What's the Point of a Drink?

Working in a bar taught me many things about hard work, thinking for yourself and most importantly about how to make lemonade after life serves you lemons. Interestingly though, it is the two and a half years since I left the industry that has taught me more about bar culture than I ever learnt in the four years I spent in it.

Who knows what I'm talking about?

Like every past, current and future hospitality worker, I love a good drink. Coupled with my past, I therefore like to think I have a half decent knowledge about products, brands and their history. Interestingly for me, is the fact that discussing this knowledge and opinions in different environments, has given me a lot more insight into a 'drink' than I ever got being on the other side of the bar.

To explain what I'm trying to get at I'm of course going to talk about alcohol. People can generally distinguish a good alcohol from a bad one by using price as the defining factor. However, this logic will always open you up to over paying for something which essentially means you are just chasing a fad (see my rant on Moët & Chandon NV Champagne - link here). What this means then is that a lot of people lack the ability or the knowledge to be able to distinguish and separate the alcohols that lie somewhere in the middle.

Most of my chosen drinking spirits were selected whilst I was behind the bar and I haven't really differed since then. What has changed though is my thoughts and opinions towards said spirits. Maybe its maturity, maybe its not. Whatever the reason, lets explore a few 'mid range' spirits.

Vodka

I thought I'd get this one out of the way quickly and with minimal fuss. Since I've tried to 'enjoy my drink' (i.e. I gave up trying to get shit faced off double black cruisers), I just can't find any reason why you would want to drink Vodka. To quote a guy who  I wish was my mate - author of the amazing blog, The Hate Locker (RIP - why did it have to end?) - 'what is the point of paying to drink something, whose premium product is advertised as clean, pure and so on, such that it's main selling point is that it doesn't taste like 'vodka?' I really wish that post still existed to do my point justice. Anyway, what I'm essentially saying is that unless you're Russian or Polish and are drinking in honour of your ancestors, maybe give the vodka a miss. Extra douche points if you have ever paid for the Crystal Head Vodka and dishonourable mentions to Belvedere and Grey Goose unless you are drinking them as a Martini because you actually like them.

Gin

Seeing as I've started with white spirits, I might as well continue with Gin. What can I say about gin other than what an amazing gin Beefeater is. As far as mid level london dry's go, Tanqueray is a suitable alternative but if you want good ol' fashioned bees knees gin, you want Beefeater.

Now before anyone gets their knickers in a knot and says but what about the botanical infused gins such as Bombay Sapphire and Hendricks, I say that these are great introductory gins for those that are new to the spirit game (we all have to start somewhere). However, I implore you to ask any true lover of gin and I am willing to bet that these two will not be top of their list. As such to conclude, honourable mentions  must go to Hayman's and the guys producing the wonderful West Winds out of Perth. Gin Martini with a lemon twist - yes please.

Rum

For every person that drinks Gosling's Red Seal Black Rum, there's probably twice as many that swear by Barcardi white rum. Obviously, I would always prefer a red seal over a white rum but I'm actually not fussed by someone who wants a Bacardi if the objective is to get white girl drunk. However, what I can't understand is if you are drinking something to enjoy the alcohol's flavours, then Bacardi is not the answer. The problem is too many people essentially have their heads stuck up their arses and don't even bother to let the bartender 'educate' them on why they should be drinking something else, let alone listening to a friend than might possibly know a little more than them.  I love rum so honourable mentions go to Appleton Estate, Havana Reserva, Matusalem, and Sailor Jerry (cos hey who doesn't like feeling like a pirate at 9 am).

Scotch

To get the ball rolling on dark spirits, I thought I'd start with scotch whisky. Scotch whisky as the name suggests is from Scotland and its surrounding areas and is usually barrel for a minimum of 12 years. If you must drink Johnnie Walker, then stick to black label and don't succumb to the gimmick that is Gold and Blue label (you can find my rant by clicking here - link here). Chivas 12 is a great starting point, but if you want to go the road less travelled, might I suggest Monkey Shoulder blended whisky to begin your scotch journey. Once you've developed a taste for what you like, might I suggest you explore a reasonably priced single malt such as Talisker.

