Life is all about Bets!
A Book Review Blog! Seriously? I never imagined myself writing one. But isn’t life full of surprises and unexpected twists and turns?
I never read books. Like never. You can rather say I can’t read books. However, one day I went to a friend of mine, who also serves as my mentor (Harishankaran) and told him how irritated I was with “life being so unpredictable”. Without thinking for a second, he proposed a book for me to read and even issued a challenge: I had two weeks to finish the book, and if I succeeded, I could ask him for anything. Like literally anything.
In this blog, I’ve compiled several takeaways that I gleaned from the book. I am writing this because I want to read it. :) Things I’ve stolen from the book. However, in addition to writing this for myself, I think that many of these points may resonate with others who, like me, tend to see life in terms of absolutes and prefer clear plans. I hope you’ll find some things worth stealing, too.
Here’s a quote from the book that sums up the importance of learning from our mistakes:
“The key is to learn from our mistakes and make better decisions in the future, not to dwell on the past and beat ourselves up for things we can’t change.”
“Life is a poker and Not chess”:
Isn't it? When was the last time you were 100% sure something will happen in your life? Even when you were 100% certain, didn’t you lose sometimes as well? Unlike chess, where all of the pieces are visible and the rules are fixed and planned, isn’t life more like poker where the game is based on incomplete information and constantly changing circumstances?
In life, just as in poker, we have to make decisions based on incomplete information and uncertain outcomes. We can never be certain that we are making the right decision, but by thinking probabilistically and embracing uncertainty, we can make better decisions and learn from our experiences.
Life is not a game that can be won or lost, but a journey of continuous learning and growth. By embracing uncertainty and focusing on the quality of our decision-making process, we can navigate life’s challenges with greater confidence and clarity.
which leads me to my second takeaway…
Embrace uncertainty:
Life is full of uncertainty, and it’s impossible to predict the future with 100% accuracy. Instead of trying to eliminate uncertainty, we should learn to embrace it and use it to our advantage. By acknowledging uncertainty, we can make more informed decisions and avoid being blindsided by unexpected outcomes.
“Uncertainty isn’t a reason to punt. It is a reason to prioritise, to be mindful, to think through the implications of a given choice. Uncertainty is fertile ground for good decisions and good decision processes, provided we have the right perspective and tools.” (p. 98) — Annie Duke
Avoid binary thinking:
In many situations, we tend to think in binary terms (e.g. good vs. bad, right vs. wrong, black vs. white), but this can lead to oversimplified and inaccurate assessments. Instead, we should try to consider multiple options and “shades of grey when making decisions”. (P.S. This actually helped me a lot. There is no harm thinking in the shades of grey, no?”)
“We should try to avoid binary thinking when making decisions. Instead of framing our options as yes/no or either/or, we can use a spectrum of probabilities to account for the fact that there are often multiple options, none of which are certain.” (p. 76) — Annie Duke
Focus on the process, not just the outcome:
In life, we often judge our decisions based on the outcomes. We made a certain decision, and the outcome was a car crash, but that doesn’t mean the decision was wrong. This can be misleading. Instead, we should focus on the quality of our decision-making process. By evaluating the process, we can identify areas for improvement and make better decisions in the future.
We all must have heard this most used quote,
Trust the process.
I know, easier said than done. I really do. But no harm in trying, right?
“It’s much easier to be objective about process than about outcome. At the end of the day, the outcomes will be the outcomes, but we can learn from analyzing and improving our decision-making process.” (p. 92) — Annie Duke
Learn from our mistakes:
Mistakes are inevitable, let’s just accept it. However, they can be valuable learning experiences. Instead of dwelling on our failures, we should use them as an opportunity to reflect on our decision-making process and identify areas for improvement.
“The key is to learn from our mistakes and make better decisions in the future, not to dwell on the past and beat ourselves up for things we can’t change.” (p. 219) — Annie Duke
What if I were to suggest that life is both chess and poker, rather than just one or the other? Think about it:
- Life is like a checker which sometimes demands a strategic and deliberate approach to every move, action, and decision, necessitating careful consideration and evaluation of available options.
- And, it is even like poker because there comes a time when you just need to make a bet on a decision.
There are no rules, of course. It’s just about the perceptions. Take what you need and leave the rest.
Keep learning. Keep iterating.
Thank you Harishankaran for making me do this!
Before wrapping up, I should mention that I did, in fact, win the bet! As a big admirer of Zen Pencils, I asked for the original copy of “Zen Pencils Vol. 2: Dream the Impossible Dream.” 😍
If you liked this, don’t forget to show some love. xx
Yours K. ❤️
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