Category Archives: Advice

After You’ve “Made It”

Posted on July 18, 2011 by AJ Kessler

A lot of people in their teens and 20s, and a fair amount of people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, have this idea that once they make it, once they’re successful, they’ll finally be able to tell people to … Continue reading →

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The Best Investment Advice You’ll Never Get

Posted on July 17, 2011 by AJ Kessler

We had a guest lecturer come speak to our Corporate Finance class one day.  Frank Partnoy, my professor, introduced him as a hedge fund guy who knew his shit.  So well, Partnoy added, that he once simply donated the 9 … Continue reading →

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Expense Account Instead of Allowance

Posted on July 15, 2011 by AJ Kessler

A really touching story about a guy going to the hardware store with his young son, and realizing just how capable kids can be, followed by a fantastic comment by a Hacker News contributor: Article: http://gamesbyemail.com/WoodTape/Default.htm Comment about article: One … Continue reading →

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Get 38x Better in One Year

Posted on July 14, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Can you imagine being 38 times more productive?  More outgoing?  More competent?  More anything? All it takes is getting 1% better each day, for a year. Just 1%. Top of the to-do list should read: “How can I improve 1% … Continue reading →

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Motivation

Posted on July 13, 2011 by AJ Kessler

I’ve been studying for the bar for nearly two straight months now.  It’s now less than two weeks away, I still have lots to learn, but motivation is low. Even things like time tracking are less effective these days.  What … Continue reading →

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How To Be Creative

Posted on July 12, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Sebastian Marshall was kind enough to let me guest post about how to be creative over on his blog.  It’s a technique I’ve used successfully for many years, and I imagine many other luminaries and creatives have used this, or … Continue reading →

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Kill Yourself, For Two Weeks

Posted on July 11, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Killing yourself can be a useful thing to think about.  But, instead of using it is a mid-to-long term form of regulation, what if you shortened it and made it immediately actionable? What if you had two weeks to live? … Continue reading →

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Maturity Means No Excuses

Posted on July 9, 2011 by AJ Kessler

In the law, the state doesn’t hold minors responsible for some of their actions.  If a bank agrees to give a 16 year old a credit card, that 16 year old isn’t liable for his debts because the law assumes … Continue reading →

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Pay People To Insult You

Posted on July 8, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Here in California, nobody sends anything back at restaurants.  Even when the food is terrible or prepared totally incorrectly, most people refuse to send it back.  This isn’t a regional phenomenon either.  Even in New York, the bastion of speak-your-mind-straight-shooters, … Continue reading →

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Meaningless Impressions

Posted on July 7, 2011 by AJ Kessler

It’s a story about us, people, being persuaded to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need to create impressions that won’t last on people we don’t care about. – Peter Jackson, at TEDGlobal 2010 It started with … Continue reading →

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How To End The Lockouts

Posted on July 6, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Seth Godin is a smart guy.  You know how I know?  Not only does he have great insights and produce great work in his chosen field, he offers great insights into all sorts of different things. For those who don’t … Continue reading →

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Steal This Idea: Matching Buyers and Sellers

Posted on July 5, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Today, most marketplaces are extremely competitive, and markets for some goods are near perfect.  But, these marketplaces still rely on competition, pitting parties against each other.  What if we could use the abundance of information we have on consumers and … Continue reading →

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No Limit On Better

Posted on July 4, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Harrison Ford, carpenter turned movie star, learned early on to approach everything he did with the mindset of a craftsman. One of his earliest lessons came at the hands of an employer: “When I was a carpenter, I once worked … Continue reading →

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Picking Partners

Posted on July 3, 2011 by AJ Kessler

A partner needs three things: intelligence, energy, and integrity.  If they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two. – Warren Buffett I’m never surprised to learn of a partnership’s demise when I know, hear, or … Continue reading →

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The World’s Most Valuable Skill

Posted on July 1, 2011 by AJ Kessler

It’s not the ability to pick stocks or spot market trends.  It’s not the ability to sniff out which wells will produce oil or which methods will cure cancer.  It’s not the ability to mange people or leverage their talents … Continue reading →

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