How to simplify a career decision? Consider three things; Questions + People + Upside.
Questions: What questions or challenges is the company seeking to solve?
People: Who are the people solving them? Are they curious to keep asking more questions? Are they persistent to work towards a solution (or at least humble enough to learn from failure along the way)?
Upside: What is the learning opportunity? How does it translate to short- and/or long-term financial benefit?
Ultimately, you will be tasked to own those questions. Work alongside those people. And, reap that upside.
My reading list from the first three months of 2023.
On The Shortness of Life by Seneca (Jan ’23 | Score: 4/5): A short, self-reflective book that challenged how I think about time and priorities. It may have been written hundreds of years ago, though I find it amazing how relevant and applicable the concepts still are. The first section is well worth the read and the occasional reread. It will be time well spent.
Atomic Habits by James Clear (Jan ’23| Score: 4.5/5): New year, new habits? That was my thought and a good thought it was. In short, I think the strategies and tactics to drive personal improvements are very useful. However, my biggest takeaway was that the book is incredibly well written. As a primer, I recommend the episode with James on Peter Attia’s podcast. JC covers the key highlights, which serves as a good intro to the concepts.
I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi (Feb ’23 | Core: 3/5): This book sat on my shelf for two years before I finally invested the time to read it. The recent wedding and new year had me due for a “financial” refresh. I found it to be a useful guide with a focus on the fundamentals and simple advice for the key financial use-cases (e.g., buying a car, getting married, etc.) It is not a pager turner, but I plan to revisit it when considering a significant financial decisions in the future.
A More Beautiful Questionby Warren Berger (Feb ’23 | Score: 5/5): “A beautiful question is an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something – and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change”… I think that tagline sums it up well. The book is a philosophical yet pragmatic guidebook about the art and science of questions. I found it to be a useful tool to help spark my own curiosity and foster more productive conversations at work. Top book of 2023 thus far.
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter (Mar ’23 | Score: 4/5): Life lessons littered throughout the author’s adventure into remote Alaska. The book challenges “modern comforts”, yet offers simple and applicable habits to refocus on the fundamental aspects of life. While the writing style is sporadic, the Comfort Crisis is an easy read with introspective elements. If you read this and enjoy, then I highly recommend A Lion Trackers Guide to Life. Similar style, yet less ice and snow. More safari and sunshine.
Bonus Audio Book: Killing England: While it started slow, the book evolved into an engaging deep dive into the American Revolution and the remarkable men who lead it. I found it to provide enough level of detail to enrich the story, but not get bogged down in the manusha of dates, names, etc. Would recommend for history fans.
In addition to what I read, there is also a list of what I stopped reading for one reason or another; From Start-up to Grown-up (… poor writing) and The Socialization of American Medicine (… too scientific).
I am trying something new in 2023. I am doing an “uncomfort” challenge each month.
Why? I view these “challenges” as experiments with my comfort zone and/or existing habits.
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To start the year, I decided to not drink alcohol for 21-days.
Alcohol has been a part of my life since I started college. Back then, my immature taste buds salivated for a cheap beer, and over time evolved to appreciate a high-end wine or a tough to find bourbon.
It is important to note that my relationship with alcohol has never been unhealthy. It has simply been a consistent presence amongst friends on the weekends or shared over a nice dinner.
So, as I wrap-up the “challenge,” what did I learn? Below are a few reflections:
Friday, at 5:15 PM is by far the most desirable time for a beer… which, I think makes sense. Dating back to my time in college, the first beer on a Friday signaled a transition from the grind of a school week to the freedom of a weekend. Fast forward, ten years and that “reward” has become hardwired.
How to fill my time on the weekend evenings? That became a serious question. Instead of socializing with friends at the local pub, I quickly realized that it is easy to fill time with the latest Netflix series…. I would argue an actual worse use of time.
My hypothesis was that I would sleep better and therefore feel better. In reality, I would say that is only half true. Yes, alcohol has an impact on sleep but there were still multiple nights where I stayed up to late. And, my energy lagged from there.
21-days is an incredibly short amount of time. It may not be enough to create massive change, however, it is enough time to create space for reflection about the habit.
Nothing radical, but I’m glad I did it. The time created space to reset and simply get my mind right to kick-off 2023. With that being said, I think it is time for a beer.
I’d never been on more than a boogie board, yet there I was staring into the Pacific Ocean. My body choked by a wetsuit and my arms fighting the wind to hold onto the eight-foot board.
A friend had volunteered to teach me to surf.
Eager to start, I took a step towards the crashing waves. “Stop. Turn around. The lesson starts on the beach.” What followed were the fundamentals of surfing:
First, wade out into the water and attempt to ride a wave like a boogie board,
Second, do they same but center my hands on the board (and never touch the rails again),
Third, attempt to pop-up into a standing position (and fall over and over again),
And finally, pop-up then ride a (very, very small) wave.
The elementary pace included a return to the sand between each lesson. A chance to catch my breath, shake out the cool saltwater, and prepare for the next step. Each break also came with a recurring mantra… “Don’t rush to failure.”
