For me, this feels like the first real week of 2019. I’m back in San Francisco, and I’m excited to get back to working hard on things I care about. What do you want in 2019?
Articles.
Stratechery (and Apple)
A few months ago I paid $100 to subscribe to the Stratechery daily update. It’s been one of the best investments I’ve made and I honestly think reading this every day for a few years and thinking critically about it will teach you more than most MBAs.
This article on Apple’s Errors published yesterday is a perfect example. Ben Thompson is bold enough to take a crack at explaining where Apple went wrong in a rational and logical way. I found the part on the differences in the China market particularly interesting.
Skillet Enchilada Meatballs
My new favorite food blog (after smitten kitchen of course)
Cozy Cabbage and farro soup
Podcasts.
The Mission Daily Podcast #100: An Interview with Riva Tez
I’d never heard of Riva Tez before this podcast, but it’s a really interesting look into the mind of someone that clearly thinks differently in a variety of unpredictable ways.
Her article Silicon Valley Has A “Problem” Problem is arguably more true today than when it was first published over two years ago.
It’s definitely controversial, but I liked her point on “Why we shouldn’t want Jeff Bezos to give away all his money”.
Real 4-hour Workweek Case Studies - How to generate 8-figure revenue at Age 21
Real tactical advice about starting a business when you have no idea what you’re doing.
Quote I’m Pondering
“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe”
- H.G Wells, 1920
Habits
Everyone is talking about habits for 2019. After a nice long holiday break, I’m excited to get back to some old habits. Doing things consistently and seeing progress is exciting. I take a lot of pride (and the occasional bit of fun 😉) in sending this newsletter out every week.
But my favorite take on habits was not one of the many clickbait articles telling you which habits you NEED to do that will change your life, but rather this podcast on habits: Mission Daily: A Radical New Approach to Building Habits
It’s pretty ridiculous when you stop and think about it that many people believe that the right habits for Elon Musk (or anyone) are the right habits for you. We love to think that there is one perfect answer.
A “best” habit or “best” diet or “best” way to live.
But there’s not. The only way to figure out what’s best for you is to experiment, keep an open mind, and think clearly.
Personal.
I had a great time in Montreal. A few highlights were:
Cassoulet & truffle fries @ foigwa
Walking up Mount Royal
Drinks @ Cloakroom & Atwater Cocktail Club (Thanks @Daniel for the recs)
In Addition, I’ve been really loving listening to:
Deep House Relax Playlist. AMAZING for getting into flow and getting stuff down.
Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter. Beautiful either for work or before bed.
That’s all for this week. I’m pretty fired up for 2019. Excited to see what’s possible. I ❤️ you all.
-Taylor