Post: #51

The direct connection of your "career" success with your personal success is unusual.

You are writing books about yourself. If any number of famous musicians had to write fact based narratives of their own lives, I think we would all have a much different view of them. Imagine what John Lennon or Michael Jackson's lyrics would be like -- strange and disconnected from their audiences, and probably dark and disturbing.

At the peak of my business success I was spending the least amount of time on what I was really good at (which is innovation.) The small things that could cause failure increased. The incentives for doing new things nearly vanished. Fortunately, I personally was not the product, but had I been, it would have resulted in an immensely different outcome.

One of the other problems is that as you become more successful you can't relate with friends like you used to (evidenced in the book.) People who used to be your peers no longer are. When success is measured solely by money and/or fame, your new peer group begins to fill with people who are both really good at what they do and also people who are really fucked up (like how people who win the lottery are lucky if they are broke in 5 years instead of dead.) As an author that will present its own set of unique challenges.

I read the book, it was a brief read and I found it entertaining. As a story its sad, imagining unattractive sloppy women. DC probably just didn't deserve a book.

Post: #52

I like the direction your work has taken, although I do think some of the old-school DCB posts were diamonds in the rough.

Post: #53

One of my friends who has always had a trouble holding a job, summarized it well when talking to an unknown musician trying to make it:

"They dislike you for the wrong reasons now, and when you're successful they'll like you
for the wrong reasons. "

Post: #54

Good, interesting writing demands some kind of conflict. When you are a sharply dressed, fit American businessman in Eastern Europe, your quest for poosy is never going to generate that much struggle. And as the other commenters noted, who's gonna identify with this life? Only the other young and rich westerners in EE with good passive income, the whole seven of them.

Obviously, you need (for being a writer of interesting books) to find some area in which there is a conflict. Something emotional. Jealousy, pain, enthusiasm, anything.