Bourbon

Like all Bourbon's, Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon is made in Kentucky and is an all round find bourbon. I actually enjoy a good quality bourbon more than a whisky. Maybe its because of the relative young age of the spirit or maybe its the general richer caramel flavoured notes that I am able to taste. In any light, I find Blanton's delightfully balanced and think it's miles ahead of heavily advertised brands such as Wild Turkey and that Tennesse Whisky which I won't name. Once again I can understand getting toothless clipsal fan drunk off Jim Beam, but I can't understand why anyone would drink any of Beams by choice. Honourable mentions go to Blanton's parent company, Buffalo Trace, another king at the table - Maker's Mark, and another small batch product - Basil Hayden's (probably the only Jim Beam owned product I approve of). These are perfect for an Old fashioned or a ba-dass (badass) Manhattan.

Tequila

Contrary to popular belief, Tequila isn't the drink that is rough as guts and isn't the cause of your hangover. In actual fact, a good quality 100% agave tequila, will go down incredibly smoothly and it's well balanced such that your bio levels aren't thrown out of whack (See point 3 or any other tequila health related post - link here). Unfortunately, in Australia (it may just be Adelaide), we don't get exposed to much choice when it comes to mid range boutique tequilas so my taste buds are most comfortable when draining a good quality reposado. As a starting point, I would choose El Jimador as my poison and if you want to pay a bit more maybe chose Patron over it's mates Don Julio and Herradura.

I think this would be a good place to end any discussion about spirits (seeing as tequila is invariably the drink you have to end the night). As always, today's post was not to say which spirit was the best but to explore your options and hopefully allow you to make your own decision next time you order a drink. Until next time.

#Hanbaobao

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Privilege is a Dirty Word

There's a 'life lesson' that was trending a while ago about privilege. In the analogy, a teacher led a simple example about privilege and social mobility. The example involved asking all the students in the class to try and throw a piece of paper into the recycling bin which was placed at the front of the class. As expected, the percentage of people at the front of the class who made the shot, was higher than those at the back. The teacher then concluded that 'your job - as students who are receiving an education - is to be aware of your privileges. And use this particular privilege called 'education' to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in rows behind you.' If you're interested, you can watch the full explanation here (Students Learn A Powerful Lesson About Privilege).

I thought this was a great way of explaining how even menial things in life are connected to privilege. However, the analogy of the lesson is not what interests me. More so it's what happens next is the interesting part. Consider these two subsequent events:

Those that now find themselves with privilege (who previously didn't)

Through a combination of will, determination and some natural ability, someone from less privilege can find themselves in a position of privilege. However, because of the way they were forced to overcome an obstacle, there is often nothing graceful about it. As such, given that we are generally a superficial society, those with privilege can be very quick to judge those that they perceive to behave strangely when they come into a little bit of privilege. Even more interesting is that when given the opportunity to learn how to do something a simpler way, the person with new found privilege can be resistant. 

To continue the teacher's analogy, this would consist of someone at the back making 'the shot' and therefore being allowed to sit at the front of the class. For the purpose of this discussion, let's call the person Steve. Let's also assume that to make the shot, Steve had to count how many people were in front of him, determine the periodic timing of the fans as they sway back and forth; let alone estimate the density of the paper ball to determine which person's head the ball would need to bounce off for it to land in the waste basket. Now when Steve is at the front of the class, he no longer has to worry about people being in front of them, nor does he need to worry about the fans. Yet when Steve checks the fans locations, the others at the front will probably laugh at him. Furthermore, when shown that the shot can be made by simply tossing it into the basket, Steve will probably still want to check the density of the ball.

This is an interesting phenomenon, of which no one is exempt. After all, we always treasure an accomplishment more when we figure something out for ourselves - even if it seems retarded to someone else. The most important thing though is to remember that we aren't all created equal and that there has to be a reason, motivation and/or general back story as to why a person behaves in such a way. 

Let's now consider the flip side of the coin.

