Art of Strategy

Humans are inherently natural beings, which means that all of our emotions and behaviors are subject to the laws of human nature. What is human nature? Human nature is the term we use to refer to the inherent tendencies and impulses that drive humans. The urges that reach our mind, body, and soul tell us what we like and don’t like in life. It’s not just our personality traits (though those help shape what we want), but also everything else about us. These include inner feelings, beliefs, attitudes, etc.  The study of human nature is broad as it includes many different fields like psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and neuroscience. They study how people behave and try to understand why they do what they do as a way of understanding their personalities.  Human nature refers to the ways in which human beings have evolved biologically and psychologically as a result of natural selection over millions of years within different environments. Humans have evolved in such a way t

Conformity is a type of behavior in which people behave and think in a way that meets the expectations of their social groups. It is a natural tendency for humans to want to fit in with the crowd and follow what others do. Creativity is the act of expressing oneself and what we believe to be true through words, pictures, sounds, or actions. This creative style allows us to explore various ways to communicate our message with our audience in unique ways.   Creativity can be seen as a tool for challenging and rethinking the status quo by finding unique angles and approaches to situations. This creative process also requires risk-taking because we don't always know what will work well with others until we try it out ourselves or see the outcome of our efforts.   Some argue that creativity is a form of genius that cannot be defined. Others argue that creativity is a skill that can be learned and taught.   Creative people are typically individuals who have an all-encompassing unde

A paradox is a statement that seemingly contradicts itself. It is often used to help people reflect and stimulate critical thinking. Paradoxes are popular language tools with many benefits. Here are just a few examples: They can make for interesting reading. They can make people think about the subject differently. They challenge people’s preconceived ideas and help them see things in a different light. Paradoxes are common in literature and philosophy. They usually pose a question that can't be answered by either reality or what is considered possible by the accepted theory. Some people view paradoxes as mental challenges, others disagree and think they should be considered an opportunity for intellectual growth. Paradoxes exist in various forms, but most paradoxes in literature come from the contrast between opposites (e.g., good/evil, happiness/sadness, truth/falsehood). The term "paradox" was coined by the Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea who used it as a contradiction

Emotional intelligence has a long history in the business world and has been used for decades to help businesses understand and manage emotions. Business leaders are starting to focus on emotional intelligence as the key factor in success. In order to succeed in an increasingly volatile world, you need to have both your head and your heart working together and working effectively towards the same goal. We have all heard of having a "heart of gold" or being "a diamond in the rough." But what is emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence is described as being able to understand, disclose, and manage emotions well. It involves being aware of your feelings, understanding them, recognizing your own feelings as well as those around you, managing yourself so that you can control your behavior when necessary, and exhibiting empathy for others. Emotional intelligence is a measure of a person's emotional literacy. It is an ability that can help people understand their

Humanity is not at the top of the chain. The universe is a complex system, and humans are part of that system. I think the best way to understand this is by analogy. Consider a human brain and the universe. The human brain is very complex and contains a lot of information. The universe, on the other hand, is also very complex. It has a huge amount of information. The brain is part of the universe, but it does not contain all the information in the universe. It also contains a lot of misinformation. The human brain has evolved to make sense of the universe, and it is a very complex system. However, because humans are also part of that system, a lot of information in the brain is distorted. I think this is why we are not the best judges of what's real. We are too connected to our cognitive biases. Cognitive biases are like optical illusions. In optical illusions, the image your eyes see is not actually real, and cognitive biases are sort of the same thing. Your brain sees something t

A habit is a routine or pattern of behavior that has become associated with a particular cue. When someone wants to form a new habit, they typically try to associate the cue with the most positive feeling or result, so when the person experiences the desired moment of reinforcement, they will be more likely to repeat it.   The concept of habits extends beyond just personal habits. It can be applied to health and wellness as well as business and social situations. For example, if we want people to exercise more often, we should consider using cues such as walking your dog or taking your dog for a walk in order to increase their motivation.    Plato emphasized that the mind is a blank slate with no innate knowledge, but it can be shaped by experience. Aristotle argued that this is not true and there was already a "form" or idea in the mind which one could not escape.   As technology has evolved, so has our understanding of how the human mind works. Modern philosophers argue tha

The enlightenment is a philosophical movement that began in the eighteenth century. It was based on rationalism and empiricism. The enlightenment intellectuals rejected superstition and instead put their faith in reason, nature, and human progress as the principles of the universe. The rationalist philosophy of René Descartes laid the foundation for enlightenment thinking and its emphasis on reason and science. Enlightenment thinkers tried to understand the world through reason. They believed that it is possible to know reality accurately and completely through scientific inquiry, resulting in many new inventions, like the telescope and the microscope. The enlightenment thinkers advocated for individual rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion. They also led the way in scientific exploration with revolutionary ideas such as evolution by natural selection and germ theory. Enlightenment philosophers followed what is known as "the scientific method" - they questi

