Becoming Antifragile is a strategy.
Make intentional choices that put you in a position to win.
Below are the 10 concepts from Nassim Taleb’s book “Antifragile”.
“Difficulty is what wakes up the genius”.
― Nassim Nicholas Taleb-
Remove the Negative (Via Negativa)
Improving a system by removing harmful elements rather than adding new positive ones.
↳ Example: Someone improves their diet by cutting out junk food instead of adding supplements.
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Own Your Results (Skin in the Game)
Ensuring those who take risks also face the consequences.
↳ Example: A chef who has ownership in the restaurant they work in, are directly impacted by the quality of their food.
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Keep Your Options Open
Maintaining flexibility and multiple options to capitalize on unforeseen opportunities.
↳ Example: A freelancer learns multiple skills (e.g., writing, coding, design) to have various job opportunities, allowing them to adapt to changing market demands.
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Stick to What Lasts
The longer something has been around, the longer it is likely to endure in the future.
↳ Example: Books that have been in print for decades are likely to remain relevant longer than newly published books.
Read about the 3 traits of an entrepreneurial mindset and what it takes to be successful.
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Get Stronger Through Small Stress
Small doses of stress or harm can have beneficial effects by making the system stronger.
↳ Example: Regular exercise stresses the body in small doses, leading to better health.
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Benefit More from the Good
Systems that benefit more from positive events than they are harmed by negative ones.
↳ Example: A business model that has low fixed costs but high potential profits from each sale, such as software-as-a-service (SaaS).
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Have Backups (Redundancy)
Having extra resources or backup systems in place to handle unexpected events.
↳ Example: A company keeps extra inventory to ensure smooth operations even if supply chains are disrupted.
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Think Long-Term
Understanding that long-term outcomes for an individual can differ from the outcomes of a group over time.
↳ Example: In gambling, while the house always wins in the long run, an individual can either win big or lose everything in a single session.
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Look for Big Impacts from Small Changes (Nonlinearities)
The idea that effects do not always match causes in a simple, proportional way.
↳ Example: A small improvement in technology can lead to exponential growth in productivity.
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Balance Safety with Risk
Combining two extremes—such as highly secure and highly speculative investments—can create a robust strategy.
↳ Example: A professional who works a stable 9-to-5 job while also pursuing a risky entrepreneurial venture on the side.
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TL;DR:
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Own your results.
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Always have backups.
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Cut out negative things.
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Create options via new skills.
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Embrace small doses of stress.
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Personal results can differ from the group.
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Value things that have stood the test of time.
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Build systems that gain from positive events.
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Recognize that small changes can lead to big effects.
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Mix secure and risky ventures for a robust life strategy.
Adopting this antifragile mindset helps to turn challenges into opportunities, ensuring we not only survive but come out stronger and more adaptable.
Till next week,
Noemi
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Credit: Based on the ideas on the book Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
PS. Today’s book recommendation is, Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Antifragile explores the concept of antifragility further, which describes systems and entities that thrive and grow stronger when exposed to volatility, randomness, and stress.
