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    Rob Interviews Quentin Willson Former Co-Host of Top Gear, Author, TV Producer & Entrepreneur [Business, mindset, entrepreneur, disruptors]

    en-GBApril 30, 2017
    What challenges do today's entrepreneurs face according to Quentin Wilson?
    How does Wilson suggest parents prepare their children for entrepreneurship?
    What historical influences affect British attitudes toward wealth creation?
    What personal values does Wilson associate with successful entrepreneurship?
    How does Rob St. Clair use technology to enhance productivity?

    Podcast Summary

    • Navigating the New Business Landscape for the Current GenerationEmbrace the future, learn to make and hold onto money, and stay quick and adaptable to succeed in the digital age.

      Quentin Wilson, a successful entrepreneur and former star of Top Gear, believes that the current generation faces unique challenges in terms of business and entrepreneurship compared to previous generations. While they have access to the Internet and the laptop economy, they lack the essential skills of recognizing value and opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of embracing the future and learning how to make money, as it's relatively easy to earn but difficult to hold onto. And, while technology opens new markets, it also requires individuals to be quick and adaptable to stay ahead. Wilson encourages parents to teach their children these skills and to take advantage of the opportunities the digital age provides. Overall, his message is that despite the challenges, the current generation has the potential to thrive if they learn to navigate the new business landscape.

    • Lack of Practical Business Skills in EducationThe education system should prioritize teaching practical business skills for financial success. Personal experiences and hard work can lead to significant wealth creation.

      The education system is not effectively preparing young people for the realities of making money and building wealth. The speaker laments the lack of practical business skills being taught in schools and instead, an emphasis on academic subjects. He shares his personal experience of learning business skills through buying and selling cars and emphasizes the importance of hard work, efficiency, and understanding markets. He believes that society should encourage wealth creation and make it easier for entrepreneurs to start businesses. The speaker's message is that knowledge and hard work can lead to significant financial success, and it's essential to teach these skills to the next generation.

    • British societal aversion to wealth creationBuilding wealth through entrepreneurship and business is essential for societal progress and economic growth. Transparency, fairness, and consumer centricity are key to creating wealth with integrity.

      Creating wealth and living a prosperous life should be celebrated, not stigmatized. The speaker expresses concern over the British societal aversion to money and wealth creation, which he attributes to historical influences like the aristocracy and socialist ideologies. He emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and business in driving societal progress and economic growth. He shares his personal experiences in building successful businesses and stresses the importance of transparency, fairness, and consumer centricity in wealth creation. Despite criticisms, the speaker remains firm in his belief that business should be about being good, decent, and trustworthy, and that long-term success comes from building relationships based on integrity.

    • Building trust and relationships in businessEffective communication and trust are vital during negotiations with international partners. Seize opportunities and add value to succeed in business.

      Building trust and relationships are crucial in business, whether it's through handshakes or long-term contracts. Sometimes, it takes just one simple idea to get a deal started, but the negotiation process can be challenging, especially when dealing with international distributors and broadcasters. Trust and communication are essential during these negotiations, even if it means late-night calls with lawyers in different time zones. Once the deal is in place, promoting the show in different markets requires local intelligence and understanding of cultural differences. Ultimately, seizing opportunities and adding value to them are two essential principles for success in business. The speaker's experience in creating successful TV shows demonstrates the importance of these principles and the challenges that come with expanding globally.

    • Media's impact on markets and financial growthIdentifying undervalued items and trusting instincts in media can lead to substantial profits.

      Media and television, whether it's traditional or through platforms like YouTube, can significantly influence markets and create opportunities for business and personal financial growth. The speaker's experience of tipping undervalued cars on a television show and seeing their prices skyrocket illustrates this concept. Additionally, trusting one's instinct and identifying rare, limited items can lead to substantial profits. The speaker's success stories with Ferraris and Paul Newman Daytona Rolex watches serve as examples. In the ever-evolving media landscape, anyone with determination and hard work can reach a global audience and potentially reap the rewards.

    • Identifying valuable physical assets for financial gainsResearch and knowledge are crucial to identifying undervalued physical assets for potential financial gains. These tangible items, such as rare watches, vintage cars, and unique properties, can provide significant returns when bought at a discount and held long-term.

