https://simplecast.com Our decisions shape who we are and the reality we live in. Learning to think more clearly and see reality more accurately can help you make better decisions. As an entrepreneur, you make dozens of decisions every day. Whether those decisions succeed or fail will be based in large part on your rate of learning. I’ve found the best way to improve the clarity of my thinking is to learn from what other people have already figured out. That’s why I’m sharing what I’m learning with you. These ideas have had a major positive impact on my life, and I hope they can have a similar effect on yours. I explore ideas and share insights related to entrepreneurship and personal development. Topics include high-performance teams, decision-making, habits, mental models, learning, technology, meditation, exercise, productivity, motivation, and ways to live a meaningful life. 2020 THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE with Brian Gitt en Mon, 1 Feb 2021 21:50:25 +0000 Mon, 1 Feb 2021 21:50:35 +0000 https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/12cfe39e-fb73-4f12-83fd-f64fdb3ca036/3c356b34-b418-4466-8b97-3408046b390a/3000x3000/logo-red-white.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com episodic Our decisions shape who we are and the reality we live in. Learning to think more clearly and see reality more accurately can help you make better decisions. As an entrepreneur, you make dozens of decisions every day. Whether those decisions succeed or fail will be based in large part on your rate of learning. I’ve found the best way to improve the clarity of my thinking is to learn from what other people have already figured out. That’s why I’m sharing what I’m learning with you. These ideas have had a major positive impact on my life, and I hope they can have a similar effect on yours. I explore ideas and share insights related to entrepreneurship and personal development. Topics include high-performance teams, decision-making, habits, mental models, learning, technology, meditation, exercise, productivity, motivation, and ways to live a meaningful life. Brian Gitt no https://feeds.simplecast.com/xOPwUQuK decision making, entrepreneurship, founder, leadership, mental models, personal development, principles, startups Brian Gitt briangitt@gmail.com 62194d80-9102-435a-8fd0-2a3e5dfa8b18 Mon, 1 Feb 2021 21:50:25 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/on-judgment-based-decisions-b4eJfaM4 On judgment-based decisions Brian Gitt 00:13:53 Your decisions are bets on your future. What you decide to work on is far more important than how hard you work. Tactics don't matter if you have the wrong strategy. Your direction matters more than your speed. In the end, you are your choices. Decision-making is the single most important aspect under your control as you work to achieve your goals. Take advantage of decades of scientific research on human decision-making to learn how to improve your judgment. If you want to build your judgment faster and learn to apply principles, processes, and tools to make better decisions, get my free e-book on judgment and decision making at https://briangitt.com/books/. The e-book pulls together hard-earned wisdom and shares the best of what I’ve learned, including the how-to’s, frameworks, and mental models to save yourself the pain of learning the hard way. Learn why to avoid pro-con lists. And access the proven principles and frameworks used by Peter Thiel, Charlie Munger, Naval Ravikant, Jeff Bezos, Daniel Kahneman, Annie Duke, and other successful entrepreneurs, investors, and psychologists. Your decisions are bets on your future. What you decide to work on is far more important than how hard you work. Tactics don't matter if you have the wrong strategy. Your direction matters more than your speed. In the end, you are your choices. Decision-making is the single most important aspect under your control as you work to achieve your goals. Take advantage of decades of scientific research on human decision-making to learn how to improve your judgment. If you want to build your judgment faster and learn to apply principles, processes, and tools to make better decisions, get my free e-book on judgment and decision making at https://briangitt.com/books/. The e-book pulls together hard-earned wisdom and shares the best of what I’ve learned, including the how-to’s, frameworks, and mental models to save yourself the pain of learning the hard way. Learn why to avoid pro-con lists. And access the proven principles and frameworks used by Peter Thiel, Charlie Munger, Naval Ravikant, Jeff Bezos, Daniel Kahneman, Annie Duke, and other successful entrepreneurs, investors, and psychologists. decision frameworks, personal development, judgment, leadership development, mental models, decision-making, entrepreneurship no full 32 c5a2bffd-cb22-4e31-8aac-f0718df4c7d2 Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:18:30 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/how-do-you-generate-new-business-ideas-KRbTPgEU How do you generate new business ideas? Brian Gitt 00:12:17 The best way to develop ideas for new services or products is to consider your own problems. What do you find tedious, annoying, or inconvenient? How could you solve that problem or minimize the irritation? Solving your own problem will ensure the problem actually exists. It’s much harder to create a solution for a problem you don’t have. If you don’t experience the pain yourself, you will have to depend on customer feedback to determine if you have solved the problem. Even worse: You may find a great solution to a problem that doesn’t actually exist or that doesn’t cause a lot of pain. Many new businesses fail because they start with a made-up idea. This episode shares how to identify new ideas, create constraints, and test ideas quickly. Learn more about https://briangitt.com/ The best way to develop ideas for new services or products is to consider your own problems. What do you find tedious, annoying, or inconvenient? How could you solve that problem or minimize the irritation? Solving your own problem will ensure the problem actually exists. It’s much harder to create a solution for a problem you don’t have. If you don’t experience the pain yourself, you will have to depend on customer feedback to determine if you have solved the problem. Even worse: You may find a great solution to a problem that doesn’t actually exist or that doesn’t cause a lot of pain. Many new businesses fail because they start with a made-up idea. This episode shares how to identify new ideas, create constraints, and test ideas quickly. Learn more about https://briangitt.com/ new business