Hi,

Welcome to the second weekly roundup of short ideas from my upcoming book.

This week it includes: a study on the illusion that the longer something exists the better it must be, a lesson from a 2-year old on explaining our conventions and a reminder that to “do as you’re told” has an expiry date.

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You can look forward to exclusive previews of longer pieces from the book in future editions.

Until then, here are 5 ideas on questioning convention that I shared this week.

Happy reading.

1. Doubting doubt

As a startup founder in my early 20s I was given a crash course in the psychology of status quo commitment.

We heard every variety of:

• "This feels untested"

• "We've always done it like this"

• "We like the way we do things now"

All of this was said by reasonable and intelligent people who I respected.

But they were wrong.

The status quo is comforting but it hinders innovation. Accepting doubt and scepticism is hard at first but gets easier once you prove yourself right.

Let's be honest - some new ideas are bad and there are good reasons to reject them. But blocking innovation due to fear of change is foolish.

2. The longevity illusion

Our brains love shortcuts, but sometimes they lead us astray.

Meet the longevity bias, duping us into trusting older things more. A 2009 study found:

• The older acupuncture's perceived age (250,500, 1000 or 2000 years), the more legitimate people thought it was.

• An expressionist painting was rated more visually appealing when believed to be 100 (as opposed to 5) years old.

• When told a chocolate brand had a 73-year heritage, people enjoyed the taste more than if told the same chocolate was only 3 years old.

Don't be fooled by "standing the test of time." The age of ideas and practices says nothing of their value.

^{To read more about the study:} https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103110001599

3. Ditch your younger self's choices

Here’s an uncomfortable thought – you are a prisoner to your younger self's choices.

Your career, your life partner and even where you live; all decided by the person you were years ago.

Recall those cringe-worthy Facebook posts? That's who decided how you live today.

4. Audit your beliefs (“answer a 2-year old”)

Audit your status quo beliefs: business edition.

Skip the 5-step plans. Try this instead:

Explain the reason for this (belief, practice) to a 2-year-old.

(One rule: “because we’ve always done it that way” isn’t allowed)

This simple question challenges norms, brings clarity, and forces a re-evaluation of your values. Too often we follow practices without questioning their origin or usefulness.

Consider:

• Does the 9-to-5 workday still make sense?

• Should we prioritize hierarchy over collaboration?

• Is the customer always right?

• Should we always "fail fast"?

• Is short-term profit the measure of success?

• Do we need a long-term business plan?

And would a toddler agree?

5. Doing as you’re told

"Do as you’re told."

From infancy, compliance keeps us safe in an uncertain world. But what happens when that obedience follows us into adulthood?

• Stifled thinking

• Rampant conformity

• Dulled creativity

• A life less extraordinary

Top entrepreneurs and trailblazers don't just march to their own drum — they question the entire band.

Facing the "rules"? Consider:

1. Are these rules in sync with my ambitions?

2. Can I explore better alternatives?

As a leader, cultivate an environment where freedom of thought thrives and encourage your team to question directives.

Lastly, a reminder that your feedback helps shape the final version of the book. So if you have an unconventional idea to share - hit reply.

Thanks for reading.

Henk