Learning and Goal-Setting (with Michael Simmons)

In 'Fooled by Randomness', Nassim Nicholas Taleb discusses the pervasive influence of chance and randomness in our lives and financial markets. The book argues that humans tend to underestimate the role of luck and overestimate the role of skill, leading to biases such as hindsight bias, survivorship bias, and the narrative fallacy. Taleb emphasizes the importance of recognizing and coping with uncertainty, and he critiques the tendency to seek deterministic explanations for random events. The book is part of Taleb's Incerto series, which also includes 'The Black Swan', 'The Bed of Procrustes', 'Antifragile', and 'Skin in the Game'.

Written in 1923, 'Scientific Advertising' by Claude C. Hopkins is a seminal work in the advertising industry. The book outlines an advertising approach based on testing and measuring, highlighting the importance of split testing and coupon-based customer tracking. Hopkins stresses that advertising should be treated as a science, with every ad rigorously tested to determine its effectiveness. He also emphasizes the power of direct response and the need for ads to focus on salesmanship, encouraging immediate action from the target audience. The book is widely regarded as a must-read for anyone in marketing and advertising, with principles that remain relevant today.

In 'Quiet', Susan Cain presents a comprehensive argument that modern Western culture misunderstands and undervalues the traits and capabilities of introverted people. She charts the rise of the 'Extrovert Ideal' and explores how it permeates various aspects of society, including workplaces, schools, and social interactions. Cain draws on research from biology, psychology, neuroscience, and evolution to demonstrate that introversion is common, normal, and valuable. The book offers advice for introverts on functioning in an extrovert-dominated culture and advocates for changes to support and recognize the contributions of introverts. It also distinguishes between introversion, shyness, and anti-social behavior, and highlights the unique strengths of introverts, such as deep thinking, persistence, and excellent negotiation skills.

In 'The Long Tail,' Chris Anderson argues that the internet has enabled businesses to profit from selling a large number of unique items, each in small quantities, rather than focusing solely on bestsellers. The book highlights how companies like Amazon, Google, and Netflix capitalize on this strategy by offering a vast array of products that cater to niche markets. Anderson discusses the three forces driving the long tail: democratization of tools of production, democratization of distribution, and connection between supply and demand. He also explores the impact of this phenomenon on various industries, including music, movies, and books, and how it has led to the rise of new tastemakers and consumer-driven markets.

This book, first published in 1932, remains highly relevant today. It outlines John Caples' three-step approach to creativity and testing in advertising: capturing attention, maintaining interest, and moving the prospect to favorable action. Caples stresses the importance of testing every aspect of advertising, including copy, media, position, and season. He also provides insights into writing effective headlines and the need to appeal to people's self-interest. The book has been updated in later editions to include new coverage on small businesses and non-profit advertising.

Published in 1937, 'Think and Grow Rich' is a seminal work in the self-help genre. The book is the result of over twenty years of research by Napoleon Hill, who studied the habits and achievements of more than 500 successful individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford. Hill distills their wisdom into thirteen principles that, when practiced with persistence and faith, can transform dreams into reality. These principles include the power of desire, faith, specialized knowledge, organized planning, and the role of the subconscious mind. The book emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude, setting clear and specific goals, and taking consistent action to achieve success. It also explores the concept of the 'Master Mind' alliance and the need to overcome fears and doubts to achieve one's objectives.

In *Blockbusters*, Anita Elberse examines the strategies behind the success of entertainment giants like Warner Bros. , Marvel, and the NFL. She explains how building businesses around expensive, high-profile products is key to long-term success and discusses the impact of digital technologies on the industry. The book provides insights into why executives invest heavily in blockbusters and how these investments often create self-fulfilling prophecies of success.