The Daily Stoic

Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Maria Konnikova Talk Poker, Psychology, and Focusing on What You Can Control

Jul 15, 2020

Maria Konnikova, an award-winning author, psychologist, and poker champion, joins the conversation to delve into how Stoicism influences her poker strategy. She shares insights on the importance of controlling what you can, particularly in decision-making, and how psychology plays a role in both poker and everyday life. The discussion also touches on overcoming barriers to personal growth, embracing risk for development, and the psychology behind deception and persuasion in various contexts. Tune in for valuable lessons on mindset and resilience!

35:44

Episode guests

Maria Konnikova

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Human Mind Just Hates Separating Process From Result

02:14

Are You a Courageous Truth Teller?

03:22

Is There a Callousness in the Stoics?

02:35

Intro

2min

Control and Agency: Lessons from Poker and Stoicism

20min

Overcoming Barriers to Therapy and Embracing the Learning Journey

5min

The Psychology of Deception and Persuasion

7min

Embracing Risk for Growth

4min

Taking Control: Small Actions Against Big Risks

2min

Ryan speaks with writer, psychologist, and poker champion Maria Konnikova about how she uses Stoicism to win big at Texas hold’em, and how you can use knowledge of human psychology to make better choices, whether it’s in Las Vegas or elsewhere.

Maria Konnikova is an award-winning author who has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Wired, and many other outlets. Konnikova has also made a career as a poker player, winning hundreds of thousands of dollars in tournaments around the world, drawing upon her knowledge as a Columbia University-trained Ph.D. psychologist.

Get Maria Konnikova’s latest book, The Biggest Bluff: https://geni.us/XhsrPV

New York Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/books/review/maria-konnikova-the-biggest-bluff.html

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Homepage: https://www.mariakonnikova.com/

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