Books with Gavin ๐Ÿ“š

Gavin OBrien
  • 4.4 (7)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Not reading as much as you'd like or need help implementing book ideas in your life? Check out the podcast! Each episode: ๐Ÿ’ก Three lessons โœ” Three actionable advice ๐Ÿงช Gavin's experiments applying the books to his life, to help you with yours! This podcast shares Gavin's ups and downs to inspire you to take action and get 1% better in your life ๐ŸŽ‰ Acknowledgement: Podcast image generated via Google's Gemini AI

  1. 02/18/2025

    E18: The Hacker Mindset: A 5-Step Methodology for Cracking the System and Achieving Your Dreams

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก 1) Contrast Slackers and Hackers People can be slackers in execution or strategySlacker in ExecutionThese are the types of people who are always dreaming of the things they could do -- always planning, but never doingSlacker in StrategyThey put in all the effort but lack direction and so end up just going down the same path over and over againHackersIdentify what their goals are and optimize the fastest path to achieving them -- balance execution and strategy2) Critical Hacker Characteristics Curiosity, Constant Improvement, Courage, Determination, Realism and EfficiencyThese CAN be learned, BUT require action to grow3) Hacker Methodology Repeating Process Objective โ†’ Reconnaissance โ†’ Analysis โ†’ Execute โ†’ ReassessClarify your objective at the beginning -- can be small to startReassess -- most important stepAlways keep learning and repeat the process for best results โœ… Actionable Advice: 1) Reflect on the Hacker Characteristics: What's one action I could take to increase any of these abilities in my life?2) Think about a problem in your personal or professional life Brainstorm 3 or 4 ways you might solve any problem3) Reflect on what your most important employment objective is? What's most important to my career? What can I compromise on? Helpful Links: The Hacker Mindset (ThriftBooks or BetterWorldBooks; only new copies available at time of publishing)Alex and Books WebsiteHighlights from "The Hacker Mindset"Questions: Email bookswithgavin@gmail.comBook Mentioned: "The Hacker Mindset: A 5-Step Methodology for Cracking the System and Achieving Your Dreams" by Garrett Gee

    12 min

  2. 02/03/2025

    E17: Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก Perfectionism Lie #1: Goal should be BiggerWrite down a number that is associated with your goalNow that you have your number -- cut the goal in half or double the timelineNot telling you to do less --> doing this will help you achieve morePerfectionism Lie #2: You can do it allJust say NOThis lesson relates to choosing what's NOT important to you -- this helps remove the sting of shameEx. Keeping up with TV shows, connecting on social media, lawncareDon't Play Golf at Night --> Use DataData is a gift from yesterday that you receive today to make tomorrow betterIf you don't look at data, it's very difficult to learn, adjust and improve on your progress โœ… Actionable Advice: Write down 3 things you'll ignore to focus more on your goalThe things you choose don't need to be permanent, it can help you free up timePick 1 to 3 things to measurePossibilities: Dates with Spouse, Hours Slept, Thank You Notes Sent, Phone Screen TimeWrite down the name of 1 friend you'll tell about your goalFriends often play a HUGE role in our success! Helpful Links: Finish (ThriftBooks and BetterWorldBooks)Alex and Books WebsiteExodus 90 ChallengeQuestions or comments? Contact bookswithgavin@gmail.com Book Mentioned: "Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done" by Jon Acuff

    10 min

  3. 01/20/2025

    E16: The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก Solitude and Silence Benefits:Ability to be alone may be just as important as strong relationships2 minutes of silence can significantly reduce heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rateRecommended Nature Dose: 20 minutes, 5 hours and 3 daysHaving plants in your office can boost productivity by up to 15% timeGoal to enjoy:20 minutes in nature (three times per week)Five hours in semi-wild environment each monthThree days per year in backcountry nature (off-the-grid)Simple Strategy to Eat Less:Eating an extra 100 calories per day or not burning 100 calories per day adds 10 pounds of body weight over 3 yearsPeople at a healthy weight are more likely to deal with stress by walking versus eatingTrack a few variables (examples below) to help change your behaviorHow much and what they ate (weigh all your food); Typical daily routine; Sleep schedule; Stress and energy levels; Workouts or step count โœ… Actionable Advice: Shh, Please Be Quiet!Start a timer for five minutes in a quiet place (If needed, use ear plugs or headphones)Close your eyes and sit quietlyTrack One Health Marker:Track one of the factors that impacts your healthHow much and what they ateTypical daily routineSleep scheduleStress and energy levelsWorkouts/Step countGet Outside (ideally in nature):Spend 20 minutes in nature three times this weekBonus: Enjoy five hours in a semi-wild environment once this month!Helpful Links: The Comfort Crisis (ThriftBooks or BetterWorldBooks: Only new copies available at time of podcast publishing)Study on obesity's Impact on Mortality100 Additional Calories per day for three years --> 10 extra poundsMajor Highlights from "The Comfort Crisis"Alex and Books Website Book Mentioned: "The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self" by Michael Easter

    10 min

  4. 01/07/2025

    E15: Backable: The Surprising Truth Behind what Makes people Take a Chance on You

