Winners Never Cheat
John Huntsman
Summary
From someone who started with practically nothing to become a self-made multi-billionaire, John talks about the principles it took him to get there, even through the most difficult times
Rating: 4/5
Notes
It has never been easier to make money or injure traditional values in doing so
Nice guys really can and do finish first in life
Values aren’t modelled for certain situations, they are etched in us as natural impulses that never go out of style
Succeeding or getting to the top by all costs is an immoral goal
Your reputation is how others perceive you. Character is how you act when no one is watching
Carefully choose your partners and never give or accept bribes
Trust is a greater compliment than affection. With integrity comes respect
Risk, responsibility, reliability - the 3 Rs of leadership
Leaders are called to enter arenas where success is covered by the warranty, where public failure is a real possibility
Difficulty is the one excuse history never accepts
Many of today’s boards are social clubs that do a poor job of protecting the long term interest of shareholders
One’s word being one’s bond has been replaced w/ one’s word being subject to legal review
Only listen to lawyers for a 2nd opinion. Your opinion should be first and last
When negotiating, seek out players you can trust, keep the lawyers on the bench
Your word is your greatest asset: honesty is your best virtue
Family and friends are the livelihood and legacy of our lives
‘Knowing others is wisdom. Knowing yourself is enlightenment’ - Lao Tzu
Surround yourself with associates that have the courage to say no
Some people earn admiration and respect. If you must choose, always go for respect
Revenge is unhealthy and unproductive. Learn to move on
The ultimate payback is success
Every day eulogies are being written. How do you want to be remembered?
Each of us has a stake in the accomplishments of those around us
Family comes first and not next year because next year may never come
Nobody is completely self-made: return the favours and good fortunes
Donations don’t always have to be money. Time is more precious than dollars
True giving is doing something for someone who can never repay you
No exercise is better for the human heart than reaching down and lifting another up
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Make Something Wonderful
Steve Jobs
Summary
The life of Steve Jobs in his own words
Rating: 5/5
Notes
Make something wonderful and put it out there
‘You appear, have a chance to blaze in the sky, then you disappear’
When you’re a stranger in a place, you notice thing you don’t otherwise (Jobs after India trip)
Whenever you start with nothing, always shoot for the moon. You have nothing to lose.
You never achieve what you want without falling on your face a few times
Never be afraid to fail. You never achieve what you want without falling flat on your face a few times
We are never taught to listen to our intuitions, to develop and nurture them. But if you do pay attention to these subtle insights, you can make them come true
Creativity equals connecting previously unrelated experiences and insights others don’t see
Believe that some of what you follow with your heart will come back and make your life richer. And it will. And you will gain even firmer trust on your instincts and intuitions
Make your avocation your vocation. Make what you love your work.
The journey is the reward. The reward isn’t in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it’s in crossing the rainbow
To find A+ talent, if experienced, look at their track record and results
The world we know is a human creation and we can push it forward
The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do (read whole ad ‘here’s to the crazy ones)
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit - Aristotle
Hire people better than you are
You can’t plan to meet the people who will change your life
It’s impossible to connect the dots looking forward, but they make sense looking backwards so you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future
Everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you
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