      Knowledge and understanding the value of rare, limited, or special physical assets can lead to significant financial gains. This concept was illustrated through various examples, including Rolex watches with unique dials, vintage cars, and West End London property. The key is to identify these valuable assets and buy them slightly under market value, then hold onto them for the best return. Physical assets like these are increasingly popular as people trust tangible items more than stocks or shares. The speaker emphasized the importance of research and knowledge, as demonstrated by a man who sold a valuable Comex Rolex for a fraction of its worth because he didn't realize its true value. This principle can be applied to various items, such as cars, houses, art, and even vintage watches.

    • Investing in rare physical assets for potential appreciation and financial securityBuying rare physical assets like art, classic cars, or luxury watches can yield significant returns and serve as a 'pension' with expert knowledge and focus on a specific market.

      Investing in rare physical assets, such as art, classic cars, or luxury watches, can be a wise financial decision due to their potential for significant appreciation over time. The speaker's personal experience with Warhol's art is an example of this, as he bought a set of limited-edition prints for £2,500 and later sold them for £37,000. These assets can serve as a form of "pension," providing greater returns than conventional investments like annuities or property. Additionally, focusing on one specific market and becoming an expert in it can lead to successful investments, as demonstrated by the speaker's knowledge of classic cars and Ferraris. The appeal of these assets lies in their tangibility and the bragging rights that come with owning them. Despite market fluctuations, the value of rare physical assets tends to remain stable due to their desirability and the limited supply.

    • Providing valuable information and engaging contentSuccessfully communicating value in cars or investments can lead to significant impact and life-changing experiences

      Successful communication about value, whether it's in the world of cars or high net worth investments, can lead to significant impact and even life-changing experiences for people. For Douglas, his success on Top Gear came from providing valuable information about secondhand cars and creating engaging content that resonated with viewers. Similarly, high net worth individuals are shifting their investments from traditional markets to tangible assets that bring them enjoyment and luxury. The combination of valuable information and unique presentation can lead to a phenomenon that captivates audiences and leaves a lasting impression.

    • Authenticity and disruptive honesty in mediaBeing true to oneself and disruptively honest can make a significant impact in media, resonating with audiences and setting individuals apart from the competition.

      Authenticity and disruptive honesty can make a significant impact in media, especially television. The Top Gear program, hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, is a prime example of this. Clarkson's unique tone, integrity, and fearless approach to criticizing cars resonated with audiences worldwide, making it a global phenomenon. The team wrote their own material, which helped establish trust and credibility with viewers. Clarkson's disruptive nature, coupled with his confidence, made him a one-of-a-kind broadcaster. Being authentic and true to oneself is crucial for success, as it sets individuals apart from the competition and captures the attention of audiences.

    • Maintain creative control and individualitySurround yourself with good people, avoid toxic influences, be bold, strong and focused, cherish and support creatives, avoid layers of management, offer something unique and disruptive, believe in yourself and your idea

      Maintaining creative control and individuality is crucial in business, especially in media industries like television. Surround yourself with good people, but keep toxic influences at bay. Be bold, strong and focused in pursuing your ideas. Remember, if you surrender control, others may dilute or homogenize your unique vision. Cherish and support the creative people around you, and avoid layers of management that may pasteurize your ideas. Be nonconformist and offer something unique and disruptive to stand out in the sea of on-demand content. Ultimately, your belief in yourself and your idea will determine your success.

    • A disconnect between content creators and audienceThe speaker advocates for inspiring, educational TV shows that resonate with audiences, but finds it challenging to create and pitch them due to industry priorities.

      There is a disconnect between the experiences and perspectives of those who create and produce television content and the audience they aim to reach. The speaker expresses a desire for programming that inspires, educates, and exposes opportunities, rather than focusing on the decline of civilization or sensationalizing negative aspects of life. Despite the speaker's passion and successful background in business, he has found it challenging to pitch and create such programming. The television industry often prioritizes producing content that caters to their own interests and experiences, rather than resonating with and empowering the audience. The speaker laments the lack of uplifting, positive, and educational business-related TV shows and calls for a bridge between the worlds of television and entrepreneurship.

    • Inspire, educate, and entertain with authenticity, hard work, and uniquenessAuthenticity, hard work, and uniqueness are key to standing out in television and life. Embrace disruption for growth and focus on personal goals.

      Television, like business and life, should inspire, educate, and entertain while maintaining a balance between seriousness and lightheartedness. The speaker emphasized the importance of being authentic, hardworking, and unique to stand out in a crowded market. Disruption is a positive force that brings new energy, growth, and innovation. The speaker encouraged listeners to focus on their own goals and not be driven by others. He also emphasized the importance of family and maintaining a quality of life. The speaker, Quentin Wilson, can be followed on Twitter @QuentinWilson and his website is quentinwilson.co.uk.

