Blankfein: Anxiety Isn't a Flaw, It's Your Best Risk Tool
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein reveals how his upbringing in the projects turned anxiety into a risk management superpower and how a $500 check shaped his view on dignity and wealth.
Ex-Goldman CEO: 3 sectors where I'm putting my money right now
With Sam Parr, Lloyd Blankfein · Tuesday, June 16, 2026
In this episode, Sam Parr and Shaan Puri interview former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, who reveals his personal investment strategy, heavily weighted in tech, energy, and financial services, and shares his daily trading habits. He recounts the iconic story of Warren Buffett's $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs during the 2008 crisis and discusses his unique perspective on success, anxiety, and the profound wisdom derived from studying history. Blankfein also introduces an impactful "Obituary Test" framework for living a meaningful life beyond career accomplishments.
Key takeaways
- Lloyd Blankfein's discomfort with the term "rich" stems directly from his upbringing in the East New York projects, where financial scarcity and fretting over rent were daily realities. Read more →
- Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein proposes an "Obituary Test": your career should fill no more than one-third of your eventual obituary. He suggests aiming for 3 paragraphs out of 9 total. This isn't a hard limit, but a mental model for scope. Read more →
- Lloyd Blankfein, former Goldman Sachs CEO, allocates a shocking 98% of his personal investment portfolio to risky equities, focusing heavily on a few concentrated sectors. Read more →
3 articles from this episode
Blankfein's 'Obituary Test': Your Career is 1/3 of Your Life
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein's 'Obituary Test' challenges founders to build a life beyond work. Diversify, give actively, and avoid reputational risks.
Lloyd Blankfein: My 98% Equity, Daily Trading Playbook
Ex-Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein reveals his personal investing: 98% equities in big tech, energy, financials, plus his 'disciplined' daily trading. Why he bets big.
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