The explore or exploit dilemma

How to know when to stay or go

January 17, 2022

Hey there —

Every day we’re faced with thousands of choices that ask us a simple question: Should we explore something new or exploit our existing knowledge:

  • Do you stay with your high school sweetheart or make a Bumble profile?

  • Should you rewatch Jumanji for the hundredth time or read that book everyone keeps recommending?

  • Is it time to finally try that Mango-flavored White Claw in your fridge or do you just stick with an IPA?

How we answer these questions determines the direction of our lives (especially that White Claw one).

So how do we know when it’s time to ‘explore’ or time to ‘exploit’?

There’s no blueprint for when you should try something new, but there are three questions you can ask yourself when it’s decision time:

  1. How much time do I have? Exploring is best when you have ample time to enjoy your new pursuit. Maybe don’t try to learn how to rollerblade when you’re running late for work.

  2. Is this the best it gets? Determine if you’re in a local maxima trap. You might think your situation is top tier, but if you were to venture out, new opportunities could exceed your expectations.

  3. Can you ask someone who’s been there, done that? If your pals rave about Squid Game or moving to Mexico City, you can feel more confident about making similar decisions.

Juggling between future gains (exploration) and present enjoyment (exploitation) isn’t easy. But it’s how we craft a life rich with discovery, creation, happiness, and novelty.

Because remember, there are no “wrong decisions” — just different outcomes.

Letter #36: On Friendship

Newsletter | by Ali Montag

Ali Montag wanted to be a digital nomad. But in Bozeman, Montana, she realized there’s a price to pay when you don’t put down roots.

Without commitment, long-term relationships can be difficult to build.

In this article, Ali grapples with the question, “What makes for a true friendship?” It turns out it requires picking a couple folks you jive with and committing to them.

“You don’t need to search the entire country’s bars and restaurants for your perfect pals…commit to them. They might not be NBA players or millionaires. But they’ll be yours. And that will be the best thing of all.”

How to Speak So People Want to Listen

TED Talk | by Julian Treasure

Speaking is innate, and yet, many of us don’t know how to do it right. After all, how often do we feel like we’re talking into the void during happy hour or a Zoom meeting?

But speaking is a skill. And like all skills, it can be learned. That’s where Julian Treasure comes in.

In this TED Talk, Julian teaches us how to use our inherent toolbox – our vocal cords – to command attention. Learn how to speak from the chest, avoid monotonic prosody, and use silence to your advantage.

But the most impressive part? How Julian doesn’t use a single “ah” or “um” during his 10-minute speech. Phew. That alone is worth the watch.

Reddit Reads

Tool | by Andrew Nisbet

Looking to read more books?

Yes? The answer should always be yes. (Kidding. Sorta.)

Data scientist and self-professed book nerd, Andrew Nisbet created this nifty tool which aggregates billions of comments on Reddit to surface the most mentioned reads. The result is a curated list of some top-tier books. You can browse by subreddits (r/foraging, anyone?) or see the top books of each month.

And in case you were curious, the top book of 2021 was The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. 📕

Written by Alice Lemée