    • Expert Rob St. Clair shares insights on productivity, privacy, and entrepreneurshipRob St. Clair, a successful writer and campaigner, offers free resources and weekly content on maximizing productivity, valuing privacy, and making money as an entrepreneur through top apps, documentaries, goal-setting methods, and fastest ways.

      Rob St. Clair, a successful writer and campaigner, values privacy and selectively uses social media while maximizing productivity through technology and education. He shares his expertise by offering a free report on top apps, inspiring documentaries, specific goal-setting methods, and fastest ways to make money for entrepreneurs. By focusing on what truly matters and continuously learning, Rob encourages others to seize opportunities and make a positive impact. Don't miss out on valuable insights – visit tiny.ccforward/robsreport to access the free resources and weekly content.

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    VALUABLE RESOURCES

    https://robmoore.com/

    bit.ly/Robsupporter  

    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

     rob.team

    Episode Sponsor - AG1

    Claim your exclusive offer of AG1 at the link below

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    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

     

     

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    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

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    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    VALUABLE RESOURCES

    https://robmoore.com/

    bit.ly/Robsupporter  

    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

     rob.team

    Episode Sponsor - AG1

    Claim your exclusive offer of AG1 at the link below

    drinkag1.com/disruptors

    ABOUT THE HOST

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    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    VALUABLE RESOURCES

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    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

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    ABOUT THE HOST

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    CONTACT METHOD

    Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    disruptive, disruptors, entreprenuer, business, social media, marketing, money, growth, scale, scale up, risk, property: http://www.robmoore.com

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    VALUABLE RESOURCES

    https://robmoore.com/

    bit.ly/Robsupporter  

    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

     rob.team

    Episode Sponsor - AG1

    Claim your exclusive offer of AG1 at the link below

    drinkag1.com/disruptors

    ABOUT THE HOST

    Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur”

    “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”

     

    CONTACT METHOD

    Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    disruptive, disruptors, entreprenuer, business, social media, marketing, money, growth, scale, scale up, risk, property: http://www.robmoore.com

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    VALUABLE RESOURCES

    https://robmoore.com/

    bit.ly/Robsupporter  

    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

     rob.team

    Episode Sponsor - AG1

    Claim your exclusive offer of AG1 at the link below

    drinkag1.com/disruptors

    ABOUT THE HOST

    Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur”

    “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”

     

    CONTACT METHOD

    Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    disruptive, disruptors, entreprenuer, business, social media, marketing, money, growth, scale, scale up, risk, property: http://www.robmoore.com

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    Rob Exposes Society's Biggest Scams | Louis Jackson Interview

    Rob Exposes Society's Biggest Scams | Louis Jackson Interview

    A different episode to usual, as Rob is interviewed by Louis Jackson. They discuss controversial topics like wealth, taxes, and the state of society and Rob shares his unconventional views on money, success, and personal responsibility. From discussing the "scams" of debt and taxes to exploring the nuances of mental health and religion, Rob will challenge your thinking and inspire action.

    Rob REVEALS:

    • Why debt and taxes are among the biggest scams in the world
    • How governments and banks control people.
    • Why he advocates for a flat 20% tax rate for everyone, from billionaires to minimum wage earners
    • That the current welfare system needs reform
    • His views on religion
    • The importance of creating meaning and mission in your life
    • Quick ways to make money that aren’t ‘get-rich-quick schemes’
    • How to create recurring income as a key strategy for maintaining and growing wealth

    BEST MOMENTS

    "I want to help as many people on this planet get better financial education and knowledge. What's driving it is I think the world is in a really lost, confused place. I think humanity is at a crossroads in our evolution whereby if we're not careful we're going to die out very quickly."

    "Motivation, I believe, is short term, short bursts of enthusiasm. It's not deep and meaningful work it's not discipline and focus. So, there's motivation, and then there's inspiration."

    "Money is a tool, money has duality of purpose.”

    "I think that mainstream media became too powerful so there's a revolution against mainstream media, which is social media. But then of course what happens is mainstream media buys up social media and then social media becomes mainstream media."

    “It was one of the worst podcasts I've seen. Because it was obvious he was pressing for engagement."

