It’s one of my theories that when people give you advice, they’re really just talking to themselves in the past. (Location 28)

Note: Advise

André Gide put it, “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” (Location 54)

Note: Nothing is new

You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life. You are the sum of your influences. The German writer Goethe said, “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” (Location 69)

Note: Mashup

Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by. (Location 81)

Note: Ideas in

chew on one thinker—writer, artist, activist, role model—you really love. Study everything there is to know about that thinker. Then find three people that thinker loved, and find out everything about them. Repeat this as many times as you can. (Location 89)

Note: Learn from history

Carry a notebook and a pen with you wherever you go. Get used to pulling it out and jotting down your thoughts and observations. (Location 109)

Note: Get more ideas

We don’t know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops.” —John Cleese (Location 234)

Note: Ideas