GRANTED: Having more thoughtful arguments and being a more thoughtful mentee

August 2019
Don’t strive to be the best. It creates an illusion of an endpoint—and a delusion that the goal is to be superior to others.
Strive to be better. The person you’re competing with is your past self, and the bar you’re setting is for your future self.
Some articles that might help raise the bar:
1. How to Disagree It’s amazing how many online discussions continue to live at the bottom of Paul Graham’s hierarchy of disagreement.

2. I’m a Data Scientist Who Is Skeptical About Data (Quartz)
What do the data say?
Nothing. Data don't talk. Data can't answer questions. They can only inform questions.
Humans collect and interpret data. Before accepting their conclusions, consider their competence and integrity.
3. The Truth About Anti-White Discrimination (Scientific American)
Hiring discrimination is as rampant now as it was in 1989. From a meta-analysis of over 55,000 equally qualified job applicants: Whites get 36% more callbacks than Blacks and 24% more than Latinos—even with identical resumes where only the name is changed. There was zero evidence of discrimination against Whites.
This reinforces evidence that pretending to be color-blind backfires: "If you can't see race, you can't see racism" (NYT).
4. Are You Mentorable? (TED)
How to be a good mentee:
(1) Appreciate the value of a mentor's time
(2) Be clear about what kind of guidance you're seeking
(3) Be open to new ideas and constructive criticism
(4) Periodically reflect on how well you're doing the above
From My Desk:
5. How to Bounce Back from Rejection (NYT)
Usually, when you get rejected, it’s not you. It’s not me. It’s us. When you blame setbacks on the relationship rather than just the individuals involved, you're less likely to give up—and more motivated to get better.
6. Your Top Rival Can Be Your Biggest Ally (NYT)
Elite athletes don’t just train with their rivals—they even help them in competitions. Even in sports, success isn’t a zero-sum game. In the long run, your closest competitors may turn out to be your greatest supporters.
Cheers,
Adam
Adam Grant, Ph.D.
Organizational psychologist at Wharton, author of ORIGINALS, GIVE AND TAKE, and OPTION B, and host of WorkLife, a TED original podcast