In a recent blog entry, Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, the Chief Technology Officer at Meta, introduced an innovative perspective on personal relationships by comparing them to a stock portfolio. This concept, which he labels the “emotional economy,” encourages individuals to assess their emotional investments in relationships similarly to how they would evaluate shares in various companies.
Bosworth likens the people in one’s life to publicly traded securities, emphasizing that while significant emotional investments are typically made in close relationships—like those with parents, partners, and supervisors—the emotional stakes with others, such as coworkers or casual acquaintances, tend to be less substantial. He pointed out that there are still individuals, like strangers or unasked for critics, who receive no emotional investment from us at all.
A central idea in Bosworth’s approach is that the degree of influence others hold over our self-worth should closely align with the emotional equity we allow them. For instance, he suggests that a negative remark from a stranger should minimally impact our self-esteem, similar to how a decline in a stock we do not own should not affect our financial standing. However, he acknowledges that many individuals fail to handle their emotional investments as rationally.
Bosworth’s key takeaway is that people often allocate emotional capital to relationships that do not yield positive returns. He advocates for a more thoughtful approach, reminding us to focus our emotional resources on connections that genuinely benefit us. He states, “Manage your emotional economy like any other portfolio: diversify wisely, invest intentionally, and don’t panic when the market dips.”
Continuing his commitment to sharing life lessons from his career, Bosworth noted that these insights stem from personal experiences, many of which were learned through challenging situations. His reflections come at a time when many individuals are reconsidering their personal and professional relationships amid broader societal changes.
Moreover, following Meta’s recent Q3 earnings report, which showed a 9% decline in stock value during after-hours trading, Bosworth’s advice on managing emotional and financial portfolios becomes increasingly relevant. While he declined to comment further, his message on emotional management stands as a timely and thought-provoking reminder for those navigating complex relationships in both their personal and professional lives.