One of the most interesting thoughts embedded in my head the other day is that "50 is the new 30."

There is furious debate on the theme with a lot many people who think the line a tub of crock. When thought of though from a dynamic systems perspective, this debate ought to be done and dusted with. 

As technology progresses with unprecedented velocity (as opposed to mindless speed), it is incumbent on humans to morph into polymaths. This is not just about survival, but about living well. We stand at the edge of a new Renaissance Era That is why I listened in with much fascination to this talk by Peter Kaufman, President of Gordian Group. 

For those who look at mental models and believe there is much value in multi-disciplinary thinking, this talk grabs you by the scruff of the neck from the word go.

"So why is it important to be a multidisciplinary thinker? The answer comes from the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein who said, ‘To understand is to know what to do.’ Could there be anything that sounds simpler than that? And yet it’s a genius line, to understand is to know what to do. How many mistakes do you make when you understand something? You don’t make any mistakes. Where do mistakes come from? They come from blind spots, a lack of understanding. Why do you need to be multidisciplinary in your thinking? Because as the Japanese proverb says, ‘The frog in the well knows nothing of the mighty ocean.’ You may know everything there is to know about your specialty, your silo, your “well”, but how are you going to make any good decisions in life…the complex systems of life, the dynamic system of life…if all you know is one well?"

The full transcript has been meticulously put in place by Richard Lewis of Latticework Investing.  I've gone over the ideas a few times now and am wrestling with all that is embedded in here.