     

    VALUABLE RESOURCES

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    ABOUT THE HOST

    Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur”

    “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”

     

    CONTACT METHOD

    Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    disruptive, disruptors, entreprenuer, business, social media, marketing, money, growth, scale, scale up, risk, property: http://www.robmoore.com

    Disruptors
    en-GBAugust 23, 2024

    The Truth on Money, Success & Mindset with Quest Nutrition's Tom Bilyeu

    The Truth on Money, Success & Mindset with Quest Nutrition's Tom Bilyeu

    Rob interviews Tom Bilyeu, a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of Quest Nutrition. Tom shares his thoughts on wealth, success, and the current state of the world. From discussing the pitfalls of printing money to the importance of understanding one's values, Rob and Tom have an in depth conversation about all things entrepreneurship, mindset and reveal how you can gain control over your life and business.  

    Tom Bilyeu REVEALS:

    • The true power of money
    • The importance of self-esteem
    • How you can become anything you want
    • The downfalls of empathy
    • Why printing money is a form of theft
    • His philosophy on hiring people with a criminal record
    • His top sales advice on branding
    • The value of engaged followers over sheer numbers

    BEST MOMENTS

    “Printing money is theft.”

    “Money is more powerful than people think, but it isn't what they think. So what people think it's going to do is make them feel about themselves the way they feel about other people and it does not do that.”

    “The unexamined life is truly not worth living and I really encourage people to come to understand their own motivations and quite frankly, to formulate a theory about how the world actually works.”

    Once you understand that you can become anything you want, but not everything, how you spend your time becomes a spiritual consideration.”

    “Your life is an exact reflection of your choices”

    You're not born with a passion. You don't discover a passion. You create a passion.

    VALUABLE RESOURCES

    https://www.youtube.com/c/TomBilyeu

    https://robmoore.com/

    bit.ly/Robsupporter  

    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

     rob.team

    Episode Sponsor - AG1

    Claim your exclusive offer of AG1 at the link below

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    ABOUT THE HOST

    Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur”

    “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”

     

    CONTACT METHOD

    Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    disruptive, disruptors, entreprenuer, business, social media, marketing, money, growth, scale, scale up, risk, property: http://www.robmoore.com

    Disruptors
    en-GBAugust 19, 2024

    Matt Le Tissier | From Football Hero to Conspiracy Theorist

    Matt Le Tissier | From Football Hero to Conspiracy Theorist

    Rob interviews football legend Matt Le Tissier. Matt discusses his controversial departure from Sky Sports, his views on lockdowns, and the changing landscape of football. From questioning media narratives to advocating for free speech, Matt talks to Rob openly and honestly about his thoughts on society and culture and his experiences during and after his football career.

    Matt Le Tissier REVEALS:

    • Why he lost his job at Sky Sports
    • His criticisms of the reporting of covid and lockdowns by British media
    • Why he ignored lockdown rules
    • The increased pressures on modern footballers
    • How to remain open minded
    • Why he retired from playing football
    • What makes someone a disruptor

    BEST MOMENTS

    "I think for the last six months of working at Sky, I felt a bit uncomfortable working there, frankly, given what the news channel was pumping out the whole time, with the propaganda."

    "I ignored lockdown rules. I saw my family because I saw the rules. The government ignored lockdown rules, didn't they?"

    "I think had Labour been in it, it would have probably been even longer lockdowns, quite frankly, from what I've seen."

    "Shit happens. Just get on with it."

    "I'm not arrogant enough to think that everything I say is, is true. It's what I believe. Is happening at the moment but if somebody could point me to some evidence that I'm wrong and I will actually look at that evidence."

    VALUABLE RESOURCES

    https://robmoore.com/

    bit.ly/Robsupporter  

    https://robmoore.com/podbooks

     rob.team

    Episode Sponsor - AG1

    Claim your exclusive offer of AG1 at the link below

    drinkag1.com/disruptors

    ABOUT THE HOST

    Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur”

    “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”

     

    CONTACT METHOD

    Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs

    LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    disruptive, disruptors, entreprenuer, business, social media, marketing, money, growth, scale, scale up, risk, property: http://www.robmoore.com

    Disruptors
    en-GBAugust 16, 2024

    Related Episodes

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    Jannick Malling is the co-founder and co-CEO of Public.com, an investing social network where members can own fractional shares of stocks and ETFs, follow popular creators, and share ideas within a community of investors. In this conversation with Stanford lecturer Toby Corey, Malling discusses building magical products in a highly regulated industry, turning company values into everyday tools, and why having two CEOs is sometimes better than having one.