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก 1) Don't Shy from Objections Put yourself in the shoes of a potential backer and anticipate three key objections to your idea. When pitching, donโ€™t avoid those objections; lean into them. Avoidance only leads to more questions later, and the possibility that the backer tunes out the rest of your pitch. When Reid Hoffman was first pitching LinkedIn, the company didnโ€™t have a dime of revenue. But instead of veering away from the revenue question, he hit it directly, showcasing ways the startup could make money down the line. Get ahead of these criticisms, and youโ€™ll gain credibility for the stronger parts of your pitch2) 4 C's of Your Support Team Collaborator: Improve idea as well as presentation deliveryCoach: Help you understand if this is the right idea for youCheerleader: Help you feel confident before pitching the ideaCheddar: Someone who will deliberately poke holes in your ideaWill likely be frustrating but generally will be helpful in long-run3) Story of Us Remember, decisions that affect your career often happen when you're not even in the room. That's why when we're when we pitch, we're not just looking for a backer, we're looking for an advocate - someone who can invest in our ideas with equal enthusiasmUnderstand and communicate how your gaps and your backerโ€™s strengths come together. Show them why you will succeed togetherShare just enough to get the essence of your idea across, then open up the conversation.3 Actions โœ… Go Beyond GoogleIdeas tend to stem from an earned secret - a hidden insight you learn through first-hand experience. Look for things that can't be found from behind a desk. As Brian Grazer told me โ€œI want an idea that is based on a surprise insight. Not something I could find through a Google search."Create Backable TeamIdentify people who can serve as Collaborator, Coach, Cheerleader and Cheddar for youPeople can serve multiple roles, but is helpful to have more than one person and clarify what role you're asking them to play for youRule of 21Practice important presentations 21 times before giving it to your intended audienceAfter you practice, ask pointed questions to get better feedback and ask audience to explain idea in own wordsShow your idea instead of simply describing itHelpful Links: Backable (ThriftBooks or BetterWorldBooks)Summary Notes from BackableAlex and Books WebsiteBook Mentioned: "Backable: The Surprising Truth Behind what Makes people Take a Chance on You" by Suneel Gupta

    10 min

  5. 12/23/2024

    E14: Indispensable: The Prescription for a Fulfilling Pharmacy Career

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก 1) Expectations vs. Agreements Expectation: One person expects something to happen without communicating thisAgreement: Both parties agree to the same set of terms (examples below)I agree to follow my interestsI agree that my work schedule does not bind all my time2) If-Then Planning IF I run into X Problemโ€ฆ. THEN I will do Y Ex. If I struggle with sleeping in (instead of working on taking action steps toward a future career)THEN I will place my alarm 15 feet from my bed so I must get up3) Keys for an Indispensable Career Create relationshipsCreate valueMake someone smile, give sincere compliments or solve problems for others3 Actions โœ… Video MessagesRecommend sending a video thank you message to make someoneโ€™s day and deepen a personal connection with themYour network relates to your net worthThis is an authentic way to connect with people in your life ๐Ÿ™‚ Failure Reflection QuestionsFour questions to reflect on to evaluate a past failure failures and create a new action plan with higher odds of successWhat happened?How did that make me feel?What would you have done differently?What will you do next time? Identify an area of expertiseFind a valuable expert in the field and do the things theyโ€™re doingSet goal; Identify a subject; Study; Apply; Teach; LeadHelpful Links: Indispensable (ThriftBooks or BetterWorldBooks)"Indispensable" Note HighlightsAlex and Books Website Book Mentioned: "Indispensable: The Prescription for a Fulfilling Pharmacy Career" by Alex Barker

    7 min

  6. 12/09/2024

    E13: A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก 1) Process Automation Once you've identified a process that seems like a good candidate for automation, suggest the following steps:PartitioningSplit the process into a series of well-defined phases that follow one after the other. For each phase, clearly specify what work must be accomplished and who is responsibleSignalingPut in place a signaling or notification system that tracks the current phase of each output being generated by the process, allowing those involved to know when it's their turn to take over the workChannelingInstitute clear channels for delivering the relevant resources and information from one phase to the next (such as files in shared directories)2) Protocol Principle Designing rules that optimize when and how coordination occurs in the workplace is a pain in the short term but can result in significant more productive operation in the long run.3) Specialization Principle In the knowledge sector, working on fewer things, but doing each thing with more quality and accountability can be the foundation for significantly more productivity3 Actions โœ… Do and track your work on shared locationsExamples include Project Management software, or task boards where you can have a separate board for each major role in your professional lifeInformation about your work can be arranged into columns on a board. Recommends that you put time on your calendar each weke to review and update all your boards Benefit: When it comes time to work on the task, everything needed is all in one placeWork on no more than three tasks at one time You definitely will have more than three tasks to complete for your various projects, but Cal recommends keeping a backlog of items to work on after you complete one of your main tasksThis can allow for more progress on your main tasks and you might defer meetings about tasks that aren't on your main tasks until you're actively working on them Processes to AutomateCal recommends automating processes that occur more than thirty times each yearEven if you don't automate a process, you can use tools (like many email software) to schedule reminder emails to be sent in advanceHelpful Links: World without Email (ThriftBooks or BetterWorldBooks)Books with Gavin Episode on "Slow Productivity"Alex and Books Website' Book Mentioned: "A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of communication overload" by Cal Newport

