WB028: Daniel Pink

Daniel Pink is an American author who was recently interviewed by Nicolai Tangen on the latter's In Good Company podcast. The interview was about 40 minutes long, and I have listened to it twice.

Prior to this, I had never heard of Daniel Pink. But with books having punchy titles like When and Drive, I am quite sure he spends a lot of time reading, pondering and putting his pen to good use.

Listening to Pink's interview was a welcome change to In Good Company's usual interviews, which have a heavy bias towards business and finance themes.

I liked the interview as it touched on various topics I have often pondered about and the discussions gave me clarity on them. Of the many topics discussed, I will elaborate on two of them.

Don't walk the well-trodden path

We are conditioned to believe the path to a successful life or career lies in following pre-defined steps. These are often based on the experiences of other people, who are often perceived to be successful.

For example, to be successful we're advised to study hard and get a degree from a good university. Then try to get a job at Famous Company A. And don't bother with Small Company B because it won't look good on your resume.

Pink argues this approach is a mistake, as successful people very rarely get to where they are by taking a linear path in life. More often than not, the path taken is chaotic and full of ups & downs, as opposed to the linear narrative often promoted in social media.

"Make decisions for fundamental reasons, not instrumental reasons", Pink says. He also adds that young people are better of living with the uncertainty of not knowing what's next than living with the false certainty given by taking pre-defined steps.

In my view, if we are each the sum of our life experiences, why take the well-trodden path and be the same as everyone else?

Taking effective breaks

The second topic was on the power of taking intra-day breaks like a power nap or walk. Pink argues this should not be seen as a sign of weakness or laziness, which is contrary to the stereotypical view.

My experiences over the years align with Pink's assertion. I realised I am much more alert and raring to go after taking a short, 20-minute power nap, usually after lunch. However, anything longer and I feel groggy, which Pink says is because of something called sleep inertia.

Initially skeptical of naps, Pink says he now tries to do this once a day, and finishes a cup of coffee before starting his nap. This may sound counter-intuitive, but supposedly works because caffeine takes about 20 minutes to enter your bloodstream. So theoretically, after a 20-minute nap you feel fresh from the nap and caffeine. I have yet to try this.

Whenever I am thinking about solutions to a complex problem or assessing the pros and cons before making a decision, I find it very beneficial to take a walk in a park or somewhere calming.

I can't explain why, but it just works. And when something works, you keep doing it until it doesn't work or you discover something that works better.

I think this interview is worth consuming and reflecting on. And if possible, we should experiment with some of the suggestions floated. Whether or not they help us progress or result in us regressing, we at least onboard a new experience.

--Ends