#5: Theory of Change, start-ups & neuropsychology
Hey there đ
Welcome to the fifth issue of my newsletter, in which I share the cool links I came across this week.
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Articles
Theory of Change - Aaron Swartz (5 min)
A theory of change is the opposite of a theory of action â it works backwards from the goal, in concrete steps, to figure out what you can do to achieve it. Couple this with Mungerâs Theory of Inversion: think about how you would achieve the opposite of your goal, and donât do that.
Redefining success (4 min)
The great tragedy, Fromm writes, is that âman misses the only satisfaction that can give him really happinessâthe experience of the activity in the present momentâand chases after a phantom that leaves him disappointed as soon as he believes he has caught itâthe illusory happiness called success.â
Life is short - Paul Graham (10 min)
An old but gold essay from Paul Graham about prioritizing bullshit avoidance and not waiting to do things that matter.
Podcasts
Invest like the best - Michael Seibel (55 min)
Michael Seibel, CEO of YCâs startup accelerator, lists the following items to filter for good problems to solve as a business:
How frequently is the problem experienced?
How intense is the problem for those experiencing it?
Are customers willing to pay to fix it?
Book
No self, No problem: How Neuropsychology Is Catching Up to Buddhism (ââââ, 149p)
Learned from this book the different functionalities of the left-brain (language, categorization, pattern recognition) and right-brain (big-picture ideas, expressing creativity and experiencing emotions).
Book recommendation if youâre, like me, intrigued by the following quotes:
Our association of our true self with the constant voice in our head is an instance of mistaking the map (the voice) for the territory (who we really are). (combine with Farnam Street)
The trick is to become less identified with your thoughts, to not take them seriously, to see them as âhappeningsâ rather than the âthe way things really areâ
Thanks for reading this week! Which article did you like the most? Let me know!
Until next time,
Matthias