Currently reading
The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son
Started October 2026
My highlights so far
On action
- Do the hard thing first. The more difficult or unpleasant a task is, the sooner you should start it. Waiting only makes it harder and scarier, like aiming a gun for so long that you never pull the trigger.
- There’s never enough time. There will always be more to do than time to do it. Worrying about all of it only freezes you, so pick the work that matters and finish it. (p. 20)
- “Later” means “never”. Saying tomorrow, next week or someday is the same as saying it won’t get done. Stop waiting for perfect conditions and start now. (p. 21)
- Ideas are cheap. Doing them is rare. The world is full of people with ideas but short on people who can carry a good one through. One idea put into action beats a thousand thought up at home. (p. 21)
On failure and hardship
- Same situation, different eyes. Optimists find opportunity in suffering. Pessimists find suffering in opportunity. His formula for success: Dream + Failure + Challenge. (p. 34)
- Never struggling is the real bad luck. Hardship builds character and the ability to get things done. People who have never faced misfortune are the unfortunate ones. (p. 64)
On people and leadership
- You can’t do big things alone. Big achievements depend on other people’s strength. To lead people well, first do the small jobs yourself so you know what it feels like to be the one taking orders. (p. 64)
- Two kinds of smart people. Some succeed by using their own talent: artists, scholars, actors. Others succeed by bringing out the talent in other people: managers and leaders. (pp. 64–65)
On humility and decisions
- Play dumb on purpose. The smarter you are, the more it pays to stay humble and hide how clever you are, the way ripe rice bends lower the heavier it gets.
- “Let me wait before talking.” His rule in business: think calmly before deciding, and once you’ve decided, act without hesitation.