Rakib Avi
@rakibavi.bsky.social
Husband and father. Former innovation & strategy lead at BRAC, one of the world's largest NGOs. Focused on scaling successful social innovations.
We reward early stars.
But data across sports, science, music, and chess shows most world-class adults were not early standouts.
Slower starts, broader learning, later peaks. Our talent systems are optimized for the wrong outcome. tinyurl.com/yzexnnvw
But data across sports, science, music, and chess shows most world-class adults were not early standouts.
Slower starts, broader learning, later peaks. Our talent systems are optimized for the wrong outcome. tinyurl.com/yzexnnvw
The Myth of Early Genius
We like our excellence precocious.
tinyurl.com
January 10, 2026 at 6:46 PM
We reward early stars.
But data across sports, science, music, and chess shows most world-class adults were not early standouts.
Slower starts, broader learning, later peaks. Our talent systems are optimized for the wrong outcome. tinyurl.com/yzexnnvw
But data across sports, science, music, and chess shows most world-class adults were not early standouts.
Slower starts, broader learning, later peaks. Our talent systems are optimized for the wrong outcome. tinyurl.com/yzexnnvw
The power of hope is real. Time and again I have seen this in the real world, from people living in extreme poverty to communities living at the forefront of climate change. It's great to finally see some hard evidence behind this!
📢 New in Health Economics: The first large-scale longitudinal study (25,000 adults, 14 years) shows how #hope shapes health, education, work, resilience & social outcomes.
tinyurl.com/4e43zeyb @brookings.edu @uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/4e43zeyb @brookings.edu @uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The power of hope is real. Time and again I have seen this in the real world, from people living in extreme poverty to communities living at the forefront of climate change. It's great to finally see some hard evidence behind this!
Climate adaptive design for city architecture in Atlanta -- a park which will go under water so the rest of the neighborhood doesn't. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/c...
In Georgia, a ‘Sponge Park’ Floods So the Neighborhood Won’t
www.nytimes.com
September 27, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Climate adaptive design for city architecture in Atlanta -- a park which will go under water so the rest of the neighborhood doesn't. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/c...
Reposted by Rakib Avi
Health Economics (New Study): Statewide bans on flavored e-cigs reduced vaping among young adults—but also pushed some toward cigarette smoking. 🚬➡️🚭
Findings highlight unintended risks for tobacco regulation.
Read the full article here: tinyurl.com/yr38ns7z
Findings highlight unintended risks for tobacco regulation.
Read the full article here: tinyurl.com/yr38ns7z
September 3, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Health Economics (New Study): Statewide bans on flavored e-cigs reduced vaping among young adults—but also pushed some toward cigarette smoking. 🚬➡️🚭
Findings highlight unintended risks for tobacco regulation.
Read the full article here: tinyurl.com/yr38ns7z
Findings highlight unintended risks for tobacco regulation.
Read the full article here: tinyurl.com/yr38ns7z
Investing in adult social care pays off: every £1k per client boosts paid production by £216 now & £670 in the long run.
Health Economics (Early View): Investing in adult social care boosts the economy.
A £1000 rise in care spending per client raises paid production by £216 in the short run & £670 in the long run, with wider regional spillovers.
Read the article here: bit.ly/4fL6lLh
A £1000 rise in care spending per client raises paid production by £216 in the short run & £670 in the long run, with wider regional spillovers.
Read the article here: bit.ly/4fL6lLh
Is Caring Productive? The Effect of Adult Social Care on Paid Production in England
Long-term care (LTC) provides essential support to service users and informal carers to improve their quality of life. By improving quality of life, LTC can potentially impact economic growth, for ex...
bit.ly
August 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Investing in adult social care pays off: every £1k per client boosts paid production by £216 now & £670 in the long run.
