Sunday, April 26, 2020

Books That Had Major Impact on Me

I do get asked to recommend non-fiction books by friends and colleagues. I compiled a list of books, that has had major impact on me and those I regularly re-read and/or go back to get my bearings right. I've organised them by a few categories for quick access. My apologies if I've missed out your favourite book - chances are I might have not come across them - please do specify them in the comment section. 

 Can't help but share this quote "The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” ― Mark Twain

Leadership

Strategy

Professional Development

Companies

People

  • Einstein: His life and Universe (How did his mind work? What made him a genius? Isaacson’s biography shows how his scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his personality. His fascinating story is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom)
  • iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon (iWoz traces the life and times of a brilliant, gifted...individual whose contributions to the scientific, business and cultural realms are extensive)
  • Leonard Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson (Based on thousands of pages from Leonardo da Vinci’s astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, Walter Isaacson shows how Leonardo’s genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy)
  • Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing)
  • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (From printer's apprentice to internationally famous scientist, inventor, statesman, legislator, and diplomat, Benjamin Franklin led a most remarkable life. Seldom is history so well articulated by someone who was there)
  • The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life (In this startlingly frank account of Buffett's life, Schroeder, strips away the mystery that has long cloaked the word's richest man to reveal a life and fortune erected around lucid and inspired business vision and unimaginable personal complexity)

Life Advice

  • Atomic Habits (How to set life changing habits and how to break negative habits)
  • Brand You 50 (In 50 essential points, Tom Peters shows how to be committed to your craft, choose the right projects, how to improve networking, why you need to think fun is cool, and why it's important to piss some people off. He will enable you to turn yourself into an important and distinctive commodity. In short, he will show you how to turn yourself into . . . Brand You)
  • Deep Work (How to do deep, focussed work free from all other distractions)
  • Ego is the Enemy (Many of us insist the main impediment to a full, successful life is the outside world. In fact, the most common enemy lies within: our ego. The book shows how reach highest levels of power and success by con­quering our own egos)
  • Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway: How to Turn Your Fear and Indecision into Confidence and Action (Offers insight and tools to vastly improve your ability to handle any given situation)
  • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (Why success is less about IQ or inborn talent, but more about perseverance, passion and resilience (my excerpts))
  • How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big (Blasting clichéd career advice, the contrarian pundit and creator of Dilbert recounts the humorous ups and downs of his career, revealing the outsized role of luck in our lives and how best to play the system. Adams shares the game plan he’s followed since he was a teen: invite failure in, embrace it, then pick its pocket)
  • Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life (The father of the new science of positive psychology, draws on more than twenty years of clinical research to demonstrate how optimism enchances the quality of life, and how anyone can learn to practice it)
  • Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment (Drawing on Zen philosophy and his expertise in the martial art of aikido, bestselling author George Leonard shows how the process of mastery can help us attain a higher level of excellence and a deeper sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in our daily lives)
  • Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (People with a fixed mindset—those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset—those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment)
  • The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. As Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives)
  • QBQ! The Question Before the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life (Succinct, insightful, and practical, QBQ! The Question Behind the Question provides a method for putting personal accountability into daily action, which can bring astonishing result)
  • Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity (You don't have to choose between being a pushover and a jerk. Using Radical Candor―avoiding the perils of Obnoxious Aggression, Manipulative Insincerity, and Ruinous Empathy―you can be kind and clear at the same time (my excerpts))
  • Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! (The #1 Personal Finance book of all time - the book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you)
  • Your Erroneous Zones (How you can take charge of yourself and manage how much you will let difficult times and people affect you)
  • The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life (A set of breakthrough practices for creativity in all human enterprises. The Zanders' deceptively simple practices are based on two premises: that life is composed as a story ("it's all invented") and that, with new definitions, much more is possible than people ordinarily think)
  • The Path fo Least Resistance : Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life (Discover the steps of creating; the importance of creating what you truly love, how to focus on the creative process to move from where you are to where you want to be, and much more)
  • The Power of Your Subconscious Mind (In The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Dr. Joseph Murphy gives you the tools you will need to unlock the awesome powers of your subconscious mind)
  • The Richest Man in Babylon (Based on “Babylonian parables”, the book has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In simple language, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys)
  • The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success (Once we understand our true nature and learn to live in harmony with natural law, a sense of well-being, good health, fulfilling relationships, energy and enthusiasm for life, and material abundance will spring forth easily and effortlessly)
  • What to Say When You Talk to Yourself (Shad Helmstetter shows the reader how to erase and replace past mental programs with healthy, new programs that can be positively life-changing)
  • Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, the book becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions of how to live."Is it hard? Not if you have the right attitudes. Its having the right attitudes thats hard." (More quotes here))

