Why you should ignore success stories

In his new book “May Contain Lies” finance professor Alex Edmans warns about the dangers of studying the success stories of others.

By Alex Edmans

Growing up in the U.K. school system, I was forced to specialize early. Most aspiring doctors study medicine as their first degree, unlike in the US, where it’s a postgraduate qualification. To get into medical school, you need chemistry A-level. We had to choose our A-levels aged sixteen, making a decision that might affect the rest of our lives.