The best stuff we’ve read in the last 12 months

What It Covers

Sam and Shaan share their most impactful readings from the past year, covering decision-making frameworks, investment philosophy, memory techniques, leadership speeches, and the concept of optimizing life energy over money accumulation.

Key Questions Answered

• •Decision-Making Framework: Write down decisions with one decisive reason for and against, not blended reasons. Include emotional state, alternatives considered, reversibility, upside/downside scenarios, and future predictions. Review decisions quarterly to identify patterns in judgment quality and unexpected high-impact choices that seemed minor initially.
• •Investment Timing (Howard Marks): Sell decisions depend on two factors: whether your original investment thesis remains valid with new information, and whether better opportunities exist elsewhere with higher conviction. Position sizing matters more than being right—concentrate heavily on your few best ideas rather than diversifying across mediocre convictions.
• •Life Energy vs Money (Die With Zero): Timing matters for experiences—backpacking through Europe works at 25, not 35. Calculate purchases as hours worked, not dollars spent. Schedule life experiences first, then fill gaps with work, not vice versa. Most financial fears among wealthy people are completely irrational based on actual math.
• •Hampton Retention Strategy: Switching from digital-only to mandatory monthly in-person meetings increased annual retention from 60% to 85-90%. Real-life belly-to-belly conversations with vetted peers practicing confidentiality, candor, and commitment changes lives. Physical presence does most of the work despite being operationally difficult to scale.