Inspiration

  • 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (needs no intro)
  • As a Man Thinketh (An extraordinary book that shows how man is the creator and shaper of his destiny by the thoughts which he thinks. Its a very short book and I recommend reading it in one full sitting of  45-60mins and I bet you'd come out different in your thinking)
  • Awaken the Giant Within (In his indomitable style, celebrate self-help Guru Tony Robbins forces you to conduct a reality check and take a hard look in the mirror and most importantly to take action) 
  • Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (Extremely good company when you take yourself seriously and get stressed. Dr. Carlson with gentle and supportive suggestions reminds us almost everything is "small stuff" and helps not to make a big deal and remain sane and happy)
  • Man's Search For Meaning (Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor and a psychiatrist argues man's deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose. Touching, impactful and contemplative)
  • Jonathan Livingston Seagull (A story of a bird determined to be more than ordinary. Its about seeking a higher purpose/vision, and learning the meaning of love and kindness)
  • The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the story of a shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. The book teaches the wisdom of listening to our hearts and follow our dreams)
  • The Law of Success (A timeless classic, Napoleon Hill's 16 lessons are obtained after interviewing dozens of successful individuals. Lessons are valuable even now. Read it and gift it to an young adult and make a difference in their life)
  • The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari (The subtitle says "A fable about fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny". It comes pretty close to its promise. Presented in a fast paced way, it helps you get out slumber)

Spirituality

  • A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Eckhart Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence)
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (A dynamic and inspirational story of Paramahansa Yogananda, that many consider a masterpiece of spiritual literature. I can't explain the feelings I go through whenever I read this book).
  • Freedom from the Known (Usually it needs a few re-reads to understand JK but his books are gem. In this book he talks about living the life without fear and anxiety) 
  • I'm That (This book is a collection of Nisargadatta Maharaj's speeches on Advaita Vedanta. Deep, Meaningful and beautiful - not an easy read though)
  • Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi (An awesome collection of the conversations with the great sage. Self-enquiry shines through every page of this book)
  • The Art of Meditation (Matthieu Ricard shows that practicing meditation can change our understanding of ourselves. Great book for anyone trying to understand what meditation is, how it is done and what it can achieve)
  • The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living (HH Dalai Lama tells happiness is the purpose of life and the very motion of our life is toward happiness and guides us to defeat anxiety, stress, anger etc.,)
  • The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlighenment (Simple and profound. Life transforming teachings on ego-based state of consciousness, how being present in the Now changes one's life dramatically)
  • Walden and Civil Disobedience (Thoreau's chronicles during his isolation in the woods - makes you stop and reflect, slow down and appreciate the universe)
  • Wherever you Go, There you Are  (Great introduction to mindfulness with practical exercises and good examples)
  • Zen Mind, Beginners Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice ("In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few". So begins a classic, thought provoking and enigmatic book with full of insights)

Software Development

Miscellaneous

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Thursday, April 23, 2020

Mega list of impactful quotes

Recently James Clear (@James Clear) author of "Atomic Habits" sent out a tweet wanting to one sentence that has stayed on. This tweet got 500+ responses. I've put up some chosen ones that resonated with me.

