How will you measure your life?
by Clayton M. Christensen · first published 2012
76% recommend24% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Applies business strategy ideas to personal life, giving a framework for clarifying your values and dividing time between career and family, without dictating answers. Suits people feeling their time is spent poorly.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Akin to The Last Lecture in its revelatory perspective following life-altering events, "How Will You Measure Your Life?" presents a set of personal guidelines that have helped the author find meaning and happiness in his life.
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This reminds me of this great article by Clayton Christensen to Harvard Business students about life balance: http://hbr.org/2010/07/how-will-you-measure-your-life/ar/1 Looking back over a short 7 year or so career I can't remember many projects where I can go: "Oh man, I'm so glad I spent all that time late at night on that project. It's really made a lasting…
on “Why I Go Home: A Developer Dad's Manifesto” ↗…position in the group, and other values. Over time we tend to adjust our values to the social group we're in, so values other than "making a social difference" are likely. Clayton Christensen's book "How will you measure your life" mentions this social dynamic (http://www.claytonchristensen.com/books/how-will-you-measure...) - lots of his peers started out meaning to make a difference but got sucked in. It's a fantastic book for…
on “Show HN: Why the most popular ways to do good in careers aren’t best” ↗I would strongly recommend reading Clay Christensen's book How will you measure your life? He discusses a general approach to working out what you want to do with your life without telling you what he thinks you should do. http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Will-Measure-Your-Life/dp/006220...
on “Ask HN: Advise for career changer in mid-thirties” ↗…Before that I went through The Maze Runner trilogy, those were entertaining reads. Some other books I've read recently that I can remember off the top of my head are the Divergent series of books (eh), How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen (great read), Ready Player One (loved, loved, loved this book), Starters (didn't bother reading any more in the series) and Moon walking With Einstein (I enjoyed it).
on “Ask HN: What Books Are You Reading?” ↗The book, "How Will You Measure Your Life," by Clayton Christensen is easily on my list of Top 5 Most Important books, I cannot recommend it enough. Interestingly, Kent seems to have focused in on hygiene-motivation factors more than anything…
on “How Will I Measure My Life?” ↗…mindfulness, meditation, and the impact on your life. - "What got you here won't get you there" - Liked a lot more than I expected. - "Re-read Innovator's Dilemma" - a great classic; never gets old. - "How will you measure your life" - from the same author. Also excellent. - "The Best Service is No Service" - good overview on why Amazon's customer service is so good - "Crucial Conversations" - half is common sense; half is good…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗Not exactly a blog post, but still. Clay Christensen's commencement address, "How will you measure your life?": http://hbr.org/2010/07/how-will-you-measure-your-life/ar/pr
on “Ask HN: What are the most inspirational blog posts you've ever read?” ↗Good article. I was surprised to see they left out Clayton Christensen and his work on the topic, "How Will You Measure Your Life?" A little more reaching in it's content probably, but still a very influential and thought-provoking book and philosophy.
on “How Do You Grade Yourself?” ↗Reminds me of Clayton Christensen's book How Will You Measure Your Life? which deals with questions of dividing time between work and family. It isn't long and I'm glad I read it (though I wouldn't call it a page turner). One of the points he makes is that your family life…
on “Work versus Life. Greatness versus Family” ↗…overrated, by Geoff Colvin (short version: working hard is more than half the battle) Drive, by Daniel Pink (short version: to be motivated, you need to have/be working toward purpose, autonomy, and mastery) How will you measure your life, by Clayton Christensen (short version: just read it - very good) For the win - how game thinking can revolutionize your business, by Kevin Werbach and Dan Hunter (Note: one of the authors offers a Gamification…
on “Ask HN: What's on your reading list? Recommendations? ” ↗https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvos4nORf_Y How Will You Measure Your Life? Clay Christensen at TEDxBoston This is a very inspiring presentation, especially towards the end. The take away is that it's not important how high you went up a certain hierarchy or how much money…
on “How to be mediocre and be happy with yourself” ↗I've sort of finished reading Clayton Christensen's book "How will you measure your life?" [1] Using a series of personal anecdotes, stories, observations from sociological & psychological research, the book assisted me in developing a perspective & framework to understand what my priorities…
on “Ask HN: What are some good books you have read lately?” ↗…tool to find it. About a year ago, I had this inescapable feeling that I was spending my time poorly (not daily productivity but on a larger scale), and it was causing me a lot of anxiety. Then I read How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen. I walked away with a framework for finding out what I want to be productive towards, even though that thing -- whatever it is -- was no more clear to me. My anxiety disappeared,…
on “Why it's hard to answer “when to raise a series A”” ↗…Buffett!) - The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America A book that discusses what matters most in your life from a resource-allocation, measurable results standpoint (family, etc.): - How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen A book I read 10 years ago that forever changed the way I manage productivity and organization both at work and in my personal life: - Getting Things Done by David Allen Books…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?” ↗"How Will You Measure Your Life?" by Clayton Christensen. Absolutely love this book and have read and listened to it multiple times. Really provides a fresh perspective on life and work.
on “Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?” ↗