Five books that left a mark, distilled to one line each. Each of these has shaped a choice or a way of seeing things — captured when I read them, surfaced again now via Readwise.
Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
If it is not the right thing to do, never do it; if it is not the truth, never say it. Keep your impulses in hand.
Though men may hinder you from following the paths of reason, they can never succeed in deflecting you from sound action.
Wisdom at Work — Chip Conley
Lao-Tzu: “To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”
The Daily Stoic — Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman
It’s only our opinion that says something is good or bad.
You don’t get a prize at the end of your life for having consumed more, worked more, spent more, collected more, or learned more about the various vintages than everyone else. You are just a conduit, a vessel that temporarily held or interacted with these fancy items.
Flow — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Surrounded by an astounding panoply of recreational gadgets and leisure choices, most of us go on being bored and vaguely frustrated.
A Promised Land — Barack Obama
Depression was more likely to creep up on me when I felt useless, without purpose.
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