Great framing as always Frederick. The Marshmallow Trap is a great way of talking about this and immediately threw me into thinking of “Middle Way” approaches. Perhaps those are the advocates that aren’t strong enough attention grabbers -- Mahayana Buddhists and all that.
Thank you, Dave. Glad it resonated. I am thinking a lot about why so much balanced and measured/common sense advice doesn't stick. It's the drama(tic) that sticks.
Enjoyable read, several great nuggets. I wanted to keep quote posting sections of your article but I didn't want to rob someone else the opportunity of uncovering unique insights for themselves!
Brilliant piece. I think entrepreneurs are particularly susceptible to the Marshmallow Trap, because so much of getting a business off the ground is about delayed gratification -- putting off paying yourself or splurging on high cost of capital things or even just bringing on a new employee, all so that you can make it through this next month/quarter/year. You've given me a lot to think about!
love this. i became convinced that path 4 was foolish in my early 30s and sort of asked "what if i listen to all these people that say this?" the results are great so far.
Thank you. And thank you for sharing your path with the world. I think we face a lack of examples and stories that illustrate this path and what is possible.
There is much ink spilled over the Marshmallow study. I wouldn't just take the original researchers' interpretation at face value. Here's a more nuanced discussion:
Very interesting new way to frame an age old experiment. The Marshmallow trap is very relatable! We are told of the importance of discipline and patience but never the dangers of over exercising the "marshmallow muscle". Brilliant insight! Thank you.
"Great, as always, Frederick! I'd like to ask for permission to translate it into Portuguese. Unfortunately, many Brazilians don't speak English. Thank you!"
This leaves out the spatially gifted. Our systems teach regurgitation, not thinking or creating. There are brilliant people who drop out of school every day all the time. 15% of them go on to be millionaires. That is quite outsized compsred to those who finish with degrees.
Our systems oppress the most creative. If you are born poor and creative you will be handed your butt every day you exist in the system.
Those that die with money in the bank and lived simply, remind me for the savants in my family who got to do what they loved and were gifted in.
Yes they are weird but that is why no one bugs them. We are seeking the wrong people to hold follow. We should be seeking the savants. They were born understanding what their purpose is and when not kept from finding it live a life as natural as we can live in our society. This is how we all could be if we didn't have society working against us every step of the way.
Great framing as always Frederick. The Marshmallow Trap is a great way of talking about this and immediately threw me into thinking of “Middle Way” approaches. Perhaps those are the advocates that aren’t strong enough attention grabbers -- Mahayana Buddhists and all that.
Thank you, Dave. Glad it resonated. I am thinking a lot about why so much balanced and measured/common sense advice doesn't stick. It's the drama(tic) that sticks.
Enjoyable read, several great nuggets. I wanted to keep quote posting sections of your article but I didn't want to rob someone else the opportunity of uncovering unique insights for themselves!
Haha, thank you Ken!
Brilliant piece. I think entrepreneurs are particularly susceptible to the Marshmallow Trap, because so much of getting a business off the ground is about delayed gratification -- putting off paying yourself or splurging on high cost of capital things or even just bringing on a new employee, all so that you can make it through this next month/quarter/year. You've given me a lot to think about!
Thank you, Elsie. I agree. It's a crucial skill but we must not allow it to own us.
Really thoughtful and insightful, as always; thanks Frederik
A fantastic piece 👍 really loved the optimistic and realistic thinking of the middle way. Successful people can be happy too.
The world is an infinite sum game.
Well said!
Great post 🙌
love this. i became convinced that path 4 was foolish in my early 30s and sort of asked "what if i listen to all these people that say this?" the results are great so far.
Thank you. And thank you for sharing your path with the world. I think we face a lack of examples and stories that illustrate this path and what is possible.
Good stuff, Frederik. Thanks.
There is much ink spilled over the Marshmallow study. I wouldn't just take the original researchers' interpretation at face value. Here's a more nuanced discussion:
https://ifstudies.org/blog/did-the-marshmallow-test-fail-to-replicate
Agree, see the footnotes.
Very interesting new way to frame an age old experiment. The Marshmallow trap is very relatable! We are told of the importance of discipline and patience but never the dangers of over exercising the "marshmallow muscle". Brilliant insight! Thank you.
Really enjoyed that! Its amazing how simple the idea is but very rarely articulated as well as you have.
"Great, as always, Frederick! I'd like to ask for permission to translate it into Portuguese. Unfortunately, many Brazilians don't speak English. Thank you!"
Hi Igor, sure, email me. Thank you.
This leaves out the spatially gifted. Our systems teach regurgitation, not thinking or creating. There are brilliant people who drop out of school every day all the time. 15% of them go on to be millionaires. That is quite outsized compsred to those who finish with degrees.
Our systems oppress the most creative. If you are born poor and creative you will be handed your butt every day you exist in the system.
Those that die with money in the bank and lived simply, remind me for the savants in my family who got to do what they loved and were gifted in.
Yes they are weird but that is why no one bugs them. We are seeking the wrong people to hold follow. We should be seeking the savants. They were born understanding what their purpose is and when not kept from finding it live a life as natural as we can live in our society. This is how we all could be if we didn't have society working against us every step of the way.