Maria KonnikovaEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

Erik Seidel folds king-nine because a weak side card leaves you drawing to second-best. Warren Buffett skipped that fold in 1962, spent 20 years buying looms for a dying textile mill and put the bill at over $200 billion in forgone compounding. Featuring: Erik Seidel, Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, Maria Konnikova, Doyle Brunson, Derek Sivers Watch on YouTube Read the full post Brought to you by: Trends.vc : Discover new markets and opportunities. HeadsUp : Know when your competitors move. Before your customers do. Multi : Turn any content into a YouTube video. Chapters: (00:00) Erik Seidel folds king-nine as a trouble hand (01:01) Warren Buffett buys Berkshire Hathaway's textile mill (01:38) Twenty years pouring money into new looms (02:03) Charlie Munger's Too Hard box (02:18) Derek Sivers on hell yeah or no Where to find Dru: I write an essay daily. Get them free Follow me on X Watch my video essays on YouTube Follow Dru's Notes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Subscribe to Dru's Notes for a new episode every day. Click here to view the episode transcript.

If you understand the base rate and avoid the risk of ruin with each attempt, success stops being a question of if. It becomes a question of when. Featuring: Pieter Levels, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Octavia E. Butler, Maria Konnikova Watch on YouTube Read the full post Brought to you by: Trends.vc : Discover new markets and opportunities. HeadsUp : Know when your competitors move. Before your customers do. Multi : Turn any content into a YouTube video. Chapters: (00:00) Three months of coding Shommi and zero sales (00:43) A job board scraper that went nowhere (01:07) Pieter Levels ships 12 startups in 12 months (01:35) Only four of 70 plus projects made money (01:50) The 5% rule and the odds of zero hits (02:35) Iteration pace decides how long the math takes Where to find Dru: I write an essay daily. Get them free Follow me on X Watch my video essays on YouTube Follow Dru's Notes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Subscribe to Dru's Notes for a new episode every day. Click here to view the episode transcript.

A Note from James:"Are you a member of the river or the village? That's the question we're diving into today. Nate Silver-yes, the Nate Silver from 538-joins us with Maria Konnikova, a master of poker and decision-making. Members of the 'river,' as Nate describes, are rational thinkers. They make decisions based on probabilities and data, not emotions. So, are you in the river or the village? Because today, we're talking about how to think differently about risk-whether it's betting on an election, making an investment, or even figuring out how to navigate life. Here's what you need to know."Episode Description:In this episode, James Altucher brings together two brilliant minds: Nate Silver, known for his predictive prowess, and Maria Konnikova, a renowned psychologist and poker player. The trio delves into how they make calculated decisions when the stakes are high. With examples from poker, elections, and everyday life, they discuss how we can all navigate a world full of uncertainty. What does it mean to be a rational thinker? And how can understanding probabilities make you a better decision-maker? Join them as they explore strategies for improving your risk assessment, leveraging data, and making choices that keep you in the game longer.What You'll Learn:Risk Assessment Tools: How to analyze risk effectively using concepts from poker and data science.The River vs. The Village: Are you making rational decisions, or are you just playing it safe? Find out how to challenge your instincts.Understanding Probabilities: How to apply probabilistic thinking to everyday situations, from career moves to investments.Avoiding Cognitive Traps: Learn about common mental biases that can lead to poor decisions and how to overcome them.Betting on Your Choices: Practical advice on evaluating your options to maximize the chances of success.Timestamped Chapters:[01:30] - Are You a Member of the River or the Village?[03:21] - Meet the Guests: Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova[10:09] - Maria's Journey into Poker and Game Theory[14:59] - Understanding Risk and Decision Making[27:55] - The Challenge of Trust and Information in the Digital Age[31:04] - Nate's Transition from Poker to Election Forecasting[42:37] - The Evolution of Poker Strategy[54:15] - Betting Markets and Inefficiencies[1:00:58] - Decision Making and Risk in Poker and LifeAdditional Resources:Maria Konnikova's Book: The Biggest BluffNate Silver's Newsletter: The Silver BulletinMaria Konnikova's Newsletter: The LeapNate Silver's Book: On the EdgePodcast: Risky Business with Maria Konnikova and Nate Silver ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists

