Héctor García

Make connecting with people part of your entertainment time.

If you want to make excellent stuff, you need to make a lot of crap.

The process of changing habits and customs takes a while. I call it 'scratching and clawing forwards'—that's what it feels like sometimes.

Stress how giving you more money creates more money somewhere for the company.

Every single day, write something. Even something small.

Set Clear Boundaries at the Outset: When starting a new project, have an explicit discussion with your client about your working methods.

Breaking commitments completely makes it easier to break commitments completely more going forwards.

If you're a cost, they want to reduce your work. If you're bringing in revenues, they want to expand your work.

Patience means restraining one's inclinations.

Conduct with serious gravitas, you get a reputation for excellent, you get relevant auctoritas given to you.

Write down areas where you’re not taking action and want to be — it lights a fire under your ass.

Luck doesn't exist.

Real artists ship.

Greatness is not something you are, it's something you do, it's something you work towards.

If you try to become excellent, normal people will judge you. Fuck them. Seriously, I said it, and I meant it.

Happiness? Pf ft. MEANING.

There's been a chain of people brutally struggling and striving forwards throughout history, and you're comfortable breaking that chain?

Luck doesn't exist. If you believe in luck, then you believe either: 1.) some people consistently defy probability, or, 2.) some things aren't a result of cause and effect.

Passion rarely strikes when you're sitting and contemplating. Jump in, build, create, experiment, ship… then evaluate to see how it suited you.

A lot of 'effortless passion' you see is kind of an illusion… Practically nobody feels passionate during those times, but you just suck it up and keep going anyways.

If you want to make excellent stuff, you need to make a lot of stuff. If you want to make a lot of stuff, you'll make a lot of crap.

The failure is less making me cringe and more making me shake my head and roll my eyes at myself. It’s pretty good.

You get judged by your best work, not your bad work.

No, it's on you, if you're creating, to make sure people get it.

Most people don't distinguish between observing and judging.

The virtue is to know how to use money: giving to the right people, the right amount at the right time.

It’s overwhelmingly more virtuous to do more good and receive more in return.

The work you just completed is never your best possible work.

The fastest gains are probably from moving your environment around to make it easier to do your tasks.

Set small, achievable goals on habit/custom change. I recommend aiming for 70% success rates, and making consistent incremental progress.

If you don't ask for money periodically, you're likely to be underpaid.

Observing and then moving into analysis... for clear analysis, you've got to separate the observing from judging.

Maybe it's healthy to start to want everyone to win.

Genius-quality work is within reach if you decide to try.

Balancing Knowledge with Practicality

One core theme in 'Ikigai' is balancing extensive theoretical knowledge with practical application. The author emphasizes learning from multiple disciplines and applying that knowledge to solve real-world problems. For instance, the protagonist studies social sciences, economics, and governance and approaches strategy with a rational mindset. This disciplined learning and application method is captured in the quote, 'I study social sciences, economics, governance. I am a strategist. I am trying to turn off emotions and sentiment and be rational when I study strategy.'

Pursue Meaning, Not Just Happiness

The author challenges the idea that hedonism should be a primary life goal and promotes the pursuit of meaningful activities. Exploring different cultural perspectives, such as Japanese and Vietnamese views on life, the book demonstrates the importance of finding purpose beyond instant gratification. For example, reflecting on ancestral sacrifices instills a sense of duty and a broader responsibility towards humanity. 'Chase meaning, not happiness,' the author advises, suggesting that meaning provides direction and motivation that transcends fleeting pleasure.

Consolidation Over Brilliance

Effective consolidation of achievements is highlighted as crucial for long-term success. Historical examples like Napoleon’s tactical brilliance paired with his strategic consolidations illustrate the importance of building on victories to ensure lasting impact. The idea is succinctly captured in the quote, 'Consolidation isn't sexy. They usually don't build statues to great consolidators. But it seems like the ability to consolidate, reinforce, and hold your gains and make them permanent is the key to lasting success.'

Developing a Robust Ethical System

The book underscores the continuous nature of developing personal ethics through introspection and learning from experience. The idea that ethical systems evolve highlights the need to adapt and refine one's values based on practical experiences, rather than static ideals. 'My values are based on my experiences and my expected outcomes. If my expectations turn out to be false, I change,' embodies this dynamic approach to ethics.

Embrace Struggle and Continuous Improvement

Consistent self-improvement and embracing challenges are central to growth. The author stresses the importance of tackling significant problems and striving to do better to become stronger. This pursuit of continuous improvement is captured in the mantra, 'I am unified, mind and body, to work on hard and difficult and great problems, to serve, to do more, to be more, to become strong and stronger.'

Active Learning

Consistently dedicate time to acquiring new skills and knowledge across different fields. Engage with books, audiobooks, and free online resources to broaden your understanding.

Strategic Thinking

Cultivate a rational mindset by separating emotions from strategic decisions. Learn from successful strategies and focus on objective analysis to improve decision-making.

Refine Ethical Principles

Continuously update your values and ethical principles based on new experiences and outcomes. Keep an open mind to change perspectives when faced with new evidence.

