So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport

 

Following your passion is dangerous advice. Buddhism emphasizes on the unity of nature. Autonomy and ability can be more powerful than passion. Learn to develop your skills first. Passion is bullshit. Do not rush. It is difficult to predict in advance what you will love. You need time to grow to learn stuff. It takes hard work to master something. Focus on being better. Adopt the craftsman mindset. To earn a lot, you need to offer something valuable in return. The 3 disqualifiers are (1) The job gives you a few opportunities to learn; (2) The job is useless; (3) The job forces you to work with people you dislike. Time management is very important. Develop muscle memory. 10,000 hours rule. Adopt deliberate practice and study hard. Always seek to get better. Be patient. Control is very important in a job. However, achieving control can be difficult. Do not pursue more control unless you have career capital to back you up. If you are valuable enough and have the right career capital, you can ask your employer for more control. Be wary of the law of financial viability. Your idea must be viable. Have a unifying mission to achieve meaning in life. Master a niche before finding a mission! Use small steps and small bets to see if your mission will be successful in the future. Market your mission to make it known to others.

 

Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin

 

Key takeaways from the book: Learn to be happy at home and keep resolutions. About 20% of life’s happiness is dependent on life’s circumstances. Use the 4 stage cycle to improve happiness. Happiness is a process, not a destination. Simplify your home and avoid clutter. Create engaging areas in the house, like a study area etc. Be mindful of sentimental items as well. Show appreciation to your other half. Be supportive. Prove love. Enter the interests of others. Be happy yourself and naturally others will feel happy when they are around you as well. Avoid contact with grouches, jerks or slackers. Abstain from things which are bad for you. Start living now and don’t be too caught up with work etc. Do something difficult every day. Seek adventure. Be happy now and do not defer it. Do not try and pursue it too much. It might just come naturally to you. Gratitude is the key to happiness. Giving is a good source of happiness. Grow.

You get more of what you have. When you feel friendly, people want to be your friend. When you feel attractive, people are attracted to you. When you feel loving, others act lovingly towards you. The truth is cruel because so often, you want others to give you what you lack. It’s when you’re feeling friendless that you most want people to be friendly. When you’re feeling ugly, you want someone to tell you how attractive you are. Feeling unloving makes you long to be showered with affection.’