Like all good books, I can’t wait to finish Seth Godin’s “Linchpin”, but I don’t want it to end.

There’s a great quote near the end of the chapter “There Is No Map”:

“Here’s the truth you have to wrestle with: the reason that art (writing, engaging, leading, all of it) is valuable is precisely why I can’t tell you how to do it. If there were a map, there’d be no art, because art is the act of navigating without a map.”

Central to being a linchpin is the ability to “see things as they truly are” or what the Buddhist might call “prajna”.

Prajna and the ability to untangle the objective truth of a situation are key traits of a “linchpin”.

Great quotes from this chapter:

• “The ability to see the world as it is begins with an understanding that perhaps it’s not your job to change what can’t be changed. Particularly if the act of working on that change harms you and your goals in the process.”
• “Successful people are able to see the threads of the past and the threads of the future and untangle them into something manageable.”

You can find information about “Linchpin” and more insights from Seth Godin at his blog here.

You can pre-order at Amazon and other places. “Linchpin” looks to be out by the end of the month.

I’m about 3/4 the way through Seth Godin’s latest book “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?”.

I love it.

Seth’s “linchpins” are unique and creative people who contribute in a highly valuable way to their organizations.

He makes a compelling case for “bring your art to work” and the concept of making a real difference through emotional labor.

“Linchpin” also includes the most practical and in depth discussions of breaking through “resistance” I’ve seen.

Like most of Seth’s work, “Linchpin” is full of quotable quotes. Here are a few:

“The Law of Linchpin Leverage: The more value you create in your job, the fewer clock minutes you actually spend creating that value.”

“Art is a personal gift that changes the recipient.”

“Art is the product of emotional labor. If it’s risk free and easy, it’s unlikely that it’s art.”

“Anxiety is about practicing failure in advance.”

You can find information about “Linchpin” and more insights from Seth Godin at his blog here.

You can pre-order at Amazon and other places. “Linchpin” looks to be out by the end of the month.