George > Books: Read‎ (87)

It was comforting to read this book and uplifting to discover how progress and creativity are closely linked to a constant process of self-renewal and

It was comforting to read this book and uplifting to discover how progress and creativity are closely linked to a constant process of self-renewal and why we should constantly seek for this kind of self-renewal, and not only for ourselves as individuals but for our families, teams, companies, and societies overall.

We came to the world as a model of openness to new experiences — curious, receptive, eager, unafraid and willing to try anything, to fall and get up to move on. Over time, we tend to acquire new habits, attitudes, and opinions that make us less receptive to alternative ways of thinking and acting.

As we become more adaptable to function in our environment, we become less adaptable to changes — and this is, in fact, the process of maturing that reduce the initial flexibility and adaptiveness of societies and individuals.

J. Gardner does not suggest that we should seek to stop the process of maturing and stay forever young (“babies are charming, but no one would wish to keep them forever at that stage of growth”) but pay more attention to how this maturing takes place.

As our thinking about growth and decay is mostly of a single life-span, animal or vegetable, for an ever-renewing individual or society, the appropriate image is "a total garden, a balanced aquarium or other ecological system: some things are being born, other things are flourishing, still other things are dying—but the system lives on.”

A book that I want to get back whenever I'm feeling down and need to remind me that this is a necessary condition that I need to go through to be able to move forward.

"The only stability possible is stability in motion. "— John William Gardner

“Each time a goal is attained, it merely breeds additional needs. Thus more scurrying, more seeking, ad infinitum.”

I was not aware of the Nike history by any means but oh, boy, how many times did they got into troubles and they are still here, striving?

I came to ad

I was not aware of the Nike history by any means but oh, boy, how many times did they got into troubles and they are still here, striving?

I came to admire Phil Knight more as I recall into myself a similar sense of stubbornness and insistence over all kind of situations that show up into a founder way of pursuing his ideas — I even have my doubts that he was not actively seeking them. Either way, I have another confirmation that things happen when you expect less and usually comes from nowhere — bad and good things as well.

I learned about the fragility of uneven partnerships where they are not sharing the same level of risks. They are not there to stay; they are just a meaning to start something greater.

In the end, Phil acknowledges that luck plays a big role in business (so do I!) and although he considers that hard work is critical, luck may decide the outcome.

It's a remarkable story with a lot of wisdom to think about.

"The single easiest way to find out how you feel about someone. Say goodbye "— Phil Knight