logo
episode-header-image
Jul 22
18m 30s

Using Substition to Make Decisions Simpl...

JONATHAN CUTRELL
About this episode
The skills you've built for reading people, reviewing code, and making calls under uncertainty all rely on the same brain shortcut: substituting an easier question for a hard one. In this episode, Jonathan explores how to take that automatic mental trick and use it on purpose — shrinking weighty, paralysis-inducing decisions down to the small, low-stakes act ... Show More
Up next
Jul 10
Your Single Most Important Tool for Managing the Uneven Downsides of Risk
The skills you build and the tools you master matter, but they aren't your most important asset when things go wrong — and something eventually will. In this episode, I work through why our careers and lives are governed more by avoiding catastrophic downside than by chasing upsi ... Show More
25 m
Jun 24
Why Can't You Go Faster With AI? Focus on the Friction to Find Out
If you are a manager, a lead engineer, or anyone growing into more responsibility, this throwback episode is built for you. We keep hearing the same question, now louder than ever: "Why can't this go faster?" AI and agentic coding have made the literal coding step dramatically ch ... Show More
19m 26s
Jun 18
Software Engineering Principles That Still Hold Up in an Agentic World - Old Lessons Made New
The skills problem isn't going anywhere — it's just wearing new clothes. In this episode, I unpack how the lessons we learned decades ago (limiting work in progress, the theory of constraints, test-driven development) are coming roaring back as the fundamentals that will carry yo ... Show More
31m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
TIP740: The Great Mental Models Part 1
On today’s episode, Kyle Grieve discusses the power of mental models, how they sharpen our thinking, and how they improve our decision-making in investing and everyday life. He explores various key concepts in general thinking, including the circle of competence, inversion, first ... Show More
1h 7m
May 2024
197: Super Thinking by Gabriel Weinberg & Lauren McCann
This episode of Bookworm is sponsored by: Aeropress: Ditch the drive-thru and make great coffee at home. Get 20% off with the code bookworm. The world’s best problem-solvers, forecasters, and decision-makers all use mental models that help them cut through complexity and separate ... Show More
1h 35m
Apr 2020
How I Built Resilience: Live with Simon Sinek
Each week, Guy is hosting online conversations with founders and entrepreneurs about how they're navigating these turbulent times. Today's conversation is with Simon Sinek, whose books about business — including "Start with Why," and "The Infinite Game" — offer guidance to founde ... Show More
19m 27s
Sep 2024
The Alchemy of Talent and team success with Vijay Pendakur
Rachel sits down with Vijay Pendakur, the author of The Alchemy of Talent: Leading Teams to Peak Performance. The two dive into an engaging discussion about leadership, team dynamics, and the actionable strategies presented in Vijay's book. They discuss insights on navigating wor ... Show More
43m 13s
Sep 2025
GaryVee x Guy Kawasaki: Lessons on Business, Tech and Culture
In this 2024 episode, GaryVee sits down with legendary author, entrepreneur, and Apple veteran Guy Kawasaki to talk about his new book and decades of experience shaping business and culture. They dive into lessons from Silicon Valley, the evolution of marketing, and how entrepren ... Show More
26m 30s
Mar 2022
Improve Your Decision-Making Skills Using Rigorous Thinking with Wes Kao
Join us as our host, George Kamel, talks to Wes Kao. Wes co-founded altMBA with our friend Seth Godin. She is also a co-founder of Maven. Wes talks about the power of rigorous thinking and the transformational impact it can have on your culture and your team. Later in the episode ... Show More
40m 12s
Sep 2023
Watching Trends with Strauss Zelnick
<p>On today&#39;s episode of the podcast, I&#39;m sharing a conversation I had back in 2019 with media executive, entrepreneur, and investor Strauss Zelnick. We discuss the blockchain and what it takes to achieve your goals, and we also discuss the importance of happiness in your ... Show More
40m 9s
Apr 2022
The Ingredients To Be A Successful Entrepreneur | SSAC22 Keynote
<p>Today's episode is a recent keynote I had with Michael Rubin, Executive Chairman of Fanatics.</p> <p>We started by telling the story of how we started working together during the pandemic and our work during the All In Challenge. Then we look at the current state of the NFT ma ... Show More
52m 25s
Dec 2023
The key to business success...
<p>&quot;On today&#39;s episode of the podcast, I&#39;m sharing an interview that I recently did with Masters of Scale: Rapid Response. The host, Bob Safian, asked some questions, and I answered on the spot about a range of topics, from things that are considered a waste of time ... Show More
23m 8s