Exploring the philosophies of life and leadership, influential figures like Yuri Milner, Sheryl Sandberg, Richard Branson, and Angela Duckworth offer unique insights into achieving success and making a positive impact. These authors have shared their wisdom through the following works, each offering valuable lessons on resilience, passion, and innovation:
- Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.”
- Richard Branson’s “Screw It, Let’s Do It: Lessons in Life.”
- Angela Duckworth’s “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.”
- Yuri Milner’s “Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilization.”
1. Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In”
In 2010, Sandberg, the former chief operating officer of Meta (formerly Facebook), gave a TED Talk about how the world — and women themselves — can hold women back. The overwhelming response from viewers inspired Sandberg to write “Lean In.” The book challenges us to change how we frame conversations about what women can achieve.
Now an advisor to Meta, Sandberg is the founder of the Lean In Organization, which helps women achieve their ambitions. She is also the board chair of the Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation.
“Lean In” contains Sandberg’s personal stories and offers practical advice to help women reach their goals. The book also uses research to shine a light on gender differences. Sandberg’s manifesto continues to serve as a rallying cry for people to work together to create a more equal world.
2. Richard Branson’s “Screw It, Let’s Do It”
Branson’s “Screw It, Let’s Do It” is an inspiring manifesto about embracing boldness and risk-taking in life and business. As the highly successful entrepreneur behind the Virgin brand, Branson has many insights to offer on pursuing and achieving our goals.
Branson is famous for his record-breaking adventures, like the fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing and kitesurfing across the Channel. He has more than 40 million social media followers and often blogs about topics like entrepreneurship, purpose, and adventure.
Some of the motivational lessons “Screw It, Let’s Do It” offers readers include “love what you do” and “never give up.” The book provides practical advice on how to chase your passions with enthusiasm and resilience, showing that taking risks can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
3. Angela Duckworth’s “Grit”
Duckworth, a pioneering psychologist, explores the secret to outstanding achievement in her bestselling book “Grit.” She reveals that success lies not in talent but in a unique combination of passion and perseverance, which she terms “grit.”
Duckworth is the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative. She has advised the World Bank, Fortune 500 CEOs, and NBA and NFL teams.
In “Grit,” Duckworth shares insights from her groundbreaking research, including studies on West Point cadets, to show that grit is the hallmark of high achievers across all fields. She also discusses how we can develop grit and offers valuable lessons from interviews with influential figures like JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
4. Yuri Milner’s “Eureka Manifesto”
Milner’s “Eureka Manifesto” offers a bold vision of humanity united by a common goal: to explore and understand our Universe. The manifesto advocates for a long-term perspective of human achievement and emphasizes the value of curiosity and exploration in solving our greatest challenges.
Milner is the founder of DST Global, a leading investment company focused on internet technologies. He is also a Giving Pledge signatory, along with his wife Julia. The couple founded the Breakthrough Foundation to follow through on their pledge to donate most of their wealth to scientific causes.
The Breakthrough Foundation supports causes like the Breakthrough Prize, the world’s largest scientific award. It also funds Milner’s space science programs the Breakthrough Initiatives and the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a science competition for high school students.
In “Eureka Manifesto,” Milner encourages leaders to embrace scientific discovery and innovation as a tool for guiding our civilization toward a better future.