People Energy Principle #2 – First and Always, Stay in the Game.
It’s tempting to swing for the fences in business—bet it all on that one deal, that one investor, that one moonshot idea. But here’s the truth: you can’t win if you’re knocked out of the game.
Lindy Lessons for Leaders
Nassim Taleb’s Lindy concept teaches us something powerful: systems that survive longest are the most trustworthy. They’ve endured shocks, adapted, and still stand. The same applies to your business and leadership decisions.
Want to build something lasting? Don’t risk it all on one roll of the dice. Instead, structure your risk so that even when you lose, you’re still playing tomorrow. That means avoiding decisions that could wipe you out while taking calculated risks with big upside and minimal downside.
The Rollercoaster Perspective
Leadership is already a rollercoaster. You can’t control every dip and turn, but you can design your moves to keep your seatbelt buckled. When you’re still in the game tomorrow, you gain optionality, learning, and compounding advantage.
The Provocation
What would change if your primary metric wasn’t quarterly profit, but staying power?
- Would you hire differently?
- Would you pivot faster?
- Would you take bolder—but survivable—bets?
Your Move
Audit your current big risks. If one failure could take you out, rethink it. The most trustworthy businesses are the ones that endure. And endurance only comes to those who stay in the game.