn a lot about history and about what makes a good CEO. ...2021-03-0531 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe best books of 2020We (Sam and Nico) look back at what we read on the show in 2020.We both choose our top three books from the year that we discussed on the show and share what the biggest lessons were that really stuck with us. Looking back with hindsight at the most powerful lessons was a great tool to really show what the absolute best books were which can be less obvious in the moment.We also had one wildcard book each that we read outside of the show but was really worth a mention.The top listJoint first(Yes - we both...2021-02-0335 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubMeditations - Marcus AureliusWritten in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe.While the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers throughout the centuries. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode 2021-01-2338 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubSeneca - On the Shortness of LifeThe Stoic writings of the philosopher Seneca offer powerful insights into the art of living, the importance of reason and morality, and continue to provide profound guidance to many through their eloquence, lucidity and timeless wisdom.Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves—and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives—and destroyed them.Sam and Nico breakdown "On the Shortness of life" and contemplate the shortness of their own lives and the priorities that really matter. 2020-12-2628 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Republic - PlatoThe RepublicWhere Plato lays down his ideas of an ideal state and its rulers. Plato's Utopian state is one which is just and his ideal rulers are philosophers. Presented as a series of dialogue between Socrates and Plato's brothers Adeimantus and Glaucon, in eleven parts Plato step by step forms his ideal state (Part I and II), its rulers (Part IV and Part VII), their education, women's position (Part VI) and the position of art and poetry (Part X) in the new state.Plato’s ideal republic;No democracy3 classesArtisans, merchants and farmersGuardiansRulers - philosophers (could best judge what was in...2020-11-2023 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubEpicurusEpicurusEpicureanism is powerfully and refreshingly relevant, offering a straightforward way of dealing with the issues of life and death. The chapters in this book provide a changeable of contemporary opinions about Epicurus' teachings.Key to happiness:Don't fear godDon't fear deathWhat is good is easy to getWhat is bad is easy to endureThis doesn't mean Epicururs pleaded for overindulgenceHe made a hierarchy of desiresNatural and necessary desiresNatural and non-necessary desiresVain desiresNatural and necessary desiresNatural desires have a natural limit (food)2 types of pleasure:Moving pleasure: the act of eatingStatic pleasure: the contentment being satisfied after a nice meal Static pleasure...2020-11-1621 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubEnchiridion by EpictetusEnchiridionEnchiridion means handbook: practical guide for lifeStarts with the dichotomy of control;* Some things are in our absolute control, our thoughts, decisions, actions, likes/dislikes* Some things are not in our control; our body, what others think, our position in life, property …Only things that are in our control are good or bad, everything outside of our control is indiffeerent. We shouldn't worry about them.Example: Epictetus had a lame leg.Takeaways:Don’t get so upset about things you can do nothnig aboutMake a practiice of analyzing your impressionsRemind yourself of the impermanence of thingsBe modest, do not grab too...2020-10-1925 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe Confessions by Saint Augustine of HippoThe Confessions of Saint AugustineThe book starts off with his early childhood, where he reflects on the inherent violence of children, caused by original sin (chrisitan belief that man is sinful). There’s a parallel with other philosophies. Most philosophies/religions realize that on this basis, humans are flawed. These flaws seem to follow from how we evolved. And so a big part of what these philosophies try and solve is exactly how to overcome our basic urges. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy in...2020-10-1222 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubThe final days of Socrates - PlatoThe Last Days of SocratesA Philosophy book by Plato that is divided between 4 partsEuthyphroTakes place just before Socrate's trial is about to beginThe ApologyPlato uses his dialogues to tell the story of the trial of Socrates as he energetically defends himself against the charges of heresy and corruption of youthCrito - Socrates friendCrito, has come to help him escape and Socrates counters crito's arguments choosing to stay in prison and accept his fatePhaedoPlato uses Socrates to espouse his belief of the immortality of the soul. Death should be welcome to the philosopher because it is then that he will attain...2020-09-2534 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubSeason Recap: Racism and InequalityWe are very grateful for the chance to read and discuss the books this season on the show.As a hot topic we also listened and read a lot of other content we didn't have time to do a full show on but felt it was worth discussing other sources of information and discussing our learnings from a step back.Racism and inequality in the modern world is a hard to understand topic and reading one book is not nearly enough. Hopefully hearing some of the things that helped us and ways of thinking will be helpful to you also. 2020-09-1948 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubNonviolent Communication - Marshall RosenbergNonviolent Communication is based on the assumption that all human beings have capacity for compassion and empathy and that people only resort to violence or behavior harmful to others when they do not recognize more effective strategies for meeting needs.The purpose of Nonviolent Communication is to help us connect to ourselves and others in a way that makes being compassionate natural. It is not about making people do what we