Infinite Loops Paul Millerd & Jimmy Soni — The Creative Opportunities of a Boring Life (EP. 302)
Jimmy Soni, writer, publisher, and CEO of Infinite Books, who rethinks publishing models. Paul Millerd, author of The Pathless Path, who experiments with self-publishing and creative living. They probe broken incentives in traditional publishing. They discuss building durable creative careers, designing beautiful hardcovers, online audience-building, balancing family finances, and why boring routines fuel big creative work.
01:30:08
Cynicism Arises From Publishing Incentives
- The publishing industry's incentives produce institutional cynicism and neglect mid-tier books.
- Big advances buy attention, leaving smaller books unsupported despite talent in-house.
The Internet Changed Book Economics
- The internet changed book economics yet many publishers still use industrial-age assumptions.
- Authors can bootstrap niche audiences with low-priced ebooks and grow sales over time.
Segment And Promote Books For The Long Tail
- Use modern audience segmentation and long-term promotion instead of one-time launch pushes.
- Build an evergreen strategy that steadily finds new readers rather than burning out after release.
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Intro
00:00 • 34sec
Why Paul Self-Published The Pathless Path
00:34 • 2min
Turning Down Penguin and Betting on Self-Publishing
02:32 • 3min
Why Founding Infinite Books Matters
05:14 • 3min
Incentives and Cynicism in Traditional Publishing
08:03 • 5min
Creative Work Should Inspire More Creative Work
12:43 • 5min
How the Internet Changes Book Economics
17:36 • 4min
Treating Writers as Long-Term Creative Brands
21:23 • 8min
Designing a High-End Hardcover
29:51 • 6min
Committing to a Costly Creative Bet
35:32 • 4min
Playing Probabilistic Games with a Creative Career
39:20 • 10min
Balancing Family and Creative Risk
49:32 • 8min
Finding Fellow Travelers and Digital Mentors
57:13 • 6min
The Creative Perks of a Boring Life
01:02:50 • 5min
Taoist Influence and the Pathless Path Philosophy
01:08:01 • 13min
Surface Area of Luck and Organic Growth
01:20:41 • 2min
Outro
01:23:03 • 7min
#99202
The Work is the Win
Billy Oppenheimer
Billy Oppenheimer's debut book, 'The Work is the Win,' centers on the core idea that fulfillment and achievement come from dedication to the process, not the results.
Drawing from conversations with figures like Ryan Holiday and Rick Rubin, it emphasizes inputs over outputs, the role of time as a filter, avoiding complacency, and concepts like compounding, standards, and initiative.
Inspired by ancient wisdom like the Bhagavad Gita's focus on action without attachment to fruits, the book encourages finding joy in the struggle and sustaining a love for the work regardless of external rewards.
#1361
• Mentioned in 30 episodes
Good Work
Reclaiming Your Inner Ambition
Paul Millerd
In 'Good Work,' Paul Millerd shares his personal journey through candid storytelling, exploring what constitutes 'good work' beyond traditional job definitions.
The book delves into questions about embracing uncertainty, finding motivation beyond 'losing your edge,' prioritizing family without sacrificing opportunity, and defining the most ambitious life path.
It challenges readers to rethink their relationship with work and seek a life where work is a portal to feeling fully alive, rather than just a necessity.
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• Mentioned in 42 episodes
What works on Wall Street
The Classic Guide to the Best-Performing Investment Strategies of All Time
James P. O'Shaughnessy
In 'What Works on Wall Street', James P. O'Shaughnessy provides an in-depth analysis of over 90 years of stock market data to identify the most effective investment strategies.
The book examines various factors such as price-to-earnings ratios, price-to-sales, price-to-book value, dividend yields, and more.
It challenges conventional wisdom and offers multifactor strategies that have historically generated the best returns.
The book is designed to help investors of all levels, from conservative to aggressive, in selecting the best strategies for their investment objectives.
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Why greatness cannot be planned
Kenneth Stanley
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Tao te ching
Laozi
The Tao Te Ching is a central text in Taoist philosophy and religion.
It consists of 81 brief chapters or sections that discuss the nature of the Tao, which is described as the source and ideal of all existence.
The text emphasizes living in harmony with nature, the importance of simplicity, humility, and the interconnectedness of all things.
It critiques unnatural actions and social activism based on abstract moralism, advocating for a life of 'nonaction' (wu wei) and spontaneity.
The text has been highly influential in Chinese philosophy and has been translated numerous times, making it one of the most translated texts in world literature.
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How to Retire
Christine Benz
Christine Benz's "How to Retire" provides a comprehensive guide to retirement planning, moving beyond simplistic rules of thumb.
The book delves into dynamic spending strategies, emphasizing the need to adapt to changing life circumstances and expenses.
It addresses the psychological challenges of transitioning from saving to spending, offering practical advice on managing finances and maintaining a fulfilling life in retirement.
