As technology becomes more ingrained in our daily lives, the question must be posed: how important is it for people to “keep up” technologically. In this episode, Steph makes a case for the importance of tech literacy and how she believes that with time, technical literacy will be viewed in a similar vein to written and oral literacy today. Calvin and her walk through how people can start dipping their toes into technology, why it matters, and discuss what skills may fade with time.
Jun 02, 2021•19 min
Whether we'd like to admit it or not, finances have such a significant impact in our lives, both in micro and macro decision making. We also can't ignore how people have different relationships with their wealth, even at the same level of income. In this episode, Calvin and Steph talk through the concept of being "post-economic", how they think about their "f*** you money" number, and how they manage their relationship with money.
Jun 01, 2021•20 min
Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix & Google (FAANG) have dominated and become integrated parts of all of our lives in the software era. But if you look at history, time and time again, the leading companies of the present aren't the leading companies of the future. In this episode, Steph and I explore the areas of innovation that might produce companies that displace FAANG and how those companies may approach attracting the best talent.
May 30, 2021•29 min
Among the many biases that we can fall prey to, one of Calvin's favorites is the fundamental attribution error. The bias, sometimes known as the "correspondence bias", is your tendency to assume that someone's behavior is due to the "kind" of person they are, rather than the circumstances impacting them. In this episode, Calvin and Steph discuss the cognitive bias, why it matters, and how we can combat it.
May 29, 2021•15 min
With 7 billion people on Earth, it's incredibly hard to be at the absolute top of any field. In this episode, Steph and Calvin discuss what they learned from their brief stints of being "world-class" in chess and golf, respectively. They also dive into the 10,000-hour rule, mastering skills in adulthood, and managing your psychology along the way.
May 28, 2021•23 min
In most companies, there are two major role types: individual contributors and managers. The career track goes one way and not the other; IC upleveling to a manager. But is that the best way? Calvin and Steph share their stories as both ICs and managers, and think through how companies can get the most from their uniquely talented individual contributors.
May 28, 2021•18 min
As a follow up from episode 14, Calvin and Steph debate what work life will be like post-pandemic. Will people rush back to the office? Or will they bask in their newfound flexibility? Listen in to find out how they think both companies and individuals may progress over the coming years!
May 27, 2021•22 min
Codifying and living by your values is one of the most important skills of adulthood. Values are the guideposts that help you make decisions that align with who you want to be, especially when you're confronted with difficult situations. In this episode, Steph and Calvin dive deep into integrity, how to think about values, and what this means for individuals and businesses.
May 25, 2021•17 min
The pandemic resulted in hundreds of millions — if not billions — of people moving their work online. These rapid changes mean that so many people now have the freedom to work and live from where they want. Calvin and Steph had the privilege of being location independent since 2016, so in this episode, they break down the most important lessons they’ve learned about being happy, productive remote workers.
May 25, 2021•22 min
Even if we’d like to wish otherwise, our time is finite and zero sum. If we spend time on one thing, we’re not spending time on another. But even though it’s our most scarce resource, we often don’t protect it by saying “no”. In this episode, Calvin and Steph discuss why it can be so difficult to say no and how we can develop the muscle to say no more often.
May 24, 2021•22 min
Some people are never late. Others are late consistently. Why is there such a difference in people’s relationship with time? In this episode, Steph and Calvin talk about chronically late insane people (CLIPs), a term coined by Tim Urban. They talk through when it’s okay to be late, when it’s not, and why some people can’t seem to be on time, despite feeling bad about it. Steph also shares her experience as a CLIP and they discuss the four different types of chronically late people, along with ho...
May 22, 2021•26 min
The pandemic has been a fascinating case study in problem solving, yet remains a topic that parts of the world is deeply divided on. Just like other controversial topics, understanding that there is no perfect solution is both accurate and freeing. In this episode, Steph and Calvin explore the idea of zeroism, or said otherwise, the pursuit of perfection. By identifying the tendency for humans to strive for perfection, they highlight the ways that thinking in absolutes can hinder our ability to ...
May 21, 2021•24 min
We all need money, but formal schooling fails to teach us how to make decisions based on our unique relationship with money and investing. In this episode, Steph and I openly explore the challenges we've had with investing our money and the many pitfalls we've tried to avoid in our pursuit of building sustainable, long-term wealth.
May 20, 2021•32 min
We have access to more data and opportunities than ever before, but it's hard to separate the signal from the noise. In this episode, Steph and Calvin discuss navigating information overload, how to avoid being left behind, what we can learn from the past, and how we can better prepare for an uncertain future.
