Shit You Don't Learn in School

At a time where several asset classes are at all-time highs, there's a lot of talk about whether we're in a bubble. That, coupled with crypto assets falling to ~half of their highs, prompted Cal and Steph to dive in to try to answer this question.In this episode, they discuss the markings of past bubbles, the innovation hype cycle, the difficulty in profiting from nascent innovations, the importance of educating yourself and building your own conviction behind your decisions, managing your psychology (offense vs defense),  the cyclical nature of market cycles, and of course... the burning question of whether they think we're in a bubble today.They also share how they've fared in crypto and how they're thinking about investing moving forward (including Cal's foray into de-fi)Recommended resources include the books "The Simple Path to Wealth" and "A Random Walk Down Wallstreet", as well as economic indicators like the Shiller PE ratio: https://www.multpl.com/shiller-pe*** NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE *** :)

Travel is fun, but it becomes even more enjoyable once you know how to do it well. Collectively, Steph and Cal have visited over 70 countries while working remotely, learning a bunch of useful tips for better travel along the way. In this episode, they share some of the most useful learnings, including:- How to avoid getting scammed- How to choose a location and plan a trip- How to choose an accomodation that's suitable for work- How to interact with a place- How to get the most out of visiting different countries- How to optimize your personal finances- And more...Episode ResourcesNomad List - Find a cool location to visit.Message to Airbnb host to ensure good wifi - Make sure you have good wifi.Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking - No foreign ATM fees.Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card - All around great travel card.Priority Pass - Access airport lounges worldwide.

30 days ago, Calvin and Steph set out to record 30 pods in 30 days. Today was the final episode of their challenge, where they reflect on what went well, what didn't go so well, and if they plan to continue recording. 

The world is run by incentives, but what happens when those incentives go wrong? In this episode, Calvin and Steph talk through the Cobra Effect, a phenomena incentives designed to improve society actually end in negative consequences, often resulting in actions counter to the original goal. They discuss several examples of the effect and how people can not only be more aware of it, but also how they can design better incentive structures moving forward.

Drinking alcohol is embedded within the social fabric of society, but how do we take control of our relationship with alcohol? For all of the fun it supports, alcohol is a poison that causes unnecessary physical, mental, and emotional harm for many people. In this episode, Steph and Cal interview Taylor Platt, a Princeton graduate and NBA strategist who went sober 3 years ago. Taylor shares why he made the decisions, how he did it, the challenges he faced, and what he learned that might be helpful for you. If you're at all interested in reducing your alcohol or reconsidering your relationship with it, this episode is worth a listen.

Whether we'd like to believe it or not, age is a signal that people judge others by. In a professional setting, it can signal your level of experience and for that reason, it can be difficult to earn the trust of a team, if they happen to be older than you. In this episode, Calvin and Steph talk through their experiences managing at a young age and what tips they have for effective leadership.

Ethan Brooks, an analyst at Trends, shares his insights on travel spending and the allure of upgrading from budget hostels to more comfortable options. They explore the concept of lifestyle creep and the '3X rule' to decide when splurging makes sense. From personal travel tales to balancing comfort with costs, they highlight the importance of mindful spending that enhances personal happiness. Ultimately, the discussion revolves around prioritizing experiences over financial constraints, ensuring fulfillment during travel.

We all accumulate possessions throughout our lives, but how often do we evaluate whether or not all that stuff is helping or hurting us? In this episode, Steph and Calvin talk about what they learned from living out of backpacks for 4 years, how expensive items carry a psychological burden, and how to think about what you buy over time.

No matter how talented you are, you'll inevitably be a victim of imposter syndrome. But, there's a flipside to every coin and for imposter syndrome, it's the compulsion to always be better. Is is possible to get the upside and limit the downside?In this episode, Calvin and Steph discuss how they've managed imposter syndrome and balance their ambition to improve, with the tendency to compare yourself to others.

Most of us walk around thinking that the world is getting worse. But is this actually true? In this episode, Steph and I walk through a quiz that shows us just how wrong our instincts are about the state of the world and why we consistently believe that things are far worse than they actually are.