John Madigan's Blog

Evil Plans by Hugh MacLeod

Along with Seth Godin, Hugh MacLeod is one of my favorite authors. His style is markedly different from Seth, but he shares the ability/talent to challenge your thinking.

I would highly recommend his new book, Evil Plans to anyone who's ever dreamed of starting their own side project, whether that be a writing, a business, a nonprofit project, or a work of art.

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As a side note, TED2011 is this week. They are already posting some of the videos online. Very cool stuff. 

 

The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman

I read a fair amount of business books. And by "fair amount", I mean quite a few.

The Personal MBA is one of the best business books I've read in a while. It boils down the most valuable lessons from the sea of business writings/books into one volume and makes the lessons easily digestible.

Also, the book offers a fresh perspective on business education for anyone who has considered an MBA, or already received the degree. 

Definitely worth a read.

 

What I've Been Reading

End the Fed by Ron Paul

Congressman and 2008 Presidential Candidate Ron Paul makes a compelling argument for putting an end to the Federal Reserve. He likens the Fed to a teenager with a credit card with no limit. Exaggerated analogy? Yes. Surprisingly compelling argument against the Fed? Undoubtedly. 

The Nurture Assumption by Judith Rich Harris

Judith Rich Harris argues against the "nurture assumption", namely, that we are the product of our parents rearing. Instead, she argues that how we turn out is shaped more by our peers (that our parents).

The Leap by Rick Smith

The Leap is a great work/career book that debunks the myth that entrepreneurs are all risk takers. Instead, Rick offers case studies suggesting that many entrepreneurs dip a toe in the water before diving into their new careers as entrepreneurs. Great read for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

The Total Money Makeover offers a simple blueprint for personal finance. Perhaps his most important point is that debt doesn't just magically disappear. You have to attack it with "gazelle"-like intensity. 

A Gift to My Children by Jim Rogers

A Gift to My Children is a quick, yet powerful read. Anyone who is interested in investing, financial freedom, and sound life-advice should consider picking this up. At about 100 pages, it's definitely worth an afternoon of your time.

Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra

In Working Identity, Herminia Ibarra argues against the plan-and-implement approach to work and career. Instead, she suggests that people learn what work/career suits them by "doing rather than thinking." 

This book surprised me because I thought it was going to be another one of those books that would have been better off as a blog post. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find the deceptively simple thesis supported by insightful examples and thought provoking prose. 

Ibarra writes, "research on how adults learn shows that the logical sequence - reflect, then act; plan, then implement - is reversed in transformation processes like making a career change." This is because it consists in "knowing-in-doing, not just knowing." 

She goes on to suggest, "the test-and-learn sequence rejects the notion of a preexisting entity waiting to be discovered; it recognizes that a person and his or her environment shape each other in ways that can produce possibilities that did not reside in either at the start."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has exhausted the conventional career guides that suggest that the solution to finding the perfect career can be uncovered by simply "looking within".    

What I've Been Reading

Growing a Business by Paul Hawken

In Growing a Business, Paul Hawken offers unconventional advice about entrepreneurship. He emphasizes the practice of entrepreneurship over studying it. He sees business as "a way to become who you are", not merely a means to attain wealth. He argues that money isn't the biggest cause of failure for new enterprises, and even suggests that starting on a shoestring budget invites more creativity and innovation than well funded start-ups. 

This is a welcome diversion from the typical start-up material most succesful entrepreneurs feel entitled and obligated to write.

Love is the Killer App by Tim Sanders

In Love is the Killer App, Tim Sanders describes his approach to business and coins the term lovecat. As a lovecast, you will "Offer your wisdom freely. Give away your address book to everyone who wants it. And always be human." This means - share your knowledge, network, and compassion.

The book is similar to Keith Ferrazzi's Never Eat Alone in many respects - the most obvious parallel being the emphasis on relationship building and connecting.

How to Get Started in Consulting by Alan Weiss

In How to Get Started in Consulting, Alan Weiss breaks down the steps you should take to go from zero to full-fledged consultant. This no-nonsense guide is filled with practical advice anyone interested in consulting full-time should heed. 

He emphasizes value exchange as the essential transaction between parties and offers many good suggestions about how to price consulting services.

Unleash the Power Within by Tony Robbins

I listened to Unleash the Power Within by Tony Robbins on my drive from LA to SF today. Besides for absorbing Tony Robbins' infectious enthusiasm, I managed to scribble down a few takeaways on my iPhone (I know I shouldn't be note taking and driving, thank you). 

