I learned about scenario planning from the book I am currently reading, Thinking in Bets.
It’s about pretending you have already achieved a goal that you have in mind and then walk backwards and identify the steps to get there.
A similar exercise is pretending that you didn’t achieve the goal that you had in mind and then walk backwards and analyze what went wrong.
I am going to implement these into some business decisions that I want to make, especially regarding Chianciano Terme.
From the same book, I have also learned about Ulysses contract. Ulysses (or Odysseus) was the main character of the Odyssey by Homer.
At one point of his travels, when he was about to sail by the sirens, he ordered his crew to wear some earplugs so that they would not be subjected to the voice of the sirens, which was supposed to lead men astray.
At the same time, he ordered his crew to chain him to the mast of the vessel, so that he could hear the voices of the sirens but could not do anything about it.
He also told them not to free him for any reasons, until they went past the sirens.
Ulysses contract is a method using to avoid in the moment decisions.
For example, a poker player might decide to keep playing regardless of what she has already lost.
This could lead to disastrous scenarios.
If instead the same player had put a limit to the money she would have to lose before leaving the table, this would have been considered a Ulysses contract.
As far as I am concerned, I decided not to look at my phone when I am in the toilette.
I have also decided to look at news only 2-3 times a day, generally when I am having a meal by myself.