want, but by creating connections with others so that everyone’s needs are met.Nonviolent Communication theory supposes that all human behavior stems from attempts to meet universal human ne...2020-09-1429 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubDiscrimination and Disparities - Thomas SowellA searching re-examination of the assumptions, and the evidence for and against, current approaches to issues of economic and other disparitiesDiscrimination and Disparities challenges believers in such one-factor explanations of economic outcome differences as discrimination, exploitation or genetics. It is readable enough for people with no prior knowledge of economics. Yet the empirical evidence with which it backs up its analysis spans the globe and challenges beliefs across the ideological spectrum.The point of Discrimination and Disparities is not to recommend some particular policy "fix" at the end, but to clarify why so many policy fixes have turned out to...2020-08-2133 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubHow to be an antiracist - Ibram X. KendiHow to Be an Antiracist is a 2019 non-fiction book by American author and historian Ibram X. Kendi. The book discusses concepts of racism and Kendi's proposals for anti-racist individual actions and systemic changes. AuthorAt the time of authorship, Ibram X. Kendi was an assistant professor of African-American History at the University of Florida. He previously worked at the American University, where he founded the Antiracist Research and Policy Center. He wrote a 2016 book titled Stamped from the Beginning, about the origins of racism in America.SynopsisKendi describes concepts of racism such as scientific racism, colorism and their intersection with demographics...2020-08-1037 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubWhite fragility - Robin DiAngeloWhite Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism A 2018 book written by Robin DiAngelo about race relations in the United States. An academic with experience in diversity training, DiAngelo coined the term "white fragility" in 2011 to describe any defensive instincts or reactions that a white person experiences when questioned about race or made to consider their own race. In White Fragility, DiAngelo views racism in the United States as systemic and often perpetuated unconsciously by individuals. She recommends against viewing racism as committed intentionally by "bad people".Published on June 26, 2018, the book entered the New...2020-08-0544 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubWhy I'm no longer talking to white people about race - Rene Eddo-LodgeThe moment you've all been waiting for.Two white guys read the most talked about book on race and attempt to understand our amazing foolishness in a humble manner. Yes we probably mess things up. But it's better to try, make mistakes, learn, and improve, than to just runaway from our own fragilities.About'Every voice raised against racism chips away at its power. We can't afford to stay silent. This book is an attempt to speak'The book that sparked a national conversation. Exploring everything from eradicated black history to the inextricable link between class and race, Why I'm No Longer...2020-07-0337 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book clubHope in the Dark - Rebecca SolnitHope in the Dark was written to counter the despair of radicals at a moment when they were focused on their losses and had turned their back to the victories behind them--and the unimaginable changes soon to come. In it, she makes a radical case for hope as a commitment to act in a world whose future remains uncertain and unknowable.Drawing on her decades of activism and a wide reading of environmental, cultural, and political history, Solnit argued that radicals have a long, neglected history of transformative victories, that the positive consequences of our acts are not always immediately...2020-06-1936 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club12. Skin in the Game - Nassim Nicholas TalebSkin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life, is a 2018 nonfiction book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a former options trader with a background in the mathematics of probability and statistics.Taleb's thesis is that skin in the game -- i.e., having a measurable risk when taking a major decision -- is necessary for fairness, commercial efficiency, and risk management, as well as being necessary to understand the world. The book is the last part of Taleb's multi-volume philosophical essay on uncertainty, titled the Incerto.SummaryAnother classic book from Taleb. He makes a sound argument for alignment of inscentives...2020-06-0736 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club11. Antifragile - Nassim Nicholas TalebNassim Nicholas Taleb present a blueprint of how to live in a 'Black Swan' world.He begins the book:"Some things benefit from shocks; they thrive and grow when exposed to volatility, randomness, disorder, and stressors and love adventure, risk, and uncertainty. Yet, in spite of the ubiquity of the phenomenon, there is no word for the exact opposite of fragile. Let us call it antifragile. Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better"He spends the rest of the book explaining how to become antifragile. It is a great...2020-05-2057 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club10. The Bed of Procrustes - Nassim Nicholas TalebNassim Nicholas Taleb wrote some of his favourite maxims and ways to think in life into a book.This is a great hand book for nuggets of wisdom to ponder upon. Thus ponder we do on some of our favourites.Some examples include* What fools call “wasting time” is most often the best investment.* A man without a heroic bent starts dying at the age of thirty.* The difference between slaves in Roman and Ottoman days and today’s employees is that slaves did not need to flatter their boss.