Avoid the analog trap
TechnologyWhen adopting new technology, do not merely use it to replicate old formats; look for entirely new ways to leverage its unique capabilities.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Hall of Masters
Jim O'Shaughnessy
짐 오쇼너시
Investing and capital allocationBorn 1960
Quantitative investor, author of What Works on Wall Street, founder of O'Shaughnessy Ventures
2,844 records in all
- Principles 974
- Episodes 563
- Quotes 1,307
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Principles
146 basic records of 974
Principles are our summary of their public statements.
Understand the power of optics
MarketingPublic perception is often shaped by visual icons and relatable storytelling rather than just raw facts.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Elongate the decision process
DecisionsAvoid immediate emotional reactions by putting time and distance between receiving information and acting upon it.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Leverage Personalized Feedback Loops
ProductUse technology to constantly learn and adapt to the specific interests and needs of the user or customer.
Supporting quotes
I have a lot of young people who are team members here at O'Shaughnessy Ventures, and one of the things that I absolutely find fascinating is they can do things in five minutes on an iPhone that an old me would be going, ah.
Source Jim O'Shaughnessy How To Cultivate Curious Kids, 2024 (opens in a new tab)
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Reject feel-good boosterism in art
ContentHe values raw honesty over 'pop psychology' that tries to frame every tragedy as a gift or a benefit.
Supporting quotes
Your training in journalism is pretty obvious here. But the thing that I want to ask you about first is the raw honesty that you write in this book really kind of took me back.
Source Jim O'Shaughnessy Dispatches From Grief Ep 313, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Acknowledge the Physicality of Trauma
ResilienceGrief and stress are not just mental states; they manifest as physical breakdowns in the body and nervous system.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Seek recognition in shared experience
LearningWhen facing extreme hardship, one should look for memoirs or accounts of people who survived even worse conditions to find a connection of recognition.
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Combine AI and Human Testing
StrategyUse AI agents to run massive A/B tests quickly, but always validate the results with real humans to capture emotional nuances.
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Look Beyond Three-Year Windows
Capital allocationShort-term performance windows like three years are often noisy and misleading; true skill is revealed over much longer horizons.
Supporting quotes
one of the things that continued to surprise me was the number of people, really, really smart people, who were just hyperbolic discounting. And everything was like, yeah, no, I can't make that decision for five years from now.
Source Jim O'Shaughnessy Games Of Risk And Games Of Confidence, 2024 (opens in a new tab)
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Iterate Based on Failure
LearningEven when a model is mostly successful, use the instances where it fails to refine and iterate on the strategy.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Enable grassroots solutions
LeadershipEmpowering local leaders who understand the specific context of their community is more effective than top-down interventions.
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Provide platforms not charity
LeadershipInstead of providing direct assistance, leaders should focus on creating environments and platforms where individuals can utilize their own talents to create wealth.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Institutionalize Beyond the Founder
LeadershipA founder's personal touch is powerful but limits growth; success requires building systems and finding successors to make the mission sustainable.
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Value Individual Autonomy
LeadershipSystems that prioritize the process over the person rob individuals of their dignity and entrepreneurial potential.
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Seek the right fit
MindsetSuccess is often a matter of finding an environment that fits one's individual learning style rather than just innate talent.
Practice Brutal Transparency
IntegrityPersuasion techniques are effective, but they must be paired with absolute honesty about one's methods and intentions to remain ethical.
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Expect Institutional Resistance
StrategyEstablished experts and institutions often have the strongest incentives to protect the status quo and resist paradigm shifts.
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Consistency Over Volume
ProductivityA small, consistent daily commitment to learning compounds into a vast competitive advantage over time.
Test Perception Through Observation
LearningActively testing what one notices or remembers about their immediate environment reveals the limitations and biases of personal perception.
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Use blind evaluation to find talent
HiringRemoving identifying information like names or appearances helps focus on actual skill and prevents bias from clouding judgment.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
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