https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OmMrJ1gswYVOUxc4A4SFR?si=gwPjAA20TVqJaoRLwNp8Yw

strategy has 4 components:

• systems — be able to name the underlying driver of the system (the solar system functions because of gravity). either we work for the system or the system works for us
• time — if you want a forest you don’t get a forest you need to start planting trees. if bezos didn’t prime wall street to expect losses they would have never made it another 5 years but releasing that tanked their stock in the short term.
• games — multiple people, variable outputs with scarcity
• empathy — you need to understand what people want, why, and how much

when you make a move in a game that doesn’t work it doesn’t mean you’re stupid or a bad person. it means the move didn’t work. the more moves you make the faster you learn and the sooner you start making good moves. you learn by having feedback loops.

innovation must be accompanied by the phrase “this might not work.” it’s important to have a longer time horizon so you can learn.

no one is going to buy something from you venue you worked hard to make it. they’re going to buy it because they want it (more than they want to keep their money).

you need to find your smallest viable audience and delight them. if you’re not sending people to your competitors you’re not serious about what you’re doing.

why are the people who don’t buy from you right to not buy from you?

if you’re going to help medium sized businesses set up their google drives. lowering your price is not going to help you get more customers because it’s not the buyers own money. they want a story to tell their boss and an alibi in case it doesn’t work.

the healthcare system isn’t a healthcare system it’s a treatment system. people get paid to treat you not make you better.

you’re not sitting in traffic you are traffic.

negative feedback loop: air conditioning — keeps thing stable, when it’s too hot it gets colder and when it’s too cold it gets hotter

positive feedback loop: microphone at a wedding, continues to amplify things higher and higher

do things where more is better — when people like your writing then more writing is better. when people like the shoes you make there’s only so many pairs of shoes they can buy.

do things that have network effects — more valuable if other people are using them (e.g. email is more valuable if my friends have email). if you see a movie and want to talk about it with someone you’ll try get them to watch it.

people want freedom, status, and affiliation

if you want to make change you have to create tension