Can anyone truly read a poker face? Join Zachary and Emma as they speak with Maria Konnikova, who takes us on her journey from earning a PhD in psychology to becoming a professional poker player. Maria sheds light on the gender disparities within poker, detailing the unique challenges women face in this male-dominated arena and sharing her triumphs that have garnered her respect and recognition beyond the poker table. Beyond the cards, Maria's fascination with the darker aspects of human behavior leads her to explore con artists and the psychology of cheating. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetwork And follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week, I'm excited to share a replay of a great conversation with Maria Konnikova. Maria graduated from Harvard and earned her Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia. She's written two New York Times bestsellers: The Confidence Game and Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes. While she had zero poker experience before her first trip to Las Vegas in the fall of 2016, she has now won multiple tournaments, including the PCA National Championship, and finished second at an Asian Pacific Tour, Macau event. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… those looking to be confident when facing change. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE… you might think that it's all about luck when it comes to being successful in life, but Maria differs. The old adage that luck is opportunity and preparedness meeting sounds great in theory but is only applied to positive aspects of people's lives. Luck just happens. It's not personal. It's not about a linear career path that led you to a moment of success. In fact, successful people often come from the outside. They have a true advantage because their mind is more flexible; they are not hemmed in by convention to behave in a certain way. They are free from preconceptions. IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS LEADER… be willing to make good decisions right now and being willing to change later. Many leaders don't want to change once they've already invested significant resources into a project, but change will always come. IF YOU'RE A STUDENT (OR PARENT OF A STUDENT)… Maria encourages you to read fiction and poetry. Get curious about the world, beyond your current interests and skill-sets. Consider what you'll learn from taking the "outsider" courses that make you more curious. WHAT I LOVE MOST… the marriage of psychology, game theory and poker that uncovers insights to be a better leader and change agent. Being an outsider may come with challenges, but having a fresh perspective on the established set of wisdom may be the key to unlocking the unmet potential in yourself and your company. Get uncomfortable - seriously, it makes you (and your business) better. Running time: 42:17 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Find Maria Online: Website Twitter Facebook

Welcome to the What's Next! podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week we revisit our great conversation with Maria Konnikova. Maria graduated from Harvard, earned her Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia. She's written two New York Times bestsellers: The Confidence Game and M astermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes , along with her most recent release of The Biggest Bluff , a New York Times bestseller, one of the Times' 100 Notable Books of 2020, and a finalist for the Telegraph Best Sports Writing Awards for 2021 . While she had zero poker experience before her first trip to Las Vegas in the fall of 2016, she has now won multiple tournaments, including the PCA National Championship, and finished second at an Asian Pacific Tour, Macau event. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR … those looking to be confident when facing change. TODAY' S MAIN MESSAGE … You might think that it's all about luck when it comes to being successful in life, but Maria differs. The old adage that luck is opportunity and preparedness meeting sounds great in theory but is only applied to positive aspects of people's lives. But luck just happens. It's not personal. It's not about a linear career path that led you to a moment of success. In fact, successful people often come from the outside. They have a true advantage because their mind is more flexible; they are not hemmed in by convention to behave in a certain way. They are free from preconceptions. WHAT I LOVE MOST… the marriage of psychology, game theory and poker that uncovers insights to be a better leader and change agent. Being an outsider may come with challenges, but having a fresh perspective on the established set of wisdom may be the key to unlocking the unmet potential in yourself and your company. Get uncomfortable - seriously, it makes you (and your business) better. Running time: 40:58 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani on social: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Find Maria on social: Website Twitter Facebook Maria's Book: The Biggest Bluff

