i am elemer, a junior at hkust.

belief system

• portfolio theory: unrecorded is as bad as undisciplined
• if you want to have a battle-tested idea, the first thing to do is let your idea be battle-tested
• eliminating stupidity is a moral duty
• structure generates behavior
• no causation without manipulation
• remember, the difference between screwing around and science is writing it down
• good judgment comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgment
• not being stupid > being smart
• just don’t > just do it: the things you decide not to do are equally important as the things you decide to do
• pre-mortem is for the wise; post-mortem is for the most
• the magic is a bit of overcommitment: work. your. butt. off. you can do it
• seek asymmetric risk&return in everything
• revealed preference is one of the few unbiased theories that can help you obtain some insights
• your word made your world. so the benchmark for evaluating one’s intelligence is the presence of clear, precise, and unambiguous concepts in one's mind and the relationships that exist among these concepts. the limits of your words are the limits of your world
• thinking like a screenwriter is a strong analogy to guide your life
• expression before understanding; feeling of impoerance before expression
• if an investor sticks to a buy-and-hold approach, putting $1 into the djia in 1900, that dollar would grow to $290 by early 2013. yet, missing the top 5 trading days annually would shrink the investment's value to under a cent by 2013.
• most issues labeled as mood, mental state, or creativity challenges are often rooted in physical health. adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep can substantially alleviate nearly any difficulties.