First, high achievers get results using the following formula:

1. Define the desired outcome
2. Define the why (i.e. purpose for reaching the desired outcome) 
3. Take massive action 
4. Readjust until desired outcome is reached 

Second, in order to create lasting change, adopt three beliefs and follow four steps:

Beliefs

1. It must change (not just should change)
2. I must change it (take responsibility)  
3. I can change it 

Steps

1. Get leverage (i.e. associate massive pain with not changing)  
2. Interrupt your pattern  
3. Create an empowering alternative 
4. Reward it until it becomes habit  

I've never been to a Tony Robbins show/concert/seminar, but I'm sure it'd be fun to see him perform. Nonetheless, I can't imagine shelling out hundreds of dollars for material that's free at the public library (his target demographic - "affluent, skewing older, largely female" apparenty can (quoted from quantcast)).  

Mind Wide Open by Steven Johnson

In Mind Wide Open, Steven Johnson makes neuroscience accessible to all readers. It is an interesting read for anyone curious about the brain as applied to everday interactions and decisions. I've included a few quotes below on topics that I found interesting.  

 

Happines, sadness, and idea generation

"Sadness was marked by decreased activity in the prefrontal cortices, while happiness triggered an increase in such activity. Prefrontal cortical activity is a strong predictor of idea generation and overall liveliness of thought."

"In other words, one of the side effects of the way the brain creates the feeling of sadness is a reduction in the overall number of thoughts that the mind produces."

"I thought of all the times over the years when I'd been feeling blue for some reason, and while wallowing in my mood, I'd note that I hadn't had an interesting idea in a disturbingly long time."

Mood congruity

"Your memory system tends to serve up recollections of past events that are themselves congruous with your current mood."

"These self-perpetuating cycles partially explain why being happy is so much fun, and why depression can be so devastating."

"Our emotional state skews our sense of perspective by seeking out memories that match our current mind-set instead of a balanced, representative sample."

Neurochemical profiling

"If your serotonin levels are high, you feel less vulnerable to potential slights or injuries, more confident. If they're low, you can be defensive, less willing to take risks."

"Dopamine, as we've seen, regulates the 'novelty-seeking' axis, while norepinephrine regulates the 'reward dependence' axis, making us more or less reliant on pleasurable stimuli."

How to Find the Work You Love by Laurence G. Boldt

How to Find the Work You Love by Laurence G. Boldt is packed with great insights about finding your life's work. I would rank it right up there with What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. 

Here are a few key insights from the book:

1. Work is about who you are. Boldt opens the book by asserting, "the quest for the work you love - it all begins with two simple questions: Who am I? and What in the world am I doing here?"  
2. Find where your talents meet the needs of the world.  Boldt cites Aristotle's simple formula: "Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation." 
3. Focus on how you can make it happen. Boldt writes, "Often we think we 'can't' only because we haven't made the effort to researcch how we could. Again, focus your attention on  what you want and you increase your desire to achieve it. When the desire become strong enough, you act."
4. Set high expectations for yourself. Boldt explains: "Expectation is the context in which we hold the events of our lives." He goes on to say, "Your talents indicate and, to a degree, limit what you can do. Your expectations determine what you will do."   

If you are trying to figure out the work you love, entering the workplace, or changing careers, I would highly recommend this book.  

The Power of Less by Leo Babauta

In The Power of Less, Leo Babauta boils simplicity down to two steps:

1. Identify the essential.
2. Eliminate the rest. 

Babauta is in favor of what I consider an aggressive approach to simplicity. He advocates keeping a Short List with your four or five most important commitments. Then, he suggests you screen your daily/weekly/monthly activities based on whether they fall under one of your most important commitments. 
Conceptually, I like this approach. By identifying your priorities, it makes it easier to say no to the multitude of other things that are clamoring for your time and attention (i.e. step #2 - eliminate the rest).  

Babauta also addresses simplicity with respect to technology. Among the chapters of his book dedicated to implementing the practice of simplicity, I found his suggestions on internet usage and email most helpful.

Email

Babauta suggests checking email only twice a day (at 10am and 4pm) and disconnecting from any automatic email notifiers (i.e. google notifier).
While I like the idea of only checking email twice a day, it seems unfeasible. Most office jobs require that you be connected (and responsive) to your email. Freelancers and other professionals with less structured working environments may be able to check email only twice a day, but the majority of professionals will need to check their work email much more often. But Babauta's point is well taken, constantly checking email is distracting and a huge drain on productivity.
Personal email, by contrast, is a much better candidate for the twice-a-day rule. 

Internet

Babauta also suggests disconnecting from the internet whenever possible. He offers a number of links to websites that help you track your internet usage:

• Toggl
• Yatimer  
• Tick 

Curious how much time you squander away on social media/networking sites? These tools will give you objective results on your internet usage habits.