    256. Use the Barbell Strategy for Success in Creativity (& Life)

    256. Use the Barbell Strategy for Success in Creativity (& Life)

    The business of creative work is the business of riding randomness. If you want to write a bestselling book or launch a revolutionary company, you’re going to need luck. You’re navigating Extremistan, not Mediocristan, as I talked about in episode 253. How do you increase your chances of having a hit without risking everything? You do it with “The Barbell Strategy.” You can use the Barbell Strategy in many areas of life and work.

    The Barbell Strategy defined

    The Barbell Strategy is introduced in Nassim Taleb’s The Black Swan, which I summarized on episode 244. The Barbell Strategy protects you from catastrophic losses that can take you out of the game. Meanwhile, it gives you chances to make big gains.

    Why “barbell”?

    Think of a barbell – a very lopsided barbell. On one side of the barbell is a big weight. On the other side of the barbell is a small weight. In the middle is the thin bar that connects the two.

    the barbell strategy

    The Barbell Strategy is an investment strategy

    Taleb introduces The Barbell Strategy in an investing context. This is the strategy Taleb has used as a financial trader. As we’ll see, you can apply it to other areas as well.

    Taleb says:

    If you know that you are vulnerable to prediction errors, and if you accept that most “risk measures” are flawed, because of the Black Swan, then your strategy is to be as hyperconservative and hyperaggressive as you can be instead of being mildly aggressive or conservative. (emphasis mine)

    In other words, you have to accept that the world is full of Black Swans. As a review, Black Swans are outlier events with extreme impact. We think we can explain Black Swans after the fact, but we really have no idea. They can be positive, or negative. Things like financial market crashes or mega-best-selling books. By being hyperconservative, you avoid the negative Black Swans. By being hyperagressive, you expose yourself to positive Black Swans.

    85% hyperconservative investments, 15% hyperaggressive investments

    Most people go with the “safe” investment. I’m not a financial advisor, and nothing I’m saying is investment advice, but for most people, that’s the index fund: Keep putting money in an S&P 500 ETF. Expect to get a 7% return over your lifetime.

    The strategy Taleb espouses is to avoid so-called “medium risk” investments. Instead, put 85% of your portfolio in hyperconservative investments – places where you won’t lose money. Invest the other 15% of your portfolio in hyperaggressive investments – places where you might lose your money, but where there’s also no limit to how much money you could make.

    When you’re invested in the index fund, your entire portfolio is exposed to Black Swans. The stock market dropped nearly 90% during the Great Depression, and swift drops of 30 or 40% are not uncommon. If 85% of your portfolio is spread across hyperconservative investments, you’re unlikely to need to weather such storms.

    With 15% of your portfolio in hyperaggressive investments, you can only lose 15% of your money. Meanwhile, there’s no limit to how high those hyperaggressive investments can go. Imagine you put 1% of your net worth in Bitcoin five years ago. Multiply that by 100, and that’s your current return. Even if you lost all the other 14% of your net worth in hyperaggressive investments, you would have nearly doubled your money, with little downside risk.

    The Barbell Strategy in creative work

    As you learned in episode 253 about Mediocristan vs. Extremistan, creative success is unpredictable. As award-winning screenwriter William Goldman said, “Nobody knows anything.” Most creatives expect their success to go “up and to the right.” When someone suggests they take some chances, to justify not taking those chances they abuse survivorship bias – as I talked about on episode 251.

    So they stick to “the middle.” They do the thing they feel will get them a little success. For authors, this is the strategy of cranking out a formulaic novel every month that’s sure to sell some copies – but for which nobody is ever going to camp in line outside a bookstore to be the first to get. Maybe they make the graph go “up and to the right,” but they’ll never have a breakout success.

    Find some “sure bets” – protect your downside

    To play the Barbell Strategy in creative work, first, you need to find some sure bets. Protect your downside, so you can stay in the game. Remember on episode 251 when I told you about my poker-player friend who needs a certain “bankroll” to make $100 an hour? That’s what you need. You need some room to explore long enough to let ergodicity take over.

    That could be a literal bankroll. I personally invested a lot when I had a secure job, knowing that some day I’d use the bankroll as runway to start something on my own. Some creatives like to have a secure day job, and spend a little time creating before or after work. Anthony Trollope and Charles Bukowski worked at the post office. Octavia Butler’s many jobs included potato chip inspector. Comedian Mark Normand was a janitor, which allowed him to think about his bits while he worked.

