Pause = Poise & Performance
Decision Balance Newsletter | 08.21.2025
Key Insight
A deliberate pause is not lost time—it’s an amplifier of clarity and decision quality. Research shows that even short breaks reduce noise in judgment and sharpen creative problem solving.
AI Action: Prompt - “I’m about to make a decision on [X]. Generate three questions I should pause and ask myself before acting.”
A question to ask yourself
Where in your day could you insert a pause that upgrades not just your energy, but the quality of the next decision you make?
Reading, podcast thoughts
Noise by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass Sunstein explains that noisy judgment is different than biased judgment and is harder to correct.
Example: In 2023, Balyasny Asset Management reviewed the game tapes of their decisions and realized they were over trading in response to short term noise. The firm shifted its equities team approach to longer-term investments and deeper analysis. Performance rebounded strongly in 2024 Business Insider.
→ Actionable Insight: (1) A deliberate pause before each trade to question whether the move aligns with longer-term thesis rather than short-term noise. (2) When providing feedback to employees ensure your praise and promotion is not random or impulsive.
AI Action: Prompt - “Create a decision-making checklist that reduces noise when evaluating multiple investment opportunities.”
The Power of Pause by Emma Seppälä
→ Actionable Insight: Before executing an important action, pause and test your assumptions.
Example: When you lose balance in a portfolio (large AI overweight in 1Q25 before Deep Seek) you can overcorrect in a temporary drawdown. In the case of Lonepine in 2022 an over concentration in high growth companies led to poor performance. They paused, reevaluated and recognized there are a lot of ways of making money in markets. Style & thesis diversification helps avoid crowding and being forced to change course at the wrong time.
AI Action: Prompt - “I’m considering [X decision]. List the top 5 hidden assumptions I might be making and ways to test them.”
The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish
→ Actionable Insight: Keep a decision journal which is a mirror into your thoughts. We often do not know what we think until we write it down. The key is to look into the mirror before you act.
AI Action: Prompt - “Help me set up a decision journal template in Notion/Google Docs that tracks thesis, risks, catalysts, and outcome.”
Health
Short pauses restore physical and emotional balance. A 5–10 minute reset break could be: a block walk without your phone, shoulder stretches, or ten deep breaths by a window. These small resets regulate cortisol and improve your next work cycle.
AI Action: Prompt — “Give me a 5-minute break routine I can do at my desk that reduces stress and resets focus. Rotate the exercises daily and target minimum disruption and maximum rest.”
Welcome to the DecisionBalance newsletter where I share insights, questions, and reading recommendations. I coach asset managers, artists, and start-up founder/CEOs to set goals, improve performance, and find deeper meaning in their work.