  • We suffer more in imagination than in reality. - Seneca
  • The pain of inaction stings longer than the pain of an incorrect action -James Clear
  • Most failures are one-time costs. Most regrets are recurring costs. The pain of inaction stings longer than the pain of incorrect action - James Clear
  • Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer - Machiavelli
  • Make mistakes of ambition and not mistake of sloth - Machiavelli (Mistakes of amibition teach, mistakes of sloth comfort- James Clear)
  • Your actions are your real priorities - James Clear
  • Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate. - Carl Jung
  • Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddhaghosa
  • Mental toughness is persistence, not intensity - James Clear
  • Successful people are willing to do the things that unsuccessful people are unwilling to do – Anon
  • Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become – James Clear
  • Opportunity lies in the place that complaints are. - Jack Ma
  • There is nothing noble about being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Hemingway
  • Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth  – Mike Tyson
  • Happiness is a choice you make and a skill that you develop – Naval Ravikant
  • Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box - Italian Proverb
  • Does the emerald lose its beauty for lack of admiration? — Marcus Aurelius
  • The last thing you want to do is usually the first thing you should do – Tim Ferris
  • Beginners get excited when they know the answer. Masters get excited when they don't - Anon 
  • We suffer more in imagination than in reality. - Seneca
  • Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. -Mary Oliver
  • Premature optimization is the root of all evil - Donald Knuth
  • Infinite patience produces immediate results. — Wayne Dyer 
  • Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement – James Clear
  • We have Two Lives and the Second begins when we realize we only have one – Naval Ravikant
  • Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go - T S Eliot
  • The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug – Mark Twain
  • It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog – Mark Twain
  • Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life - Jerzy Gregorek
  • All the benefits in life come from compound interest - relationship, money, habits - anything of importance – Naval Ravikant
  • Discipline equals freedom – Jocko Willinik
  • Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you see the world. - George Bernard Shaw
  • You can have just about anything you want, but not everything you want - Ray Dalio
  • If you are still thinking the answer is no – Naval Ravikant
  • The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried – Stephen McCranie
  • You are always one decision away from a completely different life – Anon
  • A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read - Mark Twain
  • People think they lack focus when in reality they lack clarity – Anon
  • The days are long, but the years are short – Gretchen Rubin
  • Time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think. - Randy Pausch
  • Step by step you get ahead, but not necessarily in fast spurts. But you build discipline by preparing for fast spurts.... Slug it out one inch at a time, day by day. - Munger
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Friday, April 3, 2020

What RamP's Reading: Apr'20




Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code
This book explains what refactoring is; why you should refactor; how to recognize code that needs refactoring; and how to actually do it successfully, no matter what language you use. In this book you will:
  • Understand the process and general principles of refactoring
  • Quickly apply useful refactorings to make a program easier to comprehend and change
  • Recognize “bad smells” in code that signal opportunities to refactor

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (Re-read)
Much more than simple principles and platitudes, the book takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to find their true and deepest self and reach the ultimate in personal growth and spirituality: the discovery of truth and light. This book shows that only after regaining awareness of Being, liberated from Mind and intensely in the Now, is there Enlightenment.


Loserthink: How untrained brains are ruining America
Even the smartest people can slip into loserthink's seductive grasp. This book will teach you how to spot and avoid it--and will give you scripts to respond when hollow arguments are being brandished against you, whether by well-intentioned friends, strangers on the internet, or political pundits. You'll also learn how to spot the underlying causes of loserthink, like the inability to get ego out of your decisions, thinking with words instead of reasons, failing to imagine alternative explanations, and making too much of coincidences.
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Sunday, March 15, 2020

When Smart People Get Angry

This is a direct copy-paste from a tweet storm by @orangebook_, that I was able to relate to.

Reasons why smart people end up angry. 1) They need to take responsibility for the irresponsible. 2) They are often blamed for their one mistake, and ignored for their hundred good deeds. 3) They are targeted by the insecure who are offended upon not getting attention.

 4) They get ad hominem attacks because people can’t discuss ideas whilst leaving aside ego. 5) Many people they help, (a) rarely express gratitude, only criticism. (b) blame them with illogical thinking. 6) They constantly have to wonder whether they are the crazy, stupid ones.

 7) They are being patient and empathetic with everyone, whilst knowing many people are vultures waiting for a moment of weakness to say, “well, told you!” 8) They are pressured by expectations from everyone. They know they don’t owe anyone anything, but it’s still exhausting.
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Thursday, March 12, 2020

Feedback and Empathy

Last week a colleague that I highly respect sought my opinion on the content of a critical feedback he had given to someone and also sought my help in navigating the next steps as he was accused of "lacking empathy".

