Archives for December 2018

Lean Startup by Eric Ries

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Lessons & Notes:

Learning faster than everyone else is a superpower

“Reading is good, action is better.”

Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop is at the staple of the Lean Startup philosophy.

The goal of a startup is to get validation as fast as possible.

Never fuss over vanity metrics. Getting lots of followers, likes, website traffic,and page views is great, but none of those pay the bills.

The big question is not Can it be built? But, should it be built? 

Any extra work beyond what was required to start executing is a huge waste of time, no matter how significant it might seem.

Failing = Learning

The most important part is to get people to commit and pre-pay as quickly as possible; “cool idea” or “I’d pay for that” doesn’t put a cent in your pocket.

New customers emerge from the actions of past customers.

When creating your own MVP – minimum viable product, make sure to remove any process, feature, or work that does not assist directly with the validated learning you seek.

What does that look like? Noah Kagan from Appsumo also used a simple landing page where people would just send him $60 to get started. For Amazon it was a very basic website. For Zappos, it was a website with just photos with shoes. Only until the customer’s pulled out their credit cards, did the Zappos founder go to a shoe store, buy the actual shoes, and ship them.

Bottom line is validate your idea by having customers pay for the product or service before actually figuring out how you will deliver the product.

Continuously experiment and measure what you’re learning with real users by using cohort analysis and split tests.

You can’t really understand any part of your business until you become a customer of your business yourself and see it from that point of view.

Most problems are caused by bad process, not bad people.

Just in time production method – Toyota has built the most advanced learning model in history. Instead of manufacturing and holding heaps of inventory (vehicles), they keep inventory levels low by only producing the vehicles needed to meet customer demand and keep the production process going.

“If our production process is so fragile that you can break it on your very first day of work, shame on us for making it so easy to do so.”

Your business should have two distinct functions: innovation and execution.

The innovation motto is “Fail fast.” The execution motto: “Failure is not an option.”

The innovation function is about constant testing. The execution function is about the day-to-day operations of your innovation successes.

A true experiment follows the scientific method. It begins with a clear hypothesis that makes predictions about what is supposed to happen. It then tests those predictions empirically. Just as scientific experimentation is informed by theory, startup experimentation is guided by the startup’s vision. The goal of every startup experiment is to discover how to build a sustainable business around that vision.

Successful startups usually focus on just one engine of growth, specializing in everything that is required to make it work. Viral Engine of Growth, Paid Engine of Growth, or Sticky Engine of Growth

The longer we worked, the more afraid we became of how customers would react when they finally saw the new version. As our plans became more ambitious, so too did the number of bugs, conflicts, and problems we had to deal with. Pretty soon we got into a situation in which we could not ship anything. Our launch date seemed to recede into the distance. The more work we got done, the more work we had to do. The lack of ability to ship eventually precipitated a crisis and a change of management, all because of the trap of large batches.

To sell the shoes, Zappos had to interact with customers: taking payment, handling returns, and dealing with customer support. This is decidedly different from market research. If Zappos had relied on existing market research or conducted a survey, it could have asked what customers thought they wanted. By building a product instead, albeit a simple one, the company learned much more:

1. It had more accurate data about customer demand because it was observing real customer behavior, not asking hypothetical questions.
3. It put itself in a position to interact with real customers and learn about their needs.
4. It allowed itself to be surprised when customers behaved in unexpected ways, revealing information Zappos might not have known to ask about.

For example, what if customers returned the shoes?

 Split-testing allows the product team to answer these questions rapidly and almost instantly.  Segment  your customer base and use cohorts to identify the market your testing . Release versions of the products with & without the engine of growth you picked. Validate your engine! Tune it accordingly and when it’s time, rev it up!

“when you fall in love with the problem and not the solution it opens your mind up in a really different way. So we would typically fall in love with the solution, which would always be a product … As you fall in love with the problem, you start seeing business model opportunities; you start seeing marketing and education opportunities in addition to product opportunities, and it’s just much, much richer. we’re spending 25 to 50 percent less money along the journey. It’s amazing.

Most entrepreneurs and product development people dramatically overestimate how many features are needed in an MVP. When in doubt, simplify.

Dropbox: To avoid the risk of waking up after years of development with a product nobody wanted, Drew did something unexpectedly easy: he made a video. The video is banal, a simple three-minute demonstration of the technology as it is meant to work.