Why do intelligent people give money to self-proclaimed psychics or get sucked into Ponzi schemes? Why are most of us so bad at judging risk? Journalist, psychologist and professional poker player Maria Konnikova, PhD, author of the “The Biggest Bluff” and “The Confidence Game,” talks about why anyone can fall for a con, the psychology of risk, and how her knowledge of psychology did—and didn’t—help her at the poker table. Links Maria Konnikova, PhD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not many people can say they became a professional poker player while researching a book, but in Dr. Maria Konnikova’s case, she can. In her latest book My Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win, journalist and award-winning author Konnikova explains how her research into the science between luck, skill, randomness, and the myth that hard work always leads to success led her to become an international champion poker player. Konnikova explores the significant overlap between the game of poke and the game of life and finds that it is often what determines success: skill and chance. When playing a game with incomplete information, while you cannot control the randomness of the shuffle, if you can identify where skill ends and chance begins, you can master the skills necessary to succeed. Dr. Konnikova explains how by learning to identify the difference between what is skill and what is chance, we hone our strategic thinking, learning to master what we can control and release what we can’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is your relationship with uncertainty, risk and decision-making? Covid has certainly tested it! Susan MacTavish Best, Posthoc, cohosted with Andrew Serazin, Templeton World Charity Foundation, speak to Maria Konnikova- author, journalist and poker player. Maria Konnikova is the author most recently, of The Biggest Bluff, a New York Times bestseller and Editors’ Choice. Her previous books are the bestsellers The Confidence Game, winner of the 2016 Robert P. Balles Prize in Critical Thinking, and Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, an Anthony and Agatha Award finalist. Maria is a regularly contributing writer for the New Yorker, whose writing has won numerous awards, including the 2019 Excellence in Science Journalism Award from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. While researching The Biggest Bluff, Maria became an international poker champion and the winner of over $300,000 in tournament earnings—and inadvertently turned into a professional poker player. Maria’s writing has been featured in Best American Science and Nature Writing and has been translated into over twenty languages. Maria also hosts the podcast The Grift from Panoply Media, a show that explores con artists and the lives they ruin, and is currently a visiting fellow at NYU’s School of Journalism. Her podcasting work earned her a National Magazine Award nomination in 2019. She graduated from Harvard University and received her PhD in psychology from Columbia University.

In a special bonus GRID, Jennifer Shahade shares an episode of her chess podcast, Ladies Knight , featuring author, psychology PHD and poker champion Maria Konnikova. In researching Konnikova, Jennifer realized that all of her books have natural overlap with games, starting with Konnikova’s premiere book, Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes . Mastermind shows how anyone can use Sherlock Holmes’ ways of catching culprits to improve their own cognitive ability from organizing your “memory attic” to deduction techniques. Maria’s most recent book, The Biggest Lie , is about her journey from poker newbie to champion in just a year. Jennifer and Maria talk about how such a quest would differ if undertaken in chess. They also compare the deep focus required in chess and poker, and how her mentor Erik Siedel, allowed her to better understand the power of attention. Konnikova also reveals her short, but dramatic chess career as a fifth grader and flirts with the idea of giving it another go. It’s never too late to learn, Jennifer assures her . They also touch on Maria’s book, “The Confidence Game”, and what con artists can teach us about people who cheat in games like chess and poker. Spoiler alert: It’s not just about the money and rating points. Maria Konnikova has previously appeared on the GRID to discuss a dramatic hand with seven-deuce offsuit . If you are or know a woman looking to dig deeper into chess, check out the Madwoman’s Book Club Jennifer co-hosts with US Chess Women , which will feature Maria Konnikova’s Mastermind on Dec 18 th . Find out more about Maria and her books on mariakonnikova.com and subscribe to the Ladies Knight for more chess-inspired conversations hosted by Jennifer. <img decoding="async" src=

Psychologist and author Maria Konnikova joins the show to talk poker, life, and what one teaches you about the other. She talks with us about working with Walter Mischel as a graduate student, her decision to leave the academic track to become an author, and her latest book, The Biggest Bluff , in which she describes how she became a tournament-winning professional poker player. Bonus: who will win our round of Lodden Thinks? Special Guest: Maria Konnikova. Sponsored By: The Great Courses Plus : The Great Courses Plus is a Video-On-Demand service brought to you by The Great Courses – the leading global media brand for lifelong learning and personal enrichment. With thousands of in-depth videos taught by the world’s greatest professors, you’ll always have something fascinating to learn about. Promo Code: BEERS Links: E.H. Taylor, Jr. Bourbon ÉPHÉMÈRE SEA BUCKTHORN BERRY | Unibroue Michael Inzlicht (@minzlicht) / Twitter Maria Konnikova The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win: Konnikova, Maria: 9780525522621: Amazon.com: Books Supermarket Sweep - YouTube

Podcast : The Poker Grid (LS 43 · TOP 1% what is this? ) Episode : The Grid 004 ft. Maria Konnikova – Seven Deuce Offsuit Pub date : 2019-05-29 Get Podcast Transcript → powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarization Award winning author, psychology PhD, New Yorker writer and PokerStars Pro Maria Konnikova talks about the most notorious poker hand, seven-deuce offsuit. The author of the Confidence Game, Mastermind and the highly anticipated upcoming book, The Biggest Bluff talks about a hand from a 2018 World Series of Poker side event that gave her a new perspective on bluffing. ... The post The Grid 004 ft. Maria Konnikova – Seven Deuce Offsuit appeared first on The Poker Grid . The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jennifer Shahade, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

