The Ride of a Lifetime — Bookview

Book No: 1 — 2022

Happy to start the year with this incredible book The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger. Coming from a humble background with no fancy credentials, Bob has taken Disney to a growth path that is quite impossible to start with. Important moments in his life are well narrated in this book. This book is not just about business, it is about leadership, dealing with people, emotions and situations.

This is a must-read if you haven’t already.

Here are a few points that inspired me:

1. Don’t let ambition get ahead of opportunity — By fixating on a future job or project, you become impatient with where you are. As a production assistant or as a COO of ABC, Robert focussed where he was.
2. Take responsibility when you screw up. Both at work and in life, you will be respected and trusted if you own your mistakes.
3. Be willing to accept short terms losses for sustained long-term growth — applies to business as well as career.
4. If something doesn’t feel right to you, then it won’t be right for you. — Trust your gut.
5. Don't be in the business of playing safe — Robert took numerous risks in his career that resulted in him becoming very successful. This could work for anyone.
6. There can be no innovation if you operate out of fear of the new — If Robert ignored his instinct to adapt to technological changes, then Disney would be outdated by now. But he chooses to embrace the future despite challenges.
7. Risk-taking — Robert took numerous risks in his career that resulted in him becoming very successful.
8. Relationships matter — Every deal he struck was personal. Robert established a relationship with Steve Jobs that made the Pixar deal a possibility. The same goes for Marvel and Lucasfilm as well. Find out what’s at stake for the other person on the table. Just monetary goal wouldn’t cut it.

I have read a few other memoirs in the past but this one was completely engaging. The narrative is so simple yet intriguing. I would recommend this book for beginners as well.