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What one thing has your career taught you for certain?Sean Kernan, Son of QuoraOver and over again, I see people in corner offices who, on paper, are of pretty mediocre intelligence.If they were pitted against you on an academic test, most of you smart Quorans would best them fairly easily.And you know what?It means nothing.The moment you step out of academia and into the office, nothing you did in school matters anymore.Your SAT score.Your board rankings.Your perfect grades.They evaporate. Gone. They were the price of entry.Being smart certainly matters. It helps.But the longer you spend in the business world, the less you'll see success manifesting itself as a product of smarts.You'll someday realize that it was always just a contest of who wanted it the most.

What one thing has your career taught you for certain? Sean Kernan, Son of Quora Over and over again, I see people in corner offices who, on paper, are of pretty mediocre intelligence. If they were pitted against you on an academic test, most of you smart Quorans would best them fairly easily. And you know what? It means nothing. The moment you step out of academia and into the office, nothing you did in school matters anymore. Your SAT score. Your board rankings. Your perfect grades. They evaporate. Gone. They were the price of entry. Being smart certainly matters. It helps. But the longer you spend in the...

Which fruits should I stay away from?Kurt Hadsall, Oilfield Wireline Field Specalist at Baker Hughes (2003-present)My former career was retail grocer/produce manager. For over fifteen years I enjoyed the very best produce, because I had “pick of the litter” as the saying goes. I still to this day am very picky about produce.Fruits are mostly seasonal. Apples, pears and citrus Fall/Winter. Berries and grapes Spring, and Soft fruit/melons Summer.Transportation and processing of fresh food has improved and we are able to import more fruit from South America and beyond.You still won't find me eating warehouse apples in the summer or peaches, plums or melons from South America in the winter.Picked early enough to extend shipment and warehousing time means, lack of flavor and or downright spoiling because ripening never happens.Hybrids, crossbred and genetically modified strains of fruits and vegetables can be the exception to this in that they taste good, hold up better until eaten and can be grown in regions not native to their natural cousins.A couple of examples that I enjoy are Fuji apples and Hothouse tomatoes harvested and sold still on the vine.When shopping inspect, examine, observe, ask for a sample, read the stickers and boxes. Look, taste and smell, the nose knows.No matter what fruit you reach for make sure to rinse throughly and it will be much better for you than Micky D's or processed foods.Hope this helps!

Which fruits should I stay away from? Kurt Hadsall, Oilfield Wireline Field Specalist at Baker Hughes (2003-present) My former career was retail grocer/produce manager. For over fifteen years I enjoyed the very best produce, because I had “pick of the litter” as the saying goes. I still to this day am very picky about produce. Fruits are mostly seasonal. Apples, pears and citrus Fall/Winter. Berries and grapes Spring, and Soft fruit/melons Summer. Transportation and processing of fresh food has improved and we are able to import more fruit from South America and beyond. You still won’t find me eating warehouse apples in the summer or peaches, plums or melons ...

What are some of the greatest things humans have achieved that most people don't know about?Andrew GrimmEver wondered why the world was basically the Middle East and the tropics for many generations and then some people moved to the colder places like Europe and such?I have an answer and its one you probably didn't expect.Hay.yes, that dry bundle of grass that most farmers now take for granted is one of the most important reasons why people were able to move into colder climates.You see, hay is durable dry feed for animals during the winter months (especially horses), and before that, if you moved to the colder areas, you may have had yourself to feed, but you couldn't run any livestock.Hay changed all that.From the period when Hay was first cultivated and used, this enabled people to finally travel to some of the much colder climates and actually last through more than a single winter without preserves and pickles.Freeman Dyson:"My suggestion is not original. I don't remember who gave me the idea, but it was probably Lynn White, with Murray Gell-Mann as intermediary. The most important invention of the last two thousand years was hay. In the classical world of Greece and Rome and in all earlier times, there was no hay. Civilization could exist only in warm climates where horses could stay alive through the winter by grazing. Without grass in winter you could not have horses, and without horses you could not have urban civilization. Some time during the so-called dark ages, some unknown genius invented hay, forests were turned into meadows, hay was reaped and stored, and civilization moved north over the Alps. So hay gave birth to Vienna and Paris and London and Berlin, and later to Moscow and New York."So the next time you visit a major European city and look around at its 500 plus year magnificence .. you can thank the use of Hay on a regular basis for that.

What are some of the greatest things humans have achieved that most people don’t know about? Andrew Grimm Ever wondered why the world was basically the Middle East and the tropics for many generations and then some people moved to the colder places like Europe and such? I have an answer and its one you probably didn’t expect. Hay. yes, that dry bundle of grass that most farmers now take for granted is one of the most important reasons why people were able to move into colder climates. You see, hay is durable dry feed for animals during the winter months (especially horses), and before that, if ...

