Other than reporting news, e27′s editorial team reads extensively and we want to share with you some valuable takeaways. Here’s our reading list for the week.
Dissecting Derek – Starting the New Year with @Sivers, by Hugh Mason
“You need to confidently exclude people, and proudly say what you’re not. By doing so, you will win the hearts of the people you want.”
Snippet from the article:
‘War stories’ from successful entrepreneurs like Derek Sivers are powerful because they can also help us figure out WHY we’re doing what we’re doing. In the first of an occasional series, Hugh Mason dissects the insights Derek has published to look for questions that could prompt useful New Year resolutions.
What I really enjoyed about the article:
Written by Hugh Mason of JFDI, the interview piece with CDBaby’s founder Derek Sivers shared really actionable and thought provoking advice:
- When you’re on to something great, it won’t feel like revolution. It’ll feel like uncommon sense.
- Success comes from persistently improving and inventing, not from persistently doing what’s not working.
- Are you helping people? Are they happy? Are you happy? Are you profitable? Isn’t that enough?
- I see new websites trying to look impressive, filled with hundreds of puffy unnecessary sentences.
- Don’t try to impress an invisible jury of MBA professors. It’s OK to be casual.
- Lesson learned too late: Delegate, but don’t abdicate.
and 50 other learning points. Unlike other articles on advice and learning points, Hugh framed the article such that readers can have actionable takeaways by asking “So How?” for each advise. Great read for the new year.
- Jacky Yap, Writer
Time ideas – Highlighting is a Waste of Time: The Best and Worst Learning Techniques, by Annie Murphy Paul
Snippet from the article:
“Highlighting and underlining led the authors’ list of ineffective learning strategies. Although they are common practices, studies show they offer no benefit beyond simply reading the text. Some research even indicates that highlighting can get in the way of learning; because it draws attention to individual facts, it may hamper the process of making connections and drawing inferences. Nearly as bad is the practice of rereading, a common exercise that is much less effective than some of the better techniques you can use.”
What I really enjoyed about the article:
Being married to an educator, I’m often exposed to various theories, techniques and practices in learning. This article, based on research from Kent University in the U.S., seems to stress the age-old adage that says practice makes perfect. In my high school and university days, I was fond of highlighting and summarizing, but never thought that these were actually less-effective ways of learning than distributed practice, practice tests and even flash cards, which researchers say have “high utility.”
Learning is a life-long process, so this does not only apply to school and formal education. In this “school” called “real life,” keeping short notes and summaries may help, but it’s the constant and consistent practices that we do, day in and day out, that will form and define us.
- J. Angelo Racoma, Senior Writer
16 Things I might Change If Was Launching a Travel Startup Today, by Sean Keener
Snippet from the article:
“#16. Are you playing not to lose or are you playing to win?”
What I really enjoyed about the article:
Solid lessons learnt from an entrepreneur who has experienced almost everything a startup can go through in a span of 15 years. From the 16 lesson, three stood our really strongly for me.
- #1. Go for it and ask for forgiveness later
- #2: Go to the bank to deposit more often than you withdraw
- #16. Are you playing not to lose or are you playing to win?
Lesson one asks readers to hustle. Something that I have always had a hard time doing for fear of stepping on others’ toes. I think Mohan has seen this in me, even when I was doing my internship with e27 back in 2010. His words to me was “Stir shit up!”. If you have good intentions, it doesn’t hurt to go for it.
The second lesson struck me more on how Sean and his team ran a newspaper delivery job to sustain them in the early days. I think the job not only fed them, but it also got them out of the normal startup grind, letting them see and appreciate reality as it is. When work turns into a routine, it helps to break it once in a while to make sure you refresh your perspectives.
The last lesson speaks to me more on the present. Currently leading the editorial team at e27, it’s easy to keep playing it safe just to hit your set KPIs. When things are going along as planned, are you avoiding trying something new because you are afraid that you might lose your current momentum? Are you only reacting to your competitors’ moves?
- Joash Wee, Editor
The post e27 Recommended Reading List #1 appeared first on e27.
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