How Systematic Learning Can Liberate Personal Productivity: An Interview with A16Z Founder Marc Andreessen

Innovative pioneer in the venture capital world Marc Andreessen engaged in an in-depth conversation with A16Z partner Sriram Krishna, sharing his latest thoughts on personal productivity, time management, reading habits, and learning optimization.

Personal Productivity

Marc stated that he has now adopted a structured lifestyle, strictly following a schedule every day. In a typical week, there is a fixed timetable on Mondays and Fridays, mainly for teamwork; from Tuesday to Thursday, he arranges activities such as meetings and board sessions flexibly. He emphasized the importance of allowing himself free time, which enables one to give their all at work.

Marc mentioned that venture capital is a job that requires being "close to the practical front lines." Investors must closely monitor market dynamics, understand technological developments, and be aware of entrepreneurs' movements. Therefore, a more structured working method is necessary.

The Value of Open Time and Empowerment

Marc believes that executives often lack time for reflection due to their packed schedules, making it difficult for them to adapt to changes in the environment, and they may even become bottlenecks in the organization. He advocates for reserving open time in schedules and emphasizes the importance of delegation.

Marc's management style is not to directly manage anyone. He is involved in a lot of management work for the company, but these are all discussed in internal meetings. They choose outstanding talents to manage the team, and at times, it is necessary to clarify which tasks can be delegated to others.

Goals and System

Regarding long-term goal setting, Marc stated that he revisits his personal plan every year, writing down the things and goals he truly wants to achieve, and then arranging the related activities. However, he does not use complex spreadsheets for time management; instead, he tries to find some intuition to balance.

Marc believes that instead of rethinking goals every year, it is more about adjusting a single goal. The establishment of his company is to achieve what he wants to accomplish, and his role is to achieve this goal within the context of the company.

Process, Results, and Stakes

In the field of venture capital, Marc focuses more on the investment and process rather than short-term results. He believes that it takes a long time to see results in venture capital, and it is often difficult to judge success in the first five years.

Marc compares venture capital to poker, emphasizing the importance of separating process and outcome. Their company focuses on optimizing the process - how to best run operations, manage the company, assist entrepreneurs, etc., rather than being overly concerned with short-term returns.

Books and Reading

Marc shared his "barbell" reading strategy - either read the latest content or classic works, avoiding the middle ground. He learns about new fields through conversations with people and asks for books he can read.

Regarding whether it is necessary to finish every book, Marc stated that he is still struggling with this issue. He believes that the requirement to finish every book may lead to procrastination in reading. His technique is to read a dozen books simultaneously, only reading the most interesting parts.

Learning and Changing Perspectives

Marc stated that he longs to be the kind of person who absorbs knowledge better through re-reading, but he can't. He can remember the general idea, but not the specific details. He takes a lot of notes, but rarely reviews them afterwards.

Regarding how to seek differing opinions, Marc believes that most people hate being told they are wrong. However, there is a group of people, such as excellent hedge fund managers, who will seriously listen to differing opinions and are happy to change their minds. Marc hopes to cultivate this mindset, but admits it is difficult.

Progress and Driving Force

Marc believes that knowledge workers need to continuously strive to understand what is happening and gain a deep understanding of the actual situation. He advocates for the concept of "strong opinions, weakly held," which means expressing strong opinions while also being open to external differing viewpoints.

Marc stated that the innovations brought by technology are the most interesting things in the world. He believes that technology is the true driving force behind human progress, capable of creating a better future. Therefore, reading about new topics in technology is the most interesting, useful, and beneficial thing he can think of.