Hi friends,
Happy (US) Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for a lot of things this year, but most relevant here is my gratitude that you’ve joined me on this journey to 50 newsletters.
This week I’ve shared a few music related podcasts and a great album I’ve recently rediscovered that brings back some nostalgia from my time living in London in the mid 2000s. There is also a link to the full executive coaching curriculum from one of the top CEO coaches in Silicon Valley that was recently made available online for free, which is great value 😉.
Thanks again for joining me on this journey. Only 50 more to go until 100!
Jamie
🎙 Podcast(s) I really enjoyed about music and the creative process — The Joe Rogan Experience feat. Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin is one of the most influential music producers over the last 40 years, having produced important albums for bands ranging from LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys, to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash. What’s most interesting about him to me is his zen-like personality, his focus on the magic of the creative process, and his belief in the importance of following your intuition. The interview covers what it was like to work with some of these artists, as well as his health journey after dropping 130 lbs in his late 30s, which was partly influenced by one of my other heroes, Laird Hamilton. It even covers his love of pro wrestling, and why it’s more like real life than we think. Finally, Rick mentions a book he is releasing in January named The Creative Act: A Way of Being, which I’ve pre-ordered and am already looking forward to sharing my thoughts on in a few months.
👇 Deeper dive — This podcast led me to another one named Broken Record, where Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam, and Justin Richmond interview famous musicians and discuss their lives, sources of inspiration, and creative processes. In my journey to make music more a part of my life again, I have a feeling this podcast is going to play a big part. Here’s a link to the first episode in 2018, where Malcolm interviews Rick about the birth of hip hop, and how he helped Johnny Cash revitalize his career in the early 1990s. It’s a great chat. Enjoy!
🧐 A rare glimpse into a elite executive coaching practice — The Mochary Method Curriculum (h/t @lennysan on Twitter)
Matt Mochary has been a coach to number of unicorn founders whose names you may recognize, and he recently open-sourced his entire curriculum through a nested collection of Google Docs. If you’re interested in what coaching looks like at the highest levels of tech, check it out. What struck me is that none of it is groundbreaking — it really just emphasizes the importance of doing the most important things right, such as: don’t be late; listen to others (and make them feel heard); ruthlessly focus on what you are best at (your “zone of genius”), and don’t let fear or anger guide your decisions or actions. There is plenty of tactical wisdom on how to be an effective leader and run a company too, but I found these overarching themes applicable to most aspects of my life. To that end, if you only click on one of the links, it should be this one — Heard: how to make people feel it. There is no doubt it will help improve at least one important relationship in your life.
🎧 Great album I rediscovered in the last few weeks— Silent Alarm, by Bloc Party
I’ve been getting back in the gym a couple days a week, and music feels like an essential part of the experience. Silent Alarm mixes faster and slower tempos, some memorable lyrics, and each time it takes me on a journey as a complete album. The genre may not be for everyone (mid 2000s British indie rock), but I’d recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some extra energy while doing a solo activity like working out, cleaning, or taking a long drive.
🤔 Quote of the Week — “Perfection is attained not when no more can be added, but when no more can be removed.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good one! 50 is a keeper.
-Rich S.