Comparison is the Thief of Joy

Charlie Munger was partners with Warren Buffett. Charlie Munger developed 100 different models to analyze situations and make sense of data.

My dad only had about five models. One of them was: is it going to make you any money?

That was his way of saying that I should focus on the things that had a direct effect on me and basically stay in my lane.

It's easy to be upset with someone who caused injury. Especially if they were negligent, reckless, or intended harm.

That's why sometimes it's difficult to explain that 100 percent of the focus in a personal injury case is getting the injured person compensated for the harm that they've suffered.

The focus is not punishing the person who caused the injury.

The focus is not on comparing the injured person's life to the life of the person who caused the injury.

(If the jury wants to try those comparisons – great. But it's not something with which we are going to lead.)

Settlement offers should be evaluated based on whether or not they are going to create a better outcome than going to trial. They should not be evaluated based on whether they provide retributive justice or equalize suffering between plaintiff and defendant.

(The image is "Prisoners' Round" by van Gogh.)