Those that now find themselves without privilege (who previously had it) 

No matter what level of privilege we are fortunate to have access to, there is always someone with a similar set of attributes that does not receive the same level of privilege. In many cases, the privilege is a financial advantage (i.e. you are able to pay to be closer to the basket). However, all this does is masks a person's deficiencies. As such, whilst a less privileged person will get found out quite quickly, the privileged person will be able to ghost along pretending everything is happiness and rainbows and may never be found out - which is why it makes it all so interesting when they do get found out.

I don't think he's ever going to understand privilege

Once again, let's continue the analogy set out by the teacher. This time our subject is a person of average ability but has the fortunate privilege to sit up the front. We shall call him Tony. Now given the close proximity to the basket, Tony simply scrunched up the piece of paper and basically placed it into the waste basket. As such, Tony feels quite good about himself and probably doesn't consider why the shot was so easy. Hence, if Tony was asked to make the shot again but instead this time he is blindfolded, it may suddenly be extremely difficult for him to make the shot. It is therefore not surprising when Tony completely misses the shot and suddenly finds himself behind the other people at the front.

The key difference between Tony and Steve is that Steve, had to be adaptable to overcome many obstacles; something Tony has never had to consider. I'm not saying that Steve would make the shot. He would however, be more prepared than Tony to make or fail at the shot. Fortunately, for Tony given his position of privilege, it is more than likely that he will have access to resources such that he may be able to make the shot.

As cruel as it is, no matter how much privilege we have, we will all eventually get found out. It's not the end of the world, but it does mean accepting some hard truths about yourself. We must also be understanding of others and their actions so that privilege doesn't become a dirty word. As summarised by the teacher, privilege is something that you should be aware of and ideally you should be doing everything in your power to make the best use of said privilege. Sadly, this often doesn't hold true for many people. However, if we can all be more aware and never forget the privileges we are given, we may just find that that strange person is not that strange.

#Hanbaobao

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How to Prepare for 10 Common Interview Questions - General

This post is a rehash of one of my first posts. Over the last few months, I think I have become more aware about what I think works and doesn't work in the interview stratosphere. This is why I thought it was worth updating this post. I guess the key difference here is that the original post was targeted towards graduate and entry level positions and wasn't necessarily as applicable to general positions. So for now, let's get into the meat of this post and start exploring what skills or thoughts will make you battle hardened for that upcoming interview.

Watch the scene by clicking here

I thought I'd also add that this post is for your standard jobs and may not cater to those very niche jobs where the employer is looking for very specific attributes. As such, contrary to how Mike Ross got his start in the first season of Suits, these one in a million shots are probably not your best bet. However, one thing you should take away from the scene is confidence. Confidence is the most important thing you will need. If you're confident, anything is possible.

So assuming we aren't all Mike Ross (or Harvey Spector for that matter), for this post I will discuss how the interview will generally unfold and how you can prepare for it. Just keep in mind that the questions will most probably not be worded as simply as those discussed herein. However, if you can understand why these questions are in the interview, you should be able to apply these answers to any question that is thrown at you.  Now, assuming it's a formal interview, the questions in their simplest form will be as follows:

1. Tell me a bit about yourself

2. What are your career goals?

3. Why do you want to work at (*insert company name*)?

4. Why do you want to be a (*insert job title*)?

5. Why should we hire you?

6. Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure

7. Tell me about a time you had to work in a team

8. Tell me about a time you had to show initiative

9. Hypothetical scenario question (not all interviews have this question and sometimes it can replace any of Questions 6 to 8)

10. Do you have any questions for us?

Before I begin, i'd like to point out that each interview question seeks to explore one of two things - 'Whether the interviewer thinks you will fit in at the company' and 'your ability to deliver results in the role.' As such, when you answer 'fitting in at the company' questions, you want to be talking about yourself as a person and not about your accomplishments. The same goes with 'your ability to deliver results in the role.' You want to be thinking about how your actions add value to the cause and not resting on your achievements.