Podcast : #AmWriting (LS 48 · TOP 1% what is this? ) Episode : Episode 216 #TheBiggestBluff with Maria Konnikova Pub date : 2020-06-19 Get Podcast Transcript → powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarization This week we talk to Maria Konnikova about her new book, The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win . After a series of devastating health and financial setbacks, Konnikova, a former New Yorker staffer whose other books include Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock and The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time set out to understand how luck, skill and human behavior contribute to the trajectory of our lives. Though she’d never played a hand of poker in her life, she convinced Poker Hall of Fame inductee Erik Seidel to become her coach. Konnikova quit her job at the New Yorker and set aside a year to learn poker as a way to master her luck and her life. One career in professional poker and more than $300,000 later, Konnikova found at least some of the answers she sought. Links from the Podcast: Long Form Storytelling, The Grift Podcast Slate daily podcast, The Gist #AmReading Maria: Weird by Olga Khazan KJ: The Authenticity Project by Claire Pooley Jess: Sunny Days by David Kamp Thanks to everyone who supports the podcast financially. To join that team, click the button below: But it’s all good. The pod is free as it always has and always will be. This shownotes email is free, too, so please—forward it to a friend, and if you haven’t already, join our email list and be on top of it every time there’s a new episode. Find more about Jess here , Sarina here and about KJ here . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KJ, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

This week we talk to Maria Konnikova about her new book, The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win . After a series of devastating health and financial setbacks, Konnikova, a former New Yorker staffer whose other books include Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock and The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time set out to understand how luck, skill and human behavior contribute to the trajectory of our lives. Though she’d never played a hand of poker in her life, she convinced Poker Hall of Fame inductee Erik Seidel to become her coach. Konnikova quit her job at the New Yorker and set aside a year to learn poker as a way to master her luck and her life. One career in professional poker and more than $300,000 later, Konnikova found at least some of the answers she sought. Links from the Podcast: Long Form Storytelling, The Grift Podcast Slate daily podcast, The Gist #AmReading Maria: Weird by Olga Khazan KJ: The Authenticity Project by Claire Pooley Jess: Sunny Days by David Kamp Thanks to everyone who supports the podcast financially. To join that team, click the button below: Upgrade to Supporter But it’s all good. The pod is free as it always has and always will be. This shownotes email is free, too, so please—forward it to a friend, and if you haven’t already, join our email list and be on top of it every time there’s a new episode. Get New Episode Emails Find more about Jess here , Sarina here and about KJ here .

This week we talk to Maria Konnikova about her new book, The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win . After a series of devastating health and financial setbacks, Konnikova, a former New Yorker staffer whose other books include Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock and The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time set out to understand how luck, skill and human behavior contribute to the trajectory of our lives. Though she’d never played a hand of poker in her life, she convinced Poker Hall of Fame inductee Erik Seidel to become her coach. Konnikova quit her job at the New Yorker and set aside a year to learn poker as a way to master her luck and her life. One career in professional poker and more than $300,000 later, Konnikova found at least some of the answers she sought. Links from the Podcast: Long Form Storytelling, The Grift Podcast Slate daily podcast, The Gist #AmReading Maria: Weird by Olga Khazan KJ: The Authenticity Project by Claire Pooley Jess: Sunny Days by David Kamp Thanks to everyone who supports the podcast financially. To join that team, click the button below: But it’s all good. The pod is free as it always has and always will be. This shownotes email is free, too, so please—forward it to a friend, and if you haven’t already, join our email list and be on top of it every time there’s a new episode. Find more about Jess here , Sarina here and about KJ here . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the What's Next! podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week I am thrilled to welcome two-time What's Next! guest, and friend of the show, Maria Konnikova. Maria is the author of The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win. She is a regular contributing writer for The New Yorker, and has written for the Atlantic, the New York Times, Slate, the New Republic, the Paris Review, the Wall Street Journal, Salon, the Boston Globe, the Scientific American, WIRED, and Smithsonian, among many other publications. Her writing has won numerous awards, including the 2019 Excellence in Science Journalism Award from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. While researching The Biggest Bluff, Maria became an international poker champion and the winner of over $300,000 in tournament earnings. Maria also hosts the podcast The Grift from Panoply Media and is currently a visiting fellow at NYU's School of Journalism. Her podcasting work earned her a National Magazine Award nomination in 2019. Maria graduated from Harvard University and received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia University. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… anyone curious about luck, chance, and poker, and who wants to become a better person, a stronger person, a better decision-maker. It's for that person. It's for people who want that. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE… You never know what skills will be useful, and you can't predict the future. She uses Game Theory to address the variance of life, the setbacks and hardships life presents, and the overwhelming importance of separating the outcome of a decision from the process of decision-making. You should evaluate the process on its own merits to make a good decision–the best decision. WHAT I LOVE MOST … How many interesting topics we were able to discuss! Running time: 34:24 Subscribe on iTunes </spa