What seemingly strange question will reveal a lot about a person?Paul Barends, lives in The NetherlandsWell, once during a job interview I was asked a strange question.This was in the 1980s when unemployment was high. A small company advertised a sales position in a local newspaper. It wasn't clear what they actually sold and I didn't have much experience, but it was close to where I lived, so I applied by letter anyway, and to my surprise was invited for an interview.The strange question must have at least revealed I was paying attention, because my immediate response was, “Why would you ask me such a question?”“It reveals a lot about a person I've learned,” the business owner replied.At that age I was totally unprepared. I was ready to explain sales strategies.So I needed a moment. My first thought was that this might be an indirect way to learn about the religious convictions of a person, and that this might be a secret demand.Still I managed to come up with a coherent answer, but I don't recall what I actually said.He had originally asked me, “What do you think the purpose of life is?” and that question definitely caught me off guard.Eventually I didn't get the job, which wasn't a big deal. However I've always kept wondering whether the question was asked because of his religious beliefs, or that it was in fact an assessment relevant to sales positions.Either way, the answer to such a question is always revealing.

What seemingly strange question will reveal a lot about a person? Paul Barends, lives in The Netherlands Well, once during a job interview I was asked a strange question. This was in the 1980s when unemployment was high. A small company advertised a sales position in a local newspaper. It wasn’t clear what they actually sold and I didn’t have much experience, but it was close to where I lived, so I applied by letter anyway, and to my surprise was invited for an interview. The strange question must have at least revealed I was paying attention, because my immediate response was, “Why would you ask me such a question?” “It reveals a lot about a person I’ve l...

Smart people: seriously, why aren't you breeding?Blake Senftner, Mad computer scientistTwo reasons:My “smartness” comes with a giant helping of anxiety, which I do not want to pass on. I suspect it's genetic.I feel like it is unethical to bring children into today's world.Plus, to have kids today, they are not yours , they are “owned” by society. Unless you can live/work at home and raise them with your interpersonal influences more than the influences of our popular and social media, your kids are imprints of society more than they are imprints of you and your values. And the values of our society are immature, short sighted, unrealistic, overall pretty bad…

Smart people: seriously, why aren't you breeding? Blake Senftner, Mad computer scientist Two reasons: My “smartness” comes with a giant helping of anxiety, which I do not want to pass on. I suspect it’s genetic. I feel like it is unethical to bring children into today’s world. Plus, to have kids today, they are not yours , they are “owned” by society. Unless you can live/work at home and raise them with your interpersonal influences more than the influences of our popular and social media, your kids are imprints of society more than they are imprints of you and your values. And the values of our society are immature, short sighted, unrealistic, overall pretty bad…

What are some unspoken rules in the U.K.?Graham Short, Micro-artist, Supplier to the Royal Household,When you park your car in the street close to the football ground and a local urchin asks for a fiver to look after your car… pay him! If you tell him, “There's no need, I've got an Alsation in the boot,” don't be surprised if you hear him say, as you walk away, “I bet he can't put out fires.”When watching the Jeremy Kyle Show you must always say,”Why don't these people get their teeth fixed.”When David Walliams comes on the TV, it is compulsory to say, “I can't stand him, he's creepy.”When speaking to a Brummie, if you haven't got the sheet music you will never understand him.When the ad comes on TV and comedienne Jenny Eclair asks, “Have you got a bothersome vagina?” Don't look at your mother, mother-in-law or granny. Keep your eyes fixed on your newspaper and pretend you haven't heard it.If you are a young slim woman, you must regularly visit the food store, Iceland. You will feel soooo good when you look around at those who shop there.When you see a morbidly obese woman in the street wearing a tracksuit, never ask, “Are you on your way to the gym?”

What are some unspoken rules in the U.K.? Graham Short, Micro-artist, Supplier to the Royal Household, When you park your car in the street close to the football ground and a local urchin asks for a fiver to look after your car… pay him! If you tell him, “There’s no need, I’ve got an Alsation in the boot,” don’t be surprised if you hear him say, as you walk away, “I bet he can’t put out fires.” When watching the Jeremy Kyle Show you must always say,”Why don’t these people get their teeth fixed.” When David Walliams comes on the TV, it is compulsory to say, “I can’t stand h...

What are the dirty little secrets of the stock market?Carl Heintz, CPA, MBA, CEA, started, built, sold numerous successful businessesWhat follows may be shocking, but it is true.The market is “rigged” for small traders. The big boys have insider information and trade on it all the time. Ok, maybe not insider information like the SEC defines it, but if you rub shoulders with people on a daily basis, you pick up things that allow you to do things that strangers may not be aware of. The stock markets are cozy little markets.Most of the trading is done by computers, following algorithms. Yes, you as an individual are competing with an AI driven machine.Most financial statements by public companies are not accurate. Ok, maybe they “fairly present” the results of operations, but there is a tremendous amount of “massaging” of the data that goes on behind the scenes. Some of it falls within the legal, some of it borders on unethical.A small investor cannot compete with big investors on a short time frame. If you are clever, do your research, you can do well, but it takes a lot of time and effort, skepticism and insight. Daytraders are gamblers and typically have the same results as those who frequent the casinos.Stock brokers, financial advisors, financial planners and the like are for the most part sales people. Beware.

