Creativity Inc

“If you give a good idea to a mediocre team, they will screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a brilliant team, they will either fix it or throw it away and come up with something better.”  – Ed Catmull

Lessons learnt: Fail fast, fail cheap. Change requires risk and the courage to take on risk. People are more important than ideas.

Writing your memoir can quickly get you lost in details, glance over struggles or put yourself in a too glorious position. Ed Catmull does none of these things. In a story that chronologically follows his journey through the development of animation is one of great humility and many lessons learnt. When Ed was young he had a dream: making an animated feature film, his dream came through – and then some!

This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in leadership, but why? It is because Ed has some lessons that other ‘management gurus’ have yet to mention. Among those lessons is the following: “It’s not the manager’s  job to prevent risks. It’s the manager’s job to make it safe for others to take risks.” Instead of shielding yourself (or your company) from risks, it is your people who should not have to worry about it. Why? Because there always is a risk, without it progress would not happen. But the feeling of risk, the negative associations should not be afflicting your team. Your team should feel safe to take risks and know that you have their back.

Another lesson about communication comes from the growth of Pixar. During the growth of Pixar, they used to have weekly meetings in a boardroom. It was at an oval table which seated everyone perfectly, there was no hierarchy. But due to growth two things started to happen, 1) the table became too small, people sat in one or two rings outside the big table to join, and 2) name-cards were placed to reserve places for the big-time executives. Ed recognized that he had failed to keep communication open and without hierarchy. After this realization, he ordered a larger table and after another struggle in abolishing the name-cards, he successfully eliminated the hierarchy.

About halfway through the book, I was thinking to myself “What was the name of the author again?” It completely slipped my mind, in all its length the book rarely mentions Ed’s name. He instead opts to name many others for their great accomplishments. For criticism, however, he mostly ascribes the blame to either himself or organisational flaws, never to another individual. Between the lines, he demonstrates that leadership sometimes is not about doing the right things, but also about not doing some things (i.e. assigning blame).

“Failure isn’t a necessary evil. In fact, it isn’t evil at all. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new.” – Ed Catmull

Creativity Inc. is an entertaining, never dull, and pleasant read. I have listened to it in the gym and on my way to work and it has the perfect amount of knowledge-density for an audiobook. Through personal stories, Ed will take you on a leadership journey in creativity.

The Book:

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration – Ed Catmull – ISBN-10: 0593070100 – ISBN-13: 978-0593070109

More on Creativity Inc.

https://ryanbattles.com/static/pdf/creativity-inc.pdf – Quotes from Creativity Inc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2h2lvhzMDc – Keep Your Crises Small – Talk by Ed Catmull

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18077903-creativity-inc – More reviews of Creativity Inc.

ReWork

Rework by Jason Fried

What if your business didn’t need to be big to succeed? What if you could focus on what’s most important? What if you didn’t even need a business plan?

These are some of the questions that are pondered by Jason Fried. In Rework, he answers them in surprising ways. He goes against the conventions of ‘bigger is better’ and ‘build and exit’. The book argues that you can stay small, be very profitable and enjoy your work.

Fix your own Problem

Do you really need to listen to your clients? That’s the question that Fried proposes in the chapter called ‘GO’. Why not solve your own problem.

That’s what he did at his own company (37signals). They build a project management tool called Basecamp. They looked at what they were missing from existing software and what a small team like theirs would value most. No research, no case studies, no interviews. They just build it and put it out there. Today more than 3 million companies use it.

Because they did no research they had no excuses to not put their product out there. The feedback also was much faster (i.e. talk to the person next to you). And now when people request new features, they don’t even write it down. They wait for something to be requested many times, check if it’s really something that fits with their own requests (e.g. if it’s really something a small business needs) and only then built it.

De-commoditize your Product

Queal is different from its competitors because we offer more variation, better service and the best quality ingredients. But these ‘facts’ are not what customers care about. If someone is really out for the price, they may find a competitor who offers a similar product for a lower price. And that’s why you need to de-commoditize your product.

You can do this by putting yourself into the product. The competition can copy many things, but never the you in your product. It’s the feeling that people get from your product that matters as much as the rational considerations.

At Queal, we started doing stories which showcase how people use our shakes. And we will show more from ourselves and why we ourselves love to drink Queal. And whenever customers interact with us, they will get a personal response, because we truly care for them.

