If you want to give yourself a personal MBA (in 6 months), read these books:
Hi, I’m Ben.
I received an MBA from Cornell.
I’ve also read 300+ business books.
Trust me: You can get 90% of the knowledge from reading books
(and without spending $150k).
So, I put together a 6-month personal MBA for you...
The 6-month curriculum is 12 books
(you’ll read 2 books every month).
Subjects:
Strategy
Entrepreneurship
Accounting/Finance
Personal Finance
Marketing
Operations
Systems Thinking
Public Speaking
Negotiation
Networking
Leadership
Productivity/Effectiveness
Here we go...
Zero to One
by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
Subject: Strategy
Lessons:
• Escape competition
• Contrarian approaches create value
• Go from “0 to 1,” not “from 1 to n”
The Lean Startup
by Eric Ries
Subject: Entrepreneurship
Lessons:
• Build minimum viable products
• When in doubt, simplify
• Win by getting feedback + learning fast
Financial Intelligence
by Karen Berman, Joe Knight, John Case
Subject: Accounting/Finance
Lessons:
• Learn to read financial statements
(Income, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow)
• Fund projects based on expected ROI
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
by Ramit Sethi
Subject: Personal Finance
Lessons:
• Get clear about your ‘Rich Life’
• Save and invest money before you ever see it
• Create an automated money system
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
by Al Ries
Subject: Marketing
Lessons:
• Perception is reality
• Own a word/category to boost brand
• Follow the 22 law checklist
The Goal
by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
Subject: Operations
Lessons:
• Identify and exploit bottlenecks
• Increase net profit + increase ROI + increase cash flow
Thinking in Systems
by Donella Meadows
Subject: Systems Thinking
Lessons:
• To change any system, focus on 12 points of leverage
• Purposes are deduced from behavior, not words
• Create feedback loops
Steal the Show
by Michael Port
Subject: Public Speaking
Lessons:
• Cut out filler words by practicing material
• Use pauses for impact
• Act “as if” to build confidence
Never Split the Difference
by Chris Voss
Subject: Negotiation
Lessons:
• Prepare your best-alternative-option in advance
• Let your counterpart make the first offer
• Be prepared for extremes
• Ask open-ended questions
How to Be a Power Connector
by Judy Robinett
Subject: Networking
Lessons:
• Your network is your net worth
• Choose your environment wisely (find power centers)
• Build depth and diversity in your network
• Follow the 5+50+100 Rule
Teams of Teams
by General Stanley A. McChrystal
Subject: Leadership
Lessons:
• The world is complex and chaotic
• Resiliency and adaptability are crucial to success
• Leaders create more leaders, not followers
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
by Eric Jorgenson
Subject: Productivity and Effectiveness
Lessons:
• Money and happiness are skills
• Productize yourself
• A good reputation is invaluable
• Play long-term iterated games, compound your growth
• And much, much more...
That was a 6-month personal MBA.
All it takes to complete? Read 30 mins/day.
If you enjoyed this thread, please RT the first tweet and follow me @SystemSunday
This account exists to help you:
• Learn systems + mental models
• Become your best self
Cheers,
Ben
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The best relationship advice I've ever encountered:
1. Geeking out on hobbies is wildly attractive to the right person. Intellectual curiosity is your best asset (don’t hide it).
2. Nobody is coming to save you. To attract someone extraordinary, you must first become extraordinary. Build positive daily habits and rock-solid character.
3. Loneliness is the silent pandemic of our time. Making new adult friends is hard (for everyone).
When in doubt, assume people want to meet you.
4. Invest in your friendships as much as you invest in your intimate relationship.
Generally, women are better than men at maintaining friendships. We guys can take note.
5. The #1 rule of conflict management is to avoid people who constantly start conflicts (Credit: Naval Ravikant).