2 ms·

Interesting factoid - boss in the story was not just some random Wall Street dude, it was D. E. Shaw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_E._Shaw http://en.wiki

by bd 16y ago

Interesting factoid - boss in the story was not just some random Wall Street dude, it was D. E. Shaw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_E._Shaw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_E._Shaw

ivancho 16y ago
well, welcome to the American Dream, where you too can become a billionaire, as long as you start from a position with massive capital and a large hedge fund happy to take you back if you fail.. This is the stuff that motivational speakers thrive on. Of course the whole 'when I am 80, I don't want regrets' framework works, as long as you assume that you are going to be filthy rich no matter what choices you make.
- davidw 16y ago
  I could see it working if you realize that you don't want to get to that age without, say, spending a lot of time with your children and being very present in their lives, as opposed to having more money because you worked hard. For instance, I don't regret having moved to Italy even though I certainly have left a lot of money on the table in doing so.
- jasonkester 16y ago
  It works just as well when you're 23 years old, fresh out of college, and wondering whether you should put off finding a job for six months while you go backpacking around Southeast Asia. What are the odds that I'll I find myself living on the street in 10 years, begging for spare change and cursing myself for having taken that vacation instead of immediately finding a job? And what are the odds that in 10 years I'll find myself with a house and kids, wishing I'd taken that dream trip while I had the chance? Incidentally, it works just as well if you substitute "startup" for "dream trip".
- ryanwaggoner 16y ago
  As far as I know, Bezos wasn't born into wealth (upper middle class, perhaps), so perhaps the regret minimization framework was what got him to the point where he had massive capital and a hedge fund backup. Or maybe it's all just random chance and you're better off laying on your couch all day.

by bd 16y ago

Interesting factoid - boss in the story was not just some random Wall Street dude, it was D. E. Shaw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_E._Shaw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_E._Shaw

ivancho 16y ago

well, welcome to the American Dream, where you too can become a billionaire, as long as you start from a position with massive capital and a large hedge fund happy to take you back if you fail.. This is the stuff that motivational speakers thrive on. Of course the whole 'when I am 80, I don't want regrets' framework works, as long as you assume that you are going to be filthy rich no matter what choices you make.

davidw 16y ago
I could see it working if you realize that you don't want to get to that age without, say, spending a lot of time with your children and being very present in their lives, as opposed to having more money because you worked hard. For instance, I don't regret having moved to Italy even though I certainly have left a lot of money on the table in doing so.
jasonkester 16y ago
It works just as well when you're 23 years old, fresh out of college, and wondering whether you should put off finding a job for six months while you go backpacking around Southeast Asia. What are the odds that I'll I find myself living on the street in 10 years, begging for spare change and cursing myself for having taken that vacation instead of immediately finding a job? And what are the odds that in 10 years I'll find myself with a house and kids, wishing I'd taken that dream trip while I had the chance? Incidentally, it works just as well if you substitute "startup" for "dream trip".
ryanwaggoner 16y ago
As far as I know, Bezos wasn't born into wealth (upper middle class, perhaps), so perhaps the regret minimization framework was what got him to the point where he had massive capital and a hedge fund backup. Or maybe it's all just random chance and you're better off laying on your couch all day.