    8 min

  7. 11/25/2024

    E12: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก 1) Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset Believing your qualities are carved in stone, or having a fixed mindset, creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. Failure has often been transformed from an action I failed to an identity, I am a failure. This is especially true in the fixed mindset.Growth mindset supporting environments include presenting skills as learnable, conveying that the organization values learning and perseverance, giving feedback in a way that promotes learning and future success and presenting managers as resources for learningValuable Quotes:An assessment at one point in time has little value for understanding someone's ability, let alone their potential to succeed in the future.I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and feel sorry for myself.2) Praise effort, not intelligence Praising children's intelligence often harms their motivation and performance.Examples:You put so much thought into this essay, it really makes me understand Shakespeare in a new way.I like the effort you put in, but let's work together some more and figure out what it is you don't understandWe all have different learning curves. It may take some more time for you to catch on to this and be comfortable with this material, but if you keep at it like this, you will3) Perspective about Change Change often takes effort and requires patience to achieve what you want.Even when you change, old beliefs aren't just removed and replaced with better ones. Instead, the new beliefs take their place with the old ones, and as they become stronger, they give you a different way to think, feel and act. 3 Actions โœ… Seek constructive criticism and ask yourself what you can learn from all experiences (both positive and negative)Could write on mirror โ€œWhat are the opportunities for learning and growth today, for myself, for the people around me?Create an environment that teaches growth mindset to all adults and childrenAt the dinner table, discuss with your family, what you learned or what mistakes you made that taught you something?Make a concrete plan for something you need to do, learn, or a problem to confront Helpful Links: Mindset BookGavin's Additional Notes on MindsetPurchase Books: ThriftBooks or BetterWorldBooksAlex and Books WebsiteBook Mentioned: "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck

    10 min

  8. 11/11/2024

    E11: The Gap and the Gain: The High Achiever's Guide to Happiness, Confidence and Success

    3 Lessons ๐Ÿ’ก 1) Measure yourself backwards, not forwards Start = where you were 90 days agoAchieved = what youโ€™ve actually achieved in the last 90 daysIdeal = where you wish you wereYouโ€™re in the GAP every time you measure yourself or your situation against an idealBeing in the GAIN means you measure yourself backward, against where you were beforeEvery experience can be viewed as a GAIN in some way (even really really hard ones)Transform negative experiences into lessonsCan continue measuring your gains on a weekly or monthly basis 2) Contrast the GAP and the GAIN The GAP is based on an unhealthy โ€œneedโ€ or attachment to something outside of yourself. GAPWhen youโ€™re in the GAIN, youโ€™re completely free and happy right now. This enables you to commit 100% and pursue what you want without unhealthy attachmentsHow you frame an experience changed how your body processes the experience. It can be helpful to remind yourself and others what perspective, one of abundance and gratitude, or one of lack and needs, you're inYou can want something and be 100% committed to that thing without needing it. Can have both: Intense commitment to succeed and a healthy detachment from what you're doingAsk yourself, your spouse or your kids โ€“ โ€œAre you in the GAP or the GAIN right now?โ€ 3) Inspiring Quotes โ€œYou, and you alone, are the person who should take the measure of your own success. I do not try to be better than anyone else. I only try to be better than myself.โ€ โ€“ Dan Jensenโ€œYou are 100 percent disciplined to your existing set of habits.โ€โ€œTraining yourself to be happy is completely internal. There is no external progress, no external validation. Youโ€™re competing against yourself, it is a single-player game.โ€ โ€“ Naval Ravikantโ€œThere is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.โ€ โ€“ Ernest Hemingway 3 Actions โœ… 1) Journal on three wins: Today and Tomorrow Write in your journal three WINS (or GAINS) from today and three goals for tomorrow. Accountability partners can boost your success!2) Practice mental subtraction to remind yourself of the GAINS in your life Select one specific thing to mentally subtract from your lifeImagine how your life would be if you never had it and how this thing is a huge GAIN in your life3) Start one Tiny Habit Suggested structure "After I ____, I will ______":Ex. After I open my journal, I will immediately write about one GAIN in my life Helpful Links: The Gap and the GainAlex and Books WebsiteMore In-Depth Note Summary Book Mentioned: "The Gap and the Gain: The High Achiever's Guide to Happiness, Confidence and Success" by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy

    9 min
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Not reading as much as you'd like or need help implementing book ideas in your life? Check out the podcast! Each episode: ๐Ÿ’ก Three lessons โœ” Three actionable advice ๐Ÿงช Gavin's experiments applying the books to his life, to help you with yours! This podcast shares Gavin's ups and downs to inspire you to take action and get 1% better in your life ๐ŸŽ‰ Acknowledgement: Podcast image generated via Google's Gemini AI

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