ideas, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 31 2f25feec-013d-4868-bb8b-fd6f70838b0b Wed, 13 Jan 2021 21:59:10 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/slow-burning-questions-Hmpuofi8 Slow-burning questions Brian Gitt 00:04:10 Questions are tools for self-reflection that can shift your mindset and reframe your thinking. Just as Michelangelo carved his masterpiece David from a single block of stone, cutting away pieces of marble to reveal an awe-inspiring image, use questions to chip away your assumptions and motivations to reveal your fears and desires. Learn more at briangitt.com Questions are tools for self-reflection that can shift your mindset and reframe your thinking. Just as Michelangelo carved his masterpiece David from a single block of stone, cutting away pieces of marble to reveal an awe-inspiring image, use questions to chip away your assumptions and motivations to reveal your fears and desires. Learn more at briangitt.com no full 30 b346f21c-e482-40ba-b4de-50122fe0efce Thu, 27 Aug 2020 13:18:12 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/hows-the-water-O_sJmqlC How's the water? Brian Gitt 00:04:04 Two young fish are contentedly swimming along when they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way. He nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” The two young fish swim on for a bit, until one of them looks at the other and asks, “What the hell is water?” Like a fish in water, we are swimming in our cognitive biases, which are errors in thinking caused by our brain distorting reality. Our biases are pervasive, highly resistant to feedback, and can cause us to overlook or dismiss crucial information. Self-deception and ignorance can harm you. Not seeing reality accurately can often lead to unnecessary painful mistakes. Too often, we make decisions without recognizing our own biases. Learn more at briangitt.com Two young fish are contentedly swimming along when they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way. He nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” The two young fish swim on for a bit, until one of them looks at the other and asks, “What the hell is water?” Like a fish in water, we are swimming in our cognitive biases, which are errors in thinking caused by our brain distorting reality. Our biases are pervasive, highly resistant to feedback, and can cause us to overlook or dismiss crucial information. Self-deception and ignorance can harm you. Not seeing reality accurately can often lead to unnecessary painful mistakes. Too often, we make decisions without recognizing our own biases. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, bias, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 29 375fb8f2-d7c2-4b35-86d7-44e867a9e359 Wed, 19 Aug 2020 13:10:14 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/sin-UptdFtd4 Sin Brian Gitt 00:05:21 “To sin” means “to miss the mark.” And you have missed it. Weak-willed. Timid. Malleable. You are mediocre. How did you let this happen? Why do you continue to let this happen? Your dreams of greatness lie wet and soggy, like a loaf of bread left out in the rain. You can’t stay on course. Your plans are uprooted like a sapling pushed over by a weak gust of wind. You live as if you have no power to resist. No will. No agency. No strength. Your moments of resolve break like the weakest link in a chain. You feel sorry for yourself because you think you deserve better. Have you earned it? Do you deserve more when you are so easily distracted? You don’t have time to waste. You don't have to live this way; get up and get going. Nobody’s going to do the work for you. You can do better. Dare to be great. Define your future. Take aim, shoot, calibrate, and repeat until you hit the mark. The worst sin of all is to quit trying. Learn more at briangitt.com “To sin” means “to miss the mark.” And you have missed it. Weak-willed. Timid. Malleable. You are mediocre. How did you let this happen? Why do you continue to let this happen? Your dreams of greatness lie wet and soggy, like a loaf of bread left out in the rain. You can’t stay on course. Your plans are uprooted like a sapling pushed over by a weak gust of wind. You live as if you have no power to resist. No will. No agency. No strength. Your moments of resolve break like the weakest link in a chain. You feel sorry for yourself because you think you deserve better. Have you earned it? Do you deserve more when you are so easily distracted? You don’t have time to waste. You don't have to live this way; get up and get going. Nobody’s going to do the work for you. You can do better. Dare to be great. Define your future. Take aim, shoot, calibrate, and repeat until you hit the mark. The worst sin of all is to quit trying. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, leadership, startups, habits, decision making, mental models, will power, goals, sin, entrepreneurship no full 28 081571b0-6c3b-4126-b5c2-b5c5a6a8082c Wed, 12 Aug 2020 14:20:26 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/question-your-beliefs-OIKugfne Question your beliefs Brian Gitt 00:08:05 Most of the time we believe what we hear. And too often we hear—and then believe—things that are not true. But imagine how hard it would be to question every fact and underlying assumption you hear or read throughout the day. Your brain acts like a sponge soaking up conversations with family and friends, daily news reports on TV and radio, information in emails and social media posts. It would impossible to test and probe every sentence from every source for complete accuracy. Even getting through one hour—much less a day—would be almost impossible. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. To efficiently navigate life, we learn to trust people and institutions. Your life runs on trust for many things we take for granted. Trust undergirds our financial system, our justice system, our transportation system and provides the glue to hold our social fabric together. Without trust we would live in a world of paralyzing fear and violence. However, it’s important to recognize when it’s time to switch off your trust autopilot and begin questioning assumptions. If you don’t, you can make painful mistakes and walk blindly into bad decisions. Learn more at briangitt.com Most of the time we believe what we hear. And too often we hear—and then believe—things that are not true. But imagine how hard it would be to question every fact and underlying assumption you hear or read throughout the day. Your brain acts like a sponge soaking up conversations with family and friends, daily news reports on TV and radio, information in emails and social media posts. It would impossible to test and probe every sentence from every source for complete accuracy. Even getting through one hour—much less a day—would be almost impossible. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. To efficiently navigate life, we learn to trust people and institutions. Your life runs on trust for many things we take for granted. Trust undergirds our financial system, our justice system, our transportation system and provides the glue to hold our social fabric together. Without trust we would live in a world of paralyzing fear and violence. However, it’s important to recognize when it’s time to switch off your trust autopilot and begin questioning assumptions. If you don’t, you can make painful mistakes and walk blindly into bad decisions. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 27 d324ad6c-9ff6-4469-9f60-3c754d2f2ad6 Thu, 6 Aug 2020 12:49:57 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/do-it-2hqj4wgE DO IT Brian Gitt 00:06:35 Too often we let thoughts bang around in our heads and never apply a process to structure our thinking. I created the acronym DO IT (Define Observe Imagine Test) to help me remember the steps. With a little practice, applying this process becomes automatic and you can use it daily for different type of decisions. Not all decisions are important enough to require all four steps, but I recommend engaging in at least the first two steps for most decisions. Use no more steps or complexity than needed. Calibrate your time investment to the importance of the decision and how urgently it needs to be made. An effective process requires thinking deeply and writing down answers to each step. Learn more at briangitt.com. Too often we let thoughts bang around in our heads and never apply a process to structure our thinking. I created the acronym DO IT (Define Observe Imagine Test) to help me remember the steps. With a little practice, applying this process becomes automatic and you can use it daily for different type of decisions. Not all decisions are important enough to require all four steps, but I recommend engaging in at least the first two steps for most decisions. Use no more steps or complexity than needed. Calibrate your time investment to the importance of the decision and how urgently it needs to be made. An effective process requires thinking deeply and writing down answers to each step. Learn more at briangitt.com. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 26 2bbdc6a7-74e5-44d8-adef-850cb602ab1f Sun, 2 Aug 2020 15:16:53 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/treat-mental-fitness-like-physical-fitness-r6_eoDke Treat mental fitness like physical fitness Brian Gitt 00:06:28 Muscles grow stronger when you stress them until they fatigue. Your brain grows stronger by exposing yourself to new ideas, considering opposing viewpoints, and learning new skills. Interest and inspiration sparks learning and motivates us to act. It awakens our inner creativity, shaking us from our apathy and triggering our desire to grow. Curiosity and a desire to gain understanding activates learning. Making the effort to learn through practice and repetition leads to knowledge. You can’t just wait for inspiration to strike. You must seek it out. Expose yourself to inspiring people and place yourself in challenging situations. Look for books, podcasts, blogs, lectures, videos, and performances that will inspire you and help you learn. A lot of people in the world are doing amazing, inspiring things — actively search for them. You can find list of books and podcasts I recommend at the end of the essay titled “Treat mental fitness like physical fitness” on briangitt.com. Muscles grow stronger when you stress them until they fatigue. Your brain grows stronger by exposing yourself to new ideas, considering opposing viewpoints, and learning new skills. Interest and inspiration sparks learning and motivates us to act. It awakens our inner creativity, shaking us from our apathy and triggering our desire to grow. Curiosity and a desire to gain understanding activates learning. Making the effort to learn through practice and repetition leads to knowledge. You can’t just wait for inspiration to strike. You must seek it out. Expose yourself to inspiring people and place yourself in challenging situations. Look for books, podcasts, blogs, lectures, videos, and performances that will inspire you and help you learn. A lot of people in the world are doing amazing, inspiring things — actively search for them. You can find list of books and podcasts I recommend at the end of the essay titled “Treat mental fitness like physical fitness” on briangitt.com. personal development, leadership, startups, mental fitness, decision making, entrepreneurship no full 25 888a82d7-703b-470e-8e98-1ac311b887f0 Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:39:18 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/dont-act-like-a-victim-KsgHLbAD Don't act like a victim Brian Gitt 00:03:52 People who struggle with victim mentality blame other people and their circumstances for their unhappiness. Blaming other people is not productive. Victim mentality robs us of our agency and power. It prevents us from taking responsibility and action to improve our situation. Scratch the surface of anyone’s life and you will find suffering and hardship. Oppressors and tyranny come in many forms and from many sources. Most of us experience oppression at some point in our lives from a classmate, boss, parent, spouse, teacher, sibling, or stranger. If you are lucky enough to escape human oppression, you won’t be able to avoid all of Mother Nature’s myriad sources of suffering, such as disease, natural disasters, predators, or aging. No one is exempt. Even the most privileged billionaires get terminal diseases, grow old, suffer injuries, and helplessly watch as people they love die. Don’t blame other people or let the tyrant in your head shape your mental state. Victim mentality will rob you of your agency and power. Take action to improve your situation and be grateful you’re not rotting in the ground. Learn more at briangitt.com People who struggle with victim mentality blame other people and their circumstances for their unhappiness. Blaming other people is not productive. Victim mentality robs us of our agency and power. It prevents us from taking responsibility and action to improve our situation. Scratch the surface of anyone’s life and you will find suffering and hardship. Oppressors and tyranny come in many forms and from many sources. Most of us experience oppression at some point in our lives from a classmate, boss, parent, spouse, teacher, sibling, or stranger. If you are lucky enough to escape human oppression, you won’t be able to avoid all of Mother Nature’s myriad sources of suffering, such as disease, natural disasters, predators, or aging. No one is exempt. Even the most privileged billionaires get terminal diseases, grow old, suffer injuries, and helplessly watch as people they love die. Don’t blame other people or let the tyrant in your head shape your mental state. Victim mentality will rob you of your agency and power. Take action to improve your situation and be grateful you’re not rotting in the ground. Learn more at briangitt.com victim mentality, personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, entrepreneurship no full 24 a4028f1b-4bee-4eec-a11b-c18d12e5ad27 Wed, 29 Jul 2020 13:50:02 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/how-to-beat-robots-and-build-wealth-EtyNkGMS How to beat robots and build wealth Brian Gitt 00:07:59 Build specific knowledge in highly technical or creative work and you will not be replaced by a robot. Career decisions determine where you invest the majority of your time. These important life decisions have a huge impact on your well-being and quality of life. Here are a few ways to build wealth while pursuing the career you want and ensuring robots will never replace you. We live in an unprecedented time of opportunity and prosperity. However, you need to work hard and make smart decisions if you want to participate in this abundance. No one is going to look out for your interests or care about your future more than you do. Find something you love to do that is creative or highly technical and then invest lots of time learning to be the best in the field. Prioritize learning over short term financial gain and find ways to create leverage and compounding value over time. Use criteria and a structured decision-making process for important career decisions to ensure you are on the path to financial freedom. Build specific knowledge in highly technical or creative work and you will not be replaced by a robot. Learn more at briangitt.com. Build specific knowledge in highly technical or creative work and you will not be replaced by a robot. Career decisions determine where you invest the majority of your time. These important life decisions have a huge impact on your well-being and quality of life. Here are a few ways to build wealth while pursuing the career you want and ensuring robots will never replace you. We live in an unprecedented time of opportunity and prosperity. However, you need to work hard and make smart decisions if you want to participate in this abundance. No one is going to look out for your interests or care about your future more than you do. Find something you love to do that is creative or highly technical and then invest lots of time learning to be the best in the field. Prioritize learning over short term financial gain and find ways to create leverage and compounding value over time. Use criteria and a structured decision-making process for important career decisions to ensure you are on the path to financial freedom. Build specific knowledge in highly technical or creative work and you will not be replaced by a robot. Learn more at briangitt.com. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 23 c126b039-0858-43ec-8ee4-6ff7839d6589 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 13:33:02 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/culture-of-envy-Mm7JStdD Culture of envy Brian Gitt 00:05:00 Envy causes pain and unhappiness and can even lead to emotional or physical violence. We slip into envy when we resent others for their achievement or good fortune. There are two types of envy. Malicious envy wants the person who has found good fortune to suffer and to be stripped of their achievement, status, or possession. Benign envy can be a motivational force to push you to work harder to succeed. There’s not a fixed pot of money. Unfortunately, there are people who hold a wrong assumption that those who have more have taken it from those who have less. Accumulation of wealth is not zero sum. Poker is a zero-sum game because the amount of money in the pot is fixed. Therefore, the person that wins the game is taking money from the players that lose. Life and business do not work this way. Don’t allow envy to breed discontent, resentment, and bitterness. Learn more at briangitt.com Envy causes pain and unhappiness and can even lead to emotional or physical violence. We slip into envy when we resent others for their achievement or good fortune. There are two types of envy. Malicious envy wants the person who has found good fortune to suffer and to be stripped of their achievement, status, or possession. Benign envy can be a motivational force to push you to work harder to succeed. There’s not a fixed pot of money. Unfortunately, there are people who hold a wrong assumption that those who have more have taken it from those who have less. Accumulation of wealth is not zero sum. Poker is a zero-sum game because the amount of money in the pot is fixed. Therefore, the person that wins the game is taking money from the players that lose. Life and business do not work this way. Don’t allow envy to breed discontent, resentment, and bitterness. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, entrepreneurship no full 22 8caea199-d6b1-461c-a201-34f638923025 Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:51:50 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/feedback-accelerates-learning-W2PLj7HN Feedback accelerates learning Brian Gitt 00:04:58 Seek feedback from people who have different skills, experiences, and perspectives to correct mistakes and learn faster. Direct, honest feedback is hard to find because very few people are willing to tell you the truth. Most people want to avoid conflict, and they don’t want to jeopardize their relationship with you. When you take feedback to heart, you will make better decisions. Learn more at briangitt.com Seek feedback from people who have different skills, experiences, and perspectives to correct mistakes and learn faster. Direct, honest feedback is hard to find because very few people are willing to tell you the truth. Most people want to avoid conflict, and they don’t want to jeopardize their relationship with you. When you take feedback to heart, you will make better decisions. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, feedback, leadership, startups, decision making, entrepreneurship no full 21 c719963b-c754-4c87-b895-c1caa60b48d0 Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:39:32 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/write-down-your-decisions-UTqDi7JJ Write down your decisions Brian Gitt 00:02:09 Write down and track decisions to improve your judgment over time. If you are not evaluating your decisions, how do you know we are making the right choices? Good outcomes are not a good indicator of a good decision. How much was due to luck? Making good decisions requires practice. If you don’t track and evaluate your decisions, you don’t have a feedback loop or a way to improve. Write down and track decisions to improve your judgment over time. If you are not evaluating your decisions, how do you know we are making the right choices? Good outcomes are not a good indicator of a good decision. How much was due to luck? Making good decisions requires practice. If you don’t track and evaluate your decisions, you don’t have a feedback loop or a way to improve. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 20 f6ae69c6-a337-458b-9245-22b9d3db45a0 Mon, 20 Jul 2020 13:50:08 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/have-fewer-opinions-Anu0S1by Have fewer opinions Brian Gitt 00:03:08 It’s very difficult to convince yourself of a new idea if a contradictory idea is already anchored in your thinking. Most of the beliefs and opinions I held most deeply in my twenties and thirties were wrong. In fact, it would be an easier exercise to identify what I was right about than to try to count all the ways I was wrong. We are not experts on most things, so why does everyone need to have an opinion on so many issues? We are too frequently blinded by our own opinions, but we can design decision-making processes to overcome this bias. Such a process can help you avoid painful mistakes and gain an advantage, but this effort takes humility and can be difficult. It’s very difficult to convince yourself of a new idea if a contradictory idea is already anchored in your thinking. Most of the beliefs and opinions I held most deeply in my twenties and thirties were wrong. In fact, it would be an easier exercise to identify what I was right about than to try to count all the ways I was wrong. We are not experts on most things, so why does everyone need to have an opinion on so many issues? We are too frequently blinded by our own opinions, but we can design decision-making processes to overcome this bias. Such a process can help you avoid painful mistakes and gain an advantage, but this effort takes humility and can be difficult. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 19 0c7e66d5-3c8b-4678-ab14-d80e43ddd888 Sun, 19 Jul 2020 16:06:02 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/dont-trust-your-gut-ANyCcYgN Don't trust your gut Brian Gitt 00:02:34 The more complex the situation, the less you should trust your intuition, which is your brain’s attempt to make decisions based on patterns it recognizes from a lifetime of experiences. Unfortunately, our brains can’t process the level of complexity around us, and our intuition can be dangerous when detached from data and analysis. Bias, optimism, pessimism, or bad information can skew our interpretations of events or the world. Our veil of ignorance prevents us from seeing reality accurately, but most of us are convinced we are right and other people are wrong. Our preconceptions can cause us to trust bad intuitions, overlook or dismiss crucial information, and make bad decisions. The more complex the situation, the less you should trust your intuition, which is your brain’s attempt to make decisions based on patterns it recognizes from a lifetime of experiences. Unfortunately, our brains can’t process the level of complexity around us, and our intuition can be dangerous when detached from data and analysis. Bias, optimism, pessimism, or bad information can skew our interpretations of events or the world. Our veil of ignorance prevents us from seeing reality accurately, but most of us are convinced we are right and other people are wrong. Our preconceptions can cause us to trust bad intuitions, overlook or dismiss crucial information, and make bad decisions. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 18 ba9186f8-68d9-41d1-8426-aee57d213962 Sat, 18 Jul 2020 12:45:36 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/let-the-best-ideas-win-XIl3XAr_ Let the best ideas win Brian Gitt 00:03:13 Good ideas survive deep skepticism and intense competition. Stress-testing ideas exposes their weaknesses and highlights their strengths. Innovation happens when people are encouraged to put forward their best thinking, no matter their status, power, or tenure. Surrounding yourself with people who think like you blinds you to flaws in your thinking. The search for truth, knowledge, and innovation requires a free and open exchange of ideas. Seek out people with diverse viewpoints and invite criticism. Allow the best ideas to grow and let the bad ones die. Natural selection has been implementing this principle since life on earth began. Learn more at briangitt.com Good ideas survive deep skepticism and intense competition. Stress-testing ideas exposes their weaknesses and highlights their strengths. Innovation happens when people are encouraged to put forward their best thinking, no matter their status, power, or tenure. Surrounding yourself with people who think like you blinds you to flaws in your thinking. The search for truth, knowledge, and innovation requires a free and open exchange of ideas. Seek out people with diverse viewpoints and invite criticism. Allow the best ideas to grow and let the bad ones die. Natural selection has been implementing this principle since life on earth began. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, leadership, competition of ideas, startups, decision making, entrepreneurship no full 17 59ad5149-e389-46bb-ac61-aa95ecf270eb Fri, 17 Jul 2020 15:37:28 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/make-fewer-decisions-N9Dn9v3f Make fewer decisions Brian Gitt 00:07:35 Create habits and automate decisions to save time and energy. Every decision we make throughout the day requires attention and carries an opportunity cost; thus, creating decision-making systems can make you more productive and less frazzled. Once you build a habit, you make fewer decisions. What habits can you build to automate decisions and be more productive? Learn more about briangitt.com Create habits and automate decisions to save time and energy. Every decision we make throughout the day requires attention and carries an opportunity cost; thus, creating decision-making systems can make you more productive and less frazzled. Once you build a habit, you make fewer decisions. What habits can you build to automate decisions and be more productive? Learn more about briangitt.com productivity, personal development, leadership, startups, habits, decision making, entrepreneurship no full 16 bdd38297-f0fa-41e0-95c7-529188802771 Sun, 12 Jul 2020 16:58:08 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/always-take-the-red-pill-zqxwa8dR Always take the red pill Brian Gitt 00:02:51 Always seek out the truth even if it contradicts the beliefs you hold. Self-deceit and ignorance can harm you. To improve your judgement and be wrong less often. Always take the red pill and seek out the truth. Learn more at briangitt.com Always seek out the truth even if it contradicts the beliefs you hold. Self-deceit and ignorance can harm you. To improve your judgement and be wrong less often. Always take the red pill and seek out the truth. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 15 7201076f-da8e-45d5-817d-cf4d087dc7aa Thu, 2 Jul 2020 14:14:39 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/high-performance-teams-HInaVuFl High performance teams Brian Gitt 00:03:52 High performance cultures are built on high performance habits. Peak performance requires proactively designing your culture around rapid learning, trust, accountability, and habits to improve mental fitness. Habits to improve mental performance are not limited to sleep, exercise, and diet. Mental fitness also requires exposing yourself to new ideas, considering a diversity of viewpoints, and learning new skills. Your team’s learning accelerates through consistent daily practice and feedback. Design daily habits around these principles to build a high-performance team. Learn more at briangitt.com High performance cultures are built on high performance habits. Peak performance requires proactively designing your culture around rapid learning, trust, accountability, and habits to improve mental fitness. Habits to improve mental performance are not limited to sleep, exercise, and diet. Mental fitness also requires exposing yourself to new ideas, considering a diversity of viewpoints, and learning new skills. Your team’s learning accelerates through consistent daily practice and feedback. Design daily habits around these principles to build a high-performance team. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, leadership, startups, habits, high performance teams, decision making, judgement, entrepreneurship no full 14 c9111584-1884-4a08-a684-6337b4807ba4 Tue, 30 Jun 2020 14:09:19 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/rules-for-decision-making-72GUglLc Rules for decision making Brian Gitt 00:03:45 Without rules we risk getting jerked like a puppet, simply reacting to conditions around us. Rules for behavior and communication allow us to work together more effectively, and rules can also help you make better decisions. Just as programming languages provide instructions for computers, decision-making rules become the operating logic of your company. Rather than issuing top-down, centralized mandates, providing decision-making rules will empower the people closest to the problem to decide how to proceed. How you act and communicate with the people you work with will determine your company culture. Using rules, you can embed the actions you want into your culture. Decision rules provide a structure so you can navigate uncertainty and increase your chances of success. Follow these seven rules to make smarter decisions and be wrong less often. Without rules we risk getting jerked like a puppet, simply reacting to conditions around us. Rules for behavior and communication allow us to work together more effectively, and rules can also help you make better decisions. Just as programming languages provide instructions for computers, decision-making rules become the operating logic of your company. Rather than issuing top-down, centralized mandates, providing decision-making rules will empower the people closest to the problem to decide how to proceed. How you act and communicate with the people you work with will determine your company culture. Using rules, you can embed the actions you want into your culture. Decision rules provide a structure so you can navigate uncertainty and increase your chances of success. Follow these seven rules to make smarter decisions and be wrong less often. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, judgement, rules for decision making, entrepreneurship no full 13 7f659b79-f6a0-48d6-90f0-ffad75219e64 Sun, 8 Mar 2020 03:38:42 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/taming-emotion-G_Lowy6M Taming emotion Brian Gitt 00:06:18 Your emotions influence your decisions. Learning to read and regulate your emotions will help you make better choices and build better relationships with all kinds of people. Emotional intelligence can be learned. But just like any skill, it requires consistent practice. You don’t get a healthy body by going to the gym once a week. And you don't learn a new language by just attending a few classes. Building your emotional intelligence requires consistent practice over a long time-frame. But you can do it in small steps. Your emotions influence your decisions. Learning to read and regulate your emotions will help you make better choices and build better relationships with all kinds of people. Emotional intelligence can be learned. But just like any skill, it requires consistent practice. You don’t get a healthy body by going to the gym once a week. And you don't learn a new language by just attending a few classes. Building your emotional intelligence requires consistent practice over a long time-frame. But you can do it in small steps. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurship no full 12 9ebf23f1-6345-4a1b-9c02-0b8bcf7334fc Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:41:14 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/opportunity-cost-He0HgyG8 Opportunity cost Brian Gitt 00:04:11 You make dozens of decisions every day. And every decision you make has a cost. By deciding to pursue one thing, you’re saying no to something else. It's easy to recognize opportunity cost when it's staring you in the face—like moving to a new city, changing jobs, or planning your next vacation. But most of us don’t consider opportunity cost in our decision-making process for the majority of our decisions. You make dozens of decisions every day. And every decision you make has a cost. By deciding to pursue one thing, you’re saying no to something else. It's easy to recognize opportunity cost when it's staring you in the face—like moving to a new city, changing jobs, or planning your next vacation. But most of us don’t consider opportunity cost in our decision-making process for the majority of our decisions. personal