#108: Danaher’s Dictum, Purple Belt Living & Taleb's Surgeon
3 Ideas in 2 Minutes on Strategies of Success
I. Danaher’s Dictum
Danaher’s Dictum is my term for a piece of advice from legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach John Danaher:
Don't do what people say, do what the best do.
In other words, ignore the chatter and copy what works for the most successful.
II. Purple Belt Living
Purple Belt Living is a success strategy that seemingly contradicts Danaher’s Dictum. It suggests looking for guidance from advanced practitioners rather than the best in the field. It was coined by writer Rob Henderson who explained it like this:
If you’re just starting out in jiu-jitsu or some kind of martial art, the natural inclination is to […] look to the highest status person and the leader of the group and ask them what they did. But oftentimes they’re so far removed from those early experiences and what they had to do to reach that position.
Rob goes on to explain how people at the top of a game have the ability to “countersignal”. They can afford to bend or even break the rules; that is to exhibit behaviours beginners wouldn’t get away with. Such as turning up late or wearing sweatpants to the office.
So instead of the masters of a craft (black belts), seek guidance from intermediate practitioners (purple belts). They’re less likely to countersignal and can still relate to the struggles of a beginner as they’re not under the Curse of Knowledge.
III. Taleb's Surgeon
Coined by author Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Taleb's Surgeon is a counterintuitive heuristic for choosing excellence.
Imagine you have the choice between two surgeons. One is an exceptionally well-credentialled, good-looking and charismatic gentleman who could be cast as the perfect doctor in a movie. The other one looks like an ugly butcher. Here’s whom Taleb would choose:
Now if I had to pick, I would overcome my suckerproneness and take the butcher any minute. Even more: I would seek the butcher as a third option if my choice was between two doctors who looked like doctors. Why? Simply the one who doesn’t look the part, conditional of having made a (sort of) successful career in his profession, had to have much to overcome in terms of perception. And if we are lucky enough to have people who do not look the part, it is thanks to the presence of some skin in the game, the contact with reality that filters out incompetence, as reality is blind to looks.
—Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Skin in the Game
So if you have the choice between two candidates, pick the one who doesn’t look the part. 🐘
Have a great week,
Chris
themindcollection.com
P.S.: I’ve made some changes to the titles and featured image of the 3 Ideas in 2 Minutes newsletter. Hope you like it!