Key Learnings 2021
Yoann Lopez
• These are quotes from book / articles / podcasts / etc. I
read or listened to in 2021

• Sometimes I forgot the author unfortunately. 😞

• My goal is to read them from time to time in order to
absorb their wisdom
If you're not being listened to, stop talking. I learned
this
fi
rst while training my dog. Being ignored
doesn't help anyone.


Strong argumentative skills beat weak argumentative
skills, but it's only a debate if the other person cares.


- Spencer Wright
You have to work hard in
the dark to shine in the
light.


- Kobe Bryant
Haters are a good problem to
have. Nobody hates the good
ones. They hate the great ones.


- Kobe Bryant
Who controls the past controls
the future. Who controls the
present controls the past.


- George Orwell
Never attribute to malice
that which can be
adequately explained by
stupidity.


- Hanlon's Razor
The more complex or valuable is whatever
you’re trying to sell, the more important it is for
you to build a world around that idea, where
other people can walk in, explore, and hang
out - without you having to be there with them
the whole time. You need to build a world so
rich and captivating that others will want to
spend time in it, even if you’re not there.


- Alex Danco
Never react to an evil in
such a way as to augment
it


- Simone Weil
Know the rules like a pro so
you can break them like an
artist


- Pablo Picasso
Dans l'aventure, rien ne
doit être laissé à l'imprévu
mais tout est imprévisible.


- Paul-Émile Victor
the best products don’t always
win, but the products that win
become the best products.


- Unknown
The way to change others'
minds is with affection, and
not anger.


- Dalai Lama XIV
Risk is what's left when you
think you've thought of
everything.


– Carl Richards
Happiness is the difference
between what you have,
and your de
fi
nition of
enough.


- More to That blog
Mel Brooks had an interesting way of getting what he wanted
creatively.


When studios gave him notes - for example, they ordered him
to
fi
re Gene Wilder on The Producers and remove the farting
scene from Blazing Saddles - he didn't
fi
ght them about it.


He just said yes...and then never did it.


In most cases, they'd forget.


As he explains:


"Don't
fi
ght them. Don't waste your time struggling with them
and trying to make sense to them. They'll never understand.”


- Mel Brooks

Key learnings 2021

  • 1.
  • 2.
    • These arequotes from book / articles / podcasts / etc. I read or listened to in 2021 • Sometimes I forgot the author unfortunately. 😞 • My goal is to read them from time to time in order to absorb their wisdom
  • 3.
    If you're notbeing listened to, stop talking. I learned this fi rst while training my dog. Being ignored doesn't help anyone. Strong argumentative skills beat weak argumentative skills, but it's only a debate if the other person cares. - Spencer Wright
  • 4.
    You have towork hard in the dark to shine in the light. - Kobe Bryant
  • 5.
    Haters are agood problem to have. Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones. - Kobe Bryant
  • 6.
    Who controls thepast controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. - George Orwell
  • 7.
    Never attribute tomalice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. - Hanlon's Razor
  • 8.
    The more complexor valuable is whatever you’re trying to sell, the more important it is for you to build a world around that idea, where other people can walk in, explore, and hang out - without you having to be there with them the whole time. You need to build a world so rich and captivating that others will want to spend time in it, even if you’re not there. - Alex Danco
  • 9.
    Never react toan evil in such a way as to augment it - Simone Weil
  • 10.
    Know the rules likea pro so you can break them like an artist - Pablo Picasso
  • 11.
    Dans l'aventure, rienne doit être laissé à l'imprévu mais tout est imprévisible. - Paul-Émile Victor
  • 12.
    the best productsdon’t always win, but the products that win become the best products. - Unknown
  • 13.
    The way tochange others' minds is with affection, and not anger. - Dalai Lama XIV
  • 14.
    Risk is what'sleft when you think you've thought of everything. – Carl Richards
  • 15.
    Happiness is thedifference between what you have, and your de fi nition of enough. - More to That blog
  • 16.
    Mel Brooks hadan interesting way of getting what he wanted creatively. When studios gave him notes - for example, they ordered him to fi re Gene Wilder on The Producers and remove the farting scene from Blazing Saddles - he didn't fi ght them about it. He just said yes...and then never did it. In most cases, they'd forget. As he explains: "Don't fi ght them. Don't waste your time struggling with them and trying to make sense to them. They'll never understand.” - Mel Brooks