On Ego, Travel Adventure, and Prioritization

Books that changed my life

Hi All! 

Here is the last 3-Book Thursday of 2022! I hope there is learning and wisdom in these books that helps make 2023 a productive and meaningful year for you.

1. Living a full life
Ego is the Enemy

Summary
This is the second recommended book by Ryan Holiday. The first was The Obstacle is the Way. In Ego is the Enemy, Holiday deconstructs how our ego can hold us back or help us flourish. The choice comes down to just that–a choice. This book helped me to control natural tendencies of my ego and to have a more content mind. 

• Principle: There is no one to perform for. There is just work to be done and lessons to be learned, in all that is around us.

• Insight: With success, particularly power, come some of the greatest and most dangerous delusions: entitlement, control, and paranoia.

• Quote: Almost always, your road to victory goes through a place called failure -Bill Walsh

Author: Ryan Holiday
Themes: Living a full life, Personal development, Entrepreneurship, Productivity, Human psychology
My personal notes from the book
 

2. Memoir
On the Move: A Life

Summary
You may know Oliver Sachs from some of his previous books: The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat, Awakenings, Uncle Tungsten, and many more. This memoir takes you on a journey with front row seats into the amazing life of Dr. Sachs. You will be surprised to learn about Sachs's early life, his weightlifting career, and his travels via motorcycle. He is best known for the amazing stories he tells about his patients (he was a trained neurologist), but the greatest motivation for me is in seeing the zest for life and genuine care Sachs had for humans. I read this book back in 2015 when traveling with my mom in Europe. It was the perfect companion for my own journey. 

Author: Oliver Sachs, MD
Themes: Memoir, On living and dying, Patient care, Human psychology
 

3. Personal development
The One Thing

Summary
There are many productivity books out there, but The One Thing by Gary Keller (of Keller Williams) is different. He helped me to understand the difference between work in general and work that mattered. One of my favorite productivity sayings is if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Keller takes this concept one step further and does an excellent job distilling the principles for healthy and smart productivity.

• Principle: When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. It is not. 

• Insight: Activity is often unrelated to productivity, and busyness rarely takes care of busy

• Quote: It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The questions is, what are we busy about? -Thoreau

• Story: One evening an elder Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us. One is fear. It carries anxiety, concern, uncertainty, hesitancy, indecision, and inaction. The other is faith. It brings calm, conviction, confidence, enthusiasm, decisiveness, excitement and action.” The grandson thought about it for a moment and then meekly asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee replied, “The one you feed.”

Author: Gary Keller
Themes: Personal development, Entrepreneurship, Starting a business, Career advancement, Productivity, Work hygiene
My personal notes from the book
 

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to forward this to friends (they can sign up below). Have a fabulous weekend...and a happy and healthy New Year! 

Best,
Adam