What are the dirty little secrets of the stock market? Carl Heintz, CPA, MBA, CEA, started, built, sold numerous successful businesses What follows may be shocking, but it is true. The market is “rigged” for small traders. The big boys have insider information and trade on it all the time. Ok, maybe not insider information like the SEC defines it, but if you rub shoulders with people on a daily basis, you pick up things that allow you to do things that strangers may not be aware of. The stock markets are cozy little markets. Most of the trading is done by computers, following algorithms. Yes, you as an individual are competing with an AI driven machine. Most financial statements by public companies are n...

What are some jobs that surprisingly pay over $1,000,000 a year?Michael Cheng, Worked several years at a small VC and an investment bank.Originally Answered: What are achievable jobs that pay a million a year?In the world of real estate, lots of people in various roles make a million dollars a year.Almost no one has a job that pays a million a year, given what real estate professionals know about available favorable tax treatments in real estate.Loan officers or brokers, real estate brokers, contractors, flippers, appraisers, and even property inspectors can make a million bucks or more each year, all through handling some aspect of real estate.Some of the roles require licenses, but many do not. Many just have a college degree and some may not have even graduated high school, just vocational school, especially for the contracting trades. For example, my elevator guy bills at $392 an hour and he rounds up to the nearest hour, so he often bills at a higher rate than my fancy lawyers from Harvard.My commercial property inspector charges $8–10K for a two hour inspection and he averages an inspection a day. No license required.Many of these roles don't require much formal education, just a willingness to work hard. The work itself isn't particularly challenging and you don't need a specialized talent or be able to put a ball in the right spot fifty feet away.Indeed, one of my loan officers clears $1.5M a year in commissions, and he admits he doesn't do much more than punch in a few numbers to pull up current mortgage rates and send out a few emails a day with pre-approvals. He is on the phone a lot, discussing rates and terms. But, the bulk of the actual grunt work in completing and closing the loan is handled by his assistants, who only get paid a couple of pennies by the bank compared to his rate.It can be a tedious grind, but for the money, it's not so bad. For anyone willing to work, it's a very achievable result. Getting started is often as simple as pulling up the licensing requirements on the appropriate state board website, fulfilling the course requirements, and getting the license in a few months. Of course, most people looking for a million dollars a year won't even do that, so there remains plenty of roles which keep paying out that well.

What are some jobs that surprisingly pay over $1,000,000 a year? Michael Cheng, Worked several years at a small VC and an investment bank. Originally Answered: What are achievable jobs that pay a million a year? In the world of real estate, lots of people in various roles make a million dollars a year. Almost no one has a job that pays a million a year, given what real estate professionals know about available favorable tax treatments in real estate. Loan officers or brokers, real estate brokers, contractors, flippers, appraisers, and even property inspectors can make a mill...

How do you spot a beginner manager?Yariv Adan, works at Google AssistantTrying to be involved in everything that is happening in his teamFeels uncomfortable delagatingOver indexes project development over people developmentWay too high "answers and directives to questions and challenges" ratio (towards his team)Generally overwhelmed and defensiveUncalibrated in people's performance management - usually scoring all her people as strong performersOverworking the team (often through setting an example), and being proud of itDoesn't know how to manage low performers, hesitant to provide constructive feedbackSays "I" and "my" when talking about the teamWay too focused on the layer below and layer above, and misses the bigger picture of the teams and organization around, and how her team fits there

How do you spot a beginner manager? Yariv Adan, works at Google Assistant Trying to be involved in everything that is happening in his team Feels uncomfortable delagating Over indexes project development over people development Way too high "answers and directives to questions and challenges" ratio (towards his team) Generally overwhelmed and defensive Uncalibrated in people's performance management - usually scoring all her people as strong performers Overworking the team (often through setting an example), and being proud of it Doesn't know how to manage low performers, hesitant to provide constructive feedback Says "I" and "my" when talking about the team Way too focused on the layer below and layer above, and miss...

