#275 Paul Graham

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Nov 3, 2022

Discover the wisdom of Paul Graham as he reflects on the balance between passion and work. He argues that true happiness comes from engaging in what you admire. The struggle of finding fulfilling work is real, and societal pressures can complicate the journey. The importance of total immersion and adaptability in startup life is highlighted, alongside the emotional challenges founders face. Insights on user engagement and community support reveal how personal connections can propel startups toward success.

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ADVICE

How to Do What You Love

Do what you love, but understand it's a difficult, lifelong search.
Don't be misled by prestige or money; prioritize work that feels intrinsically rewarding.

INSIGHT

What Doesn't Seem Like Work

Identify tasks that feel like play to you but like work to others—those are your strengths.
The more unusual your enjoyment of a task, the stronger the signal.

ADVICE

How Not to Die

In startups, prioritize survival; avoid distractions and maintain founder relationships.
Expect disasters, but don't be demoralized—persistence is key.

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1984

None

George Orwell

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

How Not to Die

Michael Greger

Gene Stone

In *How Not to Die*, Dr. Michael Greger examines the top 15 causes of premature death in America, including heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson's, and high blood pressure. He explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can often be more effective than pharmaceutical and surgical approaches in preventing and reversing these diseases. The book includes Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen, a checklist of foods to consume daily for maximum health benefits, and is backed by extensive scientific research and evidence.

Driven from Within

Michael Jordan

Mark Vancil

In 'Driven from Within,' Michael Jordan provides a detailed look at his life, from his early days in basketball to his illustrious NBA career. The book highlights his dedication, hard work, and the internal drive that made him a legend. It also delves into his business ventures, particularly the creation and success of the Air Jordan brand, and features contributions from family members and colleagues. The book is a testament to Jordan's relentless pursuit of excellence and his ability to inspire others through his story.

Against the Odds: An Autobiography

Sir James Dyson

This book details Dyson's journey from his early life to the development of his revolutionary bagless vacuum cleaner. It includes his struggles, legal battles, and eventual success after finding support in Japan. The book also critiques various aspects of the British education system and industry.

Michael Jordan: The Life

Roland Lazenby

This biography, written by Roland Lazenby, delves into the life of Michael Jordan, from his early days in North Carolina to his rise as a global ambassador for basketball. It covers his growth from a skinny rookie to a legendary player and business icon, highlighting his ruthless competitiveness and insatiable drive. The book draws on Lazenby's personal relationships with Jordan's coaches, friends, teammates, and family members, as well as interviews with Jordan himself, to provide a detailed and compelling portrait of the man behind the myth.

Estée: A Success Story

Estée Lauder

This book is an autobiography by Estée Lauder, the founder of the Estée Lauder Companies. It recounts her early life, her encounter with her uncle who taught her how to make skin products, and her subsequent journey in building a cosmetics business. The book covers her business triumphs, high society interactions, and the challenges she faced in expanding her company both domestically and internationally. It also highlights her innovative marketing techniques, such as intentionally spilling perfume at Harrods to gain customer attention. The autobiography is a mix of personal reminiscence, business insights, and the tension between her career and family life.

Hard Drive

Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire

Jim Erickson

James Wallace

This book is a detailed exposé of Bill Gates' life and the early days of Microsoft. The authors follow Gates from his childhood as an unkempt thirteen-year-old computer hacker to his present-day status as the most powerful and feared player in the computer industry. The book provides a balanced analysis of Gates' business triumphs and his driven personality, including his singular accomplishments, brattiness, arrogance, and hostility. It also delves into the intense atmosphere at Microsoft, the company's strategic positioning, and key events such as the partnership with IBM and the development of MS-DOS and Windows[1][3][5].

Zero to One

Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Peter Thiel

In 'Zero to One,' Peter Thiel argues that true innovation comes from creating something entirely new, going from 'zero to one,' rather than incrementally improving existing ideas. He emphasizes the importance of vertical progress through technology and the benefits of monopoly in driving innovation. Thiel also discusses the need for long-term planning, the importance of finding the right co-founders, and the power law in startup success. The book challenges conventional wisdom and encourages readers to think critically and aim big to build the future[2][3][5].

Sam Walton

Made in America

John Huey

Sam Walton

In 'Sam Walton: Made in America,' Sam Walton shares his personal and professional journey, from his early life in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, to the founding and expansion of Walmart. The book is a first-person account supplemented by quotes from friends, family, and colleagues. It highlights Walton's core values, such as the importance of hard work, customer satisfaction, and competitive pricing. The autobiography also provides insights into Walton's leadership style, his approach to business, and the lessons he learned throughout his career. The book was published posthumously in 1993 and offers a compelling and inspiring look at the life of one of America's most successful entrepreneurs.