Cohort analysis. This is one of the most important tools of startup analytics. Although it sounds complex, it is based on a simple premise. Instead of looking at cumulative totals or gross numbers such as total revenue and total number of customers, one looks at the performance of each group of customers that comes into contact with the product independently. Each group is called a cohort

The sign of a successful pivot: the new experiments you run are overall more productive than the experiments you were running before.

The three A’s of metrics: actionable, accessible, and auditable.

A pivot requires that we keep one foot rooted in what we’ve learned so far, while making a fundamental change in strategy in order to seek even greater validated learning.

The growth hypothesis tests how new customers will discover a product or service.

“Until we could figure out how to sell and make the product, it wasn’t worth spending any engineering time on.”

The point is not to find the average customer but to find early adopters: the customers who feel the need for the product most acutely. Those customers tend to be more forgiving of mistakes and are especially eager to give feedback.

do not hire someone just because they have the domain expertise. You want to be sure that they can work with the resources you can provide in terms of staff size and budgets. In other words, be sure they are ready to work at a startup

question any hiring decision based on “culture fit” alone. While Jeff and Eric agreed that company culture can be powerful and effective, it can also result in a homogeneous company with unexplored opportunities and weaknesses

“Customers don’t care how much time something takes to build. They care only if it serves their needs.” 

he decision to pivot or preserve strategy is fundamental to the future of the companies. 

The right kind of metrics are unbiased, very specific, small targeted, split tested, cohort analysed metrics.

There are many value-destroying kinds of growth that should be avoided. An example would be a business that grows through continuous fund-raising from investors and lots of paid advertising but does not develop a value-creating product. Such businesses are engaged in what I call success theater, using the appearance of growth to make it seem that they are successful

“When in doubt, simplify.” 

• Learn -> ideas -> build -> product -> measure -> data -> learn…
• Minimize TOTAL time through the loop 

VII. Vision triangle

a. Product at top; can be optimized; tuning the engine

b. Strategy in middle; pivot

c. Vision at bottom (foundation); changes less

The strategy may have to change (called a pivot). However, the overarching vision rarely changes. 

XII. Concierge MVP: do all the work manually behind the scenes and fake automation
a. Actually build real automated product later.

Only meaningful metrics are cohort analyses to see if what you’re building new is actually making any difference

b. Three learning milestones: establish baseline, tune the engine/optimize, pivot or persevere

c. Spend $5/day on Google Adwords to get 100 clicks; use those clicks to experiment and learn

XI. Pivot: structured course correction designed to test a new fundamental hypothesis about product, strategy, or engine of growth

a. Zoom-in pivot: focus on one feature of a larger whole

b. Zoom out pivot: whole product needs more features

c. Customer segment pivot: focus on one customer segment
i. Sign LOIs

d. Customer need pivot: change in understanding of real need

e. Platform pivot: change from app to platform or back
i. Like creating self-serve model to create similar apps

f. Business architecture pivot: high margin/low vol to low margin/high vol (or back)

g. Value capture pivot: different monetization

h. Engine of growth pivot: viral, sticky, or paid growth models

i. Channel pivot: change sales channel

j. Technology pivot: change underlying technology

k. A pivot is a new strategic hypothesis to test

l. A startup’s runway is the # of pivots it can still make

i. Get to each pivot faster to extend runway

Focus needs to be on improving customer retention.

Video MVP: show a video of how product works and fake it behind the scenes

a. See how many people sign up

“You cannot be sure you really understand any part of any business problem unless you go and see for yourself firsthand. It is unacceptable to take anything for granted or to rely on the reports of others.

Leadership requires creating conditions that enable employees to do the kinds of experimentation that entrepreneurship requires.

Success is not delivering a feature; success is learning how to solve the customer’s problem

“entrepreneur” should be considered a job title in all modern companies that depend on innovation for their future growth

“What if we found ourselves building something that nobody wanted? In that case what did it matter if we did it on time and on budget?” 

“Ask most entrepreneurs who have decided to pivot and they will tell you that they wish they had made the decision sooner.”

“Product managers figure out what features are likely to please customers; product designers then figure out how those features should look and feel.” 

“There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.”

“Only 5 percent of entrepreneurship is the big idea, the business model, the whiteboard strategizing, and the splitting up of the spoils. The other 95 percent is the gritty work that is measured by innovation accounting: product prioritization decisions, deciding which customers to target or listen to, and having the courage to subject a grand vision to constant testing and feedback.” 

tartups often accidentally build something nobody wants, it doesn’t matter much if they do it on time and on budget. The goal of a startup is to figure out the right thing to build—the thing customers want and will pay for—as quickly as possible.