We make decisions every day, from the mundane to life-changing.  Much of the time we make decisions on impulse, not fully considering the consequences. Sometimes these decisions lead to positive results, but more often than not they lead to negative ones. Decision-making is a process of identifying and choosing from among multiple choices. Decision makers are responsible for determining which opportunities to pursue and which risks to take. Making decisions is central to living a meaningful life. The decision making process can be divided into 4 stages 1) Problem identification: The first stage in the decision making process is identifying the problem that needs solving and defining the goals. 2) Goal selection: The next stage in the decision-making process is selecting which goal or set of goals should be pursued. 3) Information search: Once goals have been selected, information must be gathered about possible alternatives available and how they might achieve these goals. 4) Evaluatio

Self-mastery is the process of becoming aware of your thoughts, emotions, and actions and then changing them to align with your desired values. Self-mastery is a process of self-discovery, where you are gradually revealing new aspects of your personality. It is possible to have self-mastery without being a master in anything. The process can involve mastering any skill, but for many people, it is the mastery of oneself that they seek out. Self-mastery is about understanding the self, knowing one's strengths and weaknesses, and using that knowledge to achieve goals. It is a process of continual improvement, achievable by setting small incremental goals while remembering larger and more ambitious ones. In the modern world, people are increasingly feeling alone and uncertain. This is because we are never really satisfied with what we have. We always want more - more money, more power, more success. Self-mastery is a way to break this cycle of never being content with what you have in

With data, we can build better dashboards to help make better decisions.  Data is a powerful tool that can help us make better decisions. But, without the proper tools and training, it can be hard to extract meaningful insights from data. Consequently, the more data we have, the better decisions we can make. That's why it is essential to track data and metrics about your company's performance. And, it is important to disseminate this information to everyone in a timely manner so that everyone has access to this data and can use it for making better decisions. We have a responsibility to use data responsibly. Data is not just a number, it's the result of the efforts of many people and their feelings. Data is not just about building better dashboards, it is about making better decisions. Dashboard is just one visual representation of the data and it's not the source of the data. Data is much more than that and organizations need to know how to use it in order to make bett

Cognitive flexibility refers to the ability to switch between tasks, ideas, thoughts, and mental states. It is one of the most important skills for a modern worker. Cognitive Flexibility is an individual's ability to quickly adapt to new situations and environments in order to effectively complete tasks or achieve goals. This includes an individual's ability to recognize problems and reflect on different solutions that could resolve it prior to being exposed to new information about the topic or task. In today's world of constant change and uncertainty, possessing a high level of cognitive flexibility is what separates successful individuals from those who struggle to keep up with the times. Cognitive flexibility requires that you spend a lot of time thinking about what you're doing. It means becoming aware of your own thoughts, feelings, goals, and needs, so that these are present in your actions every time you do something new or make decisions. The ability to switch

"I am seeking knowledge of human nature: what are our wants, what are our thoughts, what are the few things to which we cling?" - Plutarch Have you ever asked yourself why we exist? The truth is, it’s hard to answer this question without first understanding the entire world around us. That’s why anthropology is so important- it’s a tool to help you see the world from different perspectives. They say the world is like an onion. Peeling back all the layers, you'll eventually get to the truth. And that's what anthropology is for. Anthropology is a tool to jump outside your home and discover a new perspective on reality. It's the study of people's beliefs, social institutions, arts, languages, and other cultural traits. Anthropology studies the human race as a whole and looks at its past through different lenses: social, philosophical, and biological to fully understand what influences us and how we became who we are now. Anthropologists have one of the most uniqu

Folk psychology refers to our intuitive understanding about why people do what they do. It is the commonsense theory that underlies our ordinary understanding about people's internal states such as their desires, beliefs, or intentions.  Folk psychology is a tool that people use to make sense of their environment. It views human beings as uniquely self-aware and able to understand themselves in a way that other animals cannot. Folk psychology posits that we can understand other people by understanding ourselves. Folk psychology conceives of the mind as being composed of different kinds of mental states, including beliefs, desires, and intentions. Beliefs are the mental representations of the world around us. Beliefs are often formed by the way in which our experiences shape us. A belief can be changed by events that happen in one's daily life. For example, if someone is a smoker and they get diagnosed with lung cancer then their beliefs will change because of this event. Desire

