Welcome to word vomit. In this little tucked away corner of the internet Naoshad Pochkhanawala writes about anything he damn well feels like. Topics of interest that will probably be revisited include – risk management, hypnosis, mental health, ADD, perception biases, investing, ideas around identity, sales, marketing, the nature of identity and other items and topics that catch my attention. Naoshad, also, apparently, switches between the first & third person fluidly & without logic, let us consider it a matter of literary license.
Disclaimer: I make no claim to any thoughts herein being original. While I would love to lay claim to being a brilliant individualistic out of the box thinker the truth is I am more a curator of interesting ideas and opinions (there will be posts exploring this idea of knowledge curation & trust in the future). Further, I take absolutely no, none, zero, nada, zilcho, zip, responsibility for the validity, accuracy or affect of anything published here. While a valiant effort has and will be made to insure accuracy you probably shouldn’t trust something a stranger has written on the internet anyway.
- Recent(ish) articles on Influence, Trust & Persuasionby adminI write for the Influence & Persuasion Newsletter at brainhacker.ca. Here is a currently unsorted list of articles from the past couple of months.
- Introducing Agent of Influence: The Most Dangerous Book in Financial Servicesby Naoshad PochkhanawalaI Wrote a Book That Teaches Financial Advisors to Influence Like a Spy. It’s called Agent of Influence: Hypnotic & Spy Techniques for Financial Advisors Most advisors lose sales—and they never even realize why. It’s… Read more: Introducing Agent of Influence: The Most Dangerous Book in Financial Services
- Schrödinger’s Plungeby Naoshad PochkhanawalaYou are standing at the edge of a cliff. You believe you can fly.A voice whispers, “Step forward, prove it.”Another voice whispers, “Wait. What if you can’t?”
- For the depressed, the failing, the guilty & the anxiousby Naoshad PochkhanawalaNavigating the turbulent waters of depression and anxiety is akin to steering a ship through a storm with a compass that spins unpredictably. It’s crucial to remember that these challenges, much like the weather, are… Read more: For the depressed, the failing, the guilty & the anxious
- Life Insuranceby Naoshad PochkhanawalaIn the great cosmic ballet that is existence uncertainty reigns and fate is fickle. In this cluster fuck that is existence, there is an invention that is both ingenious and mundane. It’s the financial world’s… Read more: Life Insurance
- Be gentle with people (alternate title: Some people are dick heads)by Naoshad PochkhanawalaBe gentle with people. Perception is not reality. When we say people live in their own reality we mean their perception is unique to them. What is a big deal to one person is trivial… Read more: Be gentle with people (alternate title: Some people are dick heads)
- Dear Diary, November 2023by Naoshad PochkhanawalaDear diary, this month was much like last month, only different. The dishonest clashed with the stupid over the irrelevant. The media, in supercilious tones, broadcast false equivalencies under the guise of professional neutrality and… Read more: Dear Diary, November 2023
- ‘Gambling’ – when one word means two opposite thingsby Naoshad PochkhanawalaEnglish is a weird and hard language in which we use the same word to describe accurate, considered, scientific, decision making that we use to describe random, self harming, ill conceive & poor decision making.… Read more: ‘Gambling’ – when one word means two opposite things
- Patterns, Theories, Erroneous Data, Oh my!by adminPatterns, theories, systems and frameworks Patterns The human brain is an inherently lazy device. Tens of thousands of years of evolution have caused it to evolve to find every short cut possible- even ones that… Read more: Patterns, Theories, Erroneous Data, Oh my!
