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What is the best part of the movie Ocean’s Eleven? Not the smoldering good looks of its all-star cast, although I’m not complaining about those. The sheer grandeur of a well-laid plan craves a hurdle, and even when we know to expect it, we’re still shook. And we wait on the edge of our seats, thinking, “Shoot, what are they going to do now?”

So what’s the best part about that movie? When they walk out of the casino with $160 million and smiles on their faces. 

Cool-headed improvisation on the fly comes across as decisive and in control; when well-orchestrated, it is a beauty to watch in action. Adapting intelligently in a high-stakes situation is the secret sauce of every heist movie. 

Benjamin Graham’s monumental book The Intelligent Investor, published almost 70 years ago, remains one of the most popular books on investing. Until his death in 1976, he worked on improving his principles and published three new editions. But an undeniable reason for the continuing relevance of his book is that many of his fundamental tenets were evergreen. 

Like Morgan Housel said, “Ben Graham’s brilliance was grasping what part of investing was timeless and what part required revision. His philosophy was rooted in principles of investor behavior that rarely change.”

So what do you get when you combine Clooney’s suave adaptiveness and Graham’s timelessness? A recipe for success. As we step into 2023, significant changes are unfolding around us. As breakthroughs in generative AI, remote work, and burnout influence the market forces around a looming recession, businesses that can scale what works while adapting to change will walk out with duffel bags full of cash. 

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Adaptability is like a muscle; you need to exercise it to improve. Destin Sandlin, an American engineer, configured his bike to turn left when he turned right and vice versa. It took him eight months to get the hang of this backward bike! Unlearning is more challenging than it looks. 

Venture investor Natalie Fratto talks about this and how she measures adaptability in the founders she meets. Watch her 6-minute TEDx video here. If you’re intrigued enough, you can watch Destin ride his backward bike or even buy one for yourself!

Everyone’s adapting to this climate, even Marie Kondo :) The world-famous decluttering consultant has laid down her weapons against chaos after giving birth to her third child. Marie Kondo’s life is messier now — and she’s fine with it.