Daniel Kahneman won the Nobel Prize for proving we’re not as rational as we think. In this timeless conversation we discuss how to think clearly in a world full of noise, the invisible forces that cloud our judgement, and why more information doesn’t equal better thinking. Kahneman also reveals the mental model he discovered at 22 that still guides elite teams today.
Approximate timestamps:
(00:36) – Episode Introduction
(05:37) – Daniel Kahneman on Childhood and Early Psychology
(12:44) – Influences and Career Path
(15:32) – Working with Amos Tversky
(17:20) – Happiness vs. Life Satisfaction
(21:04) – Changing Behavior: Myths and Realities
(24:38) – Psychological Forces Behind Behavior
(28:02) – Understanding Motivation and Situational Forces
(30:45) – Situational Awareness and Clear Thinking
(34:11) – Intuition, Judgment, and Algorithms
(39:33) – Improving Decision-Making with Structured Processes
(43:26) – Organizational Thinking and Dissent
(46:00) – Judgment Quality and Biases
(50:12) – Teaching Negotiation Through Understanding
(52:14) – Procedures That Elevate Group Thinking
(55:30) – Recording and Reviewing Decisions
(57:58) – The Concept of Noise in Decision-Making
(01:01:14) – Reducing Noise and Improving Accuracy
(01:04:09) – Replication Crisis and Changing Beliefs
(01:08:21) – Why Psychologists Overestimate Their Hypotheses
(01:12:20) – Closing Thoughts and Gratitude
Thanks to MINT MOBILE for sponsoring this episode: Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINTMOBILE.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT.
Newsletter – The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter
Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: fs.blog/membership and get your own private feed.
Watch on YouTube: @tkppodcast
Photograph: Richard Saker/The Guardian
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#99 Kris Cordle: Releasing the Ego
For over a decade, Kris Cordle worked directly with the CEOs at Yahoo, Twitter, and Slack. She joined Twitter and Slack early and helped them scale into public companies. Most recently she was Chief of…
#98 Sahil Lavingia: Observing the Present
Sahil Lavingia is the founder and CEO of Gumroad, an online marketplace for creators. In this conversation Sahil and Shane cover building a billion dollar business, the most critical skills for success, how he hires,…
#97 Roger Martin: Forward Thinking
The former Dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, Roger Martin is one of the top management thinkering in the world. You’ll walk away from this conversation a better leader…
#96 Randall Stutman: The Essence of Leadership
The founder and co-head of the Leadership Practice at CRA and the Admired Leadership Institute, Randall Stutman is an incredible executive coach with an impressive roster of clients. You’ll walk away from this episode with…
#95 Code Cubitt: Coachability Is Critical
Managing Director of Mistral Venture Partners Code Cubitt has an interesting origin story. After being kicked out of University twice he still managed to graduate and quickly climbed the ranks for several prominent companies before…
#94 Chamath Palihapitiya: Understanding Yourself
The Founder and CEO of Social Capital Chamath Palihapitiya sits down with Shane Parrish to chat about what it means to be an observer of the present, how to think in first principles, the psychology…
#93 Matt Holland: Zero Day
Matthew Holland is one of the world’s leading authorities in cyber security. He explains exploits, hacking, and defending while providing insight on the mind of the attacker, Huawei, Snowden and what you should be asking…
#92 Lisa Feldman Barrett: Balancing the Brain Budget
Neuroscientist, psychologist and author, Lisa Feldman Barrett discusses the complexities of the brain, our emotions, improving ourselves and our relationship with others, making good decisions and giving yourself an existential break. — Want even more?…
#91 Russ Hudson: The Pursuit of Presence
Author and co-founder of the Enneagram Institute, Russ Hudson, explains how the Enneagram was developed, how it helps us grow personally and with others, the nine interconnected personality types and what it means to be…
#90 Apolo Ohno: Process Versus Prize
8x Olympic medalist and short-track speed skating legend, Apolo Ohno chats about his origin story, recovering from multiple failures, mental training, confidence, and leaving it all on the ice. — Want even more? Members get…