What's the most ridiculously simple idea that made someone rich?Christopher Chong, studied at London Business SchoolArguably the richest family in the world are the Rothschilds. Their exact wealth is unknown but some have speculated that it could be as much as $2 trillion (unlikely but it is likely to be a large number). The founder of the Rothschild wealth was Mayer Rothschild (1744–1812), an orphan at 12 but brought up in an extended family living in what was then the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt. To understand what Mayer did that was so simple and so brilliant, one needs to understand the history of banking.The idea of taking gold or money (deposits) and then re-lending them to another party is ancient. In Europe, it was already well established by the Medici (1397) and others (eg Bardi & Peruzzi families). Banking is what we called an intermediation exercise. The bank is the intermediary taking the money and then lending it out. So and regardless of how the lending goes, the depositor can always go after the bank.Mayer had two ideas - why could his bank not have other branches or banks in other countries and why could he not invest directly the money instead of lending it (disintermediation). Mayer lived in a time of turmoil and change. But he also had luck. In 1769 he became the Court Factor (the modern day equivalent would be the head of the Federal Reserve and the CEO of JP Morgan rolled into one) and later confidante of Crown Prince Wilhelm (became Wilhelm IX, Landgraf of Hesse-Kassel, 1785), the richest man in Europe. Levering on this, and the fact that he had 5 sons and 5 daughters, he sent his sons to various cities (Naples, Vienna, Paris and London) to establish branches of the family bank. By doing so he created the first bank to transcend borders - the first international bank. The Rothschild's used what was then the most extensive network of carrier pigeons to communicate with each other. As a result, the Rothschild's benefited very significantly from the French revolution, a pan-continental social explosion, as they were the only bank that could lend and supply armies in several countries. As a result, the largest army in Europe at that time - the Austrian army - gave the Rothschilds the exclusive right to supply the whole army.Mayer only tinkered with his second idea and it took his son, Nathan (1777-1836), to really develop it. Nathan invited depositors to back him into industrial ventures and by doing so crystallized his father's idea into what we now know as private equity investing. His timing was impeccable as it was the start of the industrial revolution. It is no understatement to say that the Rothchild's financed that revolution. But Nathan also did far more ambitious things. He helped fund the newly created Kingdom of Belgium (1830) in return for the Almadén mines in Spain. This gave him a monopoly in mercury, which was then used to refine gold and silver. This, in turn, resulted in NM Rothschild & Sons producing gold and silver for the Bank of England.Two simple but, in their time, radical ideas that were so very right for that rapidly changing period of history.

What's the most ridiculously simple idea that made someone rich? Christopher Chong, studied at London Business School Arguably the richest family in the world are the Rothschilds. Their exact wealth is unknown but some have speculated that it could be as much as $2 trillion (unlikely but it is likely to be a large number). The founder of the Rothschild wealth was Mayer Rothschild (1744–1812), an orphan at 12 but brought up in an extended family living in what was then the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt. To understand what Mayer did that was so simple and so brilliant, one needs to understand the hist...

What is a truth so shocking that most people struggle with accepting it?Larry Lama, Forensic Psychologist at Crab INVENT (2016-present)Excellent question.People have a hard time accepting some things and I will be painfully honest.Your secret crush could easily get over you when you stop replying messages, calls or stop saying hi.There is always someone more beautiful or handsome than you.It is true that, today one is down and tomorrow, they become the big man in the town or big woman .Gossiping shows the victim how weak you guys are, why? the victim is still standing. Are you guys still talking?The people that love us the most, crush on us the most: ignore us, gossip about us, never want to show they like us, avoid us, slander us. You just love me that is why you are behaving that way.Sex is useful in a relationship. Just be careful not to make babies that you can't handle.Being rich is good. Being happy is better. Be rich and happy.A marriage does not need money to survive. It needs time, dedication, respect, encouraging each other and working to make that grass greener. This is how to make money in a marriage.Short, tall, fat, slim, we all will make fine husbands if you gave us a chance. They all will make super wives if you gave them the chance. Appearances are just a social pressure. Overcome them.Africans are smart and they love white people. Try dating one today.White people are interested to meet Africans, allow them to do so.Politics is terrible even in third world countries. We can only help ourselves as citizens of the world.

What is a truth so shocking that most people struggle with accepting it? Larry Lama, Forensic Psychologist at Crab INVENT (2016-present) Excellent question. People have a hard time accepting some things and I will be painfully honest. Your secret crush could easily get over you when you stop replying messages, calls or stop saying hi. There is always someone more beautiful or handsome than you. It is true that, today one is down and tomorrow, they become the big man in the town or big woman . Gossiping shows the victim how weak you guys are, why? the victim is still standing. Are you guys still talking? The people that love us the most, crush on us the most: ignore us, gossip about ...

Does life get easier after you get hired by Google, Facebook, Microsoft or Amazon?David Seidman, former Security Program Manager at Microsoft (2005-2016)I'm not gonna lie: yes, life gets a lot easier when you get hired by a top tech company.You'll almost certainly get an interview anywhere you apply. But you probably won't have to apply, because recruiters will be constantly calling you. And after a while, you'll know people all over the industry who can give you a real referral, the kind hiring managers actually pay attention to, as opposed to “I met this guy at a party and he seemed smart.”You're also going to get paid well. Money may not buy happiness, but money can buy a jet ski, and have you ever seen an unhappy person on a jet ski? (Credit to Bill Hicks)I wouldn't say life is easy - you'll still have to work hard and you won't be able to spend all your time on a megayacht - but it's about as easy as it gets for a working person.

Does life get easier after you get hired by Google, Facebook, Microsoft or Amazon? David Seidman, former Security Program Manager at Microsoft (2005-2016) I'm not gonna lie: yes, life gets a lot easier when you get hired by a top tech company. You'll almost certainly get an interview anywhere you apply. But you probably won't have to apply, because recruiters will be constantly calling you. And after a while, you'll know people all over the industry who can give you a real referral, the kind hiring managers actually pay attention to, as opposed to “I met this guy at a party and he seemed smart...

