Well, if youâre reading this that means you survived 2020. Congratulations! đȘ
In all seriousness, itâs been a challenging year, and weâve all been impacted differently. But as 2020 comes to a close and we welcome the new year, I hope weâll find time to contemplate what weâve learned and express gratitude for our blessings. Gratitude isnât burying our head in the sand or pretending like everythingâs perfect. Gratitude is making a conscious decision to recognize and appreciate the good things we have in our life. I wish you and yours the best in the new year. We got this. đ€đ€Â
Books, articles, etc.
How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen (Book)
At the beginning of the year, I made a commitment to reread several of my favorites. If a book was excellent the first time around, surely it would be worth a second read. This book made the shortlist and I finally got around to it.Â
Originally given as a Harvard Business School commencement address and later expanded into a book, Clayton Christensenâs How Will You Measure Your Life? offers a series of guidelines for finding meaning and happiness in life. Itâs a great read for anyone seeking to balance a successful career and a fulfilling life.Â
There are countless quotes that stand out, but the message that resonated most is the importance of investing time in areas that are most important to us. In Christensenâs words: âYou can talk all you want about having a clear purpose and strategy for your life, but ultimately this means nothing if you are not investing the resources you have in a way that is consistent with your strategy.â An ongoing goal of mine is to do just that.
The Taysom Hill Story (YouTube)
If 2020 has been a tough year and youâve been punched in the stomach a few times, you need to see this. Taysom Hill had four season-ending injuries while playing quarterback at BYU, my alma mater. He bounced back from each one, went undrafted in the 2017 NFL draft, and has fought his way to becoming the starting QB on the New Orleans Saints when Drew Brees got injured. His is a powerful story and this might be the best 8 minutes and 20 seconds you spend today.Â
The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s by Andy Greene (Book)
Iâve long been a fan of The Office so this was just a really fun read. I loved the behind the scenes look at the show and the deep dives into key episodes including âThe Dundiesâ, âCasino Nightâ, and âDinner Partyâ. I knew next to nothing about how TV shows are made and there were so many good quotes from the cast and crew that brought the story to life.  Â
As far as episodes go, everyone thinks âDinner Partyâ is the best but my favorite is âBeach Gamesâ. Pamâs speech after the firewalk is golden.Â
Observations
4 Lessons From 4 Years at DoorDash
Four years ago I left a comfortable job at an excellent company to join DoorDash, a Series C startup that had ~250 people. At the time, DoorDash was far from a sure thing. Itâs been an incredible ride so far and I wrote this piece to reflect on four lessons I learned during this period.
Most Read of 2020: Career Q&A with Ann Hiatt
I posted to my blog 36 times this year. This Q&A with Ann Hiatt, Leadership Consultant and Former Executive Business Partner to Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt, was the most read. Ann offers great advice on taking career risks, trusting your intuition, and effectively managing stress.
Most Listened to of 2020: The Most Important Story You Will Ever Tell (Ep. 14)
In April I launched a YouTube channel that ultimately morphed into a podcast. Of the 18 episodes of the Not Your Parentsâ Workplace Show, this one was downloaded the most. Iâve learned that the stories we tell ourselves impact what we do and who we become. If youâre looking to better control your mindset and tell stories that serve your purpose, have a listen. Â
Gratitudes
Iâve found power in regularly expressing gratitude so Iâll continue the habit. Iâm grateful for my dad. We moved to St. George, Utah earlier this month. Iâm certainly not the handiest person and there were lots of little things that needed fixing. My dad came to town and we spent a full Saturday working on house projects. His service has helped us feel more settled and I had a really fun time working side by side with him.Â
If you've read anything worth sharing I'd love to hear about it. And do let me know if there's anything I can do to help you. Â
Nathan
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