In this conversation, behavioral scientist Jason Halbert explores the complexities of the human mind, the commonalities between serial killers and startup founders, and the fine line between ambition and delusion.
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Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com/ -- TIME STAMPS: 00:00 - 'Darkness retreat' experience 05:35 - Jason's career trajectory 08:34 - What it takes to build a psychological profile on someone 10:34 - Optimal interview environment 12:56 - Speaking in absolutes 13:58 - Conducting an interview with a serial killer 15:46 - How serial killers differ from other criminals 19:09 - Is there a killer gene? 20:32 - How to use empathy in an interrogation 24:18 - Has Jason's definition of good and evil changed? 26:13 - Why it's hard to be a whistleblower 27:33 - The line between ambition and delusion 30:22 - Elon Musk: Ambitious AND delusional? 33:23 - Jason's work with founders and VCs 37:01 - Identifying and mitigating blind spots 39:11 - How to become more persuasive 42:26 - How to profile a potential candidate 46:21 - The role of chemistry 51:16 - The formula for identity 55:29 - The difference between your real self and your ideal self 58:20 - How to deeply understand the people in our lives 1:02:46 - The value of over-explaining 1:03:43 - How Jason defines success