    When I first started on my own, after I had gone through savings I had bookmarked for exploration, I spent ten hours a week freelancing – the rest of the time I spent building passive income streams. I told you on episode 214 how one passive income stream made me $150,000. I now live in Colombia, where my three-bedroom apartment costs less than $700 a month – which takes off a lot of financial pressure.

    To play the Barbell Strategy, you need to protect your downside. There are no guarantees in life, including life itself – so this means something different for everyone. Figure out what it is for you.

    Play some “wildcards”

    Now, play some “wildcards” (Note that “sure bets” and “wildcards” are my own terms. Taleb hates gambling analogies because in gambling the actual odds are known – but you get the idea.)

    Wildcards are things that – as Seth Godin would say – “might not work.” In fact, they probably won’t work – but they have unlimited upside potential. They’re the “asymmetric opportunities” Tynan talked about on episode 145. “Asymmetric” refers to the risk profile: The potential downsides are small, but the potential upside are huge. The profile is not symmetric, it’s asymmetric.

    For example, it costs little to write a blog post. You have little to lose, but you may gain a lot. I’ve written many hundreds of blog posts in seventeen years. Two of those have led to positive Black Swans: One got me my first book deal, and catapulted my status online from nobody to somebody. Another got me an advisory position with a company that sold to Google, and became the subject of my latest book. Numerous others brought smaller benefits, but I can’t think of any I regret.

    Your wildcards have a chance to become positive Black Swans. You can’t predict what will work, so make lots of small bets with unlimited upside.

    Avoid “the middle”

    Finally, avoid “the middle.” There’s a few reasons for this.

    One, the middle is crowded. As restauranteur Nick Kokonas said on episode 213, most people aren’t as afraid of failure as they are of success. They want to do okay, but they don’t want to do great. At the same time, we have a loss-aversion bias. We hate losing an investment twice as much as we enjoy gaining from an investment. So, everyone goes for the middle. And there’s more competition in the middle.

    Two, the middle is where the negative Black Swans happen. You’re only investing a little in the wildcards, so you can afford to lose it all. We tend to go all-in on the middle, so when an unexpected catastrophe happens, we lose a lot.

    Three, the middle has little chance of bringing positive Black Swans. Your index fund is supposed to return 7% a year. It could lose 40% of its value in a day or two. Meanwhile, does it have any chance of gaining 1,000% just as fast? Very unlikely.

    What’s hot is usually “the middle”

    Look at what is hot in your field, and you’ll probably find “the middle.” In writing, it’s churning out formulaic fiction series for Kindle Unlimited. In blogging, it’s making sure you’re sharing every blog post to every social media channel. In SEO, it’s manufacturing mediocre articles on high-volume keywords you have little chance of ranking for. In SaaS entrepreneurship, it’s A/B testing to make minuscule gains in conversion rate. Some of these things might bring a little progress, which is why people do them, but they have no chance of big upside.

    Avoiding the middle protects your downside, and gives you a chance for more upside. With less invested in the middle, you can invest more in the wildcards.

    The Barbell Strategy in other areas

    The Barbell Strategy is useful in investing, and it’s useful in creative work. If you look around, you can also apply the Barbell Strategy to other areas.

    The Barbell Strategy for exercise

    “The middle” for exercise is steady-state, medium-intensity, training. Taleb himself is an advocate of doing power lifts, as heavy as you can. This certainly exposes you to upside, but I think it also exposes you to the downside of injury.

    I think the true Barbell Strategy for exercise is Body by Science, which I summarized on episode 160. It’s a very intense and short protocol, with little chance of injury. Other than that, go for long walks or do physical activities you enjoy.

    The Barbell Strategy for technology use

    You can apply the Barbell Strategy to your technology use. Some technology exposes you to potential serendipity. Surfing around on Reddit or social media is fun, and you never know when you’ll happen across a breakthrough idea. But like a risky investment, it’s risky to spend all your attention in these areas.

    The “sure bets” in technology are to use specific tools for the job you’re trying to get done. I talked about “grippy” and “slippy” tools on episode 230. If you’re a writer, get an AlphaSmart, or a typewriter for the initial brainstorming phases of your work. High-powered technology such as smartphones and laptops can be sure bets, too. But just use them for short bursts for specific tasks.