“True startup productivity is not just making more stuff, but systematically figuring out the right things to build.

“If you don’t know what you’re testing, all the results in the world will tell you nothing.”

“must learn what customers really want, not what they say they want or what we think they should want

“Ask yourself: Do consumers recognize that they have the problem you are trying to solve?”

Like this book? — Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Get it here: Print | eBook | Audiobook

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

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Lessons & Notes:

More than 80% of the interviewees in this book have some form of daily meditative practice. Also, a majority of males over 45 interviewed skip breakfast, or eat super light.

Be the change you want to see in the world. Lead by example, not by opinion.

“When 99% of people doubt you, you’re either gravely wrong or about to make history.”

Happiness is wanting what you have.

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.

“Losers have goals. Winners have systems.”

“If you ran into an asshole in the morning you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you’re the asshole.”

“Fighting emotions is like flailing in quicksand—it only makes things worse. Sometimes, the most proactive “defense” is a mental nod and wink.”

Becoming a good public speaker (often considered the number one fear among people) is a rare skill to have.

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.”

If you let your education lead to knowledge, you become foolish. If you let your education lead into action, you become wealthy.

Investing in yourself is the best investment you’ll ever make. There’s no monetary investment that’ll ever match it, because as you gain more knowledge, health, relationships, talent, skill, grit, and ability, you inevitably will gain more money.

The world’s biggest problems are the world’s biggest business opportunities.

What you do is more important than how you do it, because at the end of day doing something well doesn’t make it important.

The person who is willing to suffer the most and be the most uncomfortable is not only the most fearless, but advances the fastest.

Most of us would rather be wrecked by admiration than saved by criticism.

Three options: You can change it, accept it, or you can leave it.

When it comes to your health, there isn’t a diet out there that works for all. You can read books and educate yourself on all types of diets, but that doesn’t free you from having to eat dairy, gluten, etc. to find out if you’re sensitive.

Be brave enough to enter into unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory, but also be smart enough to discontinue exploring when you’ve identified something worth sticking around for.

Be your unapologetically weird self — weird = attention-grabbing

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” —Pablo Picasso”

“I am not the strongest, I am not the fastest. But I’m really good at suffering.” —Amelia Boone

Billions of new consumers are coming online in the next few years. What do they need?

Your inbox is everyone else’s agenda for your time. Anyone can add tasks to your to-do list thru your inbox.

The things that are making you the most anxious are often the things that have been moved from one day’s to-do list to the next, to the next, and so on.

On your to-do list, the most uncomfortable task is usually most important.

Diversify jobs, investments, clients, friends, etc. for stress management. Ex. I’m not going to worry about losing a client if you have 50 clients, same with real estate, stocks, side hustles, jobs, and friends.

You often shouldn’t start a business unless people are asking you to.

“If you find yourself saying, “But I’m making so much money” about a job or project, pay attention. “But I’m making so much money,” or “But I’m making good money” is a warning sign that you’re probably not on the right track or, at least, that you shouldn’t stay there for long. Money can always be regenerated. Time and reputation cannot.”

Strong opinions, loosely held.

The less you own, the less owns you.

“The opposite of play isn’t work. Its depression.”

“The opposite of happiness is boredom.”

Kids don’t do what you say. They do what they see. Be an example for them.

Set your goals absurdly high and if you fail, at least you’ll fail above everyone else’s definition of success.

Profit with your mind, not your time.

You don’t need any more ideas, you need to trust and act on the ideas that you already have up your sleeve.

If you want to move fast, you will make mistakes. Be okay with making errors 10-20% of time if it means you can move fast.

Success starts with attracting 1,000 fans and making them extremely happy.

The way you foster creativity is by stepping outside the norm and experiencing new adventures that will form into a story, a podcast, or even a business idea. 

For years, Whitney Cummings, a famous actress and writer did comedy by using the same cycle of material and refining & tweaking of her craft – until one day she realized she was omitting the life that would supply her with new material. Only when she started making time for herself outside of her work did her success reach the next level.

If you’re having trouble figuring out what to work on in your business, ask yourself “If I was given only 2 hours per week to work on my business, what would I do?

When coming up with business ideas, ask yourself what do I spend an absurd amount of money on and how might I convert into a business venture? (Ex. Books – start a book review site, protein bars – start a protein supplement company, clothes – start a fashion line)

If you’re contemplating entering into unfamiliar territory (ex. starting a business), ask yourself “what are the worst things that could happen? Could I get back here to where I am if they did happen?”

