Books to Read: Impossible Things, People, Football, Skunk Works & The Funniest Book of the Year

What I’m Reading: Impossible Things, People, Football, Skunk Works & yes, Black Privilege

Okay, after I told everyone about the books I was reading last time, my God, did I get some good recommendations. Please keep sending me what you’re reading. Put them in the comments, send them to me, whatever. I love knowing what other people are reading. I love a good book, don’t you?

Here’s what I’ve been reading lately.

Skunk Works

Last time I left off, I was just about to start Skunk Works. Read it. Finished it. It’s awesome.

And listen, I’m not exactly a guy who spends his weekends studying military plane design. But this was such a cool book.

It’s the story of the people behind some absolutely incredible aircraft and the teams tasked with doing things that, at the time, basically seemed impossible. They built the Blackbird, you know the plane that flew 2,200 miles per hour and higher than 85,000 feet, holding world records as the fastest manned airbreathing jet.

That was my biggest takeaway from the book:

80% and go.

I think Justin and Greg used to say something similar too.

You can spend forever trying to get something from 80% to 100%. And that final 20% of perfection? It might cost you another 50% of your budget.

Stop it. Launch at 70%. Maybe 80%. Then fill in the blanks.

There’s something incredibly powerful about a group of people being handed an “impossible” problem and just getting to work.

Surrounded by Idiots

Next up: Surrounded by Idiots.

I know. Sounds pretty negative for me. But this one is all about understanding different types of people through a four-colour personality system.

I’m a yellow. Shocking, I know.

I’m loud. I like talking. I share too much. I’m vulnerable. I get excited about ideas and people and want everyone else to get excited too.

And guess what? That doesn’t always sit well with everyone.

This book helped me understand that people process things differently. We communicate differently. We get our energy differently. We respond to situations differently. And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with any of those approaches.

It actually helped me look at my own team differently and think more about how I communicate with people.

Or, put another way:

How do I not annoy the hell out of everybody? Turns out understanding people helps. Who knew?

The Education of a Coach

Oh my God. If you like football at all, you have to read The Education of a Coach.

It tells the story of Bill Belichick and where his obsession with football came from.

And I mean obsession.

It’s definitely not all positive. Football affected his marriages and relationships. The guy seemingly could not get enough of it. But the book starts putting the pieces together. You begin understanding why he became who he became.

There’s also a great story about a young Tom Brady. Before he became Tom Brady, he just kept working. And working. And working.

There’s a story about someone at the practice facility noticing Brady there late several nights and basically told Bill, “Hey, this guy can’t be in here, it’s too late!” The response from the coach? “Let him, he’s practicing.” 

Brady was getting reps in at night. When everyone else was off partying or sleeping. Brady was going to work.

That’s something I keep noticing when reading about incredibly successful people. From the outside, we see the success. We see the championships, money, businesses, awards, whatever.

What we don’t always see are the thousands and thousands of hours when nobody was watching. They worked their asses off to get there.

What are YOU working on when everyone else is partying or sleeping?

Atlas of the Heart

I love Brené Brown. She’s such a great writer. This one was a little different, but a couple of ideas really stuck with me. One was about grief. No matter who you are, at some point in this world you’re going to experience grief. And we all deal with it differently.

But one thing we seem to share is the need for our grief to be acknowledged. Sometimes you don’t need someone to fix it.

You just need somebody to say: I see you. I hear you. I know you’re hurting.

That stuck with me.

The other idea was about humiliation. I was actually talking to Brandon about this the other day. No matter how angry you are at someone, don’t humiliate them. Someone pisses you off, and you want to take a jab at them. Make fun of them in front of their friends. Embarrass them in front of their family.

Don’t. It’s not worth it. Humiliation doesn’t solve the problem. It escalates it.

You’re pushing someone toward a reaction you probably don’t actually want.

That one has stayed with me.

Black Privilege

Finally, I just read Black Privilege by Charlamagne Tha God. And no, it’s probably not what you think from the title.

I went onto Audible and searched for some of the best storytelling books I could find, and this one kept showing up.

It is soooooo good. Like, I mean, fall-off-your-chair laughing good. I feel every high school student needs to read this. Honestly, one of the more uplifting books I’ve read; Charlamagne is one special guy! Some of my favourite lessons….

Your weirdness can be your advantage. The things that make you different are exactly what make you valuable. Lean into your weirdness.

Stop waiting to be discovered. Create things, meet people, take swings, and manufacture your own opportunities. Discover yourself!

Put the work ahead of the applause. Recognition tends to arrive after a long stretch where nobody seems to notice. What are you working on?

Fear can be information, not instruction. Being scared doesn’t automatically mean you’re headed the wrong way. Listen to what it’s telling you.

Know what you’re actually chasing. Success without a sense of purpose can still leave you empty. What are your long-term goals? What are you aiming for?

Your reputation is built in the small moments. How you treat people when there’s nothing obvious to gain matters.

Be unapologetically yourself. Trying to become a watered-down version of someone successful kills what could make you remarkable.

What Are You Reading?

That’s my list.

What book are you reading right now?

Better yet: what’s a book you finished and immediately thought, Everyone needs to read this?

That’s what I want.

Put it in the comments. Send it my way. My reading list can always get longer.

Peace be da journey.