Tools for Change – September 2023

Give People a Reason to Find You Interesting…

Welcome to the latest edition the monthly newsletter, Tools for Change – A Convenient Digest and Curated Collection of Information, Tools and Resources to Help You in Your Life and Work

New This Month on The Living a Life in Full Podcast , John Zolidis on Making Better Decisions and Recognizing Flawed Mental Models, on Living a Life in Full.

?

Investment research created by large banks, mid-sized banks, and even smaller boutiques is frequently muddled by conflicts of interest, and its value diminished by over-distribution. Analysts often feel pressure to have positive ratings to support bankers or to generate corporate access.

And the time horizon of most research is typically very short, causing analysts to miss long-term winners due to near-term considerations. But the biggest issue is that most analysts have no proprietary information or process. Additionally, what are the mental models that can best serve not only making investment decisions, but also the various other choices we make in our lives?

John Zolidis has a lot to say about all that. As to the investment aspects, via Quo Vadis Capital, where he is President and Founder, he provides a research service that, while designed for the buy-side, is organized to solve for the sell-side’s issues. If you’re not exactly sure what that means, we’ll unpack all that and more in this conversation.

John’s work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, The New York Post, Marketwatch.com , The Street.com and others; he was named in the Wall Street Journal’s “Best on the Street” list, and is a part of value-investing conferences in Vail, Cyprus, Klosters, London, and Dubai.? ??

I saw John’s Dubai talk on short selling and value investing and we discussed that some value-investors believe that as such, you should not be a short seller, and there's a bit of a dogma that there's an asymmetric risk/reward in shorting – John doesn’t think so, and he tells us why,

John shared his concept of Destructive Mental Models, and why investors’ models quit functioning. In this episode, John gives us a glimpse into his world and his process, and it’s a helpful, as well as fascinating approach, to living a life in full and to making better decisions.

Be sure to tune in on your favorite platform , or if you’re not into podcasts, read all about it on my LinkedIn Top Voice post. ?

Well Said

“Almost everyone in this room has a higher IQ than Darwin did. Yet Darwin’s body now lies next to Newton’s in Westminster Abbey. Part of his secret was doggedness. Part of his secret was immense objectivity. And part of his secret was an extreme curiosity. What a diligent, objective curiosity will do for you in this life is elevate you above your intellectual betters who have minds that work faster than yours.” - Charlie Munger

“[Problem solving] has to do with curiosity. It has to do with people wondering, ‘What makes something do something?’ And then to discover, when you try to get answers, that they’re related to each other. The things that make the wind make the waves, and the motion of the water is like the motion of air, [which] is like the motion of sand.” - Richard Feynman

"If we want to be good ancestors, we should show future generations how we coped with an age of great change and great crises." - Jonas Salk

Tools for Productivity

Paying Attention to Your Attention Span - by David Epstein .

Here's How to Use a Work Notebook to Improve Your Productivity - Get things done by going back to basics.

If You Work Out Today, You'll Perform Better at Work Tomorrow .

New research reveals trust is the key driver of productivity. ?Uncover the latest research on the future of work and how it's shaping the way we approach productivity, collaboration, and employee well-being.

Tools for Living Your Life in Full

“How To Be Successful ,”?13 lessons on achieving outlier success written by?Sam Altman , CEO of?OpenAI .

Richard Branson Says Living a Happy, Successful, and Fulfilling Life Comes Down to overcoming preconditions, following your instincts, managing your time, and living well.

The Power of Staying Put - There are so many times in life where what you do is less important than how long you've been doing it for. Its true in careers. Its true in relationships. Its true in sports. And its true with money. This episode is about compounding—and how staying put, uninterrupted, is often the most overlooked skill.?

Kevin Kelly?gathers in?Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier ?an herbarium of learnings that began as a list he composed on his 68th birthday for his own young-adult children, a list to which he kept adding with each lived year.

Devote Yourself to the Cause of Your Life - An important article on finding your life’s work and how you can “revel in the day-to-day minutia, the tedious tasks that make up your job.”

Tired of recycled tips and empty promises for joy? This article brings a breath of fresh air via some unconventional approaches.

Tools for Being Smarter

How to Read: Lots of Inputs and a Strong Filter - Years ago Charlie Munger said, “Most books I don’t read past the first chapter. I’m not burdened by bad books,” and it stuck with me. Reading is a chore if you insist on finishing every book you begin, because the majority of books are either a) adequately summarized in the introduction, b) not for you, or c) not for anyone.

