17 Feb 2026

1h 2m

Nicolai Tangen: The $2 Trillion Mind

The Knowledge Project

Nicolai Tangen, the CEO of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, discusses investment strategies, risk management, and leadership. Tangen emphasizes the importance of speed and agility in today's unpredictable world, advocating for a mindset where things don't take longer than necessary. He also touches on the American versus European mindsets, highlighting the higher level of ambition and work ethic in America. Tangen stresses the need for stubbornness combined with the ability to change one's mind in investing, and the value of creating an environment where disagreement is encouraged. He shares insights into building a long-term thinking organization and his approach to hiring, emphasizing curiosity, intelligence, and integrity.

Outlines

Part 1: Ambition, AI, and Historical Context

Part 2: Productivity and Human Skills

Part 3: Cultural Mindsets and Societal Change

Part 4: Agility and Decision-Making

Part 5: Investment Philosophy and Risk

Part 6: Fund Management and Ethics

Part 7: Governance and Long-Term Strategy

Part 8: Leadership and Organizational Culture

Part 9: Personal Growth and Success

Continue

Preview

How to Get Rich: Every EpisodeNaval

Nicolai Tangen: The $2 Trillion Mind

The Knowledge Project

Part 1: Ambition, AI, and Historical Context

00:00Ambition, Thinking Differently, and the Keys to Golden Ages

Ambition, Thinking Differently, and the Keys to Golden Ages

01:09Contrarian Investing: Real Estate vs. AI and the Perfect Crisis in Office Spaces

Contrarian Investing: Real Estate vs. AI and the Perfect Crisis in Office Spaces

02:06The Impact of Climate Change and AI on Interest Rates and Pricing Structures

The Impact of Climate Change and AI on Interest Rates and Pricing Structures

03:17The AI Sector's Heat and Arguments For and Against an AI Bubble

The AI Sector's Heat and Arguments For and Against an AI Bubble

Part 2: Productivity and Human Skills

04:47AI's Impact on Productivity, Inflation, and the Growing Importance of Interpersonal Skills

AI's Impact on Productivity, Inflation, and the Growing Importance of Interpersonal Skills

06:16The Importance of Listening, Curiosity, and Collaboration in Solving Global Problems

The Importance of Listening, Curiosity, and Collaboration in Solving Global Problems

07:51The Dangers of Closing Up: Lessons from Golden Ages and the Importance of Free Speech

The Dangers of Closing Up: Lessons from Golden Ages and the Importance of Free Speech

Part 3: Cultural Mindsets and Societal Change

09:15Contrasting American and European Mindsets: Ambition, Work Ethic, and Cultural Values

Contrasting American and European Mindsets: Ambition, Work Ethic, and Cultural Values

10:10Ambition, Work Ethic, and Evolutionary Perspectives on Societal Progress

Ambition, Work Ethic, and Evolutionary Perspectives on Societal Progress

11:09Overcoming Cultural Barriers: Ambition and AI as a Catalyst for Change

Overcoming Cultural Barriers: Ambition and AI as a Catalyst for Change

12:28Injecting AI into Society: Lessons from Sweden and Iceland

Injecting AI into Society: Lessons from Sweden and Iceland

Part 4: Agility and Decision-Making

13:41AI in Education, the Importance of Reading, and the Difficulty of Prediction

AI in Education, the Importance of Reading, and the Difficulty of Prediction

15:00The Importance of Speed and Agility in a World of Unpredictability

The Importance of Speed and Agility in a World of Unpredictability

16:36The Time-Saving Benefits of Speed and Responsiveness

The Time-Saving Benefits of Speed and Responsiveness

17:56Focus, Urgency, and the American vs. European Mindsets

Focus, Urgency, and the American vs. European Mindsets

Part 5: Investment Philosophy and Risk

19:23Stubbornness, Agility, and the Ability to Change Your Mind in Investing

Stubbornness, Agility, and the Ability to Change Your Mind in Investing

20:48The Value of Thinking Differently and Not Being a Popularity Contest

The Value of Thinking Differently and Not Being a Popularity Contest

22:24Reading Newspapers, Testing Assumptions, and the Pursuit of Objective Truth

Reading Newspapers, Testing Assumptions, and the Pursuit of Objective Truth

23:36The Benefits of Diverse Opinions and Reducing Blind Spots in Investing

The Benefits of Diverse Opinions and Reducing Blind Spots in Investing

24:46How Risk Appetite Changes Over Time and Varies Across Demographics

How Risk Appetite Changes Over Time and Varies Across Demographics

26:20Risk Management in Private Equity vs. Venture Capital and Limiting Losses

Risk Management in Private Equity vs. Venture Capital and Limiting Losses

Part 6: Fund Management and Ethics

27:21Index Investing, Allocating New Money, and Optimizing Decisions with AI

Index Investing, Allocating New Money, and Optimizing Decisions with AI

28:09The Increasing Difficulty of Investing and the Rise of Passive Investing

The Increasing Difficulty of Investing and the Rise of Passive Investing

29:38Relative Returns, Investing Mistakes, and Ethical Considerations

Relative Returns, Investing Mistakes, and Ethical Considerations

31:16The Ethics of Lending and the Importance of Post-Mortem Analysis

The Ethics of Lending and the Importance of Post-Mortem Analysis

32:24Risk-Taking, Sports Psychology, and the Allure of Asset Management

Risk-Taking, Sports Psychology, and the Allure of Asset Management

Part 7: Governance and Long-Term Strategy

34:49The Importance of a System Behind the Sale and Sovereign Wealth Funds

The Importance of a System Behind the Sale and Sovereign Wealth Funds

36:14Political Anchoring, Transparency, and Spending Rules for Sovereign Wealth Funds

Political Anchoring, Transparency, and Spending Rules for Sovereign Wealth Funds

37:35ESG Voting and the Rationale Behind Voting Against Elon's Pay Package

ESG Voting and the Rationale Behind Voting Against Elon's Pay Package

38:53Building Long-Term Thinking and the Inertia Analysis

Building Long-Term Thinking and the Inertia Analysis

40:08Defining Long-Term Thinking and Druckenmiller's Research Approach

Defining Long-Term Thinking and Druckenmiller's Research Approach

41:16Gut Feel vs. Pattern Recognition and the Combination of Intuition and Analysis

Gut Feel vs. Pattern Recognition and the Combination of Intuition and Analysis

43:17Chess, Intuition, and the Limits of Overanalyzing

Chess, Intuition, and the Limits of Overanalyzing

Part 8: Leadership and Organizational Culture

44:44Feedback in Investing and Creating an Environment for Disagreement

Feedback in Investing and Creating an Environment for Disagreement

45:33Encouraging Disagreement and Giving Feedback

Encouraging Disagreement and Giving Feedback