Obsessive Geniuses
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By Matthew Gutierrez · May 12, 2024
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How do you get dialed in?
Many of us seek ways to stay focused in a distracted world.
Here’s some research-backed help, which starts with the obvious: put your phone away. Also:
Today, we’re chatting with Eric Jorgenson, a prolific writer, early-stage investor, and Scribe Media CEO.
All this, and more, in just 5 minutes to read.
— Matthew
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Trivia
The top 10 bestselling books ever are all works of fiction. What's the bestselling nonfiction book of all time?
Eric Jorgenson: Looking for Obsessive Geniuses
Eric Jorgenson grew up in a family of readers. After dinner, he and his family sat around the living room not to watch TV but to read great books. For Christmas gifts, they didn’t give one another the latest gadget; they exchanged books. No genre was off limits, from fiction to science fiction to (eventually) business and investing.
“I remember getting in trouble for staying up late reading under my covers with a flashlight,” Jorgenson, a bestselling author, early-stage investor, and CEO, said last month.
Reading has shaped countless investors, including Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. They spent hours together reading annual reports, newspapers, and books, looking for new insights and, once in a while, a wonderful investment idea that would reward them handsomely.
Their voracious reading habits expanded their knowledge and honed their critical thinking skills, allowing them to discern valuable information amid the market's noise. Reading fostered clear thinking and helped them make informed decisions.
The effect of reading on Jorgenson is similar. His childhood love of reading helped guide him to what’s essentially a life built around great stories, whether as an author (The Almanack of Naval, The Anthology of Balaji), an executive (CEO of Scribe Media), or an investor (Rolling Fun).
In this conversation, Jorgenson shares his perspective on time management, how he invests, the importance of brevity, the value of stories in investing and business, and the vision behind his publishing company, Scribe.
This interview has been edited lightly for brevity and clarity.?
You do a lot. How do you manage your time?
My standard joke here is that I spend about 50% of my time on Scribe, 50% of my time on the funds, 10% of the time on the books, and 10% of the time on my podcast. It all works together. Writing books makes me a better CEO, and each activity gives me a broader perspective, which benefits everything. It’s a full life. I am getting better at saying “no.”
This magic in being slightly overbooked forces you to focus on the most important thing every time. And a little stress is good for us. I feel guilty when I overfill my plate and can’t be generous with random requests, but it comes with the territory.?
What’s the most influential thing you read recently??
Probably “Where’s My Flying Car.” I’ve gifted 20 copies to my high-ambition friends. It’s about technology and why really smart people who had called for flying cars by now got it all wrong.
Your books are concise and tight. Is brevity a priority?
It’s about respecting the reader and their time. The standard idea for many business books is like, here’s my idea, here’s me explaining it, and then it’s story after story saying the same thing. What I want to do with my books is give you a valuable idea on every page. I want to see highlights and sticky notes all over. It should be rich with insight.?
Books compete with scrolling Twitter or Instagram, where you constantly get dopamine and new ideas. To make a book that lands with people, you want to match that...