A Simple Framework for Being Anti-Fragile

I just thought of a simple framework for becoming anti-fragile in this new world that's forming.

1. Know how the world works
2. Have opinions on how you think it should work differently
3. Have skills that enable you to affect change

Number one is learning the foundations of reality from physics on up through psychology and economics. Lots of science, lots of history, fiction, everything. Read like a crazy person.

• Physics and how energy works
• Evolutionary biology and why humans behave the way they do
• Psychology, cognitive biases, and how people actually make decisions
• Economics, incentives, and how markets function
• History and the patterns that keep repeating
• Geopolitics and how power moves between nations
• How technology spreads and disrupts existing systems
• How narratives shape public perception and behavior

Number two is having enough exposure to the beauty and horror of the world to have your own personal ideas of what you'd like to be different. It's hard to have high-quality intuitions without lots of tangible life experience.

• Traveling to places where real poverty exists
• Working inside broken systems like healthcare or government
• Seeing what war and conflict actually do to people
• Living in different cultures and realizing your defaults aren't universal
• Witnessing both extraordinary human kindness and cruelty
• Building something and watching it fail
• Having your worldview shattered at least once

And number three is actually having the soft and hard skills (especially the expert use of AI) to be able to make things happen.

• Using AI as a daily force multiplier, not a novelty
• Writing clearly and persuasively
• Coding enough to build your own prototypes
• Creating content that reaches and moves people
• Starting and running a business
• Leading teams and getting people aligned
• Shipping things — turning ideas into actual products

There's obviously a lot here, but I feel like the clarity of these three can be a helpful framework.

1. Continuously learn about the world
2. Cultivate your taste, intuition, and opinions
3. Become effective at making change