In this interview with Maria Konnikova (@konnikova), we discuss her new book, The Biggest Bluff (available next week on Amazon). Maria, a bestselling author and contributing writer for The New Yorker, originally planned on spending one year on the pro poker tour, where she would study under one of the world's best (Erik Seidel). In fact she spent three years and had major success. Her book about the experience comes from the unique perspective of a clinical psychologist who had just finished a multiyear project of studying the world's best con artists.

Award winning author, psychology PhD, New Yorker writer and PokerStars Pro Maria Konnikova talks about the most notorious poker hand, seven-deuce offsuit. The author of the Confidence Game , Mastermind and the highly anticipated upcoming book, The Biggest Bluff talks about a hand from a 2018 World Series of Poker side event that gave her a new perspective on bluffing. Maria dove into poker in 2017, starting out with small buy-in events under the tutelage of eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Siedel. Since then, she has earned almost 300K in live cashes, highlighted by a Championship victory at the PCA National in 2018, less than a year after she started playing. In their conversation, Maria talks about how bluffing with a zero equity hand can be empowering, while Jennifer offers a theory on why players focused on the GRID can veer toward under bluffing without good randomizing techniques. Maria advises how to study most effectively before a major series and muses on poker styles of some of the greatest writers of all time. Maria_Konnikova Follow Maria on twitter , https://mariakonnikova.com/ and her instagram @grlnamedmaria where she posts live updates from her adventures on the poker tour. You can also find frequent updates on her progress at the PokerStars Blog. The post The Grid 004 ft. Maria Konnikova – Seven Deuce Offsuit appeared first on The Poker Grid .

Welcome to the What's Next! podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week, I have a great conversation with Maria Konnikova. Maria graduated from Harvard, earned her Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia. She's written two New York Times bestsellers: The Confidence Game and M astermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes . While she had zero poker experience before her first trip to Las Vegas in the fall of 2016, she has now won multiple tournaments, including the PCA National Championship, and finished second at an Asian Pacific Tour, Macau event. Her third book The Biggest Bluff explores how to play high stakes poker is due out in 2019. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR … those looking to be confident when facing change. TODAY' S MAIN MESSAGE … You might think that it's all about luck when it comes to being successful in life, but Maria differs. The old adage that luck is opportunity and preparedness meeting sounds great in theory but is only applied to positive aspects of people's lives. Luck just happens. It's not personal. It's not about a linear career path that led you to a moment of success. In fact, successful people often come from the outside. They have a true advantage because their mind is more flexible; they are not hemmed in by convention to behave in a certain way. They are free from preconceptions. IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS LEADER… Be willing to make good decisions right now and being willing to change later. Many leaders don't want to change once they've already invested significant resources into a project, but change will always come. IF YOU'RE A STUDENT (OR PARENT OF A STUDENT)… Maria encourages you to read fiction and poetry. Get curious about the world, beyond your current interests and skill-sets. Consider what you'll learn from taking the "outsider" courses that make you more curious. WHAT I LOVE MOST… the marriage of psychology, game theory and poker that uncovers insights to be a better leader and change agent. Being an outsider may come with challenges, but having a fresh perspective on the established set of wisdom may be the key to unlocking the unmet potential in yourself and your company. Get uncomfortable - seriously, it makes you (and your business) better. Running time: 40:55 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani on social: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Find Maria on social: Website Twitter Facebook

