Hi there,

We're wishing you a Rad Weekend and welcome to our new subscribers from my recent talk at USC's Marshall School of Business. I just received my new iPhone 13 Pro and then learned that Peter Thiel still uses an iPhone 8. (What does that tell us about Shiny New Toys?)

I'm also excited to announce our (free) RadReferrals Program which enables you to collect RadRewards for sharing the newsletter with your friends, colleagues (and frenemies).

It's simple (and there's something in it for you); all you have to do is share your RadReferral Link: https://sparklp.co/9ac1b50d

After referring 2 friends, you'll receive your first RadReward, my personal Weekly Review Cheatsheet (a fail-safe way to add a $10K activity into your routine).

We'll be rolling out a longer list of rewards and tiers. Stay tuned, fam.

Tech billionaires and their outdated iPhones

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Supply chain issues be damned. After what seemed like an endless wait, it finally arrived.

My sleek new iPhone 13 Pro.

Sexy black Graphite.

3 Cameras.

4K video.

Ridiculous battery life.

Everything necessary to take RadReads to the next level, amirite?

The warm glow of this Shiny New Toy had yet to wear off when I stumbled upon this tweet from Noah Kagan:

Noah Kagan @noahkagan Had dinner with Peter Thiel last week. One of the most interesting things was -- he’s still using an iPhone 8. Stop worrying about the tools and hacks. It's about the strategy and thought. November 8th 2021 131 Retweets 1,788 Likes

It turns out that my office is a graveyard of Shiny New Toys.

Shiny New Toys that never delivered on their life-changing promises.

There are Moleskines, iPads, fitness trackers, supplements, camera lenses, foam rollers and fancy whiteboards.

Would things be the same for my new iPhone 13 Pro?

Here are this week's top reads:

// one

The nothingness of money

6 minutes | More To That
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Imagine being an alien and realizing the impact of a green rectangular piece of paper. Wars, environmental damage, broken relationships only scratch the surface of how money permeates our everyday activities. This article explores another frightening tension: Money is a required pursuit for life, but a pointless pursuit upon death. (Pairs well with last week's most-read post on the marginal utility of a dollar.)

→ Read the post​

// two

How to create psychological safety for high-performing teams

5 minutes | Harvard Business Review
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While some Boomers may be rolling their eyes at the concept of psychological safety at work, it is the centerpiece of how we run our growing RadReads business. When our colleagues feel safe to make mistakes, speak their minds, and be creative, our business thrives. Full stop. How can you increase this feeling on your own teams? Embrace conflict, speak human-to-human and ask for feedback.

→ Read the article​

// three

I’m a life coach, you’re a life coach: the rise of an unregulated industry

15 minutes | The Guardian
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One of the best ways to fast-track your personal development is to get a coach. There's just not enough time to figure everything out on your own and coaches are excellent reflection/accountability partners. But whether you're coaching or looking to be coached, this article is a reminder that with great power, comes great responsibility.

→ Read the article​

// four

Fix burnout—without blowing up your life

5 minutes | The Wall Street Journal
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Burnout is abuzz. I'm burnt out, your colleague's burnt out. Heck, your boss is probably burnt out. But do we have to quit our jobs to combat burnout? No, use these tools instead: take a personal inventory, have a plan of attack, adjust your goals and expectations, think "we" instead of "me," and learn how to say "no" more often.

→ Read the article​

// five

Write 5x more but write 5x less

1 minute | Mike Crittenden
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The ability to write well is a true compounding skill that transcends industry and profession. But how do you actually improve your writing? There's a ton of advice out there, but few as concise as this: write more, but write less. After this short read, you'll know why this advice is less contradictory than it seems and what the 80/20 rule can tell us about writing.
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→ Read the post​

// from our community

Looking to learn something new or level up your skills?

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Check out Discover Fest 2021 from our friends at Teachable. It’s a week of free live workshops from November 15-19 designed to help you learn new skills for your life and your business. Instructors will teach you everything from the best practices for online course building to podcasting to food photography and more. It's totally free and you can sign up here.

Below the fold

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LAST WEEK'S MOST READ

• ​When a dollar is not worth a dollar (RadReads, 776 clicks)
• ​The 37-year-olds are afraid of the 23-year-olds who work for them (The New York Times, 425 clicks)

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And finally, this dad surprising his son from deployment — I can't. Get the Kleenex ready.

With gratitude,

Khe

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