The superheroes you have in your mind (idols, icons, elite athletes, billionaires, etc.) are nearly all walking flaws who’ve maximized one or two strengths. (Location 283)
but every human is Woody Allen in some part of life. (Location 307)
Life would be boring if we all followed exactly the same rules, (Location 329)
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” (Location 340)
success can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations we are willing to have, and by the number of uncomfortable actions we are willing to take. (Location 341)
Adversity. Everybody spends their life trying to avoid it. (Location 453)
best things that ever happened to me came during the times when the shit hit the fan and I had nothing and nobody to help me. (Location 454)
Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War. (Location 458)
“Nothing you face today will be harder than what you just did.” (Location 493)
Bad advice is everywhere. Build a following. Establish a platform. (Location 507)
Real work and real satisfaction come from the opposite of what the web provides. They come from going deep into something—the book you’re writing, the album, the movie—and staying there for a long, long time. (Location 512)
Finnish word, “sisu”—the mental strength to continue to try even after you feel you’ve reached the limits of your abilities. (Location 601)
When you feel you can’t go on, know that you’re just getting started. (Location 602)
in order to “have” you must “do,” and in order to “do” you must “be”—and this process is immediate. (Location 666)
Viktor E. Frankl’s incredible Man’s Search for Meaning and David McRaney’s You Are Not So Smart. (Location 670)
when all the chips were on the line, you didn’t leave your future up to others, YOU TOOK YOUR SHOT.” (Location 686)
“God will not have his work made manifest by cowards.”—Ralph (Location 690)
“I’d rather die doing something I feel is great and amazing rather than be safe and comfortable living a life I hate.” (Location 694)
Intelligence is like following a GPS route right into a body of water until you drown. Wisdom looks at the route but, when it takes a turn into the ocean, decides not to follow it, then finds a new, better way. (Location 701)
“Work hard to beat the competition.” (Location 708)
You work hard because you’re inspired to, not because you have to. Work becomes fun, and you have energy for days (Location 713)
You won’t take a bullet for pleasure or power, but you will for meaning. (Location 728)
One wrong person in your circle can destroy your whole future. (Location 729)
“Maximus to Himself,” by Charles Olson, (Location 747)
if you let yourself off the hook for not doing something for any reason, you won’t ever do it. (Location 769)
If you want to do something, you can’t let being busy stand in the way, even if you are busy. Make the time to do the things you want to do and then do them. (Location 770)
Suffering is a moment of clarity, when you can no longer deny the truth of a situation and are forced into uncomfortable change. I’m lucky that I didn’t get everything I wanted in my life, or I’d be happy with my first good job, my college sweetheart, my college town. Being poor when young led to making money when old. Losing faith in my bosses and elders made me independent and an adult. Almost getting into the wrong marriage helped me recognize and enter the right one. Falling sick made me focus on my health. It goes on and on. Inside suffering is the seed of change. (Location 845)
“Desire is a contract that you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.” (Location 851)
The means of learning are abundant—it’s the desire to learn that’s scarce. (Location 859)
Happiness is a choice you make and a skill you develop. (Location 861)
Self-esteem is just the reputation that you have with yourself. You’ll always know. (Location 871)
The only way to truly learn something is by doing it. Yes, listen to guidance. But don’t wait. (Location 875)
The Double Helix by James D. Watson and The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. (Location 894)
