What separates the world’s most successful founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders from the rest? It’s not visionary ideas or superhuman intelligence. It’s something more fundamental: their relationship with uncertainty. Most people are blown off course by unexpected events. Top performers, by contrast, know how to navigate our unpredictable world. Not just that: they know how to thrive in it. You can acquire this essential skill, too. In Mastering Uncertainty, investor and serial entrepreneur Csaba Konkoly and award-winning business author Matt Watkinson reveal the shortcomings of conventional business thinking and the advantages of developing a “probabilistic” mindset that turns uncertainty from a source of fear into an incredible and exciting advantage. They offer superbly practical advice on everything from how to handle setbacks and expand your network, to how to spot business opportunities and shape them into successful, growing businesses. Above all, they show how to think and operate like a great entrepreneur.
This open access book reports on innovative methods, technologies and strategies for mastering uncertainty in technical systems. Despite the fact that current research on uncertainty is mainly focusing on uncertainty quantification and analysis, this book gives emphasis to innovative ways to master uncertainty in engineering design, production and product usage alike. It gathers authoritative contributions by more than 30 scientists reporting on years of research in the areas of engineering, applied mathematics and law, thus offering a timely, comprehensive and multidisciplinary account of theories and methods for quantifying data, model and structural uncertainty, and of fundamental strategies for mastering uncertainty. It covers key concepts such as robustness, flexibility and resilience in detail. All the described methods, technologies and strategies have been validated with the help of three technical systems, i.e. the Modular Active Spring-Damper System, the Active Air Spring and the 3D Servo Press, which have been in turn developed and tested during more than ten years of cooperative research. Overall, this book offers a timely, practice-oriented reference guide to graduate students, researchers and professionals dealing with uncertainty in the broad field of mechanical engineering.
This book condenses the author's two decades of broad research into the key aspects of speculation in financial and commodity futures markets. It investigates questions such as: - What are the risks and opportunities in trading futures? - Can we learn enough about market fundamentals to have an edge? - Why do most market professionals by far underperform market benchmarks? - Why do so many speculators ultimately lose? - Can economics help us overcome uncertainty? Can quantitative analysis? - Do markets move in trends? - Can trends be exploited to consistently outperform market benchmarks? - Can trend following generate value for hedgers? - What can nature teach us about mastering uncertainty and risk? This book, woven together with the author's personal story of discovery from a humble assistant at an oil trading company to a hedge fund manager, delves deep into these and many more questions. More importantly, it provides concrete and definitive solutions as well as the results of putting those solutions to the test against the global commodity and financial markets. A promise: the material is concise, non-technical and fluff-free.
Uncertainty permeates every thinkable aspect of project work and mastering information awareness and availability is the key to controlling benefits, budgets, and timelines. This book offers a theoretical framework and practical guidelines to systematically minimize uncertainty, thereby increasing the chances of project success. To paraphrase Henry Ford, transitioning from traditional risk management to mastering project uncertainty implies abandoning the quest for faster horses in favor of driving cars toward your project’s destination. This book presents the road map to this transition, with Part I providing a theoretical foundation for uncertainty management using systems thinking. Part II introduces strategies supported by practical techniques to master uncertainty through: 1. Raising information awareness 2. Increasing information availability 3. Improving the effective use of information 4. Maximizing information efficiency. This book’s combined theoretical and highly practical approach, is essential reading for scholars, academics, business leaders, project managers, strategists, and policymakers to bring the organization’s vision for a sustainable future to life.
Discover smart and entertaining strategies for dealing with difficult emotions like anxiety, sadness, anger, and uncertainty. More than just “adulting”—this book will give you the real emotional skills you need to thrive! Whether you’re graduating from college, starting a career, trying to gain financial independence, or creating meaningful relationships—entering into the world of grownups can be more than a little overwhelming. And while there are plenty of fun books out there for young adults offering advice on how to fix a leaky faucet or find the right apartment, none really delve into the deeply emotional aspects of growing up. In Mastering Adulthood, psychologist Lara Fielding offers evidence-based skills to help you cope with the feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, and stress that may be getting in the way of living an independent, fulfilling adult life. Drawing on case examples from young adults she’s worked with in her private practice, Fielding provides empowering strategies and skills for managing difficult emotions using mindfulness, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). When you experience big life changes that cause you stress, you need emotional flexibility to reach your goals and be your best self. Using the skills in this book, you’ll learn to take charge of your emotional habits, stop feeling stuck, and discover what really matters to you.
