Much of my attention the last few weeks has been focused less on my career and more on how we’re going to survive the next school year with all four kids at home. 😱
Let’s jump right in.
Books, articles, etc.
This Ubiquitous Habit Is Likely Holding Your Work & Relationships Back by Shane Snow (Article)
Interestingly, just days before stumbling on this article, I read about this topic elsewhere. In short, there’s an increasing tendency (see google search below) for us to say that we feel something, when in reality, we’re sharing what we think. Here are a few examples:
“I feel like things are going to get better.” You can’t feel a prediction about the future.
“I feel that the sales team is too bloated.” You don’t feel an opinion. You think it.
In this article, Snow argues that by conflating thinking with feeling, we actually impair our ability to think clearly.
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (Book)
If I was late to the game on Atomic Habits, I’m last to the game on reading this one. As a whole I enjoyed Sapiens and it challenged many of my beliefs and viewpoints, something I think is important. Maybe it was the narrator, but I found the tone of the book somewhat condescending, and many of the author’s points were presented as self-evident (“you are stupid if you don’t believe this”) rather than being backed by science.
The most fascinating chapter was about happiness and how even though our standard of living has risen significantly over the last few centuries, we seem to be no happier for it. Our expectations generally increase at the same rate as our standard of living, and the new standard of living becomes our baseline. The author covers this phenomenon with brilliance. Despite my love/hate relationship with the book, I do think it’s worth the read.
The Best Career Advice I’ve Ever Gotten by Ryan Holiday (Article)
Here Holiday outlines the Canvas Strategy, a career growth strategy where you clear the path for people above you which ultimately creates a path for yourself. I love the story of an early in career Bill Belichick focused on breaking down game film, allowing others to take credit for his work.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Book)
I don’t read a ton of fiction but I’ve now read this one four times. I love it. Sad as this may sound, The Great Gatsby is the only book I read in high school that I enjoyed (sorry, Great Expectations and Pride and Prejudice). The character of Jay Gatsby is fascinating. Maybe it’s his endless ambition, his singular focus to do whatever it takes to recreate a relationship that has long since faded, or the shot of Leo that’s become one of my favorite GIFs. Much like What Makes Sammy Run, this book is a cautionary tale that has has shaped how I think about my career.
I finished reading the book while visiting my parents and together we watched the 2013 and 1974 film versions, both of which I enjoyed. But as we all know, the book is always better.
I also read The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, a book I didn’t like when I first read it in 2008 but one I really enjoyed the second time around. Funny how where you’re at in life can change your perceptions and tastes.
Observations
How to Neutralize Anger in Others (Episode 13)
In Episode 8 of the podcast, I shared a simple tool to control your own anger. But what do you do if others are mad at you? How can you neutralize that anger and get them to a more rational state of mind so that you can solve the problem? In this episode, I share how you can do just that.
Career Q&A with Tami Forman, Chief Executive at Path Forward
The next Career Q&A is with Tami Forman. Tami offers great insight into the power of setting low expectations (yes, you read that right), how our obsession with “passion” can lead us astray, and how having a child helped give her confidence in her career.
Gratitudes
I’ve found power in regularly expressing gratitude so I’ll continue the habit. This month I’m grateful for DoorDash. As COVID continued to spread and employees were required to work from home, DoorDash offered a generous stipend to help set up a home office. This allowed me to upgrade from my dining room chair and get a sweet standing desk. #gamechangers
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.
Nathan
P.S. Looks like I was overambitious as the move to a bi-monthly newsletter didn’t last long. We’ll stick with a monthly cadence for now :)
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