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The mantra has stuck with me long after that surf lesson.
Whether a potential deal at work or a sale at the local store, there is a natural urge to rush into the opportunity. I mean, it may never ever come back again, right?
Maybe not. Maybe the right approach is to step back and focus on the fundamentals.
What is the basic need? When is it needed? And, what is the logical next step?
These fundamentals can lay the foundation to resist an arbitrary deadline or a rushed decision. AKA, what I would call unnecessary stress (…. and people already have enough of that).
NH.
P.S. I realize some things just need done ASAP, this is more so an indictment on arbitrary deadlines 🙂
I married the love of my life, traveled more than ever, pivoted my career path, and fostered many friendships. I have much to be grateful for.
As 2022 comes to a close, I reflected on the year. I had numerous wins and countless lessons learned. The wins are always to be celebrated, but the lessons generate growth. Below are 22 of my lessons learned from 2022:
Planning a wedding will be one of the best experiences of your life. It can also be one of the most stressful if you let it.
Poor sleep equals poor quality of life.
Know when you are out-of-your-depth… then be willing to ask for help.
Be very careful with goal setting. Focus on systems to achieve the goal versus the goal itself.
I spent time in 15 major US cities during 2022 and there is still no other place that I would rather live than Chicago.
There always will be value with in-person work. Especially, when it comes to building a team and maintaining a culture.
The best meals are those with the most simple ingredients.
Band of Brothers is the best show on TV, though Peaky Blinders remains a close second.
The location of a bachelor party doesn’t matter. The people are what matter and they will ensure it is a hell of a time where ever it may be.
The written word is powerful. Use it as a tool to say thank you.
You don’t have to read every book or watch every show that someone recommends… there isn’t enough time in the day (conversely, be mindful of someone’s time when you recommend anything).
I gave up caffeine for a month. It was an admirable experiment; but, I am a much better person on caffeine.
The Amalfi Coast is as beautiful as a postcard, though its true beauty comes from its people and cuisine.
Are you getting married? Divide your planned goals by half. The wedding will consume most of your free time.
Every place has something worth seeing… you just have to look close enough.
A long walk on a Saturday morning is the best way to reset a busy mind.
Death is never easy. But, it is important to think about death as a reminder to live…. to focus on what truly matters.
Don’t succumb to fomo when it comes to investing… it may just save you significant $$$s.
Foundational mental models and disciplined thinking translate across industries (whether banking or healthcare).
When in Rome, cappuccinos are to be drank in the morning (or people will look at you funny).
Know what must be great, what can be good, or what can be just ok… this will save you a lot of time.
Be willing to share your lessons learned, it may just help someone else.
Internet Mentors. noun; “an advisor or teacher that has no personal relationship with the mentee.”
The world is flooded with information. Books, podcasts, the internet, etc. People face an unprecedented amount of content. Most of it is garbage (in my opinion) however; this phenomena has its benefits. Notably, every day people have access to more remarkable, non-mainstream, thinkers.
Over the years, I developed a list of my favorite “creators.” People that have resonated and taught me the most. I call these people my “internet mentors.” A list that includes; Tim Ferriss, Ryan Holiday, and Seth Godin.
Why are these the favorites? Two reasons.
First, they are passionately curious and experts in questions. Second, they foster engaging conversations with interesting people.
The result? I grow my knowledge across a range of topics, but I also expand my list of “internet mentors.”
A recent example of this “expansion” is Rich Roll. I heard about Rich on a podcast episode with Tim Ferriss.
Rich has a one-of-a-kind life. My words couldn’t do it justice, but his transformative story had a profound impact. He overcame serious addiction to unlock his physical potential and achieve spiritual fulfillment.
Rich’s openness to reveal his personal scars is a model of true courage. It inspires me to share more about my inner self and energizes me to test my own limits. In short, I am grateful for Rich (and people like him). His story leads to my benefit.
He recently released a “docu-short” about his life. Take the 15-minutes to watch. You won’t regret it.
NH.
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“… the pain of circumstance has to exceed the fear of change.”
“It is slothful not to compress your thoughts” – Winston Churchill
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I recently finished the book, The Splendid & The Vile by Erik Larson. A remarkable expose of Winston Churchill during WWII. The book left me with numerous takeaways, but maybe none bigger than; Churchill’s focus on communication.
Let me explain.
Germany was on England’s doorstep. Churchill faced countless decisions with little time to make them. Each moment had to count.
How did he make it all work? Churchill demanded brevity. His staff were to deliver all memos in a page or less. And, he never hesitated to call them out if they did not.
This paid dividends in two ways. First, his mandate coached the staff to focus on the facts and summarize the options in plain English. And, second, Churchill could efficiently consume the information and make the necessary decisions.
As William Zinser said, “clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can’t exist without the other.” Churchill challenged, more so required, all of his government to think and communicate in this way.
… as you know, the result worked out for him.
NH.
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P.S. I highly recommend William Zinser’s book On Writing Well. It was a gift that continues to give.
Stop for one. 