Best of 2020

I read articles, blogs, podcast, follow people I respect and like. In year 2020 it was bit more consumption as I was home most of the time. I like to read up something outside of what my profession is to help me connect dots. I am not including any Covid-19 articles, as I believe everyone would have read so much about it in the past year.

Some of best articles I read in the past year for me to revisit and share.

• How Costco convinces brands to Cannibalize themselves , this article has opened me up to many such business models in my search and helped me understand a bit on business and its models of sustainance.

• Thirty Six Thousand Feet Under the sea From NewYorker ,this one was a long read but makes you want to read more, atleast it made so. Solving complex problems without any reference before is a feat by itself. Read on.

• What really happened to Malaysia’s Missing Airplane ,this news was in spotlight for so long and I really liked this piece on the details. If interested read on.

• How to Think for Yourself From Paul Graham ,this made me think about thinking and picked up a old book from library about critical thinking and few other books on this topic. Such a read to open you up to a wide field is a good sign of a great article that will stand test of time.

• India, Jio, and the Four Internets From Stratechery ,Power of Jio in India and how it is treading along. Models of US, Europe, China and Indian Model of Internet.

• Guy Raz Interviews Tim Ferris - podcast by end of the year ,listen on making notes about yourself, depression, journaling, systematic marketing and not caught up in the rut.

• FS Blog Podcast - Developing Leader in you - John Maxwell ,you are not brother keeper, you are brother lifter. This will stick with me forever. Living a fulfilled life.

• Twitter - Difference between Amateurs and Professional by Shane Parrish ,Loved this short and simple way to say few complex ones like – Amateurs have a goal. Professionals have a process. Process and not the result was something I have stuck to for last couple of years. Watch this short video from MS Dhoni ex-Indian Cricket Team Captain on process over result and this from an interview from MS Dhoni

• Naval Podcast with Shane Parrish ,just listen to this and do yourself some good.

• This could have been shorter - NPR ,on journaling, tweets, long form writing. I enjoyed the write up.

• NYT Article on 1000 year oldest Japanese Shop ,on running a business, staying small and true to the vision and being honest.

• Lessons from History ,irony of good times is they breed complacency and skepticism of warnings.

• Forgiveness Therapy - Aeon , I was able to relate so much with this article and so this makes it to the list.

• Hugh Jackman podcast with Tim Ferris , love him for his thoughts and his book suggestion the overstory by Richard Powers. I bought the book after this podcast.

• Sahil Lavingia Reflecting on Failure to build billion dollar company ,when it comes from the person who did it, reflections are all lessons. They are thought provoking.

• Cost of Delay - Vimeo

• Time to upgrade your Monitors – Personally learnt so much from this article on monitors and I went about later to read more on monitors.

• Shape Up - Book from Basecamp on Product Design and shipping work ,I took few of them to implement. My key takeaways – “Good” is relative , Narrow down the problem, Cut back on exciting things which are not necessary and Handing over Responsibilities.

• You are not Google , I re-read this article as there was a discussion recently on frugality and context matters in software development. We need to strive to do more with less even though you can afford more. This strives you work better, think better and challenge yourselves. You will always be surprised that you will pull it off.

Finally How do Routers work ? is something which made me feel I have to go back and brush up on basics. Go back to basics and really understand things with new pair of eyes. My takeaway,it is important to go back to basics often.

Which one did you like ? send me your feedback

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