Things I’ve learned this week — Week 01
Podcasts I’ve listened to:
I enjoy taking walks and listening to podcasts. I used to commute 20–45 min a day to work (twice a day). Now that I work remotely, I don’t have that time, and instead, I choose to walk before / during / after work and listen to podcasts. I have been discovering so many great shows on Spotify and feel that space away from the keyboard helps open my mind about ideas, etc.
Adam Grant — Re:Thinking — Unlocking Hidden Potential with Malcolm Gladwell
I’ve been a fan of Malcolm Gladwell ever since I read Outliers. Many of those concepts have stuck with me, most notably the 10k hours concept. In this podcast, Malcolm Gladwell dives into Adam Grant’s latest book about Hidden Potential. It has a similar vibe to Outliers, and most people have to work hard to get to where they are successful at something. I haven’t read the book, but it’s now on my list after hearing this podcast. I’d give it a listen if you get the chance.
Mel Robbins — The Let Them Theory
A colleague at work reminded me of this podcast by Mel Robbins about letting go. Getting caught up in the things you can’t control is so easy. Mel suggests when someone is doing something you disagree with, just “Let Them”. I’ve used this in a few situations this week, and it has helped my stress levels.
Books in Progress:
I’m Currently reading the following three books.
I’m reading both books below on my Kindle and have been dedicating time in the morning (instead of doom-scrolling on my phone to read a few chapters before work).
I will post a summary of Built to Move in next week’s post, as I imagine I will finish it by then.
Both books talk about this concept of compounding improvements that yield significant gains over time. Both books reference this story about a cycling team that used this methodology to go from a team in last place to one that collected many medals and records due to compounding improvements. I’ve also heard the phrase “consistency over intensity”. I’ve been applying this to my life via small habits that I can achieve daily.
- Atomic Habits — 22% progress
- Built to Move — 78% progress
I’ve picked up this book in paperback (not Kindle) and been reading it on the couch as an alternative to watching TV. This book is about a young woman who ends her life and has the opportunity to go back and lead an alternative lives.
- The Midnight Library — 22% progress
