The next goal seems within grasp. Our focus sharpens and the trivialities of our day to day fade into the background. This is the moment we have been waiting for. The day arrives and everything goes just as planned. We experience a deep sense of accomplishment. All the hard work has paid off and life is great…..for a while. It doesn’t take long for us to develop a new set of goals as there is always a next step to take.

Life is something that happens between these goal posts. The scary thing is that it happens all too fast. Standing still actually becomes frightening. Our electronic devices provide us with the much needed refuge from the silence. The day dissipates into the night and repeats itself endlessly. In the hope for an imagined future we have sacrificed the present.

It is only when we begin to realize that everything is temporary, can we truly understand the value of today.

What Calvin and Hobbes taught me about mindfulness I have always been a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes. This article highlight’s two deeply profound strips. They provided me with a much needed reality check. I hope they make a similar difference to your day, today.

Warren Buffett’s “20 Slot” Rule Following up on the theme above, this article is all about focus. It is based on a rule that Warren Buffet has followed strictly. Spreading ourselves thin over multiple projects is a recipe for disaster. We have to look at all the opportunities that are presented to us very carefully. As Derek Siver’s says, if it isn’t a “Hell Yes!” then it should be a no.

A Dozen Things I’ve Learned from Sam Altman Sam Altman runs Y-Combinator. One of the world’s leading startup accelerators which has produced companies like Dropbox, Airbnb and Stripe. Before running the institute he was an entrepreneur himself and went through the program. Having sat on both sides of the table, he brings together a set of unique insights that are relevant to both entrepreneurs and investors alike.

Recruiting for Cultural Fit Finding strong talent is hard. Getting them to join your team is even harder. The best people want to work with people who share the same values as they do. Most companies use a laundry list of skills to fill open positions. This greatly limits your ability to attract people who will be a ‘fit’ for your company. They may have the skills you need but retaining and integrating them into your team will be a challenge. This article provides a set of questions that you can help circumvent this problem.

The 10x rule for great startup ideas New startups and sprouting at a frightening pace. Every where you turn someone is starting something new. It is ‘cool’ to be an entrepreneur these days. However, starting just another company is easy. Thinking of an business that will be 10x the current competition, that is challenging. This is not something that you can figure out along the way. This article provides a slew of relevant examples and insights on the subject.

Short Investing Philosophies This article is full of advice which is 10 words or less on investing. There are some fantastic quotes mentioned. My favorite one is:  “Less is more. Process over outcomes. Behavior is the key.”

Wishing everyone a great week ahead!