A Book A Day - Weekly Digest 23

Super Thinking by?Gabriel Weinberg, Lauren McCann

??Key takeaway??

Worldly wisdom is about plugging our knowledge about life into theoretical models that illuminate everyday problems.

???Key ideas??

We make dozens of decisions every day. They can cumulatively account to good or bad outcomes. Every industry has mental models, recurring concepts that explain the world. Super models are widely applicable. Like critical mass, for nuclear chain reaction, or technology change (fax, ride-sharing).

Car Jacobi: invert, always invert. Meaning to take the opposite point of view. It's not about making money for investment, it's about avoiding loss. It is about avoiding unforced errors. For that, use first principles, take fundamental truths and work you way up. Job hunting: define your values, write down your red lines, check the values against jobs. You don't ask what's available, you ask which one suits your needs.

Ockham's razor: with equally and competing assumptions, the simpler is more likely to be true. Shave off unnecessarily intricate explanations. Dating: apps help you apply tons of filters for an unrealistic mate, stick to the basics to stat with, we can adapt to most quirks. Easier to find someone who make you laugh, than someone who does that plus all the other preferences you have.

Fundamental attribution error: we explain our behaviour by our intentions, external circumstances but we ascribe other people's actions to essential characteristics. You run a red light for going to the hospital. Someone else does, they are reckless. Veil of ignorance: if you could not be sure where you'd be born, you'd fight for fair rules for everyone. So apply it now.

Between 1811 to 1895, dark peppered moths rose fro 0.01% to 98% prevalence. Soot covered trees, making the bright ones visible for predators. Experimental mindset: scientific observations, hypotheses, testing, analyzing data, formulating new theories. Health: don't believe diet fads, do trial and error. Same for your intellectual diet.

Numbers can mislead as easily as they can inform. Anecdotal evidence: hearsay, personal experience. This outlines exceptional cases and forget about average (the smoker who lived until 90). Correlation implies causation: events occur consecutively, but one does not necessarily cause the other.

A waiter that gives customers small gifts increase their tips: reciprocity, the perceived obligation to return favors. It's a social norm. Sometimes we use market norms (your personal interest). But they get confused. If you fine parents who are late picking children from kindergarten, they become even more late, because they lose the social obligation for a market one (no guilt if you pay).

#ABookADay?#readingbooks?#mentalmodels

True North by?Bill George

??Key takeaway??

One of the first books about authentic leadership through integrity of core values and purpose. A classic.

???Key ideas??

Authentic leaders are true to themselves, their beliefs, and motivate others to perform at their best. They want to serve others. The meanings of the key events in your story will guide you, help you find your True North so you can become an authentic leader.

5 archetypal leaders who lose sight of their True North: 1) Imposters: lack of self-awareness, self-esteem, political, aggressive. 2) Rationalizers: do anything to reach targets, at the expense of values. 3) Glory Seekers: motive is money, fame, glory, power. 4) Loners: no relationships, mentors, lone wolf. 5) Shooting stars: rise too fast, no time for family/friends, no time to learn.

Some leaders think power lies in the ability to motivate others to follow them. But being an authentic leaders is about getting supporters to help you move along, bringing them to their full potential. Sometimes a triggering experience gets you to realize your essential purpose.

Self-awareness lies at the heart of your compass. You need to know the roles you're best at, your natural strengths and interests. It also helps you fill your skill gaps with people complementing you. Leading to true self-confidence.

Uncover the values and principles that will guide your leadership. These principles are your values translated into action. Your values will be testes under pressure, but if your purpose is true, you will remain true to your values. Like the founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy, who decided to run the business without corruption.

You also need to understand what motivates you. Intrinsic motivations: derived from your sense of meaning in life, more subtle than extrinsic (grades, trophies, etc.). The key is to balance both types and ideally bring them together. Like The Gap, working on the environment out of core values, and improving public perception of the company.

Authentic leaders have had mentors who changed their lives by helping them develop skills to become better leaders. Mentors provide tough love for critical lessons. So seek them out. Also support groups, particularly peers, in your company or outside. And of course your life partner, family, close friends.

Live an integrated life. It brings together the major elements of your personal and professional life: work, family, community, friends so you can be the same person in each environment. It means making trade-offs, staying down to earth, having a special place to go to restore yourself, gain perspective.

#truenorth

Humility Is The New Smart by?Edward Hess,?Katherine Ludwig

??Key takeaway??

Focusing on what makes us human in the age of smart machines. Leveraging our capacity for cooperation, common success, and care for each other.

???Key ideas??

We are approaching the Smart Machine Age (SMA), where they will be able to perform complex tasks, nonroutine work. Robotics, AI, nanotech, genetic engineering. For humans, it means we can't be sure our jobs are secure. We must be NewSmart, we need to complement machines, or do jobs they can't do (critical thinking, emotional engagement, creative practices). To excel in that we need to learn to collaborate, drop our focus on competition, aggression, individual success.

Four skills for SMA. 1) Quieting ego: trim back emotional defensiveness, letting your guard down, being more objective, open-minded, open-hearted. 2) Managing Self: healthy and controlled approach to thoughts/feelings (to limit fears, insecurities). 3) Reflective listening: transcend your cognitive, emotional biases. It's about taking time to understand other people, their ideas. With an open mind, you can forge productive, collaborative relationships. 4) Master otherness: establishing strong connections with others.