    What you want to avoid is the always-on use of the highest-power technology available. If you’re always glued to your smartphone or laptop, you’re connected to the internet, but you’re disconnected from your own mind. You can’t use technology without technology using some part of you. Marshall McLuhan, whose book, Understanding Media, I talked about on episode 248, would say that as technology extends, it also “amputates.”

    Another “wildcard” for technology is to not use technology at all. When I took Naval Ravikant’s meditation challenge, which I talked about on episode 246, I found that during meditation I thought more about asymmetric ideas, which I later implemented when I was using technology.

    The Barbell Strategy for time management

    You can apply the Barbell Strategy to time management. “The middle” is trying to get the most done in the shortest time. It’s being on clock time instead of event time, like I talked about on episode 235.

    The “sure bets” for time management are to have clear priorities, build habits, document processes, and automate what you can. These tactics help you use time and energy more effectively, without stressing you out and disrupting your creativity.

    The “wildcards” for time management are mostly the opposite of the sure bets. Meditate, daydream, go for walks, take naps, tinker, play, and discuss. As Taleb says, “Go to parties!” Instead of having clear priorities, spend time on “anti-priorities”: Things that don’t seem important, but that you want to do anyway.

    What you want to avoid is the stuff most people try to do to “save time”: full schedules, tight deadlines, last-minute crises, mindless outsourcing, and complexity creep. These tactics lead to negative time Black Swans: When one thing goes wrong, everything collapses, you lose time, and stress yourself out.

    Live the barbell life

    Let’s close with a quote from Nassim Taleb:

    I will never get to know the unknown since, by definition, it is unknown. However, I can always guess how it might affect me, and I should base my decisions around that.

    To apply the Barbell Strategy to any area of your life and work, avoid the middle, find sure bets, and play some wildcards. It’s the best way to stay in the game long enough to get lucky.

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    About Your Host, David Kadavy

    David Kadavy is author of Mind Management, Not Time Management, The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast, his Love Mondays newsletter, and self-publishing coaching David helps you make it as a creative.

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    Show notes: http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/barbell-strategy/

    #45 - Drones Washing Windows, Airpod Guided Tours & Mario Kart VR with Furqan Rydhan

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    Sam (@thesamparr) and Shaan (@shaanvp) are back talking news, trends, interesting products and businesses. Today we’re joined by Furqan Rydhan (@FurqanR) who is a tech badass. He was paid $120K as a 15 year old programmer during the Dot Com Boom, made a million dollar e-com biz at 17 and was an early employee at Applovin that was valued last at $2 billion. Remember Ramon’s soap opera blog that he sold for $9M in cash? He did that through the online business broker Quiet Light Brokerage. We’ve partnered up with them to give you guys a FREE 25-point checklist to see how sellable your online business is. To receive this free guide, visit quietlightbrokerage.com/myfirstmillion. Topics for today: Our Guest’s @FurqanR Background (00:36), Funny Story about Vungle’s Jack Smith and Lance Armstrong (07:12), The Process of Brainstorming Ideas (09:36), VR/AR Experiences (10:16), Opportunities in Reviving Stale Franchises and Company Turnarounds (17:07), iPad Whiteboard Meeting Idea (22:44), Reinventing the Phone Call through Airpods (27:51), Furquan’s House Hackathon Ideas (29:49), Serialized Story Apps like Hooked (37:09), Drone Washing Windows on Big Buildings (38:38), Money Printing Mobile Apps (44:44) and What Furqan learnt being Applovin (50:20).  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Michael Moritz (Sequoia Capital), Lisa Sugar (Popsugar) - Follow Your Instincts and Find Your Path

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    Sequoia Capital Chairman Michael Moritz and Lisa Sugar, founder and president of Popsugar, describe the investor-entrepreneur dynamic based on their personal experiences. In conversation with Stanford University lecturer Emily Ma, they discuss how success starts with staying to true to yourself, following your instincts and interests, and doing what makes you happy.

    Is Now The Time to Learn, Invest in Pokemon Cards? | Tea With GaryVee

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    In this episode, Gary chops it up with @poke_rev about the rapidly growing market for Pokemon cards.  He talks about the great opportunity to make some extra money in this space, BUT you should only get involved if you are educated, interested, and excited by doing so. Have you jumped into the world of trading cards yet? Let us know in the comments... Enjoy!

    Tweet Me! @garyvee

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