Question 1 - Tell me a bit about yourself

Maybe just don't be as truthful as Frank Reynolds

Question 1 - 'Tell me about yourself,' is the first question tasked with finding out whether the interviewer thinks you will fit in at the company. Surprisingly this is often a difficult question for people to answer. Many people fall into the trap and talk about their accomplishments (i.e. I studied accounting or engineering; I work part time in a bar). Talking about your accomplishments doesn't actually answer the question as it often difficult to learn much about your personality. What I suggest you talk about are things that allow the interviewer to gain an understanding of what you are like as a person. So instead of being the best bartender, talk about your good personality traits, hobbies, favourite sports team etc. You can still be the world best bartender but you must elaborate. Talk about things such as why you like(d) being a bartender (was it inventing new drinks, the customer interactions or the enjoyment you ascertained from hanging out with your co-workers?). What you say will generally have no bearing on the outcome of the interview as long as you say something positive about yourself.

#TIP 1: My tip here is to keep all answers short (around 5 to 8 sentences). The interviewer will miss probably 70% of what you are saying so if it’s not short and sharp, the words will be wasted. Also make sure you conclude your answer by restating the question - In this case you could conclude by saying and 'that’s a little bit about me'. If your concluding sentence fits what you have just said, chances are you haven't spoken 'hard to follow' garbage and congratulations on surviving Question 1.

Questions 2 & 3 - What are your career goals? Why do you want to work at (*insert company name*)?

I've lumped questions 2 and 3 together as I think you should answer both of these questions the same way. Again this question is a 'will you fit in at the company' more than 'chance to shine' so keep your answers simple and save your 'ability to deliver results,' discussions for the next set of questions.

So to answer these two questions, I have found that the most effective process is to separate this answer into the short term and the long term. Start by thinking about your short term career goals (say within 12 months from now) and some longer term goals (say 3-5 years from now). Now the trick here is to ensure that the position/company that you are interviewing for/with can provide or facilitate an environment for you to achieve these goals. This is why it is important to research the company beforehand. If you can speak to someone that works in the company or industry beforehand, that would be even better. A good starting place is to understand the positions possible career paths and tailor your answers around that. Don't be scared to chase big dreams in this part of the interview. Companies love ambition. The same goes for saying things you may be slightly unsure about. What you say in this interview is not bound by law and companies know that interests and ambitions change everyday. What they appreciate though, is that you've taken the time to think about your career and where it could take you.

#TIP 2: It often is looked on favourably if you state you want to become chartered (e.g. engineer, accountant) or the equivalent in other professions. However, before you start talking about MBA's and PHD's, consider if they are actually applicable to the job and career path. My experiences tell me that they carry less importance these days in the majority of professions.

Conversely, you could also answer these two questions as follows:

Tailor your answer around where the company sits in the industry's pecking order (i.e. if it’s near the top, say it’s one of the biggest companies; if it's new, say it’s an up and comer; if it's small, say it’s a niche company and so on). The second part is to then talk about how the company is different from its competitors - companies are just like people; they like to be seen as unique. The difference doesn't have to be ground breaking, just something you like about them that a competitor hasn't done (even if it’s helping a local community that you identify with, or personal phone calls when a natural disaster occurs). By stating the company's position in the market, appeals to your career path you've done yourself a great service in appearing like a good fit.

NOTE: This is the weaker answer of the two answers. However, it is good to have a backup answer on the off chance the interviewer asks both questions 2 and 3.

Questions 4 & 5 - Why do you want to be a (*insert job title*)? Why should we hire you?

Questions 4 and 5 may initially seem similar to questions 2 and 3. This is because they are still mainly focused on your personality and 'your ability to fit in.' Now before you get too confused, many of the interview questions will overlap so depending on how you answer each question, the interviewer may skip any number of questions.

So going back to what you could say, you need to think about your personality and how it positively applies to your skill set. If the job is a sales position and you like to talk to people then you should link the two. Diversity is currently a big thing in the work force at the moment so if its applicable, things like being 'well travelled' or 'enjoying the experience of other cultures' will be looked on favourably. Flexibility is another big thing as well. Wanting to travel or at the very least being open to travel will be another positive tick in your column.

