Getting to Yes, written by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton, introduces the concept of principled negotiation. This approach separates the people from the problem, focuses on interests rather than positions, invents options for mutual gain, and insists on using objective criteria. The book provides strategies to manage emotions, avoid common negotiation traps, and deal with 'dirty tricks' used by other parties. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the other side's perceptions, managing misperceptions, and creating a collaborative environment to reach agreements that satisfy both parties[1][4][5].
This book provides a comprehensive approach to longevity, focusing on sleep, diet, exercise, mindset, and medications. It emphasizes the potential to extend healthspan significantly through personal choices and emerging technologies. Diamandis shares his personal longevity practices and insights from extensive research and interviews with experts.
Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature. Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.
#608: At age seven, Robert Rosenkrantz made a decision that would shape his entire life: he would take full responsibility for his future.
As a child, Rosenkrantz watched his parents struggle financially. His father was unemployed for two years, and his mother worked as a drugstore clerk.
Their financial insecurity was painfully obvious to young Robert. He never knew if the electricity or telephone service would be shut off.
But rather than seeing this as an obstacle, he saw it as a path to self-reliance.
By age 14, Rosenkrantz was managing investments for his family. By 35, he had amassed $400,000 — equivalent to about $4 million today. Then came the pivotal moment that changed everything: a negotiation with wealthy entrepreneur Joe Mailman.
When Mailman expressed concerns about traditional investment structures that created a "heads you win, tails I lose" scenario, Rosenkrantz made a bold counter-offer. He put his entire liquid net worth at risk in exchange for a 50/50 profit split with no carried interest.
"First deal, we lost $100,000. The second one, we made $100 million," Rosenkrantz says during the interview. "So it averaged out."
Now 82, Rosenkrantz joins us to discuss his book, "The Stoic Capitalist," and the principles that guided his career.
For over 35 years, he's carried the same negotiation card from "Getting to Yes" in his wallet — a reminder that negotiation isn't about winning, but solving problems together.
We talk about his counterintuitive investment philosophy: look for companies that require minimal specialized talent, like laundromats or self-storage facilities. He says these often make better investments than those needing exceptional management, like restaurants.
This principle guided his first major success, a lawn and garden products business that essentially put dirt in bags — a simple operation that became a regional monopoly and eventually sold for $100 million.
Today, Rosenkrantz funds scientific research on longevity and hosts debate programs that present balanced perspectives on contentious issues. His philanthropy includes backing a groundbreaking study that has extended worm lifespans from 15 days to over 250 days — potentially the longest lifespan extension ever achieved in any organism.
When asked about retirement, he responds: "How do you spell that?"
His advice for decision-making comes straight from stoic philosophy: focus only on what you can control — the present and future, not the past. This means disregarding sunk costs completely when making decisions and using reason to regulate emotions.
For Rosenkrantz, counting the zeros — focusing only on opportunities with enough potential impact — helps prioritize time and delegate effectively. At 82, he still practices these principles daily, considering himself "biologically more like 70 and getting younger."
For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode608
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Afford Anything 