What Doesn't Seem Like Work

None

Paul Graham

The Anatomy of Determination

Paul Graham

In 'The Anatomy of Determination,' Paul Graham discusses how determination is a key factor in achieving success, particularly in startups. He breaks down determination into components such as willfulness, discipline, and ambition, highlighting their importance and how they can be cultivated.

Charles de Gaulle

Julian Jackson

Julian Jackson's biography of Charles de Gaulle provides a detailed and nuanced portrayal of the French leader, drawing on newly available archives to explore his conservative roots, his leadership during World War II, and his later presidency. The book delves into de Gaulle's complex personality and his significant contributions to French politics, including his role in founding the Fifth Republic and navigating colonial conflicts.

Relentlessly Resourceful

Paul Graham

In this essay, Paul Graham outlines the critical quality of being 'relentlessly resourceful' as a key trait for successful startup founders. He contrasts this with being 'hapless,' highlighting that relentless resourcefulness involves more than just perseverance. It requires adaptability, creativity, and the ability to continuously try new approaches to overcome external obstacles. Graham uses metaphors, such as comparing a good startup founder to a running back, to illustrate the importance of flexibility and determination. The essay also touches on the teachability of this quality and its relevance in dynamic and complex domains[4][5][3].

What Startups Are Really Like

Paul Graham

In this essay, Paul Graham shares insights into the challenges and realities of starting and running a startup. He highlights the importance of cofounders, the all-consuming nature of startups, and the emotional rollercoaster that founders often experience. Graham's work provides valuable advice for entrepreneurs based on his extensive experience with Y Combinator.

How to Do What You Love

Paul Graham

In this essay, Paul Graham discusses the complexities of finding work that one truly loves. He argues that the idea of 'doing what you love' is often misunderstood and that it requires a long-term perspective rather than immediate gratification. Graham highlights the mixed messages people receive about work during their childhood and how this can lead to dissatisfaction in their careers. He advises against chasing prestige and money, and instead suggests focusing on producing work that brings personal satisfaction. Graham also proposes two routes to achieving this: gradually increasing the enjoyable aspects of one's job or having two jobs, one for money and one for passion, until the latter becomes sustainable.

Why to Start a Startup in a Bad Economy

Paul Graham

In this essay, Paul Graham argues that the state of the economy has little impact on the success of startups, which instead depends on the qualities of the founders. He suggests that starting a startup in a bad economy can offer advantages such as less competition and the potential to create products that save money for customers.

Meet You in Hell

Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the Bitter Partnership That Transformed America

Les Standiford

This book tells the riveting story of Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick, two founding fathers of American industry, and their bitter rivalry that emerged from their partnership. The narrative focuses on the 1892 Homestead steel strike, which was one of the deadliest labor disputes in U.S. history. Standiford captures the majesty and danger of steel manufacturing, the rough-and-tumble business world, and the fraught relationship between 'the world’s richest man' and the ruthless coke magnate. The book explores themes of industrialization, labor conflicts, and the personal idiosyncrasies of these two industrial titans[1][4][5].

What I learned from reading Paul Graham’s essays.

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[4:52] My father told me I could be whatever I wanted when I grew up, so long as I enjoyed it.

[5:49] Do what you love doesn't mean, do what you would like to do most this second.

[7:41] To be happy I think you have to be doing something you not only enjoy, but admire. You have to be able to say, at the end, wow, that's pretty cool.

[8:00] You should not worry about prestige. This is easy advice to give. It’s hard to follow.

[10:22] You have to make a conscious effort to keep your ideas about what you want from being contaminated by what seems possible.

[12:18] Whichever route you take, expect a struggle. Finding work you love is very difficult. Most people fail.

[16:46] How To Do What You Love by Paul Graham

[16:34] What Doesn’t Seem Like Work by Paul Graham

[17:16] If something that seems like work to other people doesn't seem like work to you, that's something you're well suited for.

[17:42] Michael Jordan said what looked like hard work to others was play to him. Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby. (Founders #212) and Driven From Within by Michael Jordan and Mark Vancil. (Founders #213)

[20:53] How Not to Die by Paul Graham

[23:00] All that matters is to survive. The rest is just words. — Charles de Gaulle by Julian Jackson (Founders #224)

[24:49] You have to assume that running a startup can be demoralizing. That is certainly true. I've been there, and that's why I've never done another startup.

[27:31] If a startup succeeds, you get millions of dollars, and you don't get that kind of money just by asking for it. You have to assume it takes some amount of pain.

