Wait: The useful art of procrastination

(Paperback, Main)

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Description

Warren Buffett compares stock trading to great athletes: they excel not because of fast neurological responses, but because of their ability to delay as long as possible before reacting. Successful CEOs, fire fighters, and military officers all know how to manage delay to gather as much information as possible to get the results they need. In Wait, Frank Partnoy argues that decisions of all kinds, whether 'snap' or long- term, benefit from being made at the last possible moment. The art of knowing how long you can afford to delay before committing is at the heart of many a great decision, whether in a corporate takeover or a marriage proposal. Apologies are better received if they are not rushed and people who can defer gratification are happier and more successful than those who must have everything now. Partnoy demonstrates that the ability to wait is crucial to getting the right answer and that gut instincts are often wrong.

Reviews

Frank Partnoy turns conventional wisdom on its head with this counterintuitive approach to decision-making. Wait is a great read, chock full of fascinating insights. -- Daniel H. Pink, author of 'Drive' and 'A Whole New Mind'
The perfect read for any self-proclaimed procrastinators * Irish Tatler *
A smoothly sceptical essay * Guardian *
Having mined the best of American research in fields as wide-ranging as finance, behavioral economics and law, Partnoy has written a beguilingly readable treatise that boils down to a single, easily digestible conclusion: in our busy modern lives, most of us react too quickly. I whole-heartedly recommend this book. -- Roger Lowenstein, author of 'The End of Wall Street' and 'When Genius Failed'
As is the way of counterintuitive American gurus ... Partnoy ranges far and wide in search of his evidence, taking in neuroscience, psychology, military strategy, business and sport ... The moral is clear, says Partnoy, and I, for one, am right behind him - don't just do something: stand there. * Daily Mail *
Wait is the anti-Blink ... presents a seductive case for measured action, which will be a palliative to many who feel pummelled by deadlines or the relentless onrush of modern media. A surprisingly zippy, fun book, best read when you're supposed to be doing something else. * Time Out *
Fascinating * FT *

Author Bio

Frank Partnoy was a trader at Morgan Stanley before turning from gamekeeper to poacher and becoming professor of law and finance at the University of San Diego. He is one of the world's leading experts on the complexities of modern finance and financial market regulation and writes regularly for the Financial Times. He is the author of F.I.A.S.C.O.,The Match King and Infectious Greed.