development, leadership, startups, principles, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 11 cc20bbee-f09d-4a26-8a85-c2dfae9ceed2 Sun, 16 Feb 2020 01:33:22 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/a-map-is-not-the-territory-qZG31h5M A map is not the territory Brian Gitt 00:05:21 Often, we think of maps as tools to help us navigate the physical world, allowing us to get where we want to go. But we also have mental maps. You interpret reality based on the maps in your head. It’s important not to confuse your map with the territory. Our mental maps are subjective and distorted, capturing our best understanding of the world. Often, we think of maps as tools to help us navigate the physical world, allowing us to get where we want to go. But we also have mental maps. You interpret reality based on the maps in your head. It’s important not to confuse your map with the territory. Our mental maps are subjective and distorted, capturing our best understanding of the world. personal development, leadership, startups, principles, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 10 a8b4309e-cd49-4fa4-b827-0b472e694d9c Sun, 9 Feb 2020 00:07:29 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/blind-certainty-YSSK_Ze2 Blind certainty Brian Gitt 00:05:08 The easiest person to fool is yourself. It’s very difficult to convince yourself of a new idea when a contradictory idea is already anchored in your thinking. When you understand that this blind spot is our normal state, you can design decision-making processes to overcome it. The easiest person to fool is yourself. It’s very difficult to convince yourself of a new idea when a contradictory idea is already anchored in your thinking. When you understand that this blind spot is our normal state, you can design decision-making processes to overcome it. personal development, leadership, startups, principles, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 9 f73e58d1-5803-4a7d-be25-17fcf303aa40 Sat, 1 Feb 2020 20:43:18 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/solve-the-people-puzzle-WxuQDHxW The company's most valuable asset Brian Gitt 00:05:08 People are the most valuable asset of any company. Your strategy to attract, hire, and retain talent will have a big impact on the success or failure of your business. To solve hard problems, you need to assemble a team with diverse skills, personality traits, and viewpoints. Bringing together individuals with different mental models, experiences, and world views creates an opportunity for a competition of ideas that reduces blind spots and spurs innovation. People are the most valuable asset of any company. Your strategy to attract, hire, and retain talent will have a big impact on the success or failure of your business. To solve hard problems, you need to assemble a team with diverse skills, personality traits, and viewpoints. Bringing together individuals with different mental models, experiences, and world views creates an opportunity for a competition of ideas that reduces blind spots and spurs innovation. decision making, recruiting, hiring no full 8 48ec9b98-1efa-4f19-ad30-df721862b27c Sun, 26 Jan 2020 00:50:00 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/be-like-ike-make-better-decisions-get-more-done-e9BILT2A Be like Ike: Make better decisions, get more done Brian Gitt 00:04:43 Dwight Eisenhower was a productive person who is best remembered today as a military leader and two-term U.S. president. As president, Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, championed the interstate highway system, and authorized the creation of the space program while containing the spread of Communism across the world. Success in so many endeavors required Eisenhower to be a master of prioritizing tasks and making decisions. To optimize productivity, he employed a simple decision-making tool that has become known as the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. The tool helps users discern between the urgent and the important and is built on the idea that what is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important. Dwight Eisenhower was a productive person who is best remembered today as a military leader and two-term U.S. president. As president, Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, championed the interstate highway system, and authorized the creation of the space program while containing the spread of Communism across the world. Success in so many endeavors required Eisenhower to be a master of prioritizing tasks and making decisions. To optimize productivity, he employed a simple decision-making tool that has become known as the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. The tool helps users discern between the urgent and the important and is built on the idea that what is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important. productivity, personal development, leadership, startups, to-do list, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 7 f93a177c-0776-426c-bbd5-c1c92e6a5ed9 Sun, 19 Jan 2020 18:30:10 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/the-most-powerful-force-in-the-universe-ojW1jk9c The most powerful force in the universe Brian Gitt 00:03:31 We need goals to know where we are going and daily habits to help us get there. Consciously designing your life around the compounding principle will give you an exponential return in learning new skills, enhancing diet and exercise, or building a successful business. The compounding principle is based on incremental, constant, progress over a very long-time frame. Watch what happens when you invest a small amount of time every day to work toward a goal that is important to you. We need goals to know where we are going and daily habits to help us get there. Consciously designing your life around the compounding principle will give you an exponential return in learning new skills, enhancing diet and exercise, or building a successful business. The compounding principle is based on incremental, constant, progress over a very long-time frame. Watch what happens when you invest a small amount of time every day to work toward a goal that is important to you. compounding principle, personal development, leadership, startups, habits, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 6 0d734322-b6ec-4480-b361-587dbd52691b Sun, 12 Jan 2020 02:23:50 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/write-to-think-better-7kvuTd1q Write to think better Brian Gitt 00:04:31 Nothing is more important or more valuable than thinking and communicating clearly. The best way I’ve found to improve my thinking is learning how to write. In this