Risk modeling is now a core skill for successful managers inside and outside finance. Alastair Day's "Mastering Risk Modelling" shows managers exactly how to build Excel-based models for identifying, quantifying and managing risk--models that provide clear, accurate decision-making guidance that can be used with confidence throughout the enterprise. An ideal follow-up to Day's bestselling "Mastering Financial Modelling," the book brings together risk modeling theory and practice more effectively than ever before. Day presents extensive tips and methods for developing Excel-based risk applications--including practical guidance on designing models and layering complexity on top of basic models. His series of Excel templates will jumpstart your own modeling, eliminate the need to start from scratch, and provide powerful insights for improving any model. All models are provided on an accompanying CD-ROM.
Thrive is the roadmap of how to grow your business and drive sales in highly shifting, constantly changing economic times. It is the story of those leaders and organizations that have seen consistent growth through several economic crises-companies that were founded in the late 1700’s to early 1900’s and they are still in business thriving today. In this book we share their stories, their struggles, and tell you exactly how they have not only overcome adversity, but thrived through it. Praise for the Book: “We live in a time when uncertainty is the order of the day. THRIVE is a must-read for all who strive to grow intellectually and to succeed through the opportunities an uncertain world offers.” —Ken Langone, Founder, Home Depot, American Billionaire and Philanthropist “Talk about the right book for the right time! What I liked most about THRIVE are the case studies of real companies and real people who weathered the storms and emerged more successful than before. THRIVE is both practical and inspirational. I’ve ordered copies for my entire team.” —Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE, Founder, The Cates Academy for Relationship Marketing, Author of Radical Relevance “In THRIVE, Meridith weaves in 250 years of business history to show how resilient businesses and people find opportunities in every situation. This is a must-read to gain ideas and perspective in a sea of change.” —Mary C. Kelly, PhD, CEO, Productive Leaders, Author of The Five Minute Leadership Guide “You do not merely read this book; you read, you think, you develop next steps. Meridith does a masterful job of detailing companies doing it right and then goes further by adding her insights to create a playbook of what you need to do. Perfect book for the time we’re in right now!” —Mark Hunter, CSP, “The Sales Hunter”, Author of A Mind For Sales “The only certainty in business is there will be times of great uncertainty. It’s how you react when your world—or the world—doesn’t go as planned that determines your future. Meridith studies how companies have thrived in their uncertain times to become global market leaders and shares the proven success strategies that you can implement in your business to do the same. If there was ever a time where our world needed this book, it’s now. Read it. Study it. And thrive!” —Sam Richter, CSP, CPAE, Hall of Fame Speaker, Bestselling Author, and Technology Entrepreneur
From the writers of acclaimed blog Pen & Palate, a humorous coming-of-age (and mastering-the-art-of-home-cooking) memoir of friendship, told through stories, recipes, and beautiful illustrations. Getting through life in your twenties isn't easy--especially if you're broke, awkward, and prone to starting small grease fires in your studio apartment. For best friends Lucy Madison and Tram Nguyen, cooking was an escape from the daily humiliation that is being a twenty-something woman in a big city. Pen & Palate traces the course of Lucy and Tram's devoted friendship through miserable jobs and tiny apartments, first loves and ill-advised flings, successes and setbacks--always with a shared love of food at the center of the narrative. A modern take on Laurie Colwin's classic Home Cooking, this coming-of-age memoir for the Girls set weaves together comical (mis)adventures and recipes meant to be shared with a best friend and a bottle of wine.
A timeless classic of economic theory that remains fascinating and pertinent today, this is Frank Knight's famous explanation of why perfect competition cannot eliminate profits, the important differences between "risk" and "uncertainty," and the vital role of the entrepreneur in profitmaking. Based on Knight's PhD dissertation, this 1921 work, balancing theory with fact to come to stunning insights, is a distinct pleasure to read. FRANK H. KNIGHT (1885-1972) is considered by some the greatest American scholar of economics of the 20th century. An economics professor at the University of Chicago from 1927 until 1955, he was one of the founders of the Chicago school of economics, which influenced Milton Friedman and George Stigler.
Even the best trading system can prove disastrous if the trader doesn't have the ability to stick to their strategy. Featuring real-life case studies, The Psychology of Trading presents a step-by-step, goal-oriented approach to trading that emphasizes ways to keep emotions in check, overcome self-doubt, and focus clearly on a winning strategy.