Spies, Lies and Nukes - November 10-12, 2023. For this third, enhanced running of Spies, Lies & Nukes join Valerie Plame (upcoming guest on Living a Life in Full , and listeners/readers can receive $50 discount using the promo code LIFEINFULL) and some of her legendary, highly decorated, and experienced CIA colleagues as they pull back the curtain on the real life “wilderness of mirrors” that is international espionage. Hear from and engage with the best of CIA’s spies to better understand today’s world, from emergent threats, to never-before-told spy operations, black market nuclear scams, how to recruit a spy, the growth of domestic terrorism, how social media is used in espionage, and keeping your employees and your company safe from foreign spies.

35 new skills you can learn on LinkedIn learning. ?OK, I’m biased Looking as a LinkedIn Top Voice, but in all transparency, I have no affiliation, so nevertheless to level up your professional skills? Check out LinkedIn Learning's latest offerings, featuring 35 new courses designed to help you stay ahead in your career and personal growth. Whether you're looking to boost your leadership abilities, sharpen your technical expertise, or enhance your creativity, there's something for everyone in this diverse collection of courses.

Tools for Wealth Management

Wealth vs. Income

IRS is going paperless and embracing smartphones - Here are the dates you need to know.

Tax-Efficient Charitable Giving - by Phil Weiss.

Tools for Your Career

Looking to make the most out of your one-on-one meetings with your boss? Here are 28 questions to ask your boss during your one-on-ones.

Do you dream of digital nomadism? These 10 jobs allow you to work from anywhere.

The Art of Quitting Early on Fridays - This article offers a range of tips for making the most of the remaining weeks of summer by getting an early start on the weekend. Among the better ones: (1) avoid scheduling Friday meetings, (2) negotiate deadlines that arrive early in the week, and (3) pitch your boss on “deep-work Fridays” that allow you to work from anywhere.

5 things you should do before leaving any job.

10 expert tips for starting a new job to ensure success. ?

Fluke -- A Story About How Fragile The World Can Be.

Tools for Investing

Index-Tracking ETFs Were All the Rage, Until Now.

The Ins & Outs of Berkshire Hathaway’s Q2 Stock Portfolio

The Berkshire Hathaway MBA .

Tools Just for Fun

Being a “car-guy,” while this is a bit sad, it is also oddly fascinating .

Stewart Brand’s new book on Maintenance is being released chapter by chapter on?Books in Progress, a “public drafting tool” that allows readers to comment on the work as it is written. Check out?the most recent chapter ?on what the three most popular car models in history tell us about maintenance.

Random Acts of Medicine ?by Anupam Jena and Christopher Worsham. This book is similar to Freakenomics, but for medicine. It profiled several fascinating natural experiments and their findings.

How to Have Your Most Fulfilling Vacation Ever - The secret to a rewarding vacation—one you look back at with fondness and appreciation—is…

Tools for Leadership

How to Handle New Projects With Your Team - It's imperative that you give a clean handoff.

Uber’s CEO Was Insulted by an Ex-Employee. His Reply Was a Lesson in Emotional Intelligence.

Tools for Founders

Leaving Work at Work: Setting Boundaries as an Entrepreneur - As an entrepreneur, it's easy to forget that your company isn't your whole life. Hear how these three founders have set boundaries as entrepreneurs, especially as parents, while managing their companies.

6 Keys to Planning and Measuring the Performance of Your Business - If you don't embrace your team in business measurements, they will undermine your efforts.

Tools for Relationships

Add a hearty dose of gratitude to enhance your relationships. - This?article ?offers five easy and effective ways to boost your happiness and enhance your relationships using the surprising benefits of gratitude.

Adam Grant Says You Should Avoid This Type of Relationship .

Rethinking infidelity... a talk for anyone who has ever loved.

Discover just how much or little social interaction you need to be fulfilled.

Feeling the effects of loneliness?? It could be that you're just not getting the right kinds of social interactions.

The Power of Small Invisible Gestures - by Ian Cassel .

Tools for Health and Wellness

New Exercise Data Challenge Old Belief .

Health & Longevity [w/ Peter Attia] - Making Sense Podcast: #328 .

Superfoods for Better Brain Health, According to a Harvard Nutritional Psychiatrist.

Three Shots for Fall: What You Need to Know.

Just 4000 Steps Tied to Lower Death Risk .

A case study on the importance of taking charge of one’s own health .

Tools for Fitness and Performance

Here's a?full body calisthenics workout ?you can do using just a pull up bar. Don't forget that you can always modify the exercises to make them easier or harder to match your fitness level.