First, you need to transform your mental model: the sum total of your personal ideas, beliefs, perceptions of the world. The past world was about individualism, competition. Humility is the mental model of the SMA. Humility is an attitude that lets you operate in a self-accurate, open-minded way, focused on others. You are less in the center (but you still matter).

Mindfulness helps quiet the ego, it is about purposefully noticing the present, without judgment. Get into a comfortable position, and focus on just one thing (body, a part of it, abstract concepts). Other thoughts interfering with your focus will become more apparent. This brings detachment from them, and a more objective observation. Self-management is about slowing down, thinking deliberately, and acting purposefully. Rushing through life only allows to go through the motions.

To become a reflective listener, focus on the other person, keep an open mind, ask clarifying questions. Make a checklist for yourself, with every aspect key for you to listen reflectively (like "don't interrupt"). Then use it for interactions. To connect emotionally with others, use verbal, non verbal clues to show you are present for the other (eye contact, smile, put your phone away).

#humility?#ageofai

The Talent Code by?Daniel Coyle

??Key takeaway??

I like the fact that to become talented, you need a master coach to foster deep practice and ignite motivation. I might be biased :-)

???Key ideas??

All actions, feelings, thoughts are the result of electrical impulses that travel along nerve fibers (circuits), e.g. moving muscles. Myelin encases neural circuits to insulate them, and is key to develop skills. It helps with speed and precision of the trip of a signal. Thicker layer, better.

When nerves are fired to practice a skill, the myelin layers grow. The more frequent the practice, the more growth. The best growth comes through making mistakes and correcting them. So, practice beyond the limits of your current abilities, even if you make mistakes.

Skill is not exclusively dependent on genes and environment. Renaissance Florence had a large concentration of artists. Boys were taken in "craft guilds" to learn over many years, under a master. Michelangelo's genius was a result of deep practice, from 6 years old. We have a large influence over skills we become adept at.

In the talent hotbeds of the world, you find: 1) Deep practice (kids playing futsal vs soccer in Brazil, harder game). 2) Ignition, the event that motivates deep practice. 3) Having a master coach, someone who can foster deep practice, ignite motivation.

Deep practice consists of: 1) Chunking, breaking down the task into very small units. You examine and learn them, slow down the pace of action. 2) Time, as you need a lot of repetition. 3) Make things a little difficult for yourself, practice just beyond the limits of your ability.

We need to be extremely motivated to improve over a long period of time. Like the first golfer from South Korea who won a major tournament, it ignited the sport in that country. Or a school that tells his students that every one of them will got to college (using the keyword frequently, being a motto).

Almost no one develop their talents by themselves. People have teachers, coaches, parents. Some coaches focus on deep practice, giving precise, concrete information on how to improve, plus feedback. Other coaches ignite, and are important early, to make people feel good, reward them, encourage them.

Master coaches need a vast knowledge of their field and the ability to meet the individual needs of their students. It is about connecting their knowledge to the student's need. And giving clear and precise instructions. No particular need to yell, or talk much.

#talent?#code

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh

??Key takeaway??

The Buddha's teaching is about practices, not theories. So read on, and do.

???Key ideas??

The awakening of the Buddha's flowed like water that went into jars for students to understand: the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path. Learning, practicing them leads to peace, happiness. Practicing each of the Noble Truths involves three turnings: recognition, encouragement, realization.

The First Noble Truth is dukkha: suffering. 1st turning: recognize that you are in pain, so you can investigate its nature (physical, physiological, psychological). Acknowledge it. 2nd turning: explore the suffering to understand it (use meditation). 3rd turning: receive the results, name, describe your suffering. You're not evading anymore.

The Second Noble Truth is samudaya: the origin of your suffering. 1st turning: recognize what you consume, food, drink, they can nourish you or cause pain. Also films, music, books, conversations you have. Also intentions, goals, are you contributing to the well-being of others? Consciousness: feed it with love, compassion. 2nd turning: set an intention to change your habits. 3rd turning: put your intention into action.

The Third Noble Truth is nirodha: ceasing to create suffering. 1st turning: recognize that you experience peace when you're free of suffering (recall healthy moments). 2nd turning: actively seek out love, see it in the wonders of existence. 3rd: realize its fragile, rare. It leads to the Fourth Noble Truth, marga: the path. You recognize the path of suffering, you don't know yet know how to walk it.

To walk the Noble Eightfold Path, start with the Right View: transformation is possible, it arises from understanding suffering. Your perceptions are influenced by your emotions, question them, access clear vision, ultimate reality. Right Thinking: see things as they truly are, ask whether you're sure your thoughts are right.

Right Mindfulness helps you navigate your emotions, pleasant or not. By welcoming them you become calmer. You pay attention to people in your life, looking them in their eyes, seeing their suffering, bringing them some relief. Right Speech is about paying attention to your words, listening with compassion.

Right Action is grounded in reverence for all life. You do not harm, kill, support those who kill. When you hurt someone, you hurt yourself. It's practicing kindness toward others, sexual responsibility. It leads to Right Livelihood, having a work that harmonizes with love, compassion. Be mindful at work, remember that your choice influences the livelihood of others.

Right Diligence is acting with ease, supported by love, happiness, loyalty, reconciliation. This ease is created through mindfulness, bringing joy and interest in what you do. Right Concentration focuses your mind on one point so insight can arise. It shows you the interconnection of all things.

#buddha