We are all familiar with the idea of innovation. It is the process of invention, design, and implementation of new ideas.  An idea is a thought or thought process that leads to a solution to a problem. It is one of the key elements of creativity and innovation.   There are so many different factors that contribute to an idea's success or failure. Ideas can be created by anyone in any era. Sometimes, ideas are even subverted from what they originally were intended to do and become something completely different than what they started as. History of ideas is a fascinating and vast subject. It encompasses many topics from the beginning of human civilization to the present day. From random thoughts to scientific discoveries, a broad range of subjects are covered by this topic. Virtually every aspect of human existence can be found in the history of ideas. Some examples include religion, science, society, culture, morality, etc. For example: How did ancient people come up with ideas? Wh

Why do we need to innovate? I think this question can be broken down into a more specific one: What drives us to innovate? What drives us to innovate in our day-to-day lives is the drive for novelty and discovery – we are curious individuals, always trying to find out something new about this world we inhabit.   This is an innate part of our human nature, and there are many studies which show that the reward center of our brain lights up when we find something new. In fact, humans seek novelty so much that they would rather have an uncertain but potentially better future than a certain one with no hope for improvement.   Of course, this is not the only reason we innovate. Another driving force behind innovation is the pursuit of progress for humanity – to make our lives better and easier.   There are many examples of this. The Internet, a huge project which took decades to accomplish, has enabled us to communicate and share data with ease. It's also allowed businesses to grow at an

Culture is the glue that holds a company together. Corporate culture can be defined as norms, values, and expectations that help or hinder a business from performing. Corporate culture is the way employees interact with each other in a company. It is the internal environment and atmosphere that allows the company to grow and thrive. Corporate culture helps companies to create an awesome workplace where people are inspired to do great things. As a result, companies are thriving with innovative ideas and new products being created at a record rate. The way that companies are perceived by the public, their communication style, and their choices (e.g., social media policies) are influenced by corporate culture. A company that follows certain values or behaves in a certain way will have an impact on its perception among its customers, shareholders, and employees. In traditional organizations, people work and communicate in traditional ways. When things get complicated, they tend to feel tha

Humor is the tendency to perceive something as funny, to crack jokes, or to tell humorous stories. Humor is a human trait that can be culturally-bound which means humor is not universal. Some cultures are more open to laughing than others. However, there are some universal aspects of humor that can also be found in many different cultures worldwide. Humor can be broadly divided into two types - incongruity theory and relief theory. Incongruity theory is when something that does not make sense comes together as a joke and relief theory focuses on releasing tension or stress through laughter. Humor is used as a tool to teach people valuable lessons, help relieve depression, or just give life meaning. There are many ways in which humor can benefit society and individuals. Humor can be seen as a form of self-therapy for those who use it because they need to laugh at something in order to make themselves feel better. It also has been shown that humor helps us connect with other people more

A lot of people struggle with thinking clearly.  This can be due to the overwhelming amount of information in today’s world, or it could be because they are not taking time for reflection about their thoughts and feelings.  What is clear thought? Clear thought is an analytical process that helps us evaluate information rationally, objectively, and without bias. It helps us make decisions that are informed by reason rather than emotion or impulse. Clear thinking also helps us avoid fallacies - common errors that can complicate any argument and lead to a significant misinterpretation of the facts. Thinking clearly takes practice. It is important to think as if you are always talking to someone who understands the context of what is going on, and that person is willing to listen.  When you are thinking clearly, you need to pay attention to your emotions. The way you feel is often the way you think. It can be hard to realize that your thoughts are clouded by a feeling and instead of reacti

Marketing is the process of a company trying to distinguish itself from its competitors in order to increase its market share and profitability. It's not just about selling a product or service; it's about finding ways to connect with your audience.   Marketing is a broad term that describes the actions and methods used to make people aware of, buy, or otherwise experience products, services, or ideas.   Marketing can be done through promotion and advertisements on TV or social media as well as word-of-mouth.    In today's competitive world with so many options for consumers, marketing is becoming more important than ever to help organizations reach their target audiences and customers.   Marketing deals with the psychology of consumers. The goal of marketing is to create a positive relationship with the consumer through effective communication and an understanding of what motivates them.   Marketing can be seen as a science because it's based on objective facts and cut

