In today’s world, one skill stands above all others when it comes to success.
It’s not passion, grit, or even intelligence… It’s judgment.
In an era of nearly infinite leverage through technology and capital, sound judgment can amplify your success like nothing else.
It’s the ability to accurately predict the long-term effects of your decisions.
Conversely, poor judgment can lead to catastrophic outcomes—especially when multiplied through the force of leverage. Just look at the frequent downfalls of overconfident entrepreneurs or misguided political leaders.
So, how do you cultivate world-class judgment?
In this eye-opening video, Naval Ravikant shares his thoughts on leveraging judgment to its fullest potential.
Key Takeaways from the Video
- Leverage amplifies your judgment—good or bad. With more leverage comes greater responsibility for the consequences of your decisions.
- Demonstrated good judgment builds credibility and trust. People will hand over more leverage to those with a track record of sound judgment.
- Judgment comes from experience and accountability—not just intellect. Theory without practice often leads to poor judgment.
- Emotions cloud judgment. The most coldly rational often have the best judgment in business and investing.
- Outrage and anger corrupt judgment. The more outraged someone seems, the worse their judgment tends to be.
Our Takeaway
Judgment is one of the most underappreciated skills in business, life as a whole, and even creativity.
Using editing as an example:
Editing is a series of decisions about what to include, what to exclude, and how to convey a message most effectively. These choices require a keen sense of judgment.
An adept editor not only understands the mechanics of the content, but also perceives its emotional and contextual layers… ensuring the end result resonates with its intended audience.
Thus, editing skills are, in essence, a reflection of one’s judgment—honed through experience and a deep understanding of the subject matter and audience.
This same exercise can be applied to any creative pursuit—it great output always comes down to quality judgment.
So, in a world of nearly infinite leverage, your judgment can make or break your success.
If you want to multiply your chances of success through one meta-skill, developing good judgment is the way to do it.
Your Turn
What are your thoughts on this?
Do you believe good judgment is the key to creativity?
