101–110 of 225 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would second the 4-Hour Workweek, yet I am still searching for a profitable idea. How long did it take you from reading the book to reaching the ability to quit your job?
Same. The profitable idea is the hardest thing for me. It seems like everything I think of has already been done before.
Non-violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg. After reading this book, the way I related and communicated with people completely changed. Concretely, right after I read it, a break up that would have been very tense for me became straightforward and peaceful. Also, using NVC techniques, a fight with my friend got transformed into both of us getting tearful and pulling over the car to hug each other because we felt…
I think it appeals to the programmer/mathematician in me, because to a large extent it is teaching me to be more precise, about distinguishing observations, evaluations, thoughts, feelings, etc. Of course the ultimate goal is to establish genuine and sincere connection with other people, but even if you can do that with one person (yourself?), the time is probably well spent.
[1]: http://blog.izs.me/post/112818868228/letter-to-marshall-rose...
"The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald A. Norman
The Design Bible. This book gave me objective ways to explain what would have previously been my "negative opinion". Coming to grips with the reality that bad design is rampant reinforced my growing interest in product design.
"PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story" by Dr. Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin
The Phenethylamine Bible. As a kid I was fascinated by Shulgin and his work advancing science for all of these genuinely good and positive reasons. I watched politicians with no understanding of science use hype to outlaw all of Shulgin's fascinating chemicals against the recommendations of experts in their relevant fields. Shulgin's work is open source and the 2nd half of PiHKAL was my first exposure to open source code.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Same. The profitable idea is the hardest thing for me. It seems like everything I think of has already been done before.
If you interview people about the type of problems they deal with day to day then you start to get tons of ideas. That’s how I started.
Mind if I ask how the book changed your life? Personally, A Farewell to Arms has likely caused the biggest change. I became really absorbed in the book and at the same time in life was expecting my first child. I didn’t know the story at all, and was not expecting the ending in the least. There have been many things in life that have taught me to enjoy what I have because it can all be gone in an instant. But that bo…
The 4-Hour Workweek - made me quit my job and start a business. Since then I've been able to travel internationally for the first time in my life while working as much as I want.
I've never been able to get a successful low-maintenance business going, what kind of business did you start?
I was always interested and had a vaguely interested in Buddhism, but this book laid out everything about it nice and clear(well, in dense language at times), almost like paint-by-numbers. Everything just made sense from then on.