- Tooth Fairyby adminImagine an 8 year old genius tracked how much money the tooth fairy gave them and their friends by sequence of tooth loss, tooth type, quality of tooth etc. And they take all this data… Read more: Tooth Fairy
- The first moment I identified as neuro-divergentby Naoshad PochkhanawalaI always knew my brain worked differently. I was in my mid 20’s when I was first formally diagnosed with depression. Then in my early 30’s anxiety. Then there was a bevy of maybe diagnoses… Read more: The first moment I identified as neuro-divergent
- Have you ever tried to cut grass with scissors? What it’s like to have ADDby Naoshad PochkhanawalaHave you ever shaved with a dull razor? A really dull razor? Ever tried to force a screw in with a hammer? What about trying to cut your lawn with scissors? That’s a brief taste… Read more: Have you ever tried to cut grass with scissors? What it’s like to have ADD
- What is the difference between being hypnotized by another person as opposed to practising self hypnosis?by Naoshad Pochkhanawala(This was originally posted on a chat forum). Some of the advantages that come to mind of having another person hypnotize you are: ability to use a variety of inductions, if you aren’t a regular… Read more: What is the difference between being hypnotized by another person as opposed to practising self hypnosis?
- What is more powerful? The inner voice or subconscious mind?by Naoshad PochkhanawalaThis is an answer to a question posted on Quora. What is more powerful? The inner voice or subconscious mind? Your inner voice or conscious voice is really what you think of as ‘you’. The… Read more: What is more powerful? The inner voice or subconscious mind?
- Naoshad Pochkhanawala comments on Crypto Currencies in Epoch Times Articleby Naoshad PochkhanawalaThanks to Andrew Moran at The Epoch Times for featuring Naoshad Pochkhanawala’s comments in his recent article about the #cryptocurrency #dogecoin
- How Naoshad Suggests You Answer, ‘Walk Me Through Your Resume’ on BestCompaniesTexas.comby Naoshad PochkhanawalaThanks to BestCompaniesTexas.com for publishing my thoughts on how to respond to an interviewer who asks you to walk them through your resume.
- Naoshad Pochkhanawala was featured in EuroNews Discussing Bear Markets & Recessionsby Naoshad PochkhanawalaThank you to EuroNews.Next for featuring Naoshad in their article, “What is a bear market and should we be worried about a global recession? We ask the experts.”
- Philanthropy vs Charityby Naoshad PochkhanawalaOne is strategic, one is tactical. Being charitable is about solving a particular, relatively immediate problem and/or reducing suffering. It may imply a sense of generosity on the part of the giver. You can think… Read more: Philanthropy vs Charity
- Naoshad was featured in “Inflation increased at annual rate of 8.6% in May” in Consumer Affairsby Naoshad PochkhanawalaThanks to Mark Huffman for featuring me in his article Inflation increased at annual rate of 8.6% in May on Consumers Affairs.
- Why there are no final expense insurance salesmen in Ontarioby Naoshad PochkhanawalaI always wondered why there weren’t more final expense sales people in Canada. They seem to be prolific in the US. I was just reading the Ontario Insurance Act and learnt it is illegal for… Read more: Why there are no final expense insurance salesmen in Ontario
- The Lugubrious Submarine Depressionby Naoshad PochkhanawalaImagine that our moods were represented as us being a submarine in the ocean. The greater the depth, the greater the depression. With the surface being, ‘Okay, no current depression’. This submarine has submarine controls… Read more: The Lugubrious Submarine Depression
- Brains, Neurons & Habits – a quick analogyby Naoshad PochkhanawalaThe brains intent is survival and procreation. In striving for these it defaults to and will take the most immediately, energy efficient, choice. The brains way of increasing the odds of survival are to repeat… Read more: Brains, Neurons & Habits – a quick analogy
- Why You Shouldn’t Waste Time Reading “Think & Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hillby Naoshad PochkhanawalaNapoleon Hill was a failed businessman, an unsuccessful con man and grifter who left a string of bad debts and failed businesses over his decades long career. (Click here for a summary of what we… Read more: Why You Shouldn’t Waste Time Reading “Think & Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
- Two Ideas to Curb Real Estate Price Growth in Canada Without Undue Impact on the Inflation Rate of Other Productsby Naoshad PochkhanawalaPresumptions Taxes are no longer just a way for governments to pay for projects and nations to create assets. Fiat currencies are about the public’s trust in current and future good governance & about supply… Read more: Two Ideas to Curb Real Estate Price Growth in Canada Without Undue Impact on the Inflation Rate of Other Products
- The Universal Algorithm for Financial Decision Makingby Naoshad Pochkhanawala1. Begin by protecting what you most need and value: Define your “ruin.” Identify risk of ruin factors. Utilize reasonable risk containment measures. Through appropriate risk transfer planning, reduce risk of ruin to as near… Read more: The Universal Algorithm for Financial Decision Making
- How much is a million? How much is a billion?by Naoshad PochkhanawalaA million seconds ago was 11 days ago. A million steps is Toronto to Philadelphia. A million inches would be Manhattan Island, tip to tip. If on the day you were born you started counting… Read more: How much is a million? How much is a billion?
