The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitzby Parker on Twos"I tell my kids, what is the difference between a hero and a coward? What is the difference between being yellow and being brave? No difference. Only what you do. They both feel the same. They both fear dying and getting hurt. The man who is yellow refuses to face up to what he's got to face. The hero is more disciplined and he fights those feelings off and does what he has to do. But they both feel the same, the hero and the coward. People who watch you judge you on what you do, not how you feel." - Cus D'AmatoIn life, everyone faces choices between doing what's popular, easy, and wrong versus doing what's lonely, difficult, and right. Every time you make the hard, correct decision you become a bit more courageous and every time you make the easy, wrong decision you become a bit more cowardlyKnowledge of technology, prior decisions, culture, personnel, and more tends to be far more difficult to acquire than the skills required to manage a larger organizationSmart people do not want to work for people who do not have their interests in mind and in heartTruly great leaders create an environment where the employees feel that the CEO cares more about the employees than she cares about herselfGreat leaders have the ability to articulate the vision, the right kind of ambition, and the ability to achieve the visionThe enemy of competence is sometimes confidence. A CEO should never be so confident that she stops improving her skillsIn peacetime, leaders must maximize and broaden the current opportunity. The company's survival in wartime depends upon strict adherence and alignment to the missionAs CEO, you should have an opinion on absolutely everythingSay what you think. Express yourselfLife is struggle, so embrace the struggle