Hello and welcome. I'm Shane Parrish and you're listening to a special episode of the Knowledge

Project. This episode is special because it's about my new book that came out today called

Clear Thinking, Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Outcomes. As you know, this podcast

is all about mastering the best of what other people have already figured out. And true to form,

the book is a compendium of practical lessons and insights that I've learned over the years from

others and put into practice. The idea for clear thinking started with a simple question.

Why do the world's most successful individuals have an uncanny ability to be in the right place

at the right time. It turns out that it's not luck, it's positioning. They are rarely backed

into a corner by circumstances, and you don't have to be either. One of the key insights

is that you don't need to be smarter than others to outperform them if you can out position

them. Anyone

looks like a genius when they're in a good position and even the smartest person looks

like an idiot when they're in a bad one. The most effective way to enhance your

decision-making is by starting from a position of strength. With a proven

framework and practical strategies, clear thinking is your roadmap to navigating any

situation with poise and intelligence.

Today, I'm going to share five insights from the book that I think you'll enjoy.

It's time to listen and learn.

The first insight is that your position determines your future. The greatest aid to judgment

is starting from a good position. This is such a key insight. We often think about making the best

decision possible in the moment and forget about whether we're operating from a position of strength or

weakness when the moment arises. Let me give you a practical example so you can see what I mean.

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