What is the point of small talk when you know the other people don't care?Daniel Tay, I know about Human Behavior because I behave like a humanWhen I was in my 20s, a priest greeted me, “How are you?”I proceeded to tell him how I was. After a couple of minutes, while I was still answering his question, he turned and walked away while I was still speaking.“How rude,” I thought to myself.It was only later that I learnt that the correct response to his question is, “I'm fine. And you?”The question, “How are you?” and its response is a social ritual. The person isn't asking how you really are. It's like “Hello”.Small talk is a social ritual. It helps the other person to feel more comfortable around you. It's not the meaning of the words that matter, but the process of what's actually going on.

What is the point of small talk when you know the other people don't care? Daniel Tay, I know about Human Behavior because I behave like a human When I was in my 20s, a priest greeted me, “How are you?” I proceeded to tell him how I was. After a couple of minutes, while I was still answering his question, he turned and walked away while I was still speaking. “How rude,” I thought to myself. It was only later that I learnt that the correct response to his question is, “I’m fine. And you?” The question, “How are you?” and its response is a social ritual. The person isn't asking how you really are. It's like “Hello”. Small talk is a social ritual. It helps the other person to feel mo...

What are straight-up facts people won't swallow?Jacinta Mooney, Texan, pianist, part-time ninjaWhen most people say to a depressed friend, “I'm here to talk anytime you need me”, they're only saying it out of courtesy and don't have the slightest idea what they're getting into. Then when their friend takes them up on the offer, they suddenly freak out and realize they can't handle it. And if they're immature they'll eventually start blaming their friend for “not trying hard enough” “looking for attention”, or “not wanting to get better”.People with real talent, artistry, and integrity get overlooked all the time or made fun of because they're not loud, charismatic, rich, or “in” with popular groups of people.If you aren't comfortable with being alone, you probably shouldn't be in a relationship.The amount of people who cannot recognize emotionally abusive behavior/relationships is staggering. This is usually because they grew up in homes where such abuse was considered normal.People will always find ways to divide themselves into groups and fight each other.Gun control doesn't stop murder because people who want to kill will find a way to do it, weapons or no.Obedience is a virtue, not a weakness.Religion will never disappear.Restraining your desires leads to greater happiness than gratifying them constantly.Who a person is and what they choose to do are not one and the same. Hence why the phrase “hate the sin, love the sinner” is true. Actions and identity are not synonymous.Forgiveness doesn't mean you forget what they did or you have the warm fuzzies for them; and it doesn't mean you never suffer effects from trauma. It means you don't hold a debt against them or expect them to repay what they took. Forgiveness is a decision. It's when you say “they did me wrong, but I'm not demanding payback or revenge.”If you have even 5 true friends during your lifetime, you are truly blessed.No one is going to hand you success, respect, education, or other nice things on a silver platter just because you exist. Hard work and competence is required to achieve anything, especially respect.

What are straight-up facts people won’t swallow? Jacinta Mooney, Texan, pianist, part-time ninja When most people say to a depressed friend, “I'm here to talk anytime you need me”, they're only saying it out of courtesy and don't have the slightest idea what they're getting into. Then when their friend takes them up on the offer, they suddenly freak out and realize they can't handle it. And if they're immature they'll eventually start blaming their friend for “not trying hard enough” “looking for attention”, or “not wanting to get better”. People with real talent, artistry, and integrity get overlooked all the time or made fun of because they're not loud, charismatic, rich, or “in” with popular groups of people. If you aren't comfortable with being alone, you probab...

What is the definition of an insecure person?Jane Olaguer, I had an unpleasant encounter with an insecure personAn insecure person is,Someone who extremely lacks self confidence.He or she won't know their worth and they would dislike their physical appearance.Not feeling good enough, feeling sorry for themselves, feeling sorry for people who look at them.Insecure people are really kind at heart, they just don't love themselves. Due to the influence of others, be kind. Words do hurt, what you say matters.Their insecurity results from low self-esteem, often due to rejection or a humiliating experience as a child.They feel socially inadequate, causing them to worry about what people think about them.They want to be liked by people and will go out of their way to please others, because they don't want people to get mad at them.They constantly compare themselves to their peers and others to see how they “stack up” against the perceived “competition.”They will often insult or bully others to feel better about themselves.They will also lie about their alleged “success” to impress people.They basically hide their real self to avoid being rejected or despised, when most of their perceptions are false.For example:An insecure male will often be controlling in his relationship, because he feels he is not worthy of having his woman and therefore, fears his girlfriend will find a better man.He gets angry and jealous if another man only looks at his woman in admiration. He will listen to other people's conversations in order to hear if they are talking bad about him, or will read through his woman's text messages and diary to see if she is betraying him.

What is the definition of an insecure person? Jane Olaguer, I had an unpleasant encounter with an insecure person An insecure person is, Someone who extremely lacks self confidence. He or she won't know their worth and they would dislike their physical appearance. Not feeling good enough, feeling sorry for themselves, feeling sorry for people who look at them. Insecure people are really kind at heart, they just don't love themselves. Due to the influence of others, be kind. Words do hurt, what you say matters. Their insecurity results from low self-esteem, often due to rejection or a humiliating experience as a child. They feel socially inadequate, caus...

What are some secret investment hacks?Gary Mishuris, Managing Partner, Chief Investment Officer at Silver Ring Value Partners (2016-present)Charlie Munger, the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett's partner said something simple yet profound at the 2017 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting: “A lot of other people are trying to be brilliant and we are just trying to stay rational. And it's a big advantage.” Some might think that becoming an excellent investor requires off-the-charts intelligence or some highly proprietary model that leads to an edge that nobody else can replicate. That is not what experience has shown.Here are some traits and behaviors that have allowed investors to excel over the long-term:1. Temperament. Temperament is the most important quality for an investor to have. My observation of many investors over my 15+ years of professional investing has led me to believe that temperament cannot be learned, but rather it is an innate characteristic of one's personality. Some people are able to remain rational and continue to follow their process even under great duress or during periods of external upheaval. Others get swept up in the emotion that typically runs amok during such circumstances, and abandon their discipline.2. Ability to do nothing most of the time. Most of the time there are few good investments that combine sufficient business quality with a large margin of safety in the form of a large gap between price and intrinsic value. That doesn't mean that great investors are spending all of their time relaxing on the beach – to the contrary, they are typically avariciously reading and studying business and industries, preparing for the moment when securities of companies they understand well can be purchased at attractive prices. It does mean that they make investments infrequently, and that most of the time when they look at a potential opportunity they end up passing. Those who are unable to maintain this state of low activity frequently end up making questionable investments to satisfy their desire to do something, and more often than not it is their brokers who are the biggest beneficiaries of their elevated activity levels.3. Accumulation of mental models. Understanding different disciplines helps great investors look at questions of business analysis in new ways. While studying economics and industry-specific information can certainly help, the best investors also use insights from other fields to reach better decisions.4. Focus on process over outcome. Benjamin Graham wrote: “In the short-term the market is a voting machine, but in the long-term it is a weighing machine.” What he meant was that in the short-term security prices fluctuate purely based on the opinions of market participants, and can deviate widely from the underlying business values. In the long-term, it is the company's assets and cash flows that determine its value and exert a force of gravity upon the price of its securities. With security prices available on a minute-by-minute basis, the run-of-the-mill investors focus on analyzing randomness – allowing themselves to become happy or sad over short-term price fluctuations that are disconnected from whether they were fundamentally right in their investment analysis. The best investors work hard to not be affected by the short-term price fluctuations, and instead focus on both improving their process and consistently executing it. Over the long-term their performance is a result of the quality of their process and of the consistency with which they execute it.5. Minimizing behavioral biases. Behavioral biases are pervasive and nearly impossible to eliminate, but the best investors work hard to be consciously aware of them and to take specific steps to mitigate them. There are a number of steps one can take to stay as unbiased as possible. One of my favorites is to consciously seek out the strongest possible opposite point of view that contradicts my thesis. If done well, this can lessen the impact of many biases, such as anchoring, over-confidence and base-rate neglect.I frequently get asked by prospective investors about what my ‘edge' is as an investor. Sometimes I think the answer that they are looking for is some proprietary model, some black-box that spits out superior answers that nobody possesses, or an ability to know what the future holds based on some deeply proprietary network of sources. The real answer is less exciting, but nonetheless quite effective. It is the combination of the traits and behaviors that I described above. I would add a sixth one to the list – staying humble while maintaining your confidence. History is littered with many seemingly great investors who fell apart and produced disappointing results for their clients just as they had accumulated the greatest amount of assets after a good run of performance. Perhaps some of them were never as great as they seemed, but in other cases I can't help but think that it was a combination of hubris and complacency that led them astray.The best investors stay humble – always thirsting to learn and improve as well as accepting that they are fallible and can make mistakes. This helps them to be on guard against the traps of complacency and overconfidence. Some view this posture as inconsistent with confidence in one's abilities – after all, this is an industry where some think that the best investors are supposed to be on CNBC or on the cover of some financial magazine telling the world how great they are, which seems incompatible with a humble, introspective approach. Believe me, the people I admire most as investors have rejected this false dichotomy, and are able to balance humility with confidence and competence in a way that allows them to continue to improve for many years.

What are some secret investment hacks? Gary Mishuris, Managing Partner, Chief Investment Officer at Silver Ring Value Partners (2016-present) Charlie Munger, the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett’s partner said something simple yet profound at the 2017 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting: “A lot of other people are trying to be brilliant and we are just trying to stay rational. And it’s a big advantage.” Some might think that becoming an excellent investor requires off-the-charts intelligence or some highly proprietary model that leads to an edge that nobody else can replicate. That is not what experience has shown. Here are some traits and behaviors that have allowed inves...

Should we do push ups slowly or fast?Brandon Richey, Strength Coach |Fitness Trainer| NSCA--CSCS (2001-present)The answer to this question is that it just depends on your goals.The speed at which you do push-ups will develop the outcome.Your muscles have three types of muscular contractions…Concentric: Shortening of the primary muscle.Isometric: Tensioning of the muscle without movementEccentric: Lengthening of the primary muscle.If you focus on a slower descent in the push-up you're going to build a great deal of strength and endurance as the slow descent primarily involves the eccentric portion of your muscles' contraction.The eccentric contraction actually places the most stress on the muscle and will result in more strength.However if you're emphasizing more speed like you would with a plyometric push-up, or just doing the push-ups fast you will develop more speed and power.So to answer your question it's a great idea to place both protocols into your training to develop a little balance between the two if you're not sure as to which trait you currently need the most.If you're just trying increase your push-ups just focus on control and slowing the tempo just a bit.However, if you're a martial artist, or boxer you still want to emphasize the strength, but it would also be a good idea to do some fast push-ups as well to enhance your hand speed for fighting.You just need to learn how to identify your needs and then you can go from there.

Should we do push ups slowly or fast? Brandon Richey, Strength Coach |Fitness Trainer| NSCA--CSCS (2001-present) The answer to this question is that it just depends on your goals. The speed at which you do push-ups will develop the outcome. Your muscles have three types of muscular contractions… Concentric: Shortening of the primary muscle. Isometric: Tensioning of the muscle without movement Eccentric: Lengthening of the primary muscle. If you focus on a slower descent in the push-up you’re going to build a great deal of strength and endurance as the slow descent primarily involves the eccentric portion of your muscles’ contraction. The eccentric contraction actually pla...

How does Walmart prevent theft when customers use self-checkout?Mark Johnston, former EFL Teacher (2005-2012)When I worked at Walmart, self-checkout was my jam.There is always an attendant at the self-checkout area, both to deter theft, keep the place tidy, and assist customers when the machines act up. Each machine has its own video surveillance, as well as a few wider-angle cameras over the whole area. When you scan an item, the computer knows how much weight to expect to enter the bagging area. If you scan an item and don't bag it or bag an item but don't scan it, it will give an audible reminder.When it's particularly busy we might have multiple attendants or make a show of checking receipts. It's not foolproof, but it's pretty good. Most people are, in fact, honest and/or risk averse. A truly flawless theft-prevention system would be costly to implement or lose business due to customer inconvenience - Walmart has evaluated the amount of loss it sustains ‘acceptable' considering the alternatives.

How does Walmart prevent theft when customers use self-checkout? Mark Johnston, former EFL Teacher (2005-2012) When I worked at Walmart, self-checkout was my jam. There is always an attendant at the self-checkout area, both to deter theft, keep the place tidy, and assist customers when the machines act up. Each machine has its own video surveillance, as well as a few wider-angle cameras over the whole area. When you scan an item, the computer knows how much weight to expect to enter the bagging area. If you scan an item and don’t bag it or bag an item but don’t scan it, it will give an audible reminder. When it’s particularly busy we might have multiple attendants or make a show of checking receipts. It’s not ...

What are the Internet hacks that we can learn in one minute?Mike St Laurent, Professional Conversion Rate Optimizer at WiderFunnelOh boy, do I ever have a good one…In only 30 seconds you can learn how to get 10% off pretty much anything online.Ready? Good.If you ever want something for a pretty deep discount then put the product/item you want in your cart. Then start the checkout and give them your email, but…… DON'T check out. This is important.Then go visit all their competitor's sites and do the same thing. The more the better.Within a few days your browsing experiences (especially Facebook) will be littered with these companies trying to re-target you. Everywhere you look there will be advertising for the product you are looking to buy. Plus all the ones that have your email will have sent cart abandonment emails to you with an attached discount.Even if you have 100% intention of buying something already, just put it in your basket and wait a week. Guaranteed one of these companies will have a campaign in place to try to re-activate you as a customer. This is why you should do it with a few companies. Some offer deeper discounts than others.Remember this is a waiting game. The more you browse around the better discount you may be offered. But be careful because if you wait too long you will fall out of their target group and your discounts may disappear.This also works for things that are not ecommerce, like flights and hotels. Just browse around enough, maybe return a few times, and eventually the site's algorithm will put you into a campaign bucket that will include a discount.Enjoy your 10% off!You're welcome.

What are the Internet hacks that we can learn in one minute? Mike St Laurent, Professional Conversion Rate Optimizer at WiderFunnel Oh boy, do I ever have a good one… In only 30 seconds you can learn how to get 10% off pretty much anything online. Ready? Good. If you ever want something for a pretty deep discount then put the product/item you want in your cart. Then start the checkout and give them your email, but…… DON’T check out. This is important. Then go visit all their competitor’s sites and do the same thing. The more the better. Within a few days your browsing experiences (especially Facebook) will be littered with these companies trying to re-target you. Everywhere you look there will be advertising for the product you are looking to b...

