O'Shaughnessy: Setting explicit goals blinds talented people to unexpected opportunities
Patrick O'Shaughnessy · My Conversation With Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Founder of Colossus & Positive Sum | David Senra · Dec 21, 2025 · at 11:56
Patrick O'Shaughnessy explains why he prefers following foundational principles rather than setting specific life or business goals.
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“One of the reasons I don't like goals is I think very talented people, when they set a goal, they tend to do it. And that's why goals are interesting to lots of people is it's a great way to make progress. But I find it unexciting because the second you set some big goal, you kind of know what you're, what's going to happen because you go do it and you know the road in front of you, and you have blinders on, and I don't actually like having blinders on.”
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