(Photo: © Imran Idrus)
Last year I set the goal of reading 48 books. And… unfortunately, I did not reach my target. I did come close though, closing out the year reading Atomic Habits (more on that below), which was book number 41. This was a record for me, having read just 12 the year before.
SABA SAYS ::: GO EXPLORE
On a positive note, I also traveled to more cities last year than I have ever before, so that too was quite gratifying. I traveled to 21 cities across three continents, mostly in the U.S, Italy and Australia. Now that I think about it, this is likely why I didn’t read as many books as I intended – since I was busy gallivanting everywhere, so I can’t be too hard on myself. Highlights:
Best coffee - Milan (Duh!)
Favorite beach - Honolulu
Coolest place to explore by scooter - Paris
Friendliest people - Lisbon
Preferred weather - Los Angeles
Top place to get sh#t done - New York
Best hugs - courtesy of my nieces and nephews in Melbourne
SABA SAYS ::: STARTUPS RULE THE WORLD
Although, not quite a “startup” anymore, Tesla is exceptional. Driving the Model 3 around for the last few weeks, I can whole heartedly say Tesla will (has already) truly disrupted the automotive industry. It’s like driving the future, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
PRO’S:
It’s ghostly quiet, yet whiplashingly fast.
Autopilot works like magic. I was in absolute awe seeing it with my own eyes.
The tech, screen and apps are seamless. Driving anything else feels primitive now.
CON’S
Charging it can be a hassle. There’s a ton of nuances with certain charging stations, and believe it or not, lines to charge sometimes. Who knew?
I lost Internet connection for a few minutes at one point and had no idea what to do, where to go, or why it happened. Luckily, I wasn’t in traffic or on a highway - but that could have been bad.
SABA SAYS ::: READ THIS
Atomic Habits is the fundamental how-to guide on living an optimized life. And if you know anything about me, I like to optimize everything. It honestly was the ideal last book to read for 2019 because it’s helped me strategize a plan of attack for 2020. I don’t know what my big goal is yet, but when I figure it out, I’ll let you know - and I’ll be able to plan it accordingly.
All I know is that my big picture ambition is unquestionably to slow down. The last year was ludicrous to say the least, so I am looking forward to walking slower, having more down-time, building stronger relationships, making more meaningful connections, improving focus, less negativity, and more doing things for the first time.
TALKING ::: TECHSTARS
Techstars is proud to once again be presenting the Startup Stage at CES, hosting two days of exclusive innovation and entrepreneurship programming next week, on such topics as the future of healthcare, fundraising, university entrepreneurship, smart mobility, smart cities and sports tech.
1PM on Tuesday is the must-see Leadership Panel - Fundraising: How to Close The Deal & Activate Your Network. Check out the full agenda here.
POPULAR ::: POSTS
On marketing…
On gratitude…
It is mind-blowing how powerful the follow words can be:
“Seriously... don’t worry about it”
“Trust me, you are going to be amazing”
“Wow - good job”
Try it with your cofounders, colleagues or employees this week - and practice it everyday.
See original post on LinkedIn.
THE ROSE ::: ACTIVITY
Rose: 2019 was awesome. Some honorable mentions: Seeing Kygo perform live, attending TechCrunch Disrupt, Denver Startup Week, Web Summit, religiously attending Book Club with some of the best people I know, launching a #GiveFirst community focused event series, putting up our first ever Christmas tree, and last but not least, seeing the the most beautiful sunrise ever on with loved ones on NYE in Malibu.
Bud: Slowing down, planning more, thinking bigger, getting healthier, wealthier and wiser.
Thorn: I rewatched Jobs yesterday, directed by Joshua Michael Stern, which 1. reminded me how remarkable Steve Jobs was, and 2. See below…
Happy New Year all. Hope 2020 is your best year yet.