Send us Fan MailJudd Kessler—a professor at the Wharton School and author of Lucky by Design—joins Joe to explore the hidden markets that shape our lives, careers, and opportunities.Joe and Judd discuss how many of the most important decisions we encounter—from job promotions to school admissions to performance evaluations—aren’t driven by price, but by rules we rarely see or fully understand. These “hidden markets” determine who gets what, often leaving people frustrated, confused, or convinced that success comes down to luck.Throughout the conversation, they examine how understanding the rules of these markets can shift outcomes, why preparation and self-awareness matter more than we think, and how leaders—whether they realize it or not—are constantly designing markets through the way they allocate time, attention, and opportunity.They also explore practical strategies for navigating these environments, from competing in high-speed, first-come-first-serve systems to knowing when it’s better to “settle for silver” rather than walk away empty-handed.Joe and Judd also discuss: What “hidden markets” are—and why they’re everywhere  Why success often looks like luck (but isn’t)  How understanding the rules gives you a competitive advantage  The strategy of “settling for silver” to improve your odds  Why preparation and clarity of values matter before entering any competition  How poorly designed systems invite “speculators” and unintended consequences  The three E’s of market design: efficiency, equity, and ease  Why leaders must be intentional about how they allocate time, attention, and opportunity  How misaligned or unclear expectations can quietly shape careers  The importance of aligning who you are with what the system rewards Whether you’re navigating promotions, competing for opportunities, or leading others in high-stakes environments, this episode offers a powerful framework for understanding the systems around you—and how to operate within them more effectively.Watch the full episode on YouTubeA special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Dunedain Systems is a veteran-founded defense technology company building Warmind, an AI platform that accelerates military planning, operations, and document generation. Warmind connects to your unit’s data and learns how your warfighting function operates, delivering outputs tailored to your SOPs and operational context rather than generic AI responses. Whether your team is building OPORDs, running intel workflows, or generating CONOPs, Warmind handles the heavy lift so your staff can focus on decisions, not paperwork. Built by combat veterans who lived the problem firsthand, Warmind is already in use across SOCOM and the broader DoD. The beta is free for anyone with a .mil or .edu email at dunedainsystems.com.