Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

In trying to get my reading groove back, I created a challenge to read more of the right books in 2019. I wrote a blog post about getting my groove back, but I have deviated from the books I said that I would read. I am not worried because I know myself and I will eventually get back to the list. My concern is to get reading again. I have written a few blog posts already about reading more books in 2019. However, I have not written about  why you should read more of the right books in 2019.

Have you read?

Want to Read More Books in 2019? A Professional Book Club Could Be the Answer

Become a Skilled Reader: Read More of the Right Books in 2019

To build my case for why you should read more of the right books, I need to share a secret with you. You see, there is something that I am feeling very insecure about sharing with you. My secret is that I feel that I have fallen behind and that I am painfully out of my depth when it comes to specific topics. Have you ever felt that way?

For instance, I am not up to scratch on cryptocurrencies, blockchain, robotics, artificial intelligence, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. How do driverless cars work? I know a few things, but that’s not going to cut it. I think that I need to know more than that. I would not be able to have an intelligent conversation about any of those topics with anyone. And that is not a good feeling. Right now I feel like I  am exposing the cracks in my shield by writing about this. And to be honest, I feel vulnerable.

The good news, if you can call it that, is I have books on all of those topics, so I need to set aside the time to read them. To succeed today, all of us need to learn how to leverage technology. That’s why I’m driven to read more of what I consider to be the right books in 2019.

Get in the Creative Spirit

At times I feel like I have lost my creative spirit because I had stopped reading diversely. I know several very good creativity models that I have used successfully in the past. But that’s not what I am talking about. In the past, ideas would bubble up to the surface after I had read several books and reflected on the newfound knowledge. Ideas would come to me on how to use the new knowledge in ways that the authors never intended, But that has not happened to me in a long time and I am very concerned about it.

My solution is to outread myself. Most people would say to outread the competition, but the only person that I am competing with is myself. I know what I have done in the past, and I want to up my personal best by one per cent. I keep track of the books that I read in a book tracker template that I created. These days, if you do not want your business, or even yourself, to fall behind, you have to understand technology and how to leverage it. This point was worth repeating.

You have to be better than the ‘competition’, at least 10 times better. And technology is a way to get you that edge. In Zero to One, Peter Thiel writes that if you are starting a new business, you need to be at least 10 times better than the closest alternative. He also writes that you must have a secret. This is that one thing that can give you an edge, something that makes you unique. One way to find secrets is if you read the right books, but you have to be a skilled reader, dipping below the surface and looking for hidden meanings.

In re-reading my post, Zero to One by Peter Thiel, Book Review, I was reminded of definite and indefinite optimism and pessimism. I had to stop and think about that concept again.

Have you read?

Zero to One by Peter Thiel, Book Review

Summary: The 10X Rule by Grant Cardon

7 Lessons from Little Bets by Peter Sims

“I loved the section in the book on definite and indefinite optimism and pessimism. Sounds confusing? It really isn’t. Think of a graph, on the horizontal axis you have a scale, definite to indefinite. And on the vertical scale you have pessimism to optimism. The definite optimist thinks the future will be better than today if he plans for it. This is the best place to be because you are not thinking doom and gloom, or pie in the sky. You will weather nearly any storm with optimism and a realistic and definite plan.”

I know my future can be better and brighter if I read more of the right books, pick out the key ideas from each book, and combine the ideas from the different books I read. I have to start again to practice what I preach. Even though I am using myself as an example, do you see how this could work for you?

Now, having said that, reading is not enough, I have to find ways to apply the information. One of the ways that I learned problem solving, creativity, critical thinking and decision making is that I created a workbook to apply what I learned from the books I read. You could do that or teach what you learned to others. When I get an understanding of the things I mentioned above that I am ignorant about (cryptocurrencies, blockchain, robotics, artificial intelligence, and the fourth industrial revolution), I will create a project that I can apply the knowledge so I remember more of what I learn.

Benefits from Reading More of the Right Books in 2019

I read several times that while Bill Gates was at Microsoft, he took one-week reading sabbaticals to devour and digest information. These days he reads about 50 books a year and many of the books he reads give him insights into some of the big problems in the world – clean water, proper sanitation, fighting hunger and poverty in the world. Gates publishes the books he reads so others can learn from the books he reads.

You can make a difference in your life and in the life of your clients if you read the right books. You do not have to read the books that Gates recommends because there are so many good books waiting for you to read them. Think about what you would like to accomplish in your life? Are there any big problems that you want to solve? Look at the strategic objectives of the organization that you work for, how can you help it achieve those goals?

You can find books written on almost any topic you are interested in. I consider those to be the right books. Look at the experts in the field, what are they saying about those topics? What books have they written or are recommending? Talk to colleagues to get recommendations. Visit a library and bookstore to browse related sections.

And when you read, read actively, follow the tips I mentioned in Become a Skilled Reader: Read More of the Right Books in 2019. Take the time to understand what the author is saying, so you can identify the key concepts in the books. Read more that one book on any topic you are interested in. You want to understand varying points of view. When you take the time to grasp important concepts from the books you read, you will benefit financially. I call the concept whereby you benefit from the books you read profit reading. Make 2019 the year that you profit from the books you read. When you spend hours invested in reading books, you deserve a return on your reading time investment.

What’s Next? Why You Should Read More of the Right Books in 2019

What do you plan to do differently this year? Right now I am reading two books to create a couple of book profiles for a client. But after that, I plan to start reading the books I own on cryptocurrencies, blockchain, robotics, artificial intelligence, the fourth industrial revolution, and driverless cars. This year is the year I propel myself forward to understand key technologies. That’s my pledge to you. What is your pledge to yourself and your clients?

Here are some action steps for you!

1. Set aside three hours to think about what you would like to accomplish in your life, select one big problem that you want to solve. Look at the strategic objectives of the organization that you work for, how can you help it achieve those goals? Find books that can help you solve the problems as well as achieve your goal.
2. Join the Strategic Reading Challenge.

This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and buy any of the books from Amazon, the company will pay me a small commission.

 Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order Cryptoconomy: Bitcoins, Blockchains & Bad Guys Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car—And How It Will Reshape Our World The Future of Work: Robots, AI, and Automation The Future and Bitcoin: A Beginner Guide on Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technologies The Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Davos Reader

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