545It doesn't help that our culture glorified burnout as a measure of success and self-worth. The implicit message is that if we aren't perpetually exhausted, we must not be doing enough. That great things are reserved for those who bleed, for those who almost break. Crushing volume (?) is now the goal.
7
546War in disguise--prohibit slave trade by prohibiting neutral flags on ships. Story.
34
547Do we really give a damn what United thinks a ticket is? Isn't it more important what we [Southwest] think a ticket is?
36
548Believing essential activities are, almost by definition, tedious, we are more likely to put them off or avoid them completely. At the same time, our nagging guilt about all the essential work we could be doing instead sucks all the joy out of otherwise enjoyable experiences. Fun becomes "the dark playground." Separating important work from play makes life harder than it needs to be.
44
549Reduce the lag indicator.
45
550Our rituals are habits with a soul.
51
551When you focus on something you are thankful for, the effect is instant. It immediately shifts you from a lack state (regrets, worries about the future, the feeling of being buried) and puts you into a have state (what is going right, what progress you are making, what potential exists in this moment). It reminds you of all the resources, all the assets, all the skills you have at your disposal--so you can use them to more easily do what matters most.
56
552When you focus on what you lack, you lose what you have.
When you focus on what you have, you get what you lack.
58-59
553BJ Fogg, founder of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University, says that to create a new habit we simply need to look for something we already do and then attach a new behavior to it. He calls this a habit recipe. The simplest version of which is after [x] I will [y].
61
554For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain. Henry Wadsorth Longfellow.
66
555Much has been written about the corrosive effects of today's Hustle Culture in which we hear comments like "I just don't need a lot of sleep" or "Who has time to sleep? Not me!" as a badge of honor. But in fact, "Sleep Shaming" is a timeless tradition. The historian and presidential biographer Ron Chenow tells the story of how, when US Civil War hero U.S. Grant attempted to go to bed at 11pm the night before an important battle, one of his commanders reminded him that Napoleon indulged in only 4 hours of sleep and still presented all the vigor of his mental faculties. Grant, who regularly got 7 hours was dubious and replied "I never believed those stories. If truth were known, I have no doubts that it would be found that he made up for his short sleep by taking naps during the day.
76
556The Clearness Committee
87
557Past a certain point, more effort doesn't produce better performance. It sabotages our performance.
95
558In Eastern Philosophy the masters call this sweet spot wu wei (oo-way). Wu means "not here" or "without." Wei means "do," "act," or "effort." So Wu Wei, literally "without action" or "without effort" means "trying without trying," "action without action," or "effortless doing."
98
559Though she be but little, she is fierce. -Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The first action may be the tiniest, easiest to overlook thing, but it is surprisingly fierce.
111
560No matter how simple the step, it's still easier to take no step.
See also 116 re: amazon.
117
561Being asked to do X isn't a good enough reason to do Y.
120
562Simplicity--the act of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. From the Agile Manifesto.
124
563If you're not embarrassed by your first product release, you released it too late. Or put another way, when it comes to product launches, imperfect is perfect.
130
564See The False Economy of Poverty
135
565The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.
Discussion follows.
161
566...the best new ideas usually come from combining existing knowledge in one field with an "intrusion of unusual combinations" from other disciplines.
162
567The typical American reads (or partially reads) only 4 books a year. More than a quarter of Americans don't read books at all. And the trend is worsening.
163
568The Lindy Effect--The life expectancy of a book is proportional to its current age.
163
569Read: The Checklist Manifesto
177
570Three I Rule: Look for people with
Integrity
Intelligence
Initiative
189
571There are three parties to every relationship. Person A, Person B, and the structure that governs them.
191
572Diagram. Circle with small arrows around perimeter. Circle with one long arrow. Both circles labeled "Energy"
252
