Linchpin_ Are You Indispensable_ - Seth Godin [105]
Joel is the best writer on managing brilliant people that I know of. Hands down.
Zen Habits, by Leo Babauta
Leo's productivity insights are scary in their simplicity and effectiveness.
On Science, Evolution, and the Brain
Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History, by Stephen Jay Gould
There are so many wonderful books about evolution, it's difficult to pick one. I picked
this one because of the quote I grabbed, but I could have easily picked books by Dan
Dennett and Matt Ridley.
Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World, by Alex (Sandy) Pentland
Pentland is a professor at MIT, and this is ostensibly a book about some amazing
technology he's putting together that quietly measures the interactions people have all day
when they're not remembering that the system is watching. What it's actually about,
though, is the incredible power of nonverbal communication and tribal hierarchies in the
way we interact.
Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently, by Gregory Berns
Berns covers some of the same territory I do, but from a biological point of view. His
take is that perception, fear, and networking are the three underlying neurological factors
that lead some people to be original thinkers. It was vindicating to read his book just as I
finished mine, because his scientific data completely confirms the three pillars that I
describe herein.
How We Decide, by Jonah Lehrer
This is a great introduction to the theories of the brain and our increasing understanding
of how different parts of the brain work in concert to create outcomes we must live with.
Lehrer references another great book, Antonio Damasio's Descartes' Error.
On Wisdom
Don't Bite the Hook: Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other
Destructive Emotions, by Pema Chodron
Pema, a Buddhist nun who converted later in life from American roots, is my favorite
teacher. She is able to simply and clearly connect with listeners and readers about a few
powerful insights. In this book she talks about shenpa, the cycle of anxiety we buy into
whenever confronted with a stressful situation.
Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World, by Lama
Surya Das
There are countless books for Westerners in search of the simple insights of Buddhism.
This book is quite detailed and serious.
Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity, by Hugh MacLeod
There are a million books about creativity. There are very few books that challenge the
resistance so directly and effectively. This book eliminates the excuses that have been
holding you back from being creative. It demands that you become an artist.
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Taleb makes a compelling case that the predictable events that everyone knew were
going to change everything are not predictable at all.
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, by Thich Nhat Hanh
This is not a book about religion. It's about seeing things as they are and finding things
interesting instead of threatening. In a world without saber-toothed tigers, this turns out to
be a productive approach.
On Overcoming Resistance and Getting Creative
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen
Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, by Garr
Reynolds
A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative, by Roger von Oech
All three of these books are classic collections of effective tactics. And none of them will
work until you make the choice to confront the resistance.
Key Blogs and Bloggers
Church of the Customer, Kevin Kelly, Joel on Software, Tom Asacker, Bob Lefsetz, Clay
Shirky, Jim Leff, Chris Anderson, David Meerman Scott, Penelope Trunk, Tony Morgan,
Brian Clark, Cory Doctorow, Indexed, Stephen Johnson, Hugh MacLeod, The SAMBA
blog, PSFK.
THE RES1STANCE
1
There are several sections throughout that could be considered long footnotes. These are
passages you can easily