Depending on how you've answered the previous questions, you could being to discuss what you will 'bring to the job.' A good starting point is to talk about something that will separate you from other people competing for the same job. Things like being multi-lingual, diversified skill set (as long as it's useful to the company) and strong personal networks should be mentioned. You could also introduce some of the ideas which will be discussed in Questions 6 to 9. Just remember, to question yourself why you are telling the interviewer these facts about you.

#TIP 3: I suggest only saying things that you feel you can say naturally. Kudos to you if you're comfortable at the art of bullshit but for the majority of us, overselling yourself without conviction is a disaster waiting to happen.

Questions 6 to 9 - Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure, Tell me about a time you had to work in a team, Tell me about a time you had to show initiative, Hypothetical scenario question.

We are now into the business end of the interview where you get your chance to shine and discuss your ability to 'bring value to the role.' Questions 6 to 9 can come in any order or number (i.e. they might ask the same question in 2 different way), so I suggest you have two examples for each question (especially questions 6 to 8).

I'd like to point out here that the interviewer will be looking for at least 1 of the following 3 things when they assess your abilities to 'bring value to the role.' These are:

A) How you react under pressure
B) Can you work productively in a team environment?
C) Can you show initiative if required to do so?

Often any example you think of for each of these 3 criteria, will invariably incorporate 2 of them to some degree. Hence, it is important to have 2 examples prepared for each aspect. Nothing is worse than for everything to be going well and then for you to completely stuff up one question because you didn't have a well prepared answer. This will be remembered by the interviewers and many of your good answers will count for a lot less.

Hence, when preparing answers for these questions, I suggest you set them up as follows:

A) Set the scene - (don't say any more than you have to as you are just wasting words)

B) Present the problem - (sometimes this is already done in point A)

C) Discuss how you SPECIFICALLY influenced the situation

D) What was the outcome

#TIP 4: I suggest you choose examples where there was a positive outcome (everyone loves a happy ending) or if you can only think of examples with have negative outcomes, choose an example where you learnt a life lesson (i.e. you learnt you needed to take more ownership or you learnt there's no point arguing when things go wrong and so on). Keep these episodes simple and relatable. The interviewer must be able to understand the point you are trying to make.

Question 9 tackles the same themes that questions 6 to 8 address, except they analyse your 'on the spot' thinking. Just make sure you talk your way through the scenario and don't be scared to ask for clarification from the person who asked the question.

#TIP 5: Good things to say are what options you are considering. Discuss why you are considering them and whether you think they will or won’t work.

Question 10 - Do you have any questions for us?

This question is the enigma of the interview. This is because it often seems entirely useless but could quite possibly be the most useful one of the entire interview. The reason I say this is because it's the one opportunity for you to ensure that the interviewers actually read your resume. In many cases, the interviewers will consist of a HR person and a technical manager. You can be quite sure that the technical manager (who probably has final say over whether you get hired), will have only read your resume 30 seconds before the interview (note: they may not have even looked at it). To give yourself the best possible chance of success, ask if there is anything on your resume that you could elaborate on further. Assuming the things you have talked about are consistent with your resume, this question reinforces the ideas that you have discussed and will make you more memorable to the interviewers.

Additionally, if there is anything you think the interviewer should know which you haven’t been able to talk about until now, this is your chance.

#TIP 6: Finishing by saying you are really thankful for this opportunity, is a nice way to conclude the interview. 

So there you have it. Rehashed and updated. I hope this helps. Comments and sharing of ideas that you may have, are always appreciated. Also if anyone's interested, I'd be happy to share my thoughts on things such as 'what to wear to an interview' and 'how to make your resume standout,' if anyone is interested.

#Hanbaobao

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It Is Never Enough

I used to think that if I achieved certain things, I'd eventually be satisfied and content. This is was what enabled me to justify every compromise I had to make as I followed the natural progression that life set out for me. More specifically, it was the belief that the future gain would satisfy the reduction in real time happiness. I don't want to dwell too long on the progression, but basically I'm referring to the fact that high school and university were completed with minimal fuss and high returns.

