ReadWith
A sample note from reading
Thinking in Systems by D. H. Meadows
I read this book when I wanted to get serious about creating a publishing "flywheel" system for lead generation. I listened to the audiobook version.
“The system, to a large extent, causes its own behaviour”
I’m starting to read this book while holding a conclusion: systems thinking can’t really be mastered. If one could, there would be success stories more than there would be catastrophes. And hence, there’s only one posture: avoid putting yourself in situations where the run-off effects can be devastating, and play only with what can have unknown positive outcomes.
Taleb summarized this posture in his barbell strategy: avoid ruin, and invest areas with fixed-cost and unlimited upside. Those are the only two categories of risk worth paying attention to, and all other stand in the middle of those two poles. The middle should be avoided. Seeking mastery in systems thinking seems foolish at the outset.
But. I’ve been toying with the idea of setting up a “flywheel” for my freelance practice: a network of connected projects and published content, pointing to each other, “hired” by future clients for small “jobs-to-be-done”, creating value and earning me attention.
This flywheel system, as I’ve seen in other online business owners, could “cause its own behaviour”.
So I’m interested in learning the core components of a dynamic system:
- What are the inherent accelerants?
- What makes a system resilient to ups and downs in the market?
- What are the stressors of a system, and how can a system benefit from stressors?
- What is the role of ergodicity in systems, that repeating an event multiple times yields results of a different nature than the average of all possible events? (I’m not even sure the book will answer this one).
- How can I spot exponentials, negative (to guard against) and positive (to foster)?
We’ll see.
Hi, I'm Pascal, and I've read
Thinking in Systems by D. H. Meadows.
I recommend this book if, before you start on your next career moves, you'd like to understand the concept of a "flywheel" in more depth, with some more rigour, scrutiny and skepticism. I was hesitating on which topic to publish about, and so abstract concepts in this book allowed me to understand what causes small consistent actions to compound (or not). I learned about the general idea of a stock and drew my own list of freelancing stocks: some are fragile and need protection, some will grow organically, some others can grow quickly with effort. It's an abstract book and my notes contain my concrete applications to freelancing.
Using ReadWith, you can read this book and get access to my reading notes, which I'll share with you as you record your own notes. It'll feel like you're in a mini reading group with me, and it's a great way to deepen your insights while reading. This package includes 44 reading notes in total, disclosed progressively.
You Share a Reading Note,
Then Mine Appear
Here's how ReadWith works: As you save your own notes about the book, my notes (up to the place you’re at in the book) will be shown to you. An entry contains both your note and progress info, and it calculates how far by percentage you are compared to other people's notes.
You shared
"It takes time to build the wood in a forest"
If I don't understand the slowness of inflows, I won't go anywhere fast with a flywheel.
This note at the top, that's the one you just added (let's say).
This one below, that's my note, made accessible because you're matching the previous note's progress (by percentage of total time).
Pascal shared
“The system, to a large extent, causes its own behaviour”
I’m starting to read this book while holding a conclusion: systems thinking can’t really be mastered. If one could, there would be success stories more than there would be catastrophes. And hence, there’s only one posture: avoid putting yourself in situations where the run-off effects can be devastating, and play only with what can have unknown positive outcomes.
Taleb summarized this posture in his barbell strategy: avoid ruin, and invest areas with fixed-cost and unlimited upside. Those are the only two categories of risk worth paying attention to, and all other stand in the middle of those two poles. The middle should be avoided. Seeking mastery in systems thinking seems foolish at the outset.
But. I’ve been toying with the idea of setting up a “flywheel” for my freelance practice: a network of connected projects and published content, pointing to each other, “hired” by future clients for small “jobs-to-be-done”, creating value and earning me attention.
This flywheel system, as I’ve seen in other online business owners, could “cause its own behaviour”.
So I’m interested in learning the core components of a dynamic system:
- What are the inherent accelerants?
- What makes a system resilient to ups and downs in the market?
- What are the stressors of a system, and how can a system benefit from stressors?
- What is the role of ergodicity in systems, that repeating an event multiple times yields results of a different nature than the average of all possible events? (I’m not even sure the book will answer this one).
- How can I spot exponentials, negative (to guard against) and positive (to foster)?
We’ll see.
I built ReadWith to read books with other people, to simulate the experience of a reading group, where everyone can get a turn to share their reaction on a passage from the book.
To read Thinking in Systems by D. H. Meadows alongside my reading notes, purchase access and you'll hear from me today or tomorrow with the next steps.
The feeling of a reading group, at your own pace
In a reading group, you get to hear other people's insights.
With ReadWith, you get that feeling of a reading group, but you read at your own pace. No need to schedule a reading session, just read when you can.
Personally, I can't wait to read other's reactions, so this system gets me to read and contribute my thoughts more frequently, setting a good natural reading pace.
Unlock only the notes about topics you read
You won't be able to see notes further than your place in the book, so there's no risk of spoilers. No disconnect between what you're reading (in the book), and what you've heard about the book, because we'll both be reacting to the same passages.
A few important details ☜
- Audio Book? Yes. Ebook? Also works. Paper Book. Totally. Along with your reading note, you capture your progress by page number or time remaining.
- "Do I have to share notes with you?". You can have private notes only you get access to, separate from the notes you share with me. However, in order to unlock my notes as you read, you'll need to share some notes with me.
- "Can I read this book with other people besides you?" Currently, you can't yet invite any other friends to read this book with you, but I can keep you in the loop about that and other features as I'm ready to make them public.
- "Do we have a place to chat within the app?" It's not one of the planned features, but it's not a hard no. Maybe? The idea is more that it's better to formulate your thoughts, consider the thoughts of others, but not so much to react to everything. There's no "like" button. This isn't an attention medium, it really is an "ideas and insights" medium. If you already have a connection with the other reader (me in this case), then you can follow-up outside the app through your usual chat or DMs ("I read you reading note on such and such...").
"But I have so many other books I meant to read…"
Why this book and not another book you have on your "to read" list? I found that a reading group, even reading a book with just another person, makes the process of reading that much more enjoyable and meaningful. It's the alone part that makes reading a book a little bit of a chore. But when reading a book alongside someone else, it's a little bit different. You develop insights better, you remember the lessons better, you turn your reading into a little more of an investment.
"Does the price include the book?"
The price only includes access to the reading notes. Here's my pitch however: books are expensive right? Their price is low compared to, say, an online course, but their true cost is in the time you'll be putting in to read it, and the cost of changing your mind. I'm confident ReadWith will help reduce both those non-price costs for you. You'll read the book, you'll learn the insights. Tell you what, let me make it interesting for you: you'll find it a bargain or your money back.
"I already read this book."
I find that the best books are the ones worth re-reading. And so, if you'd like to re-read it alongside my reading notes, (or in a future update maybe, alongside your own private reading notes, I've tried it, it's great), then consider using ReadWith for this book.
"Ok, I'm ready to start reading Thinking in Systems with you Pascal."
Maybe not this book.
Are you reading other books with ReadWith, Pascal?
Yep, besides Thinking in Systems by D. H. Meadows, I've been recording my reading notes for other books (See my profile page). I only put reading notes for sale for the books I'd recommend, which means I only publish my reading notes for a few books a year. I'll be announcing new books soon.
I'll also be sharing about new features I'm building for ReadWith, and so here's where you can sign up to stay in the loop: