#033 - Emmett Shear on Practice, Agency, Coordination, & Positive Sum Games
Sep 6, 2023
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Emmett Shear, co-founder of Twitch, discusses topics such as agency, meta learning, deliberate practice, coordination problems, parasocial relationships, and positive-sum games. They explore the importance of persistence, finding one's passion, and the impact of geography. They also touch on the future vision, the significance of coordination problems, and Paul Graham's next essay.
Persisting longer is crucial in startups, as giving up too soon can be more detrimental than persisting too long.
Anyone can learn any skill with reflective and deliberate practice, debunking the belief that certain skills are unattainable.
Parasocial relationships can provide social connection and combat loneliness, but it is important to address the underlying problem of social isolation for more meaningful connections.
Deep dives
The importance of persistence in startups
Emmett Shear, co-founder and former CEO of Twitch, discusses the importance of persisting in startups. He suggests that people should bias towards persisting longer, even when faced with challenges or low odds of success. He emphasizes that giving up too soon is a bigger killer in startups than persisting too long. Shear also shares his personal experience of deciding to leave Twitch when he felt that the company no longer needed him.
Building skills through practice and deliberate practice
Shear emphasizes the value of practice and deliberate practice in developing skills. He argues that anyone can learn any skill through reflective and deliberate practice. He encourages people to try different things and persist in practicing to achieve their goals. Shear believes that the idea that certain skills are unattainable is a delusional belief and that anyone can achieve competency in any skill with practice.
Knowing when to make big decisions
Shear reflects on the decision to leave Twitch after being with the company for 16 years. He explains that in startups, it is important to persist longer than expected and be willing to stick with things even when they seem challenging or uncertain. Shear suggests that the decision to leave came when he felt that Twitch was doing well and he was no longer essential to the company's success. He also considered personal factors, such as starting a family and reassessing his priorities.
The importance of meta skills in education
Shear discusses the changing landscape of education and the increasing importance of meta skills. He explains that with the availability of online resources, it is now possible to self-teach a wide range of skills and subjects. Shear believes that the focus should shift from teaching specific content to teaching students how to learn, lead and follow in a group, and how to determine their own goals. He suggests that traditional schooling may not be optimized for developing these meta skills and advocates for exploring alternative forms of education.
The role and potential of parasocial relationships
Shear acknowledges the value of parasocial relationships, particularly in helping individuals combat loneliness and find social connection. He describes them as supplemental social interactions, similar to multivitamins. Shear highlights the positive impact parasocial relationships can have on individuals who lack social interactions or face depression. However, he also emphasizes the need to address the underlying problem of social isolation and aim for more meaningful in-person connections and community-building.
Emmett Shear is the co-founder and former CEO of Twitch, ex-interim CEO of OpenAI, and a visiting partner at Y Combinator. We talk about agency, meta learning, deliberate practice, coordination problems, parasocial relationships, positive sum games, and more. Please enjoy.
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(00:51) When to persist vs. make a change
(06:16) Know what you want and how to get it
(10:58) Agency is about seeing a path forward & being willing to fail
(16:42) Draw 100 owls
(19:55) How to find your thing
(25:21) Small talk & knowing the environment where conventional norms come from
(30:00) All problems are coordination problems
(37:42) Geography is still important
(41:48) What's Paul Graham's next essay?
(44:00) Are parasocial relationships good for humanity?
(48:16) We need to articulate a positive vision of the future
(50:04) Positive-sum games