If you like what you’re reading, you may also enjoy The Four Hour Work Week and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

The Innovators

“Creativity comes from drawing on many sources.” – Walter Isaacson

 

Lessons learnt: Innovation is building on the shoulders of giants. Innovation needs a big idea and great execution. Innovation takes collaboration.

If you are interested in how the computer age came to be, this is your book. From the early 19^th century through to the present day you will explore the invention of thinking machines to present day laptops. In The Innovators How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution you will follow the technology through the ages and follow Walter Isaacson as he dives into the intrigues that made possible our present-day technology.

The book starts with Ada Lovelace and how she works on a translation of a manual for the very first mechanical machine. In her translation she adds notes that are (said to be) the first conception of what a computer is, something that is able to “store, manipulate, process and act upon anything that could be expressed in symbols: words and logic and music and anything else we might use symbols to convey”.

Walter Isaacson is most famous for writing a biography of Steve Jobs. And throughout this history of technology, you will learn more about the important people than only the technologies they came up with. In it, you will most likely see that it has taken a lot of coincidence and good luck that we have the current computer age at our disposal. Isaacson does a great job in showing that it’s just humans, each with their own complex life, that have made this possible.

One of the most interesting of the stories is that of ‘computer’, and I’m not talking about your personal computer. It’s the story of how a group of women were doing all the calculations mid 20^th century that the men found to be below them. They used large machines to do difficult calculations and figured out how to make it more efficient in the process. They were on the forefront of technological design and showed that men are not all that.

The later chapters of the book describe the lives of people like Alan Turing (enigma code and the Turing machine), Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the world wide web), and Steve Jobs (Apple and Pixar). It takes apart their motivations and thought patterns. At the same time, the book links back to the earlier chapters and shows how new technologies are only the evolution of older ones.

“Knowing that great conceptions are worth little without precision execution”. –  Walter Isaacson

When you are done with The Innovators you will have a better understanding of how our current computer age has evolved. It has taken over 200 years, which may sound long, but at the same time is a microscopic dot in the time our galaxy has been around.

The Richest Man in Babylon

”Our acts can be no wiser than our thoughts.” – George S. Clason

Lessons learnt: Save money to invest in yourself. With compounding interest, that money can do lot’s of good for you.

In The Richest Man in Babylon, you follow the story an ancient wealthy man and his journey towards becoming wealthy. It’s an interesting book that was written in the 1920’s. The narrative way of the story can sometimes be irritating to follow but nonetheless, the lessons are valuable. Here they are:

• Save (at least) 10% of your money
• Cut back on expenses to make this happen (desire less, see the Stoics)
• Gather interest on your money (see my week of finance post)
• But don’t invest it in something that looks too good to be true (because it probably is)
• Invest instead of spend (e.g. buy a house instead of renting)
• Insure a future income (i.e. buy insurance)
• Increase your ability to learn (apply these lessons and read more)

The Book:

The Richest Man in Babylon – George Samuel Clason – ISBN-10: 1505339111 – ISBN-13: 978-1505339116

Letters from a Stoic

What does a philosopher from 2000 years ago have to say to us? What revelations can a person, so long dead, make that would apply to us? It turns out, a lot!

Letters from a Stoic by Seneca is a collection of his letters to Lucilius, a good friend, and procurator of Sicily. Seneca is (one of) the first sources that used the essay as a way of conveying a thought.

From his letters, you can subtract many wise words. Each letter does have a long introduction and sometimes examples are contemporary. But believe me, when I say that each one of them contains knowledge that applies to us, maybe even more than in ancient times.

Here are some of my observations:

• The ideal or goal of each man is a combination of four qualities (or virtues): wisdom (or moral insight), courage, self-control, and justice (or upright dealings)
• “Nothing is a better proof of a well-ordered mind than a man’s ability to stop just where he is and pass some time in his own company” – This makes me think about the psychology experiment where they let people stay alone in a room. In this room, they could shock themselves if they were bored. 67% of men and 25% of women chose to shock themselves. One participant shocked himself 190 times. What if only these people knew a bit about meditation?
• “After friendship is formed you must trust, but before that, you must judge.” – I think this fits in with the way Dutch people are (from a very selective sample), we don’t tell all our secrets to everyone, but when you trust someone you should confide in them with full confidence.
• “Inwardly everything should be different, but our outward face should conform with the crowd.” – Here Seneca speaks about how philosophers have very different thoughts than ‘normal’ people. And in a way, I can identify with this statement. Also, I believe that I shouldn’t alienate myself from others by coming out too strong with my views on things like life (extension) and money (saving).
• “There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with.” – You’ve probably noticed that watching a funny movie is more fun when doing this with friends. In a way, I think this quote also refers to love, that is the only thing that rich people can’t buy. It only comes from sharing and enjoying things together.
• “…people cease to possess everything as soon as they want everything for themselves.”
• “It is in no man’s power to have whatever he wants’but he has it in his power not to wish for what he hasn’t got, and cheerfully make the most of the things that do come his way.”
• “Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realise how unnecessary many things are.”
• “Associate with people who are likely to improve you. Welcome those whom you are capable of improving.” – One thing I believe in is that you are the average of the 5 people you associate the most with. And that learning thing to others can be very rewarding.
• “…indulge the body just so far as suffices for good health.” – This refers to one of the learnings from the ancient Greeks, don’t overdo things. For me, this means that I should be careful not to drink too much. At the same time, I should listen to my body with regards to sports and prevent injuries from happening.
• “If you wish to be stripped of your vices you must get right away from the examples others set of them.”
• “One shouldn’t, accordingly, eat until hunger demands.”
• “But while he does not hanker after what he has lost, he does prefer not to lose them.” – The Stoics have some great advice when it comes to grief. You should (of course) not want to lose a friend, but don’t stay stuck in the past. Previously I’ve written some more about Stoic teachings.
• “To procure friendship only for better and not for worse is to rob it of all its dignity.”
• “Without a ruler to do it against you won’t make the crooked straight.” – Without a way to check someone’s character you can’t improve it. This, I think, is the main reason for things like a ‘hell week’ in the military, to see someone’s real character.
• “…death ought to be right there before the eyes of a young man just as much as an old one…” – Live life to it’s fullest, every day.
• “If you shape your life according to nature, you will never be poor; if according to people’s opinions you will never be rich.” (quoted from Epicurus  – founder of Epicureanism). – Here nature refers to being content with small things, not wanting to have ever more. I guess some famous people could have used this quote.
• “…set aside now and then a number of days during which you will be content with the plainest of food, and very little of it, and with rough, coarse clothing, and will ask yourself, ‘Is this what I used to dread?’.” – This is one of the Stoic lessons, face the things you are afraid of (or practice negative visualisation) and find out that these things are far from as bad as you imagined.
• “If you want a man to keep his head when the crisis comes you must give him some training before it comes.”
• “Start cultivating a relationship with poverty.” – To be happy without possessions, to be happy in nature, you should get to know poverty up close.
• “…a man is wealthy if he has attuned himself to his restricted means and has made himself rich on little.”
• “A good character is the only guarantee of everlasting, care-free happiness.”
• “…treat your inferiors in the way in which you would like to be treated by your own superiors.”
• “…there’s no state of slavery more disgraceful than one which is self-imposed.”
• “For that is what philosophy has promised me – that she will make me God’s equal.” – Later Seneca asks what the difference between God’s and yourself would be if you master the four qualities. He answers himself with “They will exist longer.” – With radical life-extension, will even this difference stand the test of time?
• “Death is just not being.” – For more discussion about death, and the argument that you may die every night when you go to sleep(?) – listen to this podcast.
• “…who finds it a joy to live and in spite of that is not reluctant to die.”
• “Soft living imposes on us the penalty of debility; we cease to be able to do the things we’ve long been grudging about doing.” – And there you have the argument for doing crazy obstacle runs.
• “The only true serenity is the one which represents the free development of a sound mind.”
• “Refusal to be influenced by one’s body assures one’s freedom.”
• “As it is with a play, so it is with life – what matters is not how long the acting lasts, but how good it is.” – Which is echoed almost two centuries later by Benjamin Franklin “Many people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they are 75.”
• “…man who is master of himself the master of all.”
• “…the process of becoming a good man is an art.”
• “…in the midst of pleasures there are found the springs of suffering.” – Within good things, there may hide bad things, and in bad things, you can always find something good.
• “A setback has often cleared the way for greater prosperity.”
• “…never hope without an element of despair, never despair without an element of hope.”
• “We’re born unequal, we die equal.”
• “What a blessing it would be for some people if they could only lose themselves!” – Guess why some (or most?) people drink too much.
• “Freedom cannot be won without sacrifice.”
• “Never to wrong others takes one a long way towards peace of mind.”
• “There’s only one way to be happy and that’s to make the most of life.”

Psychology experiment:

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/07/people-would-rather-be-electrically-shocked-left-alone-their-thoughts

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jul/03/electric-shock-preferable-to-thinking-says-study

Letters from a Stoic is an advanced text on Stoic philosophy. It has much to offer to anyone who is open to taking a closer look at life, and who is ready to take in some knowledge.

The Book:

Letters from a Stoic – Seneca – ISBN-10: 0140442103 – ISBN-13: 978-0140442106

The Obstacle is the Way

“Obstacles are actually opportunities to test ourselves, to try new things, and, ultimately, to triumph”. – Ryan Holiday

Lessons learnt: Only by overcoming obstacles you can advance. Take action and practice willpower.

Throughout all of our life, we are faced with obstacles, with things that stand in our way to success. Sometimes it’s a boss that doesn’t recognise your talents. At other times it is a competitor that has more sales than you do. Or at other times it is an actual obstacle in your way, preventing you from going to that place you wanted to visit. In The Obstacle is the Way, Ryan Holiday takes us on a journey to not only overcome obstacles but to see them as the way forward. An obstacle is therefore not in the way, but is the way…

Obstacles through a different lens

Many people hate public speaking, for many people it is the most terrifying thing to do. At the same time, public speaking allows to you express your ideas to a broad audience, influence people and stand out. Both statements are true, but only if you change your perspective to think about the second part (and not the first), will the presentation become easier to give.

In The Obstacle if the Way we are introduced to many stories of obstacles like the one above. Ryan Holiday provides three main lessons through which he empowers you to use obstacles to your advantage:

1. Change your perception
2. Take action
3. Practice willpower

The Stoic Businessman

In 30 small chapters you are given actionable advice on implementing an ancient, but very much present, philosophy. This is the philosophy of the Stoics, Marcus Aurelius being the most famous one. The book provides you with the tools to; see things from different perspectives, decide when to be persistent, and how to anticipate for the future. These are of course only but a few examples of the lessons from the book.

“The best men are not those who have waited for chances but those who have taken them; besieged chance, conquered the chance, and made chance the servitor”. – E.H. Chapin

On the crossroads between a gimmick and an extensive examination of a philosophy, Ryan Holiday has found the perfect balance to convey his personal beliefs The lessons are accessible to anyone, hardened stoic or newcomer to philosophy. The stories never bore and even intertwine between chapters. If I were to summarize this book into three words it would be: perception, action, willpower.

Get it on Amazon:

The Obstacle is the Way – Ryan Holiday – ISBN-13: 978-0307886859

A Guide to the Good Life

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius

Lessons learnt: Negative visualisation can be as effective as positive visualisation. Worry only about things you can control (and not worry ever again). Plan for the future, live like it is your last day on earth.

What do you want out of life? This is the first sentence in A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine and it is your first introduction to a philosophy of life. So what is that philosophy of life thing I am talking about? Stoicism is the study of having both a 1) meaningful and 2) fulfilling life. Stoicism is the vehicle of choice for the current book and has also become my own philosophy of life. The book discusses the philosophy, the techniques you can explore and advice how to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. Stoicism is not the pursuit of happiness, stoicism is the pursuit of tranquillity. In this review, I will explain why, and give a preview of how.

Tranquillity instead of happiness is the ultimate goal. This may sound strange at first sight, but becomes evident when we dig deeper into how we are trying to achieve both in our lives. Many of us are chasing happiness by becoming richer, having more things, and becoming successful in our careers. Sometimes we are faced with challenges and at other times we succeed. So if we succeed, are we then actually happier? The answer is no. When we have more stuff we become used to having it. When we have a big house we have to worry about filling it with ‘stuff’. If we have many possessions we start to worry about theft and losing your job that is paying for it al. If we pursue happiness through becoming bigger and better, we only set ourselves up to be part of a rat-race we cannot win.

Of course, this picture of the pursuit of happiness is a bit grim and could benefit from many nuances, but let me give you the alternative. The pursuit of tranquillity means that you want to banish negative emotions (and keep the positive ones).  One of the main lessons from Stoicism is to be happy with what you have. You can find delight in your own resources and desire no joys greater than your inner joys. In order to achieve this, we have to change our thinking and persuade ourselves to want the things we already have. If we can achieve this (see next paragraph) we can become tranquil, have no negative emotions and experience positive emotions.

“Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won’t make us happier.” – Randy Pausch

There are multiple techniques you can explore to become more tranquil, for instance, 1) negative visualisation, 2) the dichotomy of control, 3) fatalism, 4) self-denial, and 5) meditation. Let me explain you the first one; negative visualisation. Epictetus (one of the Greek Stoics) said “all things everywhere are perishable”, all good things will eventually come to an end. When we never think about the chance that bad things can happen, we may live in bliss until something bad eventually happens. If you practice negative visualisation, you think about the bad things that might happen, and by this lessen the impact it will have on you. The Stoics provide three reasons for practising negative visualisation:

1. It will lessen the chance of that bad thing happening (i.e. thinking about how someone can break into your house – and improving your locks)
2. It will lessen the impact it will have on us – by already having played out the scenario in your head
3. It will prevent hedonic adaptation – by thinking about how you can lose something you will keep enjoying it

The Stoics also have many bits of advice for daily life, ranging from social relationships (relate to others, stay true to yourself), anger (put things in perspective), to insults (laugh it off) and old age (your mind does not decay). The advice that is most disputed – and the one I want to talk about – is about luxurious living. Where some Stoics thought that money would automatically corrupt you, others lived lavish lives (i.e. Marcus Aurelius in his palace). What they do agree on is that not needing wealth is more valuable than wealth itself. One thing that you should always keep in mind – when presented with riches – is to keep enjoying the small things. Negative visualisation, for instance, could help a person to do this.

In conclusion, Stoicism can be defined as a lifestyle for people with a small philosophical tendency, who love to be happy and believe that tranquillity is the way there. William B. Irvine does a great job of explaining what Stoicism is and how you can apply it in your own life. Not only does he give a comprehensive overview of how it started in Greek and Roman age, but also relates it back to the present 21st century. If you are looking for a philosophy of life, this is the book for you!

The Book:

A Guide to the Good Life – William B Irvine – ISBN-10: 0195374614 – ISBN-13: 978-0195374612

More on A Guide to the Good Life / Stoicism

http://philosophy-of-cbt.com/2013/05/17/review-of-irvines-a-guide-to-the-good-life-the-ancient-art-of-stoic-joy-2009/ – Another Review

http://www.slideshare.net/jerwschm/a-guide-to-the-good-life-the-ancient-art-of-stoic-joy-by-william-irvine – Slideshare on A Guide to the Good Life

http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/episodes/2010/07/29/a-guide-to-the-good-life-listen/ – William B. Irvine on CBC

Meditations

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius

Lessons learnt: Our thoughts & opinions shape our world(view). You have the power of your own mind, not outside events. If you look closely enough, there is tremendous strength inside you.

Writing for only himself, Meditations is a personal book that reflects the thought processes of one of Rome’s greatest Emperors. There are a million life-lessons hidden in the text and filler nonsense did not make the cut. Meditations is a non-chronological compilation of Marcus Aurelius‘ life. This book is interesting for everyone interested in philosophy, ethics, or more specifically, stoicism. Get ready to set aside your ego, control your emotions and shape the world around you (by moulding yourself).

It is difficult to review a book like Meditations, the chapters have no names, there is little use of examples and the language is somewhat complex. Each chapter describes another theme, and here is a short description of the one in chapter 3 (according to my interpretation). The third chapter presents you with lessons on how to use your mental capacities. The bottom line states: every day you get closer to your death, so do not waste your (mental) capacities. Do not get lost in the battles of others, do not lie or deceive and do nothing against your own will. Be cheerful and help others, but never lose yourself (Eminem reference?). Be intent and pursue things that are righteous – nothing more, nothing less.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” – Marcus Aurelius

I have decided to keep this review very short. Meditations is a book that you should read once, study twice and look back to many more times. Around the web, you can find many quotes taken from Meditations and I reckon that this is one of the best ways to respect and remember his writing. For the Stoics among us (see A Guide to the Good Life) this book gives a good peek into the mind of Marcus Aurelius.

More on Meditations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations – Wiki on Meditations

https://librivox.org/the-meditations-of-marcus-aurelius/ – Librivox audiobook of Meditations

http://www.philaletheians.co.uk/Study%20notes/Living%20the%20Life/Marcus%20Aurelius’%20Meditations%20-%20tr.%20Casaubon.pdf – .pdf of Meditations