The ultimate success metric is whether you get what you want out of life. But that’s harder than it sounds because it’s easy to try to copy someone who wants something you don’t.This episode is brought to you by my friends at 10 East – an investment platform for sophisticated investors to access private markets. To learn more visit 10east.co.

Woodrow Wilson was the only president with a Ph.D. in political science.He came to office having thought more about how a government functions than most before him or since.One of his complaints was that too many people in government held the belief that it was a Big Machine: that once you set up a series of rules you could take your hands off the wheel and let the government run on its own forever. They viewed government like physics, with a set of customs and laws that required no updating or second-guessing because they were believed to be precise and perfect as they were.Wilson thought that was wrong. He viewed government as being a living thing that adapted and evolved. I really don't care about politics. But he had a theory that I think is so important, and so applicable, to us ordinary people managing our money. 

Mae West said, “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.” That might be true for some things – health, happiness, golden retrievers, maybe.But in so many cases the thing that helps you can be taken to a dangerous level. And since it’s a “good thing,” not an obvious threat, its danger creeps into your life unnoticed.Take intelligence. How could someone possibly be too intelligent? How do you get to a point where you realize you could have been more successful if you had been a little dumber?Let me share three reasons why. And if you're looking for another podcast to listen to, check out The Rundown by my friends at Public.com. It's a quick five-minute listen that gets you all caught up on the latest in the stock market, the economy, and in crypto. Hope you enjoy it.