[28:17] So I'll tell you now: bad shit is coming. It always is in a startup. The odds of getting from launch to liquidity without some kind of disaster happening are one in a thousand.

So don't get demoralized. When the disaster strikes, just say to yourself, ok, this was what Paul was talking about. What did he say to do? Oh, yeah. Don't give up.

[28:45] Why to Start a Startup in a Bad Economy by Paul Graham

[30:23] If we've learned one thing from funding so many startups, it's that they succeed or fail based on the qualities of the founders.

[31:15] If you're worried about threats to the survival of your company, don't look for them in the news. Look in the mirror.

[34:10] The cheaper your company is to operate, the harder it is to kill.

[35:43] Relentlessly Resourceful by Paul Graham

[35:43] I finally got being a good startup founder down to two words: relentlessly resourceful.

[37:20] If I were running a startup, this would be the phrase I'd tape to the mirror. "Make something people want" is the destination, but "Be relentlessly resourceful" is how you get there.

[37:40] The Anatomy of Determination by Paul Graham

[37:45] David’s Notes: A Conversation with Paul Graham

[39:50] After a while determination starts to look like talent.

[42:12] Ambitious people are rare, so if everyone is mixed together randomly, as they tend to be early in people's lives, then the ambitious ones won't have many ambitious peers. When you take people like this and put them together with other ambitious people, they bloom like dying plants given water. Probably most ambitious people are starved for the sort of encouragement they'd get from ambitious peers, whatever their age.

[43:21] One of the best ways to help a society generally is to create events and institutions that bring ambitious people together. (Founders Podcast Conference?)

[45:21] What Startups Are Really Like by Paul Graham

[49:00] The Entire History of Silicon Valley by John Coogan

[49:50] Meet You In Hell: Andrew Carnegie Henry Clay Frick, and the Bitter Partnership That Transformed America by Les Standiford. (Founders #73)

[55:08] You need persistence because everything takes longer than you expect. A lot of people (founders) were surprised by that.

[57:18] Estee Lauder was a master at doing things that don’t scale. Estée Lauder: A Success Storyby Estée Lauder. (Founders #217)

[58:45] What makes companies fail most of the time is poor execution by the founders. A lot of times founders are worried about competition. YC has founded 1900+ companies. 1 was killed by competitors. You have the same protection against competitors that light aircraft have against crashing into other light aircraft. Do you know what the protection is? Space is large.

[1:01:00] Paul on what he would do if he was strating a company today:

If I were a 22 year starting a startup I would certainly apply to YC. Which is not that surprising, since it was designed to be what I wish I'd had when I did start one. But (assuming I got in) I would not get sucked into raising a huge amount on Demo Day.

I would raise maybe $500k, keep the company small for the first year, work closely with users to make something amazing, and otherwise stay off SV's radar.

Ideally I'd get to profitability on that initial $500k. Later I could raise more, if I felt like it. Or not. But it would be on my terms.

At every point in the company's growth, I'd keep the company as small as I could. I'd always want people to be surprised how few employees we had. Fewer employees = lower costs, and less need to turn into a manager.

When I say small, I mean small in employees, not revenues.

[1:05:07] Against The Odds: An Autobiography by James Dyson (Founders #200)

[1:07:00] A Word To The Resourceful by Paul Graham

[1:08:07] We found the startups that did best were the ones with the sort of founders about whom we'd say "they can take care of themselves." The startups that do best are fire-and-forget in the sense that all you have to do is give them a lead, and they'll close it, whatever type of lead it is.

[1:09:00] Understanding all the implications of what someone tells you is a subset of resourcefulness. It's conversational resourcefulness.

[1:11:00] Do Things That Don’t Scale by Paul Graham

[1:11:00] Startups take off because the founders make them take off.

[1:16:00] The question to ask about an early stage startup is not "is this company taking over the world?" but "how big could this company get if the founders did the right things?" And the right things often seem both laborious and inconsequential at the time.

[1:16:00] Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire by James Wallace and Jim Erickson (Founders #140)

[1:21:00] The world is complicated. It is noisy. We are not going to get a chance to get people to remember much about us. No company is. So we have to be really clear about what we want them to know about us. —Steve Jobs

[1:22:00] Any strategy that omits the effort is suspect.

[1:23:00] The need to do something unscalably laborious to get started is so nearly universal that it might be a good idea to stop thinking of startup ideas as scalars. Instead we should try thinking of them as pairs of what you're going to build, plus the unscalable thing(s) you're going to do initially to get the company going.

Now that there are two components you can try to be imaginative about the second as well as the first. Founders need to work hard in two dimensions.

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