#357 Haruki Murakami

1291 snips

Jul 21, 2024

Dive into the intertwined worlds of running and writing, as commitment shapes passion. Discover how discipline fuels creativity and personal growth, while the journey of a spontaneous novel-writing adventure inspires. Explore the importance of authenticity in managing time and energy for both writers and entrepreneurs. Learn about the psychological benefits of physical activity in cultivating resilience. Ultimately, it's about nurturing relationships and finding fulfillment through genuine passion.

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ADVICE

Murakami's Philosophy

Embrace mundane actions, transforming them into contemplative practices through consistent repetition.
Find your mantra for perseverance, accepting pain but choosing whether to suffer.

INSIGHT

Pain vs. Suffering

Pain is inevitable in life, especially in challenging pursuits like long-distance running or writing.
Suffering, however, is a choice; you decide whether to endure or give in.

ANECDOTE

Senra's Discovery

David Senra discovered Murakami's book unexpectedly on Twitter, prompting him to read the entire Kindle version in two days.
The book resonated with Senra, sparking his interest in Murakami's dual obsessions of writing and running.

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Ogilvy on Advertising

David Ogilvy

This book provides comprehensive insights into the world of advertising, covering topics such as how to get a job in advertising, how to choose an agency for your product, the secrets behind effective advertising, how to write successful copy, and the role of research in advertising. Written with brutal candor and generosity, Ogilvy shares his extensive knowledge and experience in the industry, making it a valuable resource for both professionals and those interested in advertising.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Haruki Murakami

In this memoir, Haruki Murakami reflects on his experiences with long-distance running and how it has influenced his writing. He started running in the early 1980s and has since completed over twenty marathons and an ultramarathon. The book delves into the parallels between running and writing, highlighting the discipline, perseverance, and mental fortitude required for both. Murakami shares his training regimens, memorable races, and the philosophical insights he has gained from his running experiences, which have significantly impacted his creative life.

My life and work

Ford, Henry, Crowther, Samuel

E. Kalita

Mrs Henry Ford

Henry Ford

Samuel Crowther

Ford Henry 1863-1947

Henry Henry Ford

In this autobiography, Henry Ford recounts his early life on a farm in Michigan, his fascination with mechanics, and his journey to becoming a successful businessman. The book covers his innovative approaches to industry and mass production, his views on business, wages, and social concerns, and how he applied his principles to various sectors beyond the automotive industry. Ford also shares his stringent and sometimes controversial views on life, business, and society[1][3][4].

Ernest Hemingway on writing

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway on Writing is a collection of essays, letters, and interviews that offer insights into the renowned author's writing process and philosophy. The book explores Hemingway's techniques, including his emphasis on concise language, vivid imagery, and the importance of showing rather than telling. It also delves into his views on storytelling, character development, and the role of the writer in society. Readers gain a deeper understanding of Hemingway's creative process and his dedication to crafting powerful and impactful narratives. The book is a valuable resource for aspiring writers and literature enthusiasts alike, providing a glimpse into the mind of one of the 20th century's most influential authors. His insights on writing remain relevant and inspiring for writers today.

How To Do Great Work

Paul Graham

In 'How To Do Great Work,' Paul Graham explores the intersection of techniques for doing great work in different fields. He argues that great work happens at the intersection of what you're good at, what you care about, and what the world needs. The essay emphasizes the role of curiosity, delight, and the desire to do something impressive as key motives. Graham advises readers to choose fields they are deeply interested in, learn enough to reach the frontier of knowledge, notice gaps, and explore promising areas. He also stresses the importance of consistency, intellectual honesty, and a willingness to take risks and admit mistakes.

What I learned from reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir by Haruki Murakami.

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(3:01) No matter how mundane some action might appear, keep at it long enough and it becomes a contemplative, even meditative act.

(4:00) Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

(4:00) The hurt part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself.

