https://github.com/csabapalfi/the-startup-of-you

Notes for The startup of you by Reid Hoffman
https://github.com/csabapalfi/the-startup-of-you

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Notes for The startup of you by Reid Hoffman

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/csabapalfi/the-startup-of-you
• Owner: csabapalfi
• Created: 2016-10-08T21:08:22.000Z (about 9 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2017-01-01T11:20:51.000Z (almost 9 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-01-25T14:21:39.188Z (9 months ago)
• Topics: book, career, notes
• Homepage:
• Size: 2.93 KB
• Stars: 8
• Watchers: 3
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

          
# The startup of you

The Business Insider published a [presentation](http://www.businessinsider.com/career-advice-from-linkedins-founder-2013-3?op=1) from LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman.

It is an executive summary of his 2012 book titled [The start-up of you](http://www.amazon.com/The-Start-up-You-Transform-ebook/dp/B0050DIWHU) which was resonating my recent thoughts so I thought I would publish a summary of that summary here.

Hope it's enough to take the key points across. In case it isn't the notes are only useful to me but have a look at the [original presentation](http://www.businessinsider.com/career-advice-from-linkedins-founder-2013-3?op=1) or maybe even grab the [book](http://www.amazon.com/The-Start-up-You-Transform-ebook/dp/B0050DIWHU).

## All human beings are entrepreneurs

* everyone was self employed in caves but civilization supresses it

* today's challenging professional life requires us to rediscover **entrepreneurial intincts**

* you have at least one startup venture: **your career**

* old career ladder approach and old work assumptions doesn't work anymore

* **permanent beta - ∞ β**

   * think of yourself as a work-in-progress

   * invest in yourself every-day

* entrepreneurial adaptive **skill set**

## Develop a competitive advantage

* differentiate or die

* chart a career path that sets you apart

* you only need to be better than your local, professional niche

* **assets**: soft (knowledge, skills, connections) and hard (cash)

* **aspirations and values**: where you might like to go in the futute

* **market realities**: what people are willing to pay for

* **none of them works without the others**

* skills no-one is paying for :(

* aspirations without the skills :(

* being a slave to the market regardless of aspirations :(

* **upgrade skills** or **change the environment** (market)

## Plan to adapt

* popular advice

    * where do you want be in x years?, then plan

    * find your passion then pursue it

* strengths but HUGE drawback: they presume a static world

* everything changes

* **accurate self-knowledge** is attainable only **via experimentation** (and not introspection)

* **flexibly persistent**

    * always ready to adapt

    * but also persistent in driving towards goals

* **make assumptions a hypotheses explicit** (about yourself/industry)

* prioritize learning over profitabilty (soft over hard assets)

* learn by doing: actions not plans

* maximize follow-on opportunities

* **ABZ planning**:

    * experimental plan A

    * alternative plan B

    * unchanging, certain plan Z (a lifeboat)

## It takes a network

* **every job boils down to interacting with people**

* people control resources, opportunities, information

* people you spend time with shape your personality

* **I^we**: individuals power raised exponentially with a team (network)

* professional relationships

* **allies**

    * advice, proactive collaboration

    * shared interests, promote, defend

* **weaker ties**

    * introduce diversity

    * opportunities and intelligence outside inner circle

* your network is bigger then you think: use introductions to leverage

* **strenghten relationships** otherwise they get weaker

## Pursue breakout opportunities

* trajectory of remarkable careers tipically has breakouts

* breakout opportunity: career experiences that led to unusually rapid gains

* habits of behavior to increase the likelihood of this

    * be in motion and court selective randomness

    * tap the networks and associations

    * opportunities are attached to people

    * sometimes have to hustle

    * constrains can encourage resourcefulness

## Take intelligent risks

* risk: isn't an enemy - **permanent part of life**

* being proactively intelligent about risks is a prerequisite for breakouts

* every possible career move has risks

* **no risks? it's not a breakout**

* risk: personal and situational

* most people **over-estimate**

* can **tolerate the worst-case outcome?** then be open to it.

* **don't conflate with uncertainity**

* buildup **resilience to an unimaganable blowup**

* stability by introducing low levels of volatility

    * by introducing **small risks on a regular basis**

    * ideally your day job has volatility built in

## Who you know is what you know

* how you gather, manage and use **information** will determine if you loose or win

* stockpiling facts doesn't get you anywhere because **everything is changing**

* **intelligence by talking to people**

    * to understand assets, aspirations, market realities

    * help to track risks attached to an opportunity

* network intelligence: map your network, get useful answers

##  ∞ β - never stop starting