episode, I share how to use writing as a tool to help you think and communicate more clearly and a few helpful tips to write better. Nothing is more important or more valuable than thinking and communicating clearly. The best way I’ve found to improve my thinking is learning how to write. In this episode, I share how to use writing as a tool to help you think and communicate more clearly and a few helpful tips to write better. personal development, leadership, startups, writing, principles, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 5 9f81b9c1-f151-4b8c-9720-8d6e04a87e3f Sun, 5 Jan 2020 00:02:45 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/the-advantage-of-going-first-bbjbmXQl The advantages of going first Brian Gitt 00:03:31 Mirrored reciprocity makes it easier to build relationships and participate in mutually beneficial exchanges. For the last 20,000 years of recorded human history, mirrored reciprocity has been foundational in human relationships, culture, and economic exchange. By choosing to go first, you can employ this ancient and powerful principle to build stronger relationships and gain an unfair advantage in business and in life. Learn more at briangitt.com Mirrored reciprocity makes it easier to build relationships and participate in mutually beneficial exchanges. For the last 20,000 years of recorded human history, mirrored reciprocity has been foundational in human relationships, culture, and economic exchange. By choosing to go first, you can employ this ancient and powerful principle to build stronger relationships and gain an unfair advantage in business and in life. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, mirrored reciprocity, leadership development, startups, principles, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 4 2af91605-3644-45ab-812a-519ea8c49b7e Sun, 22 Dec 2019 22:25:30 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/find-the-root-cause-FqXOX_9v Find the root cause Brian Gitt 00:02:36 To build something new requires you get good at solving problems, and you need every advantage to solve them. Clearly defining the problem is always the first step in the process. Tease apart the problem and break it down into smaller pieces to recognize the type of problem you are facing. We frequently do not recognize exactly what problem we are trying to solve until we dig deeper. Breaking a complex problem down to its foundation and generating original solutions from the ground up is called thinking from “first principles.” Write down your assumptions, then ask “why?” and keep asking “why” until you have exhausted your ability to answer. There you will find the root cause of your problem. Learn more at briangitt.com To build something new requires you get good at solving problems, and you need every advantage to solve them. Clearly defining the problem is always the first step in the process. Tease apart the problem and break it down into smaller pieces to recognize the type of problem you are facing. We frequently do not recognize exactly what problem we are trying to solve until we dig deeper. Breaking a complex problem down to its foundation and generating original solutions from the ground up is called thinking from “first principles.” Write down your assumptions, then ask “why?” and keep asking “why” until you have exhausted your ability to answer. There you will find the root cause of your problem. Learn more at briangitt.com personal development, first principles, leadership development, startups, decision making, mental models, judgement, problem solving, entrepreneurship no full 3 2f241b68-46e6-4dc8-80be-2cac5550dc97 Sun, 15 Dec 2019 00:37:18 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/solving-problems-backward-c4OZqvKo Solving problems backward Brian Gitt 00:02:13 It’s a lot easier to identity something that is likely to fail versus something that will likely succeed. Inversion is a valuable device to add to your mental toolkit to help you solve problems and achieve your goals. Inversion helps you understand a problem by allowing you to see it from a different angle. Flip a problem around and approach it from the opposite end of the natural starting point. Instead of starting at the beginning and thinking forward, start at the end and think backward. It’s a lot easier to identity something that is likely to fail versus something that will likely succeed. Inversion is a valuable device to add to your mental toolkit to help you solve problems and achieve your goals. Inversion helps you understand a problem by allowing you to see it from a different angle. Flip a problem around and approach it from the opposite end of the natural starting point. Instead of starting at the beginning and thinking forward, start at the end and think backward. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, entrepreneurship no full 2 90f7ca00-96a8-4122-b21a-3ea4c420fdbf Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:11:16 +0000 briangitt@gmail.com (Brian Gitt ) https://the-unfair-advantage-with-brian-gitt.simplecast.com/episodes/the-advantages-of-thinking-gray-pzq9Nffq The advantages of thinking gray Brian Gitt 00:03:46 Black-and-white thinking distorts your ability to see reality objectively. Jumping to conclusions too quickly when making important decisions does not serve you well. The stakes are high because your decisions will play a large part in determining whether you succeed or fail. Thinking gray is a mental model that forces you to delay forming an opinion until you have reviewed all the important facts and heard from all key stakeholders. This technique forces you to be patient. Thinking gray helps us overcome confirmation bias, which is our tendency to search for, interpret, and favor information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs and desired outcomes. Learn more at briangitt.com. Black-and-white thinking distorts your ability to see reality objectively. Jumping to conclusions too quickly when making important decisions does not serve you well. The stakes are high because your decisions will play a large part in determining whether you succeed or fail. Thinking gray is a mental model that forces you to delay forming an opinion until you have reviewed all the important facts and heard from all key stakeholders. This technique forces you to be patient. Thinking gray helps us overcome confirmation bias, which is our tendency to search for, interpret, and favor information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs and desired outcomes. Learn more at briangitt.com. personal development, leadership, startups, decision making, mental models, judgement, entrepreneurship, thinking gray no full 1