[Book Excerpt] "The Person Who Does"...Dreams Should Be Pursued as Verbs

Editor's NoteSome sentences encapsulate the essence of an entire book, while others instantly resonate with readers and create a point of connection with the book. Here, we introduce meaningful sentences excerpted from such books.

"A professional must work like a professional. You cannot treat your company as a hobby and go about your job elegantly." The author, who rose from employee to best analyst and eventually to CEO of an asset management company, advises readers to consider how to make use of their company if they are not planning to leave immediately. The book introduces the driving forces behind the explosive growth that saw entrusted assets increase sevenfold in five years, after developing Korea's first overseas stock investment platform and taking on the role of asset management CEO. In an era of "quiet quitting," where people do the bare minimum with the mindset of just being "average," this book explores the meaning of work and aims to help those who want to infinitely expand their boundaries with their own "specialty." From career planning to mastering the basics and acquiring unique skills, the book offers advice for those who feel boxed in at each stage and want to break through.

'Edge work' means expanding the boundaries of your work. Therefore, an 'edge worker' is someone who broadens the edges of their own domain. Whether you are building up tight growth rings in tough times or slowly riding a bicycle, the process of expanding your own edge ultimately determines the depth of your life. - page 11

A company invests in people. Companies generally nurture talent for the future of the organization. But where does the content that the company invests in accumulate? Does it pile up in the company warehouse? No, it accumulates within you. Just as you cannot separate a dance from a dancer, the content a company invests in for the future remains stored in your own mind. - page 22

You should express your dreams as verbs, not nouns. A rich person should not just be "rich," but someone who "does" something as a rich person; a CEO should not just be a CEO, but a CEO who "does" something. In other words, rather than a vague "noun-like dream," you should pursue an "action-oriented dream" that leads to the state or role you ultimately want to reach. - page 28

It is important to set a major goal in life, establish a ten-year strategy for it, and then devise detailed tactics to carry out each strategy. The best way to achieve your life goals is to work backward. Decide on the answer first, then calculate the time in reverse and make a plan accordingly. - page 36

A true generalist is ultimately the sum of several specialists. That is why you must first become a specialist. If you insist on being a generalist from the start, you will not experience the depth and difficulty of each field. Even if you think you understand, it will be only superficial. - page 158

If you have average thoughts and put in average effort, you are likely to achieve "below average results." Generally, in any group, performance?whether in learning or work?tends to improve over time. Therefore, if you aim for the previous average and put in average effort, you are likely to achieve below average results next time. - page 164

If you want to increase your value and broaden your future, take the leap even if you end up being left out on your own. Sooner or later, someone will recognize you. If the organization still does not change and no one supports you, then that is not the place for you. - page 173

In the end, it is all about immersion and focus. You have to let go in order to gain more time. Only by letting go can you immerse yourself, and only then can you gain more time. You cannot do everything. You must focus on what is essential. To make time work for you, you need immersion and focus, and to do that, you must let go. - page 191

Edge Worker by Lee Yoonhak | Written by Lee Yoonhak | Gimmyoungsa | 284 pages | 18,800 won