Book notes
Reinvent Yourself

Reinvent Yourself by James Altucher

Read in July 2019

"Supposedly it takes 10.000 hours to master something. Unfortunately, most people spend 10.000 hours trying to be jerks to others."

The reinvention is:

  • ​Defining freedom in different ways (reducing expectations, increasing sources of income so no one source controls you).

  • ​Improving relationships. Plus, minus, equal: Finding mentors to teach you. Finding the next generation to teach. Finding friends who build you up and challenge you. This is your “scene.” Everyone going through reinvention needs a scene.

  • ​Habits. It’s the 5x5 rule. You are not just the average of the five people around you. You’re the average of the five habits you do, the things you eat, the ideas you have, the content you consume, etc.

When you compare, you despair. When you are humble, you learn. When you get curious, you get better.

It’s hard to be the greatest at any one endeavor, but by combining passions, it’s much easier to be the greatest in the world at the intersections of those passions.

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF PLAYING A GAME ALL DAY—ANGRY BIRDS, OR POKER, OR CHESS—ASK YOURSELF: WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG IN MY LIFE?