No. 352 | October 9, 2026
Welcome to Friday Five, a short collection of ideas to take into your weekend.
This week’s themes: doing the right thing, thinking small, and knowing what you don’t know.
If this resonates, forward it to a friend.
Music of the Week
“With this type of stuff and New Orleans music, it’s all about feeling it, what you hear and where you want to go.” — River Eckert
New Orleans pianist River Eckert turns 17 today. He’s played since he was three, drawing on legends like Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, and Art Neville.
I first saw him a few years ago at the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival. He blew me away then, and he still does.
Start with “Painting Pictures,” “Hey Hey Hey (Fi Nah Nay),” and “Stack-A-Lee.”
Quotes of the Week
“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Still I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain (what I consider the most enviable of all titles) the character of an honest man.” — George Washington
“With integrity you have nothing to fear because you have nothing to hide.” — Zig Ziglar
“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” — Marcus Aurelius
Article of the Week
“Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom.” — Sam Walton
Sam Walton loved visiting his stores to see what was happening for himself. It was part of his strategy to think small.
He hired the best people he could find, embraced change, and went against conventional wisdom.
Walton was a force of nature. He opened the first Walmart in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962 and built a retail giant.
For more on how Walton built a big business by thinking small, read my article:
📝 How Sam Walton Built a $50 Billion Company by Thinking Small Strategy
Podcast of the Week
“Every film should have its own world.” — Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan directed The Odyssey, Oppenheimer, and Tenet.
The Founders podcast explores his thinking, influences, and vision through The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan.
Nolan is one of my favorite directors. I can’t get enough of his movies. My favorites include The Odyssey, Oppenheimer, and Dunkirk.
For more on how Nolan works, listen:
🎙️ How Obsession Built Christopher Nolan
Book of the Week
“Knowing what you don’t know is more useful than being brilliant.” — Charlie Munger
Tao of Charlie Munger collects wisdom from the late Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman, with commentary by David Clark.
Drawn from interviews, speeches, and shareholder meetings, the book explores his thinking on investing and life. Think of it as listening to your wise grandfather.
A few takeaways from the book:
- Know what you don’t know.
- Try not to be idiotic.
- Good ideas are rare. Bet heavily when you understand the opportunity and the odds are in your favor.
- Keep cash available for opportunities.
- Develop a long attention span.
For more on Munger’s wisdom, read:
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