Groupthink is an individual's inability to think and act independently.  It is a cognitive bias in which people will unconsciously mimic the opinions of those they perceive as part of their in-group, even if those opinions are not always rational. The effect of groupthink on an organization can be disastrous; it can impede organizational learning and progress, cause poor decisions and even lead to organizational collapse. Everyone is guilty of groupthink at some point in their lives. It’s not an individual issue, but rather a human condition that stems from our desire to be accepted by those around us. Groupthink leaves little room for talking openly about disagreements and can result in loss of creativity and innovation. It is getting more important for organizations to have a culture that encourages individuals to think for themselves and question group decisions. It is important for business leaders to make sure they are not susceptible to groupthink. To do that, they need to ha

A charismatic person is someone with a high level of social skills that makes people want to follow them.  These individuals have the ability to make a lasting impact on people with their words and . They can inspire, motivate, and change the world for the better. Charismatic people are the ones who have the ability to connect with others in a meaningful and lasting way. Charisma is not something that you have or you don't, it's something that's developed over time. When people are charismatic, they tend to exhibit certain behaviors. These habits help them project a positive image and attract people. - They know how to make other people feel good about themselves. - They focus on others’ needs before their own needs and take care of others before taking care of themselves.  - They use empathy as a tool for building relationships with others when they need something from them such as compliance or feedback.  - They think about what their social reality is like - they ask que

What is science? Science is the way in which we understand nature and explain how the universe works. It is a process of observation, investigation, and logical reasoning that builds knowledge through experimentation and measurement. It can be broken down into three components: observation, experiment, and prediction. These three components are usually done in that order: first, you have to make observations of what you're studying before coming up with an experiment and then finally predict what will happen after conducting your experiment. Science can be applied to many fields outside of natural sciences such as social sciences, engineering, technology, etc. The idea behind it is that if you know how something works then you can build technology to suit your needs or make life easier for people around us. Science vs. "Common Sense" Science and common sense are two different things. While common sense is our intuition that helps us make decisions, science is a systematic

Philosophy is the study of wisdom and ignorance, good and evil, virtue and vice.  According to the etymology of the word, "philosophy" means "love of wisdom."  Philosophy is a way for people to interrogate their own existence. So, it can provide insight into the nature of our being and what we can do as an individual or as a society in order to improve it.  Philosophers seek to answer questions like these: What is it that exists? How do we know what we know? Is there anything beyond our knowledge? Philosophy is concerned with questions about existence, knowledge, mind, language, and value. It explores topics via systematic arguments for and against positions in areas such as metaphysics, epistemology, logic, philosophical anthropology, political theory, ethics, aesthetics.  Metaphysics Metaphysics is the study of the foundations of nature, reality, and existence.  It’s a broad field that includes scientific theories about how the universe works and philosophical the

We all want to be clever, smart, intelligent… don’t we?  We go to school, get educated, work at our crafts… all to become clever. But could our cleverness become a hurdle in being creative? A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master on the mountaintop to seek wisdom. Having spent his entire life learning and teaching, the professor was very proud of his accomplishments. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about his cleverness - all the knowledge he had acquired and all the books he had read. The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then he kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No more tea will go in!" the professor blurted. "You are like this cup, my friend." the master replied. "How can I give you anything, if you don’t have the capacity to receive it. How can I teach you anything if your mind, like this cup, is full?" Cleve

Cosmopolitanism is a cultural perspective that places an emphasis on being globally aware, connected, and embracing cultural diversity. One of the defining features of cosmopolitanism is seeing other people in a positive light, as opposed to thinking of them as foreigners or foreign countries. Cosmopolitanism can also be seen in how we view different cultures and religions. Cosmopolitanism is not a new idea. It has been around for centuries.  Cosmopolitanism as a term was coined by 19th-century german sociologist and philosopher Hegel, who believed in the idea of global citizenship and has been widely used since then to describe a person's sense of belonging to the world instead of just one country or culture. In contrast, there are those who define themselves primarily by their nationality or culture, which some may argue separates them from others. This type of identity is often referred to as ethnocentrism or nationalism. The contemporary definition of "cosmopolitan" u

Flow is a state of mind in which an individual is immersed in their activity and fully and pleasantly occupied with it to the exclusion of almost everything else. Flow can be experienced when people are doing things that are intrinsically rewarding or when they are doing something for its own sake, without any particular goal in mind. Flow has been found to improve performance, creativity, happiness, health, and well-being at work. In psychology, flow refers to a mental state that many experiences when they are fully immersed in an activity that they find intrinsically rewarding and challenging. The person feels challenged without difficulty during their performance and experiences their skills growing with each action. Aristotle said that happiness was defined by a good life filled with virtuous actions; this idea correlates with the flow because it means that people need to be happy to be able to produce high-quality work. People generally have thoughts on what flow means to them. It