* You are rich if and only if money you refuse tastes...2020-05-1436 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club8. Fooled By Randomness - Nassim Nicholas TalebFooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets is a book that deals with the fallibility of human knowledge.Nassim Nicholas Taleb explains how we delude ourselves into thinking untrue things due to our love of finding a story or reason when none exists.In the episode, we explore the many examples of human behaviour failing us and the isights we can learn form this book. We discuss how the relates to trading and the economy and the wider aspects of being a more logical human. Don't Forget to leave a comment...2020-05-0333 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club7. Do You Talk Funny? - David NihilPublic speaking can be terrifying. For David Nihill, the idea of standing in front of an audience was scarier than cliff jumping into a thorny pit of spiders and mothers-in-law. Without a parachute or advanced weaponry. This book is a part story and part manual. It follows David's story to become an engaging public speaker and the lessons he learnt along the way. It shows how anyone can become funny and breaks down the steps to get there.It is a highly motivating book for someone who is nervous of approaching the world of public speaking, business presentations and things...2020-04-2128 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club6. Finite and Infinite Games - James P. CarseThis book is challenging. Some people hate. Many people love it.It has been described as, "Disturbingly good" for it's ability to shake the concepts of what you think about your approaches to life. It is regarded as a book you need to read, re-read and then read again.We blindly dive into it and attempt to distill it's wisdom for listeners in a usable manner, whilst not making too big a fools of ourselves.AboutJames P. Carse is a philosopher and author. He published this book in 1986 and it has never lost relevance." There are at least two kinds...2020-04-1929 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club5. Invisible Women - Caroline Criado PerezThis book exposes the gender bias that is in the world around us and affects our daily lives. A brilliant look at the data that shows the facts we need to acknowledge and overcome.Caroline presents a very thourough study into the way the world has been built and how it has been unfair on women. This is a revealing book which was a brilliant read for anyone. As two white guys we really had a lot to learn and enjoyed discussing this book and what we can do to improve things.About the AuthorCaroline Criado Perez is a writer...2020-04-1630 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club4. The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists - Niel StraussThe Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists (also known as The Game: Undercover in the Secret Society of Pickup Artists) is a non-fiction book written by investigative reporter Neil Strauss as a chronicle of his journey and encounters in the seduction community.The book was featured on The New York Times Bestseller List for two months after its release in September 2005, reaching prominence again in 2007 during the broadcast of the VH1 television series The Pickup Artist, which was hosted by Mystery, Strauss's mentor in the book. In its original published hardcover format, the book was covered in black...2020-04-1024 min
The Coronavirus Effect3. Black Swan - The High Impact of the Highly UnexpectedAboutThe 'Black Swan' is a book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. It demonstrates that unexpected events have the biggest impact on shaping the world.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242472.The_Black_SwanThe book explains how can we prepare for these evens. How to build a more resilient strategies. How to get stronger from such events instead of being beatenWant more book discussions?This podcast episode was originally recorded for the "Wiser than Yesterday" podcast. See www.wiserpod.comSam discusses the book and it's lessons with...2020-04-0444 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club3. Why Buddhism is True - Robert Wright'Why Buddhism is True' looks at the science and philosophy of meditation and enlightenment. The author is a devout non-meditating anger prone evolutionary psychologist and writer.He dives headlong into the world of meditation with surprising results. He explains why it works from an evolutionary standpoint. Using his wit and intellect the book makes very enjoyable and enlightening reading.This was my favourite book on meditation. I loved it so much that I wrote over 40 pages of notes during reading it. (and yes I've read the other Sam Harris' book 'Waking Up' and most of the best ones)AboutRobert Wright...2020-03-3138 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club9. The Black Swan - Nassim Nicholas TalebThe Black Swan focuses on the extreme impact of rare and unpredictable outlier events — and the human tendency to find simplistic explanations for these events, retrospectively. It was published in 2007, by author and former options trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Coronavirus and Pandemics This book is extremely poignant for understanding the Coronavirus pandemic and its effects.In the book, he explains why we would be caught unawares by such an event and why we should build robust systems for events like this. During the discussion on the show, we talk through a lot of the ideas he explains in...2020-03-2740 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club2. The Elephant in the Brain - Kevin Simler & Robin HansonAbout the BookThe aim of "Elephant in the Brain" is to confront our hidden motives directly — to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights. Then, once our minds are more clearly visible, we can work to better understand human nature: Why do people laugh? Why are artists sexy? Why do we brag about travel? Why do we prefer to speak rather than listen?Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains are therefore designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to get ahead socially, often by devious means.Bu...2020-03-1740 min
Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club1. Introduction - The Big PlanThis is a simple episode where we hear about what the plans are for the show.Sam and Nico introduce each other and discuss some of their backgrounds if you want to get to know you lovely show hosts. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2020-03-0518 min