Wait Book Summary

In 'Wait', Frank Partnoy delves into the art and science of timing, revealing how the best decisions often require patience. He weaves together fascinating anecdotes from sports, business, and even personal experiences to showcase the power of waiting before taking action. As he challenges the common notion that speed is always advantageous, Partnoy offers insights into how mindfulness and deliberate pauses can lead to better outcomes. Readers will discover the surprising benefits of delaying key choices, and how this strategic approach can transform various aspects of life. With a mix of research and storytelling, 'Wait' invites you to rethink your decision-making process and embrace the pause.

By Frank Partnoy

Published: 2013

""In a world that demands instant responses, the true power lies in the pause, where reflection ignites clarity and decisions are transformed into opportunities.""

Book Review of Wait

What do these scenarios have in common: a professional tennis player returning a serve, a woman evaluating a first date across the table, a naval officer assessing a threat to his ship, and a comedian about to reveal a punch line? In this counterintuitive and insightful work, author Frank Partnoy weaves together findings from hundreds of scientific studies and interviews with wide-ranging experts to craft a picture of effective decision-making that runs counter to our brutally fast-paced world. Even as technology exerts new pressures to speed up our lives, it turns out that the choices we make––unconsciously and consciously, in time frames varying from milliseconds to years––benefit profoundly from delay. As this winning and provocative book reveals, taking control of time and slowing down our responses yields better results in almost every arena of life … even when time seems to be of the essence. The procrastinator in all of us will delight in Partnoy’s accounts of celebrity “delay specialists,” from Warren Buffett to Chris Evert to Steve Kroft, underscoring the myriad ways in which delaying our reactions to everyday choices––large and small––can improve the quality of our lives.

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"In a world that demands instant responses, the true power lies in the pause, where reflection ignites clarity and decisions are transformed into opportunities."

Wait

By Frank Partnoy