In this episode we discuss several simple strategies for thinking better by looking at lessons ranging from sources as disparate as the methods of Sherlock Holmes to the principles of professional poker. How do you create focus and engagement when you’re trying to solve a problem? What are the potential ways that you can improve your memory to supercharge your thinking ability? How can you train your mind to think more effectively about emotion, risk, and uncertainty? We discuss this and much more with our guest Maria Konnikova. Maria Konnikova is the author of two New York Times best-sellers Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes and The Confidence Game. Maria graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and received her Ph.D in psychology from Columbia University. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, WIRED, and much more and she is an avid poker player as well.Is is possible that a fictional character could teach us how to think and make better decisions?Mindfulness - the thing that distinguishes Sherlock Holmes from any other detective is that he is fully present and sees and observes small detailsThe hidden power of how remarkably quiet Sherlock Holmes is - he’s a great demonstration of the power of contemplative routinesHow do we create focus and engagement when we’re working on something?You carry this real estate with you all the time - your “Brain attic” - and how you can use it to think more effectivelyAny information you remember is only useful to you if you can retrieve it when you need - and that’s why you must store things properly A few strategies for making your memory more effective:Encoding - the moment where we first remember it. If you aren’t paying attention you won’t remember in the first place and the memory will never get encoded. Memories are most powerful when they’re tied to other existing memoriesEvery single point of encoding is an anchor or retrieval point that can retrieve everythingUse multiple senses to encode a memory - not just one - build a rich texture of memories to encode them Encoding is different than rote memorization - it’s much more powerfulHow Maria went from a psychology PhD to becoming a professional poker playerHow poker can teach you how to make decisions under conditions of risk, uncertainty, and emotion You can teach people about biases and yet they still make the same mistakes Poker is a way to teach your mind to think in the right ways about risk, emotion, and uncertaintyThere is no better metaphor for the game of life than pokerWhat enabled Maria Konnikova to go from a total outsider to a professional poker player in such a short period of time?Having one of the top players in the world mentor her was a huge piece of itHaving a beginners mind and being willing to not know and ask simple questions Being willing to study and put in massive hours to learnFully immersing yourself, studying 9-10 hours a day, reading, analyzing hands, watching streams, taking notes, talking to people about strategyThere are no shortcuts, ever. There’s no magic bullet. You must put aside your ego to learn and improveHomework: Single most important thing that you can do is meditate 10 minutes per day every day. It doesn’t matter what’s going on around you. Admit the distractions and then let go of them. It doesn’t need to be a quiet place. That one habit can be life changing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is it about human behavior that allows con artists to pull off elaborate scams in which they fool thousands? Moreover what is about those thousands of people — many of them intelligent and sophisticated — that make them so vulnerable them to being scammed? New Yorker contributor Maria Konnikova joins us today to talk about her new book, The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for it Every Time . Konnikova analyses the tactics that con artists use to appeal to our sensibilities, gain our trust, and lower our defenses, and she explores what motivates these fraudsters to do what they do. Some cons are so complicated that they can actually be more difficult than accomplishing the same thing when playing by the rules. Konnikova posits that a combination of entitlement and power spurs con artists to jump through hoops most of us could never imagine.

[] We're getting scientific this episode with Mastermind author and psychologist Maria Konnikova! Delving into the psychology of Sherlock Holmes, we learn all about the brain attic, mindfulness, and whether Holmes has Aspergers or is even a sociopath at all. A really fun and incredibly informative episode wherein you'll learn oodles and laugh just as much. Maria is joined by Babes Curly, Lyndsay, Kafers, Amy, Sarah, Ardy, and newcomer Melinda! Plus, there's a goodie at the end. Maria’s first book, Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, forthcoming from Viking/Penguin in January 2013, was inspired by her “Lessons from Sherlock Holmes” series for and follows the legendary detective as he explores the workings of the human mind. It is guided by a central premise: that Sherlock Holmes serves as a near-ideal window into the psychology of how we think and is a rare teacher of how to think better than we naturally do. While those who read the book may not become master detectives, they will certainly learn more about themselves, their minds, and their capabilities, and in so doing, will come closer to the Sherlockian ideal of a thinker who knows how to observe, not merely see, the world around him. Maria is currently working on an assortment of non-fiction and fiction projects. Her first book, , will be published by Viking on January 3, 2013. She writes the weekly “” column for Scientific American, where she explores the intersection of literature and psychology, and formerly wrote the popular psychology blog “” for Big Think. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Slate, The New Republic, The Paris Review, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Observer, Scientific American MIND, and Scientific American, among other publications. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where she studied psychology, creative writing, and government, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Psychology at Columbia University. Before returning to school, she worked as a producer for the Charlie Rose show on PBS. You can find her on twitter at and at her website MASTERMIND is now available at , , and .