Greatness
exploring the foundations of quality and the currents that fight against mediocrity
sari and
Greatness
From Christopher Alexander foreword to Richard Gabriel's "Patterns Of Software":
In my life as an architect, I find that the single thing which inhibits young professionals, new students most severely, is their acceptance of standards that are too low. If I ask a student whether her design is as good as Chartres, she... See more
such ease and joy. we sometimes feel that in order to succeed we have to take it seriously and we have to put our own identities and selves on the line to achieve greatness. excelling without ego feels like a high level of mastery. to endure sacrifice and not desire to win, but to simply enjoy the stage. that’s hard and an amazing and admirable place to arrive it. the ego promoting the endeavour’s seriousness vs effortless and unattached excellence….
How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between
Dan Gardner • 4 highlights
amazon.com
obsessing over quality often demands that you slow down, as the focus required to get better is simply not compatible with busyness.
Cal Newport • Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout
Rick Rubin on turning Metallica around
It’s always better to think and work backwards from great than it is to work forward from good
While there are arguments for and against the impact of the individual – Carlyle vs. Tolstoy – we all benefit from taking an optimistic view of this question and acting as if individuals can make a very big difference.