I looked at the content and it appeared perfectly fine. He had ofcourse specifically chosen to focus ONLY on the critical feedback so as to not dilute the message. Unfortunately, this had not gone down well with the recipient and hence the comment "lack of empathy". Having been myself accused of "lacking empathy", I was able to relate to him quickly. I'm not a big believer of "sandwich technique of feedback", as my experience is that usually people tend to exaggerate to themselves, the positive feedback and downplay the constructive part. Especially when repeated feedback has not resulted in the desired improvement, it is always prudent to have a session exclusively for constructive feedback.      It is better to clarify that the session is only on constructive feedback and that doesn't mean the receiver has no positive things to talk about. I didn't see anything wrong my colleague had done - he had made it very clear that he'd be talking only about the constructive feedback.

I told him that I didn't find him in lacking in empathy for a number of reasons:

  • It really was not his job to provide a detailed feedback. He did so only because he wanted the receiver to improve. 
  • The feedback was very specific, actionable and he even had training part planned out and was committing his own time.
  • Some of the feedback were basic and not to be expected by a person of receiver's experience and role. By stepping in proactively my colleague was only trying to protect the perception of the larger group.
If the above is not an example of "empathy", then I don't know what else is. He felt little better, though still perturbed having branded. 

Unfortunately, many people when they ask for feedback are looking merely for self-validation, wants to hear only good things and really dislike hearing things that might help grow.  


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Monday, March 2, 2020

What RamP's Reading: Mar'20


  



Design Pattens (Re-read)

The Gang-of-Four (GoF), top-notch designers present a catalog of simple and succinct solutions to commonly occurring design problems. They have identified 23 patterns that allow designers to create more flexible, elegant, and ultimately reusable designs without having to rediscover the design solutions themselves.


Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

We all have an ikigai.

It's the Japanese word for ‘a reason to live’ or ‘a reason to jump out of bed in the morning’. It’s the place where your needs, desires, ambitions, and satisfaction meet. A place of balance. Small wonder that finding your ikigai is closely linked to living longer. Finding your ikigai is easier than you might think. This book will help you work out what your own ikigai really is, and equip you to change your life. You have a purpose in this world: your skills, your interests, your desires and your history have made you the perfect candidate for something. All you have to do is find it.

Do that, and you can make every single day of your life joyful and meaningful.


Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life

In his most provocative and practical book yet, Nassim Taleb, one of the foremost thinkers of our time redefines what it means to understand the world, succeed in a profession, contribute to a fair and just society, detect nonsense, and influence others. Citing examples ranging from Hammurabi to Seneca, Antaeus the Giant to Donald Trump, Taleb shows how the willingness to accept one’s own risks is an essential attribute of heroes, saints, and flourishing people in all walks of life.

As always both accessible and iconoclastic, Taleb challenges long-held beliefs about the values of those who spearhead military interventions, make financial investments, and propagate religious faiths.
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Sunday, February 2, 2020

What RamP's Reading: Feb'20

   


What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Crete Your Business Culture
Ben Horowitz, a leading venture capitalist, modern management expert, and New York Times bestselling author, combines lessons both from history and from modern organizational practice with practical and often surprising advice to help executives build cultures that can weather both good and bad times.

What You Do Is Who You Are explains how to make your culture purposeful by spotlighting four models of leadership and culture-building―the leader of the only successful slave revolt, Haiti’s Toussaint Louverture; the Samurai, who ruled Japan for seven hundred years and shaped modern Japanese culture; Genghis Khan, who built the world’s largest empire; and Shaka Senghor, a man convicted of murder who ran the most formidable prison gang in the yard and ultimately transformed prison culture.


Ultralearning: Accelerate Your Career, Master Hard Skills and Outsmart the Competition
Learn a new talent, stay relevant, reinvent yourself, and adapt to whatever the workplace throws your way. Ultralearning offers nine principles to master hard skills quickly. This is the essential guide to future-proof your career and maximize your competitive advantage through self-education.

Author, Scott H. Young incorporates the latest research about the most effective learning methods and the stories of other ultralearners like himself—among them Benjamin Franklin, chess grandmaster Judit Polgár, and Nobel laureate physicist Richard Feynman, as well as a host of others, such as little-known modern polymath Nigel Richards, who won the French World Scrabble Championship—without knowing French.
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