Incremental Goals

Set small, manageable goals to ensure steady progress. Aim for about a 70% success rate to maintain momentum and prevent feeling overwhelmed.

Leverage Environmental Cues

Make small adjustments to your surroundings to support your goals. For instance, place your workout clothes next to your bed to make it easier to stick to your exercise routine.

Start with the hard stuff. This is actually my one critique of your time tracking, which I like but I have one issue with—don't start with 'Mail, News, Facebook, Forums'—don't do that.

Chase Meaning, not Happiness… Meaning can give you a direction and motivation that transcends momentary feelings of pleasure.

Virtues are the fruit of self-discipline and do not drop from heaven of themselves as does the rain or snow.

If you try to become excellent, normal people will judge you. Fuck them.

Successful for my age? Bah! To hell with that. I keep the counsel of General Washington, President Jefferson, Shoguns Ieyasu and Yoshimune, Emperors Meiji and Augustus.

Republican troops tend to fight harder, fight more fanatically, give up less easily, and require less quality of life and less pay to fight on.

Brilliance without consolidation gives you empty entries in the history books.

You can win 10,000 battles, but have it all undone in one rash misstep.

If you're getting your ass kicked by a competitor that's got a worse product than you, it's not your customers that don't get it—YOU don't get it.

The light easy breezy passion is kind of an illusion.

Take a crack at it once and see if you like it at all. Then start studying and improving your craft, and see if you like that too.

Make connecting with people part of your entertainment time.

If you want to make excellent stuff, you need to make a lot of crap.

The process of changing habits and customs takes a while. I call it 'scratching and clawing forwards'—that's what it feels like sometimes.

Stress how giving you more money creates more money somewhere for the company.

Every single day, write something. Even something small.

Set Clear Boundaries at the Outset: When starting a new project, have an explicit discussion with your client about your working methods.

Breaking commitments completely makes it easier to break commitments completely more going forwards.

If you're a cost, they want to reduce your work. If you're bringing in revenues, they want to expand your work.

Patience means restraining one's inclinations.

Conduct with serious gravitas, you get a reputation for excellent, you get relevant auctoritas given to you.

Write down areas where you’re not taking action and want to be — it lights a fire under your ass.

Luck doesn't exist.

Real artists ship.

Greatness is not something you are, it's something you do, it's something you work towards.

If you try to become excellent, normal people will judge you. Fuck them. Seriously, I said it, and I meant it.

Happiness? Pf ft. MEANING.

There's been a chain of people brutally struggling and striving forwards throughout history, and you're comfortable breaking that chain?

Luck doesn't exist. If you believe in luck, then you believe either: 1.) some people consistently defy probability, or, 2.) some things aren't a result of cause and effect.

Passion rarely strikes when you're sitting and contemplating. Jump in, build, create, experiment, ship… then evaluate to see how it suited you.

A lot of 'effortless passion' you see is kind of an illusion… Practically nobody feels passionate during those times, but you just suck it up and keep going anyways.

If you want to make excellent stuff, you need to make a lot of stuff. If you want to make a lot of stuff, you'll make a lot of crap.

The failure is less making me cringe and more making me shake my head and roll my eyes at myself. It’s pretty good.

You get judged by your best work, not your bad work.

No, it's on you, if you're creating, to make sure people get it.

Most people don't distinguish between observing and judging.

The virtue is to know how to use money: giving to the right people, the right amount at the right time.

It’s overwhelmingly more virtuous to do more good and receive more in return.

The work you just completed is never your best possible work.

The fastest gains are probably from moving your environment around to make it easier to do your tasks.

Set small, achievable goals on habit/custom change. I recommend aiming for 70% success rates, and making consistent incremental progress.

If you don't ask for money periodically, you're likely to be underpaid.

Observing and then moving into analysis... for clear analysis, you've got to separate the observing from judging.

Maybe it's healthy to start to want everyone to win.

Genius-quality work is within reach if you decide to try.

Start with the hard stuff. This is actually my one critique of your time tracking, which I like but I have one issue with—don't start with 'Mail, News, Facebook, Forums'—don't do that.

Chase Meaning, not Happiness… Meaning can give you a direction and motivation that transcends momentary feelings of pleasure.

Virtues are the fruit of self-discipline and do not drop from heaven of themselves as does the rain or snow.

If you try to become excellent, normal people will judge you. Fuck them.

Successful for my age? Bah! To hell with that. I keep the counsel of General Washington, President Jefferson, Shoguns Ieyasu and Yoshimune, Emperors Meiji and Augustus.

Republican troops tend to fight harder, fight more fanatically, give up less easily, and require less quality of life and less pay to fight on.

Brilliance without consolidation gives you empty entries in the history books.

You can win 10,000 battles, but have it all undone in one rash misstep.

If you're getting your ass kicked by a competitor that's got a worse product than you, it's not your customers that don't get it—YOU don't get it.

The light easy breezy passion is kind of an illusion.

Take a crack at it once and see if you like it at all. Then start studying and improving your craft, and see if you like that too.