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

A few of my favorite Laws by Peter Diamandis.

• “When given a choice take both.”
• “When forced to compromise, ask for more.”
• “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
• “The day before something is breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea.”
• “No” simply means begin again at one level higher.”

Buy the Book: Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

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Lessons & Notes:

“Because here’s the thing that’s wrong with all of the “How to Be Happy” shit that’s been shared eight million times on Facebook in the past few years—here’s what nobody realizes about all of this crap: The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience. This is a total mind-fuck. So I’ll give you a minute to unpretzel your brain and maybe read that again: Wanting positive experience is a negative experience; accepting negative experience is a positive experience. It’s what the philosopher Alan Watts used to refer to as “the backwards law”—the idea that the more you pursue feeling better all the time, the less satisfied you become, as pursuing something only reinforces the fact that you lack it in the first place.”

Seeking constant positivity is an act of avoidance because by continuously imposing positivity upon yourself, you’re denying the reality of life’s problems.

“The avoidance of suffering is a form of suffering. The avoidance of struggle is a struggle. The denial of failure is a failure. Hiding what is shameful is itself a form of shame. “

Getting to the top is a continuous upward spiral with new problems and issues that you must face, accept, and appreciate.

The more something impends your identity, the more you will try to avoid it.

When a person has no problems, the brain finds a way to invent some.

Accepting your life experience as being outstanding regardless of past trauma, pain, or negativity is the single best thing you can probably do for your happiness.

“Don’t hope for a life without problems. Hope for a life with good problems.”

“Problems never stop. They merely get exchanged or upgraded.”

“Our lives today are filled with information from the extremes of the bell curve of human experience. The best of the best, worst of the worst, and most upsetting of the upsetting. We only see the most exceptional news stories because that’s what drives revenue. This is a real problem when it comes to comparison because you can only be exceptional in one thing thing and you’re going to be below average in nearly everything else. That makes comparison a very dangerous game to play.”

The more uncomfortable the answer, the more likely it is to be true.

You can’t be significant and life-transforming for some people without also being an awkward loser and a joke to others.

“If you find yourself consistently giving too many fucks about trivial shit that bothers you — your ex-girlfriend’s new Facebook picture, how quickly the batteries die in the TV remote, missing out on yet another 2-for-1 sale on hand sanitizer — chances are you don’t have much going on in your life to give a legitimate fuck about.”

If you are able to not give a fuck about the discomfort and struggle your goals require, then you will become relentless.

For you to change your habits, you must be okay with being wrong about something.

If it’s down to you being messed up, or everybody else being messed up, it is far more likely you’re the one who’s messed up.

If someone is better than you at something, then it’s probably because they have failed at that something more than you have.

Life is about not knowing and then doing something anyway; you’ll never have all of the answers

The desire to avoid rejection, confrontation, conflict in order to make everything gel and synchronize is a deep form of egotism.

When trust is broken, it can be reconstructed only if the trust-breaker admits fault and takes responsibility by improving their behavior over time.

“If your emotions are constantly being swayed from one direction to another, and you feel a lack of control, it’s likely that you’re prizing a lot of the wrong things in your life.”

A bad relationship is when two people solve each other’s problems in order to feel good about themselves. A good relationship is when two people solve their own problems in order to feel good about the other person.

Saying no and hearing no often is a sign of a good relationship.

“You and everyone you know are going to be dead soon. And in the short amount of time between here and there, you have a limited amount of fucks to give. Very few, in fact. And if you go around giving a fuck about everything and everyone without conscious thought or choice—well, then you’re going to get fucked.”

Most of the advice out there functions at a superficial level of simply trying to make people feel good in the moment, while the real long-term issues never get resolved.

Everybody loves the result. But you have to love the process.

What is objectively true about your situation is not as critical as how you subjectively view, measure, and value the situation.

Self-awareness is like an onion. The first layer is a simple reading of one’s emotions (happy, sad, anxious, angry,). The second layer is how you perceive those emotions and understanding where they’re originating from. The third level becomes your habits and personal values.

Negative feelings are a call to action; when you experience these, it means you’re supposed to move towards doing that thing that’s holding you back.

You’re going to die anyway, so your doubts, fears, and failures don’t really matter. You have nothing to lose. You might as well try.

Action isn’t just the byproduct of motivation; it’s also the source of it. Inspiration will strike when you take action.

You were fortunate enough to have existed as a human being so go out there and do something valuable with your life because your days are counting down.

Certainty is the opposite of growth.

Your life is defined by what you’re willing to struggle for.

Commitment to one thing liberates us more than anything else. You can’t be a jack of all trades; this is the cost of greatness.

“In my life, I have given a fuck about many people and many things. I have also not given a fuck about many people and many things. And like the road not taken, it was the fucks not given that made all the difference.”

Low self-esteem is not always correlated with evil deeds; some of the wickedest criminals often felt great about themselves.

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -Aristotle

We can’t always control our circumstances. But we can always control how we interpret what happens to us, as well as how we react.

Confronting your insecurities, fears, and worries honestly and vulnerably is what allows you to build courage, perseverance, and great relationships with others.

“The ticket to emotional health, like that to physical health, comes from eating your veggies—that is, accepting the bland and mundane truths of life: truths such as “Your actions actually don’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things” and “The vast majority of your life will be boring and not noteworthy, and that’s okay.” This vegetable course will taste bad at first. Very bad. You will avoid accepting it. But once ingested, your body will wake up feeling more potent and more alive”

Not giving a fuck does not mean you’re being unsympathetic; it means you’re being efficient.

In the HBO show, The Wire, there’s a scene where the Bunk said to Officer McNulty: “That’s what you get for giving a fuck when it wasn’t your turn to give a fuck.”

As a society, we are no longer facing a material problem. We have an abundance of resources: TVs, gadgets, clothes, and possessions that we don’t need. The battle were fighting is spiritual. We own so much stuff and have so many opportunities and mediums for doing things that we don’t know what to say no to anymore.

Buy the Book: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

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The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

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The Greatest Salesman in the World is a book, written by Og Mandino,

Main Idea:

In a nutshell, the book is about a young man named Hafid in ancient Jerusalem in Biblical times who attains success principles from a very wealthy business man who owns a chains of stores.

Lessons & Notes:

“Wealth, my son, should never be your goal in life. Your words are eloquent but they are mere words. True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse.”

Don’t strive to be rich only in wealth. Strive to be rich also in health, peace of mind, love, happiness, and serenity

“Only a habit can subdue another habit.”

He who permits his thoughts to control his actions is weak.

He who forces his actions to control his thoughts is strong.

Good habits are fundamental to success.

Welcome each day with love in your heart.

You are nature’s greatest miracle.

Live each day as if it is your last. No one is promised a tomorrow.

“The rewards are great if one succeeds but the rewards are great only because so few succeed.”

However you define “God,” don’t ask “God” to provide with you gold, success, riches, or happiness, instead pray to “God” for guidance, light, direction, and strength. Your prayers will be answered when you let God show you the way to acquire these things.

“Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better… or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward; turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future.”

Humans are the only creatures who can laugh, and the best thing to laugh at is ourselves so cultivate the habit of laughter. Whenever things appear stressful or miserable, repeat the word, “This too shall pass,” and all upsetting feelings will seem lighter. 

Laughers puts successes as well as failures into perspective. 

You can’t be prosperous without being grateful.

The only difference between those who fail and those who succeed are in their daily habits.
Dreams, goals, plans are of no value unless they are followed by action.

“If I feel depressed I will sing. If I feel sad I will laugh. If I feel ill I will double my labor. If I feel fear I will plunge ahead. If I feel inferior I will wear new garments. If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice. If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come. If I feel incompetent I will remember past success. If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals. Today I will be master of my emotions.”

Always do more than is required of you.

Poverty is an honor and even a way of life for the monk in the desert; learn to be agile and happy with having nothing.

Delay short-term gratification – “The beggar thinks only of his next meal and I think only of the meal that will be my last.”

Each action that becomes a habit in living becomes a part of your identity and destiny.

“And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul, and my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.”

Like this book? — The Greatest Salesman in the World

Get it here: Print | eBook | Audiobook

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

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Lessons and Notes:

The bulk of introverts display sensitive personality traits, picking up on small details in their environments.

Introverts are more easily stimulated than extroverts.

The tiny things extroverts may never pay attention to are the things that introverts examine heavily.

Philosophy and morality fascinate introverts.

Conversations about the latest TV shows or workplace gossip comes easily to extroverts.

Introverts don’t like small talk. They hate the barrier it builds between people.

“We have two ears and one mouth and we should use them proportionally.” 

Introverts listen more, speak less; read more, socialize less

Introverts like to think before they speak.