Want to Be More Fit? Take a Vacation From Your Workout . - Exercise can lift your mood, but doing the same routine ad infinitum simply isn’t ideal for your body or your mind. Ironically, the best exercise routine incorporates novelty and variation.?

How To Master Your Life – by David Goggins .

Tools for Digital Health

This company is using AI to develop drugs - Schizophrenia is its first target.

Apple Watch X coming next year with blood pressure tracking .

Effects of Cuff Size on the Accuracy of Blood Pressure Readings .

Is at home the future of healthy aging.

Dozens of Children Die Every Year in Hot Cars. Could Technology Save Them?

Movers & Shakers in Digital Health .

Tools for Mental Health

In a Constant State of Worry? - An important, but lesser known, neurotransmitter is at the heart of our constant negative thinking.

There’s Now An Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression .

Imaging Technique Reveals Living Brain Tissue in its Complexity .

Neurotwin: Could digital twins be the next frontier in modern medicine?

Tools for Parents

What is PTO (parent’s time off) and why you need it - Spending time away from your family can make you a better parent.

‘Positive’ parenting shields kids’ brains from damage caused by stress - You can’t always protect them, but you can help shield them.

Tools for Writers

Legendary Author John McPhee on Procrastination, Dread, and His Endless Final Project.

Tools for Creativity

Stretch your creative muscles and improve your well-being with a daily art practice. This interesting?article ?reveals the therapeutic benefits of everyday art, from reducing stress and enhancing focus to cultivating a sense of inner calm.

Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide ?by John Cleese.

Tools for AI

The workers at the frontlines of the AI revolution.

Why You Should Create a Plan to Implement Artificial Intelligence Now. - Four strategic planning questions that will keep your business ahead of the A.I. curve.

Should You Use A.I. in Your Business? Let's cut to the chase and answer the question everyone is asking.

How to Pick the Right A.I. Model for Your Business - Meta's new generative A.I. model, Llama 2, has a few big advantages over OpenAI's ChatGPT. But a close reading of the fine print reveals some surprises.

Tools for Your Practice

Nonstimulants a Better Option for ADHD?

Oral Tau Inhibitor Continues to Show Promise in Alzheimer's.

No Cognitive Benefit From Meditation, Learning a Language?

AI Beat Clinicians at Figuring Out Difficult Diagnoses - GPT-4 may help with diagnoses that have been missed by clinicians

Tools from TED

Give yourself permission to be creative ?by?Ethan Hawke .?

5 hiring tips every company (and job seeker) should know.

Identify what's holding you back to move forward - strategies to help you move past your mental barriers and into a state of action.

Tools for Technology

10 new apps to stay ahead of the tech curve. ?This listicle explores the ten hottest new apps that will help elevate your productivity, boost your creativity, and keep you ahead of the tech curve!

Tools for Technology & Healthcare Trends

The Future of Health Technology .

Innovating Across Silos – Moving From Sick Care to Health Care .

A Revolution Is Coming to Medicine. Who Will It Leave Out?

The Hidden Harms of CPR .?

Tools for Inclusion

3 Clear Steps That Will Make Your Workplace Drastically Better for Everyone .

Lizzo Is Accused of Creating a Hostile Work Environment. You Can Avoid Her Mistakes - It doesn't matter how many awards you've won, you still can't sexually harass your employees.

How to foster true diversity and inclusion at work (and in your community) .

The power of diversity within yourself.

Tools for Getting Published

Join my Master Class in Getting Published – All 8 Courses are Free for a Limited Time.

Tools for Public Health

Latest COVID Wave a Cause for Concern?

CRISPR in Public Health: The Health Equity Implications .

Malaria disappeared in the U.S. in 2003 - That changed this year.

Public Health vs Politics: Battle Rages in Healthcare .

Affording the New Obesity Drugs? We Can't Afford Not to .

Project NextGen — Defeating SARS-CoV-2 and Preparing for the Next Pandemic .

The new CDC director outlines 3 steps to rebuild trust with the public .

What to Know About the New Dominant Covid Variant .

Study mapping how SARS-CoV-2 disrupts mitochondria suggests a cause for long Covid .

First major survey of doctors with Long Covid reveals debilitating impact on health, life and work .

Public Health Foundation

Tools for Global Work and Policy

Center for Strategic and International Studies

APA’s Global Insights Newsletter

Tools for Finding Conferences

Conal Conference Alerts

Neurology and Psychiatry

Tools for Healthcare Career Insights

Curated from Medpage Today

Tools for a New Gig

Here’s Behavioral Health Tech’s jobs board ?to see?all of the current?opportunities?from the leading companies in behavioral health. If you are looking for a new job and want BHT’s community of hiring companies to seek you out, then join their talent collective as a candidate for free here. Or, if you want access to the central place for job candidates of all levels and roles focused on mental health and substance use tech, then enroll as a hiring company here.

