Think 81: Why Smart People Make Poor Decisions
No. 81, Oct 4th, 2026
Hello and welcome to Think, your newsletter on leadership, career and growth from the smartest entrepreneurs, leaders, and investors.
The One Percent Project
“So often when we think we're thinking, we're just reacting.”
— SHANE PARRISH
This week I sat with Shane Parrish — founder of Farnam Street, author of Clear Thinking, and one of the sharpest minds alive on how we decide. His point landed hard: most bad calls aren't dumb people choosing badly — they're smart people reacting when they think they're thinking. The fix isn't a higher IQ. It's the discipline to pause in the ordinary moments — the 70%-right instinct you fire off in a meeting that quietly costs you weeks later. Worth your 45 minutes.
Two for the week
+ Farnam Street — “Your Thinking Rate Is Fixed”
My take: this is Shane's line made practical. You can't think faster — so the only lever on decision quality is refusing to answer before you've actually thought. Speed is a trap.
+ Morgan Housel — “Little Rules About Big Things”
The money angle on the same idea: outcomes are ordinary choices compounded, not one brilliant call. Shane cites Housel in the episode — 97% of Buffett's wealth came after 65.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Best
Pritish
Connect with me: If you have any feedback, topic, or speaker recommendations, email me at pritish@onepercent.live. You can connect with me on LinkedIn as well.