For introverts, it’s much easier to observe and ponder.

Introverts prefer “pajamas over people.”

You don’t have to be an extrovert to be charismatic.

Many introverts are great public speakers, leaders, & communicators, but they still have a need to spend more of their time in quieter ways.

“Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many have a horror of small talk, but enjoy deep discussions.”

“Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.”

If you’re told that you’re “in your head too much,” that means you’re a “thinker”

Highly-reactive introverts sweat more profusely.

Einstein, a definite introvert once stated “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s that I stay with problems longer.”

When someone offers you an alcoholic beverage, “what they’re really saying is, have a drink of extroversion.”

Introverts are capable of acting like extroverts for the sake of their loved ones or work they deem important.

Participating in an online working group is a form of solitude all its own.

Einstein once stated “I am a horse for a single harness, not cut out for tandem or teamwork, for well I know that in order to attain any definite goal, it is imperative that one person do the thinking and the commanding.”

“There’s zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.” 

Solitude is the air introverts breathe.

Speaking to strangers at a party and being interviewed for a job can cause extreme anxiety for introverts. But this isn’t due to shyness.  It’s because introverts prefer quieter, less stimulating environments. Observing the spirits of everyone around them & processing all this new information is an overwhelming task on the brains of introverts.

Being shy is NOT the same as being introverted.

“Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating. Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not.”

If you’re an introvert, be away from the center during group gatherings. That physical distance will allow you to experience more comfort, letting you scan the room and comment from an angle ever so slightly removed.

Many high-reactive introverts become entrepreneurs, writers, accountants, or engineers. These careers give you the opportunity to work independently. You’re protected from encountering unexpected and highly stimulating things.

Whoever is the loudest is not necessarily the smartest.

Unlike in the U.S. and Europe, introverts are valued in Asia.

In western cultures, success lies in how extroverted you are.

“Evangelicalism has taken the Extrovert Ideal to its logical extreme…If you don’t love Jesus out loud, then it must not be real love. It’s not enough to forge your own spiritual connection to the divine; it must be displayed publicly.” 

“Our culture is biased against quiet and reserved people, but introverts are responsible for some of humanity’s greatest achievements.”

In Asian cultures, speaking out of turn and being loud and chatty is considered offensive.

Certain environments cause introverts to feel restless. Don’t pressure an introvert into huge social situations. Instead, do it bit by bit. This increases their confidence. 

Many of the most creative people in the world are introverts. They flourish when given privacy to work.

Microsoft and Pixar Animation Studios have attempted to find the balance between group effort and privacy, by pushing for the establishment of individual offices, and making use of sliding doors and moveable walls to increase or lessen privacy.

The internet might be the greatest discovery of all time for introverts, as it allows them to influence the world right from their bedroom, away from highly stimulating people and locations. Many say that they can reveal and express their true selves online in ways that they might not be able to do in face-to-face interactions.

Our sensory organs decide how we react to the environment around us.

Kids who respond strongly to external stimuli grow up to be introverts, while others are less sensitive to their surroundings become extroverts.

Introverts are better than extroverts at delaying gratification.

People who use Botox, to treat their angry resting face, seem to overall be less prone to anger than those who don’t use Botox, because the very act of frowning causes the amygdala to generate negative emotions. Botox not only can gratify you physically but also emotionally.

Forcing an introvert who is afraid of public speaking to give a talk front of thousands of strangers is a terrible idea. Instead, allow them to first prepare by gradually easing into it and then practicing their speech in front of people they know and trust first.

Even the top colleges, like Harvard, try to mold their graduates into extroverts, by pressuring them to participate in group work, conferences, and even social nightlife & entertainment with their fellow students as part of their program.

Introverts tended to be more emotionally stable resulting in higher performance as revealed at an investment bank comprised of 64 traders.

In United States, social anxiety takes the form of extreme worry about embarrassing oneself, however, in Asian countries such as japan, social anxiety takes the form of extreme worry about embarrassing others.

In Asia, people honor their relationships immensely. They’d rather embarrass themselves than embarrass others.

When it comes to creative problem-solving among introverts and extroverts, the best process is a hybrid model where you go off by yourself first just to reflect and then you mesh as a group to share your insights.

Open-plan offices have been found to lessen productivity and weaken memory due to uncontrollable distractions, noise, and loss of privacy.

Companies need to adjust their workstations for introverts as well as introverts tend to think best in solitude.

Buy the Book: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

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