See?who’s hiring ?in health and fitness here .

New Scientist Jobs USA is the best way to take the next step in your career in the life sciences, biology, physics, astronomy, chemistry, and more.

From 80,000 Hours - There are a variety of ways to contribute to?global priorities research , including?academic research ,?working as a?grantmaker , and?doing charity evaluation.

To browse or search hundreds of recent job postings, visit the?jobs board?in PND , it includes foundation, public charity, education, and nonprofit jobs.

Positions from BioSpace

• Academic ?
• Biotechnology ?
• Diagnostics ?
• Government
• Healthcare ?
• Medical Device ?
• Non-Profit ?
• Pharmaceutical ?
• Research Institute ?

DiversityMD is a Career Job Board and Information Resource for Physicians regardless of age, race, gender, religion, education, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or physical characteristics. They are a “niche” website for Physicians of all levels of practice from Medical Students, Residents, Fellows on up to Medical Directors and CMO’s.

?

Tools to Travel the World

Google Search’s?new features?include ?a flight price guarantee badge on what Google thinks is the lowest price. If you book with Google and the price drops, you’ll be refunded the difference.

Grosvenor Teacher Fellowships From National Geographic

National Geographic professional development grants ?

Earth Expedition ?

Ford Foundation Global Travel & Learning Fund ?

Institute of International Education ?

Google conference and study scholarship ?

Omprakash Ethical global engagement grants ?

Tata Trust Travel grants

A Gym Membership for Your Brain

If you enjoy this newsletter, I suspect you’d enjoy our monthly podcast. Listen on your favorite platform https://pod.link/1281672367 and for a free subscription: https://tinyurl.com/ALifeInFullSubscription

Likewise, if you are not already following my LinkedIn Influencer/Top Voices posts in a group with almost a half-million followers, you may enjoy reading the posts there as well . ?

Tools for Humanitarian Intervention

Please visit our website: https://www.centerforglobalinitiatives.org/ . We’re proud to be a top ranked Great Nonprofit (since 2013!) and to have achieved Platinum Level from GuideStar .

Tools for Connecting

If you would like to see more frequent updates and engage with others, please join the open Facebook groups at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ALifeInFull and? https://www.facebook.com/groups/CenterForGlobalInitiatives

Tools for Better Understanding Science

“How Podcaster Andrew Huberman Got America to Care About Science” by Jamie Ducharme for TIME.

As I have opined in past articles like How to Protect Yourself from Fad Science and my three part series, The Reproducibility Problem—Can Science be Trusted? , —Shame on us? , and —What’s a Scientist to do? ?This is a near-and-dear topic and concern of mine.

In Closing

And even though I know our readers are very smart, I nevertheless have to say that this newsletter does not provide medical, psychological, legal, financial, healthcare, or any other form of advice. As I have said elsewhere, don’t be a knucklehead.

Big thank you to meta-sourcing sites and folks: BioSpace, Ron Friedman, PhD, Inc., Farnum Street’s Brain Food, McKinsey amp; Co., Medpage, MedScape, Joe Koster from Value Investing World, FirstRound, Get Rich Slowly, Ramit Sethi, Forbes InnovationRx, The Knowledge Project - organized by theme, 80,000 Hours, The Collaborative Fund, Colossus, Sonny Patel, Unmistakable Media, Top Tier,nbsp;NeuroFlow, Five-Bullet Friday, O’Shaughnessy Asset Management, Health Data Management Group, Fitt, PodcastNotes, SparkType, Budgets Are Sexy, Behavioral Health Tech, Next Big Idea Club – Heleo, Section 4, Future of Health amp; Medicine Newsletter, Forbes, Wired, Noah Kagen/AppSumo, Fast Co., AI and Health, The Hustle, Tim Ferriss, Sparktype, TED, Good Life Project, AI Healthcare News, New York Times, and Morning Brew - be sure to check them out. And as always, I have no financial, marketing or affiliate relationship with any of the sources noted herein.

To subscribe to “Tools for Change ”? and get notifications of editions, click the blue button at the top right corner of?this page.? Please don’t be shy about sharing, leaving comments or dropping me a private note with your own reactions and requests for other tools.

Cheers, and keep in touch,

Chris

Background | Resources | Tools