This now brings us to working life and the routine it brings. Sure there was a need for rapid growth and room for development initially,  but even that was passed eventually. I would have thought that I'd eventually feel a sense of satisfaction but all that comes is an empty sense of accomplishment as it if was never in doubt. Even rises in salary seem to have a diminishing rate of satisfaction.

I recently read an article that happiness as a function of salary, caps at about $75,000 p.a. I realise how this post must make me sound; it is is very much a first world problems post.

Yet whilst this might be my set of circumstances, I'm sure there are plenty of people feeling the same way through their own experiences. Could the reason for this lack of fulfilled satisfaction be brought on by an artificial perception of what is happiness? Or is it because a big enough risk was not taken? 

There's probably some truth in both. So what can we do? 

Throughout all my posts, the key themes I keep coming back to are passion and communication. Without these two things, you really will feel a sense of emptiness. We often mistake comfort as a substitute for satisfaction. This is because comfort is easy to find. But even comfort can only sustain you for so long before you becoming longing for satisfaction or descend on a dark spiral of bitterness. Without trying to sound all philosophical and shit, I've realised that possibly the hardest thing in life is to find the right combination of passion, satisfaction and remuneration.

I know that this period of discovery may take some time before I even work it out (is there a possibility that it could be in doubt?). In the mean time what is important is that you enjoy the journey. Find that thing which makes the next day worth it. For me it's the extra shot of rum which I take every time I shut my cupboard. I encourage you to find and share yours.

#Hanbaobao

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The Next Phase

A funny thing happened to me the other day. I say funny because I never thought it would happen. This feeling was the acceptance that another chapter in my life had completely closed for good.

Stuck in a remote location with limited things to do to occupy my time, I found myself watching part of the movie Mean Girls. As far as chick flicks go, mean girls is probably one of the better ones and I would even go so far as to say it's quite enjoyable.

This movie came out in about 2003 or 2004 and I definitely would say the teenage hormones were more than alive back then such that Rachel McAdams and Lindsay Lohan were the highlight of the show.

Fast forward to 2015 and I had a completely different experience, one that I never thought would have happened. I actually found myself sarcastically making fun on the school kids with their petty problems and was feeling the pain felt by Tina Fey as she tried to relate to the self absorbed teenagers that populate the school.

Sure the jokes were still amusing but they were for different reasons. I also understood jokes that went straight over my head in a yesteryear.

I got over this shock reasonably quickly but it really just hit home that I'd left that side of me behind. 

There's no real point to this post other than I ask you to ask yourself what point you're at. If you're still in the 'immature' phase, cherish it because your 'moment' might not be too far away. If you're well past the moment, I'm now forced to accept that I'm one of you. Here's to the next time period as we await the passing of the 'next moment.'

#Hanbaobao

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The Wishlist Part 2

With summer now behind us, and the cold days approaching, my thoughts turn to what items I would like to help keep me warm this winter. As such I think it's perfectly apt that this post mainly revolves around jackets and coats. I'm still unsure about some of these items but nevertheless let's discuss them.

6. Coach Leather Jacket

I've wanted to get a leather jacket for awhile. However, every time I consider it, I find reasons why I shouldn't get one. Finding this one from Coach, is interesting for me as I am not the biggest fan of this brand. It's not because their products are bad quality but more so to do how I perceive the brand. If you don't know, Coach would sit in the tier just below the established luxury designers. As such, due to the psychological pricing techniques that are used by luxury brands, I feel that coach's pricing model seems to devalue the brand. Given that the point of 'value add' psychological pricing is to make you want an item because it is more expensive, maybe in this case I am better off waiting out for a 'better' alternative?

7. Burberry Pea Coat Jacket

This item of clothing is a must have for me. There are a few pieces which I consider 'investment' pieces and this is one of them. What separates this Pea Coat from the others is the styling and the fabric. I like to say, that you should get items from brands that are known for that item. Burberry's most iconic item is of course the trench coat, so I think you can be quite sure they know their way around a Jacket. That and i'm feeling quite cold as I write this post.