Benz also explores the importance of purpose and relationships in retirement, highlighting the need for a holistic approach that considers non-financial factors.
The book is a valuable resource for anyone approaching retirement, offering insights and strategies for a successful and enjoyable transition.
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The Founders
The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley
Jimmy Soni
In 'The Founders', Jimmy Soni delves into the turbulent early days of PayPal, a company that would become one of the world's foremost payment platforms.
With hundreds of interviews and unprecedented access to internal material, Soni chronicles the challenges faced by the founders, including bruising competition, internal strife, online fraud, and the dot-com bust of the 2000s.
The book highlights how this group of entrepreneurs, often referred to as the 'PayPal mafia', went on to form, fund, and advise leading companies such as Tesla, Facebook, YouTube, SpaceX, and LinkedIn.
It is a story of iteration, inventiveness, and the profound impact these individuals had on modern technology and entrepreneurship.
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Walden
Henry David Thoreau
Published in 1854, 'Walden; Or, Life in the Woods' is a series of 18 essays that reflect Thoreau's experiences living in a small cabin near Walden Pond from July 1845 to September 1847.
The book is a personal declaration of independence, a social experiment, and a voyage of spiritual discovery.
Thoreau details his life in the woods, discussing the construction of his cabin, his daily activities, and his philosophical reflections on economy, social relations, and the importance of living in harmony with nature.
The work is considered a cornerstone of American literature and a foundational text in the Transcendentalist movement, emphasizing the benefits of a simplified lifestyle and the importance of individual freedom and self-reliance.
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The Pathless Path
Imagining a New Story for Work and Life
Paul Millerd
The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd chronicles his journey from being a high-achieving consultant to embarking on a path of self-discovery and creating a life based on personal values and freedom.
The book explores the history of work, the concept of the 'default path' versus the 'pathless path,' and offers practical advice on how to navigate uncertainty, redefine success, and find meaning in one's life.
Millerd shares his experiences of living in different countries, facing existential crises, and developing principles that guide him towards a more fulfilling life.
The book is an invitation to readers to question their current path and consider a more unconventional, yet meaningful, way of living.
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Tiny Experiments
How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
In this book, neuroscientist and entrepreneur Anne-Laure Le Cunff argues that life should be approached as a playground for experimentation rather than being molded around linear goals.
She provides a science-backed toolkit to help readers break free from limiting beliefs, harness the power of imperfection, and make smarter decisions in uncertain times.
The book guides readers in discovering their true ambitions through tiny personal experiments, dismantling harmful beliefs about success, and making decisions true to their own aspirations.
It emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty as a catalyst for growth and self-discovery.
#1361
• Mentioned in 30 episodes
Good Work
Reclaiming Your Inner Ambition
Paul Millerd
In 'Good Work,' Paul Millerd shares his personal journey through candid storytelling, exploring what constitutes 'good work' beyond traditional job definitions.
The book delves into questions about embracing uncertainty, finding motivation beyond 'losing your edge,' prioritizing family without sacrificing opportunity, and defining the most ambitious life path.
It challenges readers to rethink their relationship with work and seek a life where work is a portal to feeling fully alive, rather than just a necessity.
Fresh off releasing one of the most beautiful hardcover books we've ever seen, Paul Millerd returns alongside Infinite Books CEO Jimmy Soni for a deep dive into the broken incentives of traditional publishing, why the industry breeds "cynicism at scale," and how the internet is powering a second Renaissance for creators.
We get into what it means to build a creative life on your own terms, the Taoist approach to growing an audience, how to navigate financial uncertainty while raising a family, and why seemingly boring daily routines fuel extraordinary creative work.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.
Important Links:
- Paul's Website
- Paul's X
- Paul's Substack
- The Pathless Path Premium Hardcover
- Good Work
- Infinite Books
- Jimmy's X
Show Notes:
- Make Books Beautiful
- Why Paul Turned Down Penguin
- Creative Work Should Inspire More Creative Work
- Cynicism at Scale in the Publishing Industry
- The Long Tail of Book Marketing
- Why Paul Launched a Hardcover Pathless Path
- Dre, Spielberg & Chappelle: Design Your Own System
- Playing Probabilistic Games
- How to Live a Pathless Life With a Family
- The Creative Perks of a Boring Life
- "What If I Do Less?"
- Books Are Win-Win
- Paul as World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
- The Pathless Path: Imagining a New Story for Work and Life; by Paul Millerd
- Good Work: Reclaiming Your Inner Ambition; by Paul Millerd
- The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley; by Jimmy Soni
- What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
- How to Retire Rich; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
- Walden (Steel Brothers reimagined edition); by Henry David Thoreau
- Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective; by Kenneth O. Stanley
- The Work Is the Win; by Billy Oppenheimer (forthcoming)
- Reclaim the Book; by Paul Millerd (essay)
- Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World; by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
- The Chronic; by Dr. Dre (album)
- Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing); by Lao Tzu