The Most Important Thing

Howard Marks wrote a wonderful book, The Most Important Thing. Although it's about investing, it applies as much to scholarship, sports, and life. Great work often has broader application in its detail. 

Here's a brief summary; I encourage you to read and digest it. 

A few excerpts:

• You have to follow a disciplined thought process in order to be successful, but it doesn’t have to be mine. 
• You can’t do the same things others do and expect to outperform.
• Most people are driven by greed, fear, envy and other emotions that render objectivity impossible and open the door for significant mistakes.