(10:00) You can't fake passion — someone else, that really loves the job, will out run you. Somebody else sitting in some other MBA program has a deep passion for whatever career path you're going down, and they are going to smoke you if you don't have it yourself. — Runnin' Down a Dream: How to Succeed and Thrive in a Career You Love

(12:00) What’s crucial is whether your writing attains the standards you’ve set for yourself. Failure to reach that bar is not something you can easily explain away.

(14:00) Big ideas come from the unconscious. This is true in art, in science and in advertising. But your unconscious has to be well informed, or your idea will be irrelevant. Stuff your conscious mind with information, then unhook your rational thought process. You can help this process by going for a long walk, or taking a hot bath, or drinking half a pint of claret. Suddenly, if the telephone line from your unconscious is open, a big idea wells up within you. — David Ogilvy

(16:00) If you absolutely can't tolerate critics, then don't do anything new or interesting. — Jeff Bezos

(16:00) So the fact that I’m me and no one else is one of my greatest assets.

(19:00) Failure was not an option. I had to give it everything I had.

(19:00) My only strength has always been the fact that I work hard and can take a lot physically. I’m more a workhorse than a racehorse.

(22:00) I was more interested in having finished it than in whether or not it would ever see the light of day.

(26:00) I’m the kind of person who has to totally commit to whatever I do.

(29:00) The entrenched professional is always going to resist far longer than the private consumer. — James Dyson

(34:00) You really need to prioritize in life, figuring out in what order you should divide up your time and energy. If you don’t get that sort of system set by a certain age, you’ll lack focus and your life will be out of balance. I placed the highest priority on the sort of life that lets me focus on writing,

(37:00) You can’t please everybody. If one out of ten enjoyed the place and said he’d come again, that was enough. If one out of ten was a repeat customer, then the business would survive. To put it the other way, it didn’t matter if nine out of ten didn’t like my bar. This realization lifted a weight off my shoulders. Still, I had to make sure that the one person who did like the place really liked it. In order to make sure he did, I had to make my philosophy and stance clear-cut, and patiently maintain that stance no matter what. This is what I learned through running a business.

(40:00) The reason we're surprised is that we underestimate the cumulative effect of work. Writing a page a day doesn't sound like much, but if you do it every day you'll write a book a year. That's the key: consistency. People who do great things don't get a lot done every day. They get something done, rather than nothing. — How To Do Great Work by Paul Graham. (Founders #314)

(41:00) When you follow what you are intensely interested in this strange convergence happens where you're working all the time and it feels like you're never working. — How To Do Great Work by Paul Graham. (Founders #314)

(43:00) No matter how strong a will a person has, no matter how much he may hate to lose, if it’s an activity he doesn’t really care for, he won’t keep it up for long.

(44:00) Nobody ever recommended or even desired that I be a novelist—in fact, some tried to stop me. I had the idea to be one, and that’s what I did.

(45:00) I decided who I want to be, and that is who I am. — Coco Chanel

(46:00) Once, I interviewed an Olympic runner. I asked him, “Does a runner at your level ever feel like you’d rather not run today, like you don’t want to run and would rather just sleep in?” He stared at me and then, in a voice that made it abundantly clear how stupid he thought the question was, replied, “Of course. All the time!”

(47:00) I pity the poor fellow who is so soft and flabby that he must always have "an atmosphere of good feeling" around him before he can do his work. There are such men. And in the end, unless they obtain enough mental and moral hardiness to lift them out of their soft reliance on "feeling," they are failures. Not only are they business failures; they are character failures also; it is as if their bones never attained a sufficient degree of hardness to enable them to stand on their own feet. There is altogether too much reliance on good feeling in our business organizations. — Henry Ford’s Autobiography

(50:00) If I used being busy as an excuse not to run, I’d never run again.

(51:00) Focus and endurance can be acquired and sharpened through training.

(54:00) Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that’s the essence of running, and a metaphor for life.

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