Weekly Mix #223 - The Setup, A Bias for Action, Parenting Advice & Better Smartphone Videos

The Setup, A Bias for Action, Parenting Advice & Better Smartphone Videos

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Happy Monday!

I've been working my way through Scott Belsky's The Messy Middle, a book I never quite finished, but has become relevant again as I do more product-related work.

This quote stood out:

"“Everyone has an opinion, but few people are willing to do something about it—especially if it falls outside of their formal job description. Surprising things happen when people take steps beyond their day-to-day role on their own volition. Think your team’s marketing is horrible? Then draft it out, put together a presentation, and share it yourself.”

Doing things outside your "formal job description"—whether at work or in life—is always powerful. Anyone can criticize or complain; very few people do anything about it.

Going above and beyond shows a bias for action that attracts others who appreciate that initiative.

It forces others to justify their position, which can reveal details or questions that were glossed over before.

And it generates criticism and feedback of your own ideas, which can be used to improve your work and thinking (and figure out who might be a blocker).

It doesn't just apply to your work life either.

Going the extra mile to recommend a new acquaintance for a job can solidify a relationship that will pay off later.

Making the effort to catch up with friends can yield unexpected opportunities.

Good things happen when we have a bias for action and a willingness to do the extra work to make something come to fruition.

Have a great week.

Graham

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Links

📚 Book Notes: The Setup by Dan Bilzerian - From training as a Navy SEAL, to making tens of millions in private poker games, to his outrageous branding and parties, Dan Bilzerian has lived a wild life. Love him or hate him, there's always something to learn from outliers like him. His self-published memoir is a wild ride, through which he details how he learned the importance of "The Setup"—building environments and situations that maximize your chance of success.

📖 My Favorite and Most Impactful Reads from 2021 - Tim Ferriss - I'm a longtime fan of Tim, and often share things he's found in this newsletter. This is the complete list of his favourite reads from 2021, full of all kinds of interesting topics, articles, and books.

📖 10 Practical Pieces of Advice for First-Time Parents - Polina Pompliano - I'm not a parent, but I'm a big fan of The Profile and crowd-sourced lists, which I think tend to generate better insights than individuals for things like this.

📷 Product: DJI Osmo Mobile 5 - Drone makers DJI have been continuing to expand into all areas of videography, from mics to action cameras. One of their best bang-for-buck products is their line of Osmo Mobile devices, which are hand-held gimbals for smartphones. I've been playing around with the latest version, the OM5, and I'm very, very impressed. If you want to immediately raise the bar on your smartphone filming, this is how to do it.

Quote

"When you are going through something difficult, set achievable goals...You can do anything for a minute."—Dan Bilzerian, The Setup

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Dickie Bush 🚢-->

@dickiebush

I'm convinced successful writing comes down to:

1. Saying "I don't know"
2. Figuring out what it is you want to know
3. Committing to learning it in public
4. Distilling what you learned and sharing it with others

And then repeating this process time and time again.

January 13th 2022

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