8. Hermes Tie

The ties from Hermes are quite a junior addition to the list. I really like to add items to the wardrobe which I think have timeless potential. As such, I think this tie can provide joy for many years to come. Hermes, might be better known for their formal silk ties but as I'm a bigger fan of dressed down formal attire, my pick is from their woven knit range. You can get their ties in either cashmere or silk. I'm not sure which one I'm a bigger fan of.

9. Officine Creative Lace Up Boots

A great pair of lace up boots have been on my radar for awhile but I haven't been able to find a pair that I identified with. I've considered the established players such as Red Wing and Timbaland but I don't think they suit a slender physique. As such, this waiting game has gone on until I found this pair by Officine Creative (link here). Coupled with great style and hopefully durability, I can see this pair being a staple for years to come. An honourable mention should also go to the Viberg Lace Ups (link here).

10. MJ Bale Franklin Coat

This coat is from a relatively new Australian brand. Started by the founder of Herringbone, MJ Bale provides formal attire on the casual side (think suits for the races or nights where you just want to get messy).  I enjoy having pieces that can switch between the smart casual and formal realms which is why I also really really like the top coat from Burberry (link here). However, sometimes you shouldn't get a coat which costs a ridiculous amounts of money because you will be too scared to wear them out of fear of getting it dirty. As such, the MJ Bale Coat is an ideal choice (link here). The material feels soft yet sturdy and I think it's a coat that you can enjoy for many years to come.

It would be great to hear your thoughts on these items. I'll be back soon with The Wishlist Part 3.

#Hanbaobao

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Large Standard Deviations

We all know a person who has one extremely negative quality about them and yet still seems to get ahead. This can take many forms such as being a complete arsehole to having no people skills whatsoever. For the average person, it can often be disheartening to see these people get further and further ahead of you. Yet, if we delve a little deeper into the make up of this 'underserving' person, we can quickly see that they must have some qualities that separate them from the pack. Interestingly, when you average out their good and bad qualities, you may find that their overall abilities are only mildly above average, albeit with a much larger standard deviation compared to the average person.

If we accept this to be true, then it becomes quite easy to understand why the 'bad person' seems to get ahead so easily. Consider the following simple formula to success.

Success = risk * overall ability 

For now let's assume overall ability is constant. That is, you, the 'fair and reasonable worker' has the same overall ability as the 'asshole' that always seems to be getting ahead of you.

Now consider the economic theory that people must be amply compensatied for the risk they take on (the risk vs reward conundrum). Obviously, if you like to play it safe, you could be considered as risk adverse and conversely, if you like to gamble you could be considered as a risk taker. Essentially your level of risk aversion, will influence your potential for rewards.

This is no different to your working environment. On one hand you have yourself, the self judged, fair, calm, risk adverse, slightly above average person. On the other, you have the risk taking 'asshole' who is loud, obnoxious, inconsiderate, possibly incredibly smart, who overall is still only slightly above average. 

If we now go back to our formula, it's now hard not to see why this person seems to be always getting ahead of you.

However, before you take this post as permission to become an asshole and start taking unnecessary risks you have to remember one key thing - standard deviation.

Standard deviation in this case is the spread of personality traits or abilities you display (all things considered). In your case, the 'quieter' you are, the smaller your standard deviation is. You can therefore be quite safe in the knowledge that you will constantly achieve above average results with limited difficulty. 

Looking to our successful 'friend,' we can see that they have a huge spread which is why it may be quite easy for them to produce something way above average. Yet their biggest strength is also their biggest Achilles heel. If they are able to produce something amazing, they are just as able to produce something that is entirely shit. 

If you consider that, you should realise that their best may be better than yours. However, never forget that their shit is going to be miles worse than your version of crap (a position I would never want to be in).

The point here is to now stop resenting this person and instead start respecting the 'work game.' Every game has a certain set of rules and sometimes to win, you have to take a big risk.

I think if you can understand that, you may find that the 'underserving' person may now be more 'deserving.' You may still envy that person, but you shouldn't resentment them for taking a risk. What you should be asking yourself is the question - am I getting ample reward for the risks I've taken?

#Hanbaobao

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