May 20, 2021•29 min
Friendship, family, and community are indispensable to living a good life. But as we get older, it becomes more difficult to stay in touch with the people we care about. Life seems to always get in the way. In this episode, Steph and Calvin chat about the challenges of staying in touch with people, some tactics for doing a better job, and the importance of prioritizing this part of your life.
May 18, 2021•19 min
It's hard to make career decisions. What industry should you work in? What should you optimize for? When should you quit your job? In this episode, Steph and Calvin talk about how they've thought about navigating the endless nuances and ambiguities of building a rewarding career.
May 18, 2021•33 min
Like everything in life, giving back is a skill and a habit that takes time to learn. In this episode, Steph and I talk about how we define giving, the ways in which we've experimented with giving back, and how you can get started giving even before you're ready to give.
May 17, 2021•20 min
We all want to learn new things, whether it's how to cook, speak Spanish, write, code, or surf. But how often do you follow through and actually make progress on learning the skill you say you want to learn? Not often enough. In this episode, Steph and I discuss how we approach learning new skills and how you can get better at translating your desires into reality.
May 15, 2021•31 min
With more companies going partially and fully remote in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Steph Smith and I tackle the difficult question: Should companies pay everyone the same salary, independent of their location, or should salaries be adjusted based on your location?
May 15, 2021•26 min
We all know sleep is important, but how should you think about sleep and investing in improving the quality of your sleep? In this episode, we explore how we're approaching sleep, thinking about how to improve it, and measuring the results.
May 13, 2021•16 min
We all compare ourselves to others, but when you compare, you despair. In this episode, we explore the origins of comparing yourself with others, the specific ways in which it can manifest in your life, and how to mitigate the harmful effects of comparing yourself with others in life and business.
May 13, 2021•23 min
Everyone has bad days. You may be tired, stressed, or dealing with a difficult time. That's human. But if you want to succeed in the workplace, a meta-skill is ensuring that these bad days don't snowball into destructive days. While you can shake off a bad day, a destructive day can have lasting damage and is totally avoidable.
May 12, 2021•21 min
In this episode, I discuss a system you can use to better understand, retain, and apply the information you read in nonfiction books. If you want to expand your knowledge, solve problems, or deepen your understanding of the world, this system will help you do so.
May 30, 2020•16 min•Season 1Ep. 7
A rational investor maximizes his wealth within the constraints of his risk tolerance. Most investors are not rational - they're driven by greed, hope, fear. That is, they're human. To invest smartly and avoid loses money unnecessarily, you need to learn how to manage the natural weaknesses in your psychology. This episode explores 5 common biases that plague investors. It also explores how to mitigate the risk of falling victim to these biases.
May 23, 2020•19 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In the last 5 weeks, 26 million people have filed for unemployment. As someone who regularly interview candidates for jobs, I wanted to share 6 insider tips to help you crush your next interview. I explore how interviewers think, common mistakes candidates make, and practical advice about how you can stand out from the crowd.
Apr 25, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, I speak with Steph Smith (@stephsmithio), the Senior Analyst for the popular tech and business newsletter, the Hustle. In our wide-ranging conversation, Steph shares her thoughts about the COVID-19 pandemic and what we can expect over the coming months for life and business. We also discuss the complex nature of the virus, why the entire world missed its window to react, how these “black swan events” lead to second and third-order effects, why many people may default to optimism...
Apr 14, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, you'll learn about what eating black beans out of a can has to do with your life. Whether you feel like you're living in abundance or you're just "getting by", this short talk will help you learn how to enjoy living with less. For all show notes: https://calvinrosser.com/podcast/ For a helpful weekly newsletter: https://calvinrosser.com/newsletter...
Apr 12, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this episode, you'll learn about two drivers of the heightened fear, stress, and anxiety during the current pandemic - uncertainty and helplessness. You'll also learn about how you can reduce your fear and anxiety by focusing on activities within your span of control. For all show notes: https://calvinrosser.com/podcast/ For a helpful weekly newsletter: https://calvinrosser.com/newsletter...
Apr 10, 2020•10 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this episode, you'll learn about a short and simple morning routine that will help you increase your energy, reduce your anxiety, and feel more relaxed during uncertain and difficult times. You can find the written out routine, in addition to the resources mentioned in the article, at calvinrosser.com/quaratine-morning-routine. For all show notes: https://calvinrosser.com/podcast/ For a helpful weekly newsletter: https://calvinrosser.com/newsletter...
Apr 08, 2020•9 min•Season 1Ep. 1
