I put 80% of my money in the S&P

May 11, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The episode examines how genetic factors and personal temperament shape financial habits and career choices, while also surveying emerging business opportunities in AI and infrastructure. The hosts draw on a Swedish twin study to frame investing biases as partly innate, then explore practical ways to work with one's own tendencies rather than against them. Later segments turn to specific investment decisions and several forward-looking project ideas.

Genetic Influences on Financial Behavior

A 2014 Swedish study analyzed investing patterns across thousands of identical and fraternal twins using detailed government wealth records. Researchers measured six common biases, including excessive trading, performance chasing, home-country preference, and reluctance to sell losing positions. The data showed that roughly 45 percent of variation in these behaviors tracked genetic similarity rather than shared upbringing or education. The hosts note that even business-school training produced little lasting change unless paired with direct market experience that created personal losses. One speaker observed that reading about biases rarely prevents them, while repeated exposure to real consequences can gradually shift behavior.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Swedish twins study on investing genetics** - Researcher Heinrich analyzes Sweden's twin database to measure genetic influence on financial behavior
2 (03:13) **Why world-class investors obsess over human nature** - Financial trends change but human behavior stays constant across centuries
3 (05:17) **Monish Pabrai personality test story** - 360-degree assessment reveals he is wired for solo competitive number games
4 (09:36) **James Currier and self-knowledge** - Mentor regrets not discovering his true strengths earlier in life and career
5 (11:35) **Sam's zone of genius identified** - Reverse-engineering businesses and deep research is his natural mode
6 (14:32) **Business problems mirror personal psychology** - Company issues are extensions of the founder's personality traits
7 (16:04) **Change requires pain not words** - Reading alone rarely overrides genetic investing biases

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Get our Wealth Guide (35+ insights from top investors): https://clickhubspot.com/ohkg

Episode 822: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk about how your genes could determine how much money you make and the startup ideas YC is betting on.

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Show Notes:

(0:00) money genes

(5:07) your personality is your business

(23:46) productive placebos

(33:39) YC Request for Startups

(34:57) IDEA: aesthetic data centers

(42:15) IDEA: The company brain

(51:10) IDEA: drone swarm defense

(57:33) IDEA: personalized medicine

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Links:

• YC RFS - https://www.ycombinator.com/rfs

• Deep Personality - https://deeppersonality.app/

• Viktor - https://getviktor.com/

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• Hampton (joinhampton.com): My community for founders. Average member does $25m/year. Many of the guests are members. Get after it...apply: http://joinhampton.com/mfm

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Check Out Shaan's Stuff:

• Shaan's weekly email - https://www.shaanpuri.com

• Visit https://www.somewhere.com/mfm to hire worldwide talent like Shaan and get $500 off for being an MFM listener. Hire developers, assistants, marketing pros, sales teams and more for 80% less than US equivalents.

• Mercury - Need a bank for your company? Go check out Mercury (mercury.com). Shaan uses it for all of his companies!

Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column, N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC

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My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano /