Barking Up the Wrong Tree - by Eric Barker
ISBN: 0062416049Date read: 2017-11-04
How strongly I recommend it: 4/10
(See my list of 360+ books, for more.)
Go to the Amazon page for details and reviews.
Some thoughts on success.
my notes
Following the rules doesn’t create success; it just eliminates extremes - both good and bad.
You must give up everything else.
Silicon Valley is based on character defects that are rewarded uniquely in this system.
We gave the black sheep a chance to prove their theories.
Spending so much time and hard work on anything nonessential has an element of obsession to it.
Full-blown mania renders people unable to function in normal society. But hypomania produces a relentless, euphoric, impulsive machine that explodes toward its goals while staying connected with reality.
Invest in strength versus lack of weakness.
Losing a parent at a young age : such a tragedy instills in a child the feeling that the world is not safe and that an immense amount of energy and effort will be needed to survive. Orphans overcompensate and turn tragedy into fuel for greatness.
The more hours per day you spend doing what you’re good at, the less stressed you feel and the more you laugh, smile, and feel you’re being treated with respect.
Know what type of person you are and your signature strengths.
People surveyed say effort is the number-one predictor of success, but research shows it’s actually one of the worst.
Ethics books are 25% more likely to be stolen than the average library book.
Pick the environments that work for you.
The place you pick matters enormously.
The quality of a society is more important than your place in that society.
Once trust goes, everything goes.
BOOK: “The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates”
Contrary to conventional wisdom, pirate life was orderly and honest.
People were asked how much they trusted others on a scale of one to ten.
Income was highest among those who responded with the number eight.
Those who responded with a number above an eight were more likely to be taken advantage of.
By doing all their good deeds one day a week, Givers make sure assisting others doesn’t hamper their own achievements.