Episode 35 – Long Term Thinking with Roman Krznaric

On today’s show, Sean talks with Roman Krznaric, the author of The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long-term Thinking. We explore the idea of thinking long-term, and we learn about some very long-term projects. Along the way, Roman takes us on a journey. He talks about a Cathedral in Germany that took over 500 years to build, a clock being built in Texas designed to last 10,000 years, a seed vault in the arctic circle designed to preserve seeds for 1,000 years, and others. We learn about the importance of long-term thinking, as well as the battle in our heads between our “marshmallow” and our “acorn” brain. He also talks about how important it is to have a transcendent goal in our lives, how to move beyond the ego-boundary, and why we should all ask, “How will I be remembered when I die?”

What You’ll Learn:

  • The importance of long-term thinking
  • The tug of war inside our heads between short-term and long-term thinking
  • How to manage between our “marshmallow brain” versus our “acorn brain”
  • Jeff Bezos, The Long Now Foundation and the 10,000-Year Clock
  • Why we should take into the account the welfare of future generations
  • The importance of asking the question: “How will I be remembered when I die?”
  • The Grandmother Effect and how it weaves generations together
  • Why it’s important to have a transcendent goal in life
  • What is Cathedral Thinking and why it’s important

Books & Resources

Connect with Roman Krznaric

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