Powerful piece by @mulagostarr.bsky.social on how #nonprofits should think about scaling through govt. Key thing to consider: marginal cost per beneficiary if the govt delivered your intervention. Also, cost effective ≠ cheap enough! @ssir.org
bit.ly/3GYHV40
bit.ly/3GYHV40
Big Aid Is Over (SSIR)
We need to design for what African governments can do and will pay for.
bit.ly
July 28, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Powerful piece by @mulagostarr.bsky.social on how #nonprofits should think about scaling through govt. Key thing to consider: marginal cost per beneficiary if the govt delivered your intervention. Also, cost effective ≠ cheap enough! @ssir.org
bit.ly/3GYHV40
bit.ly/3GYHV40
An #innovation from the global south, helping people adapt to the effects of #climatechange and build their resilience -- a house which grows, floats and stays cool all year.
bit.ly/46tNG3Z
bit.ly/46tNG3Z
A house that can grow, float, and stays cool all year - The Good Feed
Bangladesh is the third hottest country in South Asia, the world’s seventh most climate-vulnerable nation, and often has the world’s worst air quality. There are around 7,000 conventional fired brick ...
bit.ly
July 26, 2025 at 3:13 AM
An #innovation from the global south, helping people adapt to the effects of #climatechange and build their resilience -- a house which grows, floats and stays cool all year.
bit.ly/46tNG3Z
bit.ly/46tNG3Z
Public orgs build capabilities like startups, but rarely sunset them. That’s why #innovation isn’t just about starting new things. It’s about managing what persists. If you don’t govern your capabilities, they end up governing you. Good read on innovation in the public sector 👇
bit.ly/4m8Fvyu
bit.ly/4m8Fvyu
bit.ly
July 23, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Public orgs build capabilities like startups, but rarely sunset them. That’s why #innovation isn’t just about starting new things. It’s about managing what persists. If you don’t govern your capabilities, they end up governing you. Good read on innovation in the public sector 👇
bit.ly/4m8Fvyu
bit.ly/4m8Fvyu
The Global #Findex 2025 underscores a clear message: digital financial services are narrowing the #inclusion gap in low- and middle-income countries, but challenges remain. Here's what policymakers need to know. 👇
bit.ly/4lGo3lk
bit.ly/4lGo3lk
The Global Findex Database 2025
The Global Findex Database is the world's only demand-side survey on financial inclusion and a leading source of data on how adults around the world access and use financial services.
bit.ly
July 19, 2025 at 11:38 PM
The Global #Findex 2025 underscores a clear message: digital financial services are narrowing the #inclusion gap in low- and middle-income countries, but challenges remain. Here's what policymakers need to know. 👇
bit.ly/4lGo3lk
bit.ly/4lGo3lk
New evidence suggests an underappreciated public health tool: walkability.
A recent study in Health Economics shows that walkable neighborhoods helped buffer mental health declines during COVID-19. Key insights for people interested in urban/health policy👇
bit.ly/4kJru9u
A recent study in Health Economics shows that walkable neighborhoods helped buffer mental health declines during COVID-19. Key insights for people interested in urban/health policy👇
bit.ly/4kJru9u
Walkability and Mental Health Resiliency During the COVID‐19 Pandemic
This study investigates if local walkability helped mitigate the well-documented mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Walkability may improve mental health by facilitating walking (which o...
bit.ly
July 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
New evidence suggests an underappreciated public health tool: walkability.
A recent study in Health Economics shows that walkable neighborhoods helped buffer mental health declines during COVID-19. Key insights for people interested in urban/health policy👇
bit.ly/4kJru9u
A recent study in Health Economics shows that walkable neighborhoods helped buffer mental health declines during COVID-19. Key insights for people interested in urban/health policy👇
bit.ly/4kJru9u
Tomelilla, a small Swedish town is redefining how to plan for the future generation, keeping the principles of Doughnut Economics by @kateraworth.bsky.social at front and center. Lots to learn on how to develop cities for the future, without compromising the present. bit.ly/4m0qHlu
‘It feels cool to be a cog in change’: how doughnut economics is reshaping a Swedish town
A casual mention of Kate Raworth’s theory has grown into the basis for decision making in Tomelilla
bit.ly
July 17, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Tomelilla, a small Swedish town is redefining how to plan for the future generation, keeping the principles of Doughnut Economics by @kateraworth.bsky.social at front and center. Lots to learn on how to develop cities for the future, without compromising the present. bit.ly/4m0qHlu