Hacker News Books

"What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful" by Marshall Goldsmith helped me become a better teammate and communicator.

I highly recommend Marshall Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There. https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/product/book-2/

Great book on overcoming smart people faults.

In his book, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There", Marshall Goldsmith says that everyone has the capacity to be like Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton is a legendary communicator who makes anyone feel like they are the most important person in the room[1]. When are we like Bill Clinton? When we want to make our best possible impression - first date, job interview. The difference is Bill Clinton does this all day long, with everyone. Extraordinary energy.

[1] But on Tuesday, Obama could not praise his one-time rival too warmly, jokingly
recounting how Clinton's famous schmoozing skills had persuaded him to attend.

"I think everyone knows what it's like when Bill Clinton asks you to make a commitment," Obama said.

"He looks you in the eye, he feels your pain, he makes you feel like you're the only person in the room. What could I say? I was vulnerable, just like all of you have been vulnerable, to his charms."

http://www.soundanalarm.net/BillClintonWorldSaviour2009.html

Got a new job in May so slowed me down, but got through around 8 this year.

I'm a Lencioni fan:

Death by Meeting -- Describes 3 types of meetings

Getting Naked -- Describes how to consult

I'm also a Marshall Goldsmith fan:

What Got You Here Won't Get You There - Once you get beyond a Director level with some mistakes, read this book

Mojo, How to Get It, How To Keep It - Another "look yourself in the mirror" book

Also:

21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - John Maxwell. A little prod to act more like a leader.

Ready Player One -- Ernest Cline, Great Young Adult Book. Escapist fantasy.

Every Shot Counts -- Mark Broady, Statistical Look At Golf, but has some smell of Kahnemann

To Kill A Mockingbird -- Timeless Classic I Never Got To. Loved Atticus. I won't read a Watchman if it spoils my view of what Atticus was all about.

Started But Not Finished:

Business Dynamics Thinking -- Sterman (out of MIT). I need to take off work to read this 'cause it is so massive. Basically it is control theory applied to business modelling. However, I am convinced if somebody can apply these models, it really is the best competitive advantage. However, too people willing to stick with it.

How to Measure Anything -- Douglas Hubbard. Sort of makes me mad because it is so commonsense, yet most businesses don't apply this commonsense approach.

At our first month of start up (not that it's been long anw), we used to work like 17 - 18 hours a day. It doesn't take long for us to realize that this whole thing is more of a marathon than sprint. Since then, i have been trying to adjust my life more.

It's still not balance though. I can relate to that constant thinking and working condition. Often, i got a friend ask me, "so, tomorrow is weekend, what are you going to do?" and my typical answer is "work". Because, when you're doing startup, there is no more weekdays or weekend. For me, everyday is just the same. If i don't sleep due to biological needs, then i work.

Having said all that, now i try to balance the equation a little bit with exercise, socialize with family and friends. After all, most of the time, the "quantum leap" in our business concept are discovered during that "downtime".

Beside, why are we working so hard anyway in the first place? I don't want to lose all my family and friends or key moments in my child's life, while my startup make it. I think this fallacy is well described by Marshall Goldsmith in his book "What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful" about goal obsession. I read it years ago and think it's a great book for most of us here in HN, dare to say, A personality.