- A Brief, Almost Random, Far From Comprehensive, History of (Life) Insuranceby Naoshad Pochkhanawala5,000 years ago in China merchants used to carry portions of each others cargo in their ships to reduce the financial consequences of piracy. The Code of Hammurabi is the first set of written, formalized… Read more: A Brief, Almost Random, Far From Comprehensive, History of (Life) Insurance
- 20 Reasons People Decide to Buy Somethingby Naoshad PochkhanawalaTo make more money To save money To be healthy To save time To attract a significant other For fear of missing an opportunity To reduce effort To be comfortable To avoid pain To be… Read more: 20 Reasons People Decide to Buy Something
- Some Bull Shit Myths & Lies The Financial Industry Tells Investorsby Naoshad Pochkhanawala
- Neurons Electing Neuronsby Naoshad PochkhanawalaNeurons fight amongst each other for attention from other neurons. At any given moment a few of these neurons are winning and they impact an animal’s behaviour. This is referred to as selective signal enhancement.… Read more: Neurons Electing Neurons
- The Three Core Principles of Investment, Financial, & Benefit Planningby Naoshad PochkhanawalaBegin by protecting what you most need and value: Define your “ruin.” Identify risk of ruin factors. Utilize reasonable risk containment measures. Through appropriate risk transfer planning, reduce risk of ruin to as near 0… Read more: The Three Core Principles of Investment, Financial, & Benefit Planning
- Pattern Interrupt – Quick Definitionby Naoshad PochkhanawalaEvery decision we make is the culmination of a knockout tournament of implausible magnitude with millions if not billions of neurons competing; first one-on-one, then small group vs small group, then slightly larger group vs… Read more: Pattern Interrupt – Quick Definition
- Every Takeoff is Optional, Every Landing is Mandatory – Part 2by Naoshad PochkhanawalaAll financial planning is a reflection of the most common real world planning problems. It’s about the allocation of limited resources in the face of an uncertain future. Another term for this is risk management.… Read more: Every Takeoff is Optional, Every Landing is Mandatory – Part 2
- Quotes with the word knowledge – I don’t remember whyby Naoshad Pochkhanawala“Knowledge is power.” Anon “Knowledge is knowing that a tomatoes are fruits. Wisdom is knowing that you don’t put a tomato in a fruit salad.” Anon “If more knowledge was the answer we’d all be… Read more: Quotes with the word knowledge – I don’t remember why
- Every Takeoff is Optional, Every Landing is Mandatory – Part 1by Naoshad PochkhanawalaThere is a saying among pilots and aviation enthusiasts: “Every takeoff is optional, every landing is mandatory.” Financial planning is no different. Every opportunity must be scrutinized but the end result – maintaining a lifestyle… Read more: Every Takeoff is Optional, Every Landing is Mandatory – Part 1
- What Would You Sell to the Captain of the Titanic?by Naoshad PochkhanawalaImagine a salesman went to the Captain of the Titanic a couple of weeks before it sailed and said, “Captain, you need lifeboats. These are the best lifeboats for your ship. They’re solid, they’re proven,… Read more: What Would You Sell to the Captain of the Titanic?