Adam Grant

We're not doing 50% new material because I want to make sure that 80% of what I'm covering has been audience tested and is going to deliver something of value for them. But the other 20%, that's my playground. That's where I'm experimenting, where I'm learning, where often the most exciting improvisation happens and where we take those random walks and unexpected leaps. And so

We're not doing 50% new material because I want to make sure that 80% of what I'm covering has been audience tested and is going to deliver something of value for them. But the other 20%, that's my playground. That's where I'm experimenting, where I'm learning, where often the most exciting improvisation happens and where we take those random walks and unexpected leaps. And so

We're not doing 50% new material because I want to make sure that 80% of what I'm covering has been audience tested and is going to deliver something of value for them. But the other 20%, that's my playground. That's where I'm experimenting, where I'm learning, where often the most exciting improvisation happens and where we take those random walks and unexpected leaps. And so

I wonder if part of the way of another strategy for managing the fear of failure is to say there's going to be an element of your performance that is riskier. And so you're going to assume not everything is going to go right.

I wonder if part of the way of another strategy for managing the fear of failure is to say there's going to be an element of your performance that is riskier. And so you're going to assume not everything is going to go right.

I wonder if part of the way of another strategy for managing the fear of failure is to say there's going to be an element of your performance that is riskier. And so you're going to assume not everything is going to go right.

I think it's something that we forget. So I'll give you another favorite equation from my favorite blogger. This is Tim Urban, who writes that happiness is reality minus expectations. Yep. I think that might be the single greatest line in the history of Wait But Why. Happiness is reality minus expectations.

I think it's something that we forget. So I'll give you another favorite equation from my favorite blogger. This is Tim Urban, who writes that happiness is reality minus expectations. Yep. I think that might be the single greatest line in the history of Wait But Why. Happiness is reality minus expectations.

I think it's something that we forget. So I'll give you another favorite equation from my favorite blogger. This is Tim Urban, who writes that happiness is reality minus expectations. Yep. I think that might be the single greatest line in the history of Wait But Why. Happiness is reality minus expectations.

And what that drives home for all of us, and it's supported by a lot of research in psychology, is that if you are disappointed, it means that you were expecting too much. But wait, you don't want to lower your expectations. So you have a paradox here. On the one hand, to be successful, you have to aim really high. On the other hand, to be satisfied, you have to temper your expectations.

And what that drives home for all of us, and it's supported by a lot of research in psychology, is that if you are disappointed, it means that you were expecting too much. But wait, you don't want to lower your expectations. So you have a paradox here. On the one hand, to be successful, you have to aim really high. On the other hand, to be satisfied, you have to temper your expectations.

And what that drives home for all of us, and it's supported by a lot of research in psychology, is that if you are disappointed, it means that you were expecting too much. But wait, you don't want to lower your expectations. So you have a paradox here. On the one hand, to be successful, you have to aim really high. On the other hand, to be satisfied, you have to temper your expectations.

Well, guess what? The only solution I know of to that paradox is is to have two targets instead of one. You have an aspiration, which is extremely high. It's the best case scenario that you're hoping for and shooting for. You also have a minimum acceptable outcome, which is the, if I clear this standard, I will feel like it is good enough.

Well, guess what? The only solution I know of to that paradox is is to have two targets instead of one. You have an aspiration, which is extremely high. It's the best case scenario that you're hoping for and shooting for. You also have a minimum acceptable outcome, which is the, if I clear this standard, I will feel like it is good enough.

Well, guess what? The only solution I know of to that paradox is is to have two targets instead of one. You have an aspiration, which is extremely high. It's the best case scenario that you're hoping for and shooting for. You also have a minimum acceptable outcome, which is the, if I clear this standard, I will feel like it is good enough.

And that creates for you this range in which, if I'm between my minimum acceptable and my aspirational, I can be happy. And most of us don't do that, right? We either set the acceptable target and then I'm satisfied, but I'm not growing that much and I'm not excelling. Or we set the ambitious goal. We don't have the acceptable result. And then we're successful and miserable.

And that creates for you this range in which, if I'm between my minimum acceptable and my aspirational, I can be happy. And most of us don't do that, right? We either set the acceptable target and then I'm satisfied, but I'm not growing that much and I'm not excelling. Or we set the ambitious goal. We don't have the acceptable result. And then we're successful and miserable.

And that creates for you this range in which, if I'm between my minimum acceptable and my aspirational, I can be happy. And most of us don't do that, right? We either set the acceptable target and then I'm satisfied, but I'm not growing that much and I'm not excelling. Or we set the ambitious goal. We don't have the acceptable result. And then we're successful and miserable.

They do. And I think that, look, there's a long history of evidence that people think that you can be brilliant, but cruel. And that, you know, being a critic actually makes you smarter than people who are uncritical because... Cynical genius illusion. Yeah, exactly. You've been reading Jameel Zaki, I imagine, recently. And what's fascinating to me about this is...

They do. And I think that, look, there's a long history of evidence that people think that you can be brilliant, but cruel. And that, you know, being a critic actually makes you smarter than people who are uncritical because... Cynical genius illusion. Yeah, exactly. You've been reading Jameel Zaki, I imagine, recently. And what's fascinating to me about this is...