How do old people lose all their teeth? How can I prevent this for myself?John Fenn, Trained by the best, Dr Janet Travell, the first female white house physician.Two days ago I retired from a 50 year association with dentistry. I started dental school at 17 and I retired on my 67th birthday.There are only three ways to keep your teeth throughout life. Be one of the .083% or die early. Or get everything crowned.One of the reasons that I retired is that as an old person practicing dentistry most of my patients were old too. And the village I live in has an average age of around 60 and rising. So every day I went to work to see patients with loose teeth, massive plaque buildups, broken teeth and failed teeth with great fillings. Failing dentistry and failing teeth.The simple fact is that old teeth fall to bits, old gums get inflamed and old people do not have the manual dexterity to clean their teeth and floss their teeth daily. And carers at retirement villages and aged care facilities cannot clean their clients teeth for them. They are resisted at every turn due to dementia or because it is uncomfortable to have your teeth cleaned every day.If you go to an aged care facility and walk around you will find that the only people with reasonable looking teeth are either crowns or dentures. And as the person ages then these too will fail. Most people with natural teeth entering an aged care facility or developing dementia will have no teeth left within 6 to 12 months. And for the denture patients there comes a time when they can no longer wear their teeth and they take them out for good. Carers tell me that from the day they take their dentures out they have 3 months to live.So you see the biggest failing of dentistry is that it is a futile exercise to say you can keep your teeth for life. Because we live too long these days and there is only so much abuse that glorified chalk can withstand.I did have maybe 5 patients out of 6000 who have great teeth into their 80's. I observed a number of similarities with these people.They have all of their teeth, yes wisdom teeth also.They had really good occlusion.They make lots of good quality saliva, not the this watery stuff of most elderly people.they have very few if any fillingsthey do not brux and they do not do a lot of hard chewing. Their teeth do not show wear facets and chips and cracks, they look like they are brand new. Except for the darker colouration.they are not genetically coded for gum disease.So if you are one of the .08% of my patients you may indeed keep your teeth for life. But for the other 99.916% sorry, you are fresh out of luck.

How do old people lose all their teeth? How can I prevent this for myself? John Fenn, Trained by the best, Dr Janet Travell, the first female white house physician. Two days ago I retired from a 50 year association with dentistry. I started dental school at 17 and I retired on my 67th birthday. There are only three ways to keep your teeth throughout life. Be one of the .083% or die early. Or get everything crowned. One of the reasons that I retired is that as an old person practicing dentistry most of my patients were old too. And the village I live in has an average age of around 60 and rising. So every day I went to work to see patients with loose teeth, massive plaque buildups, broken teeth and failed teeth with great fillings. Failing dentistry and failing teeth. ...

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Most people think that the main part of staying in shape is doing a lot of working out, but this is simply not true. If you want to stay in shape, you must first adhere to a good nutritionally clean diet. That is the real secret they don't tell you, so they can hawk their Ab-Cruncher 500s and all of their weight loss pills.If people knew staying fit was as simple as getting enough sleep, eating clean and staying hydrated, the weight loss industries would lose tons of money, so they try to blind you with their gadgets and pills and workouts.No need, simply eat a clean diet, stay moderately active, sleep well and stay hydrated and you will remain fit.I hope this helped you, friend and I ask that you visit my blog for even more content.

Most people think that the main part of staying in shape is doing a lot of working out, but this is simply not true. If you want to stay in shape, you must first adhere to a good nutritionally clean diet. That is the real secret they don’t tell you, so they can hawk their Ab-Cruncher 500s and all of their weight loss pills. If people knew staying fit was as simple as getting enough sleep, eating clean and staying hydrated, the weight loss industries would lose tons of money, so they try to blind you with their gadgets and pills and workouts. No need, simply eat a clean diet, stay moderately active, sleep well and stay hydrated and you will remain fit. I hope this helped you, friend and I ask that you visit my blog for even more content.

If the best investments only get you 10-15% returns a year, how do people become rich from investing?Satvik Beri, Data Scientist (2010-present)I'm going to teach you a useful trick called the rule of 72.Without a calculator, if you invest $100 for 40 years at a 10% interest rate, which of these is closer to how much money you'd end up with?$500$1,000$5,000$10,000The answer is 3 – you'll have made nearly 50x your investment (45.3x to be precise.) And furthermore, there's an easy way to estimate this in your head: if you have an X% interest rate, then your investment will double approximately every 72/X years. So a 10% interest rate will double about every 7.2 years, while a 12% interest rate will double roughly every 6 years.That means 40 years is 5–6 doublings at 10%, which gives you somewhere in between 32x and 64x your original investment. Not bad at all!And that's how people make money off of returns – a reasonable return, combined with a lot of time, is a pretty good vehicle for significantly increasing your wealth.