The Most Valuable Lesson I Learned Pursuing a Finance Major

[randfish]

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-most-valuable-lesson-i-learned-when-pursuing-a-finance-major

[pragmatic]

Template:

The Most Valuable Lesson I Learned From X

Recall a really great mentor (professor, boss)

Confess your failings (dropped out of school, fired) b/c I was going to (start a business, go back to school, become a ninja)

Proceed to rationalize your life to show that it was all worth while

[helveticaman → pragmatic]

Reminds me of the template for newspaper articles:

Introduction. Anecdote. Quote. Anecdote. Quote. [Good articles use solid stats instead]. Something is changing faster and faster! [some journalists seem to unknowingly love the idea of positive second derivatives]

"This is what's going to happen," says expert #1, author of some book you've never heard of. "This because of this reason."

Summary of other side of the story (only one alternative view presented). Summary of topic. Mention of scientific debate with oversimplified theories, poorly presented.

"I think what's actually going to happen is this," says Mr. expert #2. Expert #2 is the author of this other book, and chair of something or other at the University of America. "Etcetera."

Hanging question? After all, this irrelevant little topic is crucial to something intangible that is deep and meaningful. If we don't all do something quick -- something really bad is going to happen. [a comma would have been just as good as an m-dash, but an m-dash is more dramatic.]

[misterbwong → pragmatic]

Repetitiveness aside, this pattern really illustrates the importance of having a mentor as a guide.

[comatose_kid → pragmatic]

I think the article was a good reminder of the value of insight, and how stepping back and looking at a problem from a different angle can lead to better decisions on how to tackle it.

[nostrademons → pragmatic]

People use it because it works.

[dominik]

The most valuable lesson:

"By recognizing the changes in the world around us, we can reason our way into industries that will be appealing in the long run."

[antiismist]

Is the guy aware that disney stock went down after his so called insight?

[csl]

I really liked this passage:

"The best part of all this is that as web entrepreneurs, we don't need to invest in a stock portfolio, we can put our shoulder to the grindstone and actually build it."

[tyn]

It doesn't matter so much which industry will be hot in the next years, it's what a specific company will do that matters (compare the fate of amazon and pets.com. for example)

[snorkel]

Here's what I learned:

   stock_market = legalize(gambling);

Class dismissed.