My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Situation vs. Character Attribution Bias
When I make mistakes, I attribute them to situational factors. When you make mistakes, I attribute them to your character flaws. This creates unfair double standards in how we judge behavior.
Decision Rule
Before judging someone's actions, ask 'What situational factors might have influenced this?' Give others the same situational benefit of doubt you give yourself
How It Works
We have full context for our own situation but only see others' actions. Our brain fills in missing context with character explanations rather than situational ones
Failure Modes
Immediate character judgments about others' behavior
Not examining situational factors affecting others
Failing to hold yourself to same standards you apply to others
Creating victim/villain narratives
Example Decision
“When a team member misses a deadline, instead of thinking 'they're disorganized,' ask 'what might be going on in their situation that made this deadline challenging?' and address the systemic issues”
Related Knowledge
Fights are natural and inevitable in long-term relationships
Don't panic or assume the relationship is doomed when conflicts arise - they're part of healthy long-term dynamics
The body keeps the score - emotional conflicts create physical symptoms
Take emotional conflicts seriously because they have real physical health impacts
Forest Fire Conflict Model
Conflicts don't start as fights - they begin as accumulated small irritations (like dry brush on forest floor) that rema
Gottman's Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Four communication patterns that predict relationship failure: criticism (attacking character), contempt (superiority/di
Gottman's 5:1 Magic Ratio
Successful relationships maintain at least 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction.
Giving Contest vs. Taking Contest Framework
98% of relationships are 'taking contests' where people measure what they get.