The book starts with Phil’s travels, through Asia and Europe. Really spiked my desire to travel myself. I always wanted to explore, meet different people, learn about different cultures, come back home and being a world man. “Before I died, became too old or consumed with everyday minutiae, I wanted to visit the planet’s most beautiful and wondrous places.”
As the book continues, I understand the importance of being truly interested in what you are trying to build, and if you do that, you will succeed. Create a good product and it will sell. “The junk merchant doesn’t sell his product to the consumer; he sells the consumer to his product.” “I believed in running. I believed that if people got out and run a few miles every day, the world would be a better place.” “’No brilliant idea was ever born in a conference room,’ he assured Dane. ‘But a lot of silly ideas have died there.’”
Phil talks about his overthinking and anxiety, evert time there was an important moment coming in his life, and he knew about it; he would be overwhelmed. He then utilizes the Zen mantra, even though he doesn’t understand it. “Reality is nonlinear, Zen says. No future, no past. All is now.” After saying this, he goes and does whatever he need to do.
Phil was also a cultured man, he read books, and surrounded himself with smart people. One of the best moments in the book, is when Bowerman decides to call his new shoe the Cortez, as a metaphor that they would kick the shit out of Adidas, the sporting empire of the time. “’Who was that guy who kicked the shit out of the Aztecs?’ he asked. ’Cortez’, I said. He grunted. ‘Okay, Let’s call it the Cortez.’”
I really enjoyed how Phil went about being a leader. Freedom. “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” This philosophy proved great results.
I learnt from this book, that money is secondary in life, you cannot let it control you, there is so much more. “But that’s the nature of money. Whether you have it or not, whether you like it or not, it will try to define your days. Our task as human beings is not to let it.”
Hope you found this overview and my notes useful. Please share your thoughts with me down in the comment secton.
Geeks Development 