The Drop №. 99 with Chase Hobby

VRB’s weekly list of things to read, watch, listen to, and try that have helped us live better and be better. Brought to you this week by Chase Hobby.

I Don't Know by the Beastie Boys

Listen to I Don't Know by the Beastie Boys. I rediscovered this one recently, and I'm glad I did. 'I don't know' is a samba-inspired melody that sounds somehow both out of place and perfectly at home on a Beastie Boys album. Recommend adding this one to your morning playlist.

Tombstone

Watch Tombstone. What happens when you get Kurt Russel, Val Kilmer, and Sam Elliot onto one screen set in the old west? You guessed it: high-quality early 90's cinema. Up front warning: this is not an all-time great movie. Hell, it's not even an all-time great western. But it is an exceptionally quotable and rewatchable movie that will keep you entertained.

The Planning Fallacy

Read the Planning Fallacy. This near-universal cognitive bias is, in a nutshell, the concept that most people believe they can plan. And they are wrong. When asked for a “realistic” scenario, people often envision everything going exactly as planned, with no unexpected delays or unforeseen catastrophes—the same vision as their “best case.” The reality, it turns out, usually delivers results somewhat worse than the “worst case.” Don’t believe it? The Denver International Airport opened 16 months late, at a cost overrun of $2 billion. The more you know…

Negotiating

Try negotiating practically anything. Get better at asking for raises, choosing restaurants, and going after what you want. Anything and everything can be negotiated. Don't leave value on the table because you don't know how to make it happen.