Matt Hutson > Recent Status Updates

This book is perfect for tough times and it's my third time reading from cover to cover. Happy holidays!

Study the voice. Model the structure. Outline the logic. Then write

Really enjoying this idea from the book about getting ultra-specific with who you help and what problem you solve. The argument is simple but sharp: when you narrow your focus to one type of person in one industry, trust grows faster, your expertise deepens, and your work becomes dramatically more effective. It’s a good reminder that clarity beats breadth.

Multiple versions of this book existed on Goodreads and I wanted to switch to the version that has more ratings! It's been nearly a month since its release and I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion soon.

Support David and Helmut and learned a lot from them because they've got a lot to offer about careers in their three books in this series.

Cawthon distills a profound truth: disability isn’t separate from identity — it’s woven into the whole self. The more we acknowledge that, the more human and accessible our systems can become.

Started this a few months ago and forgot to put it on my list. Just finished yesterday.

I chose this book for my AP Literature class that I am teaching, which is drastically different from the last book we read, Fences by August Wilson, and we are loving it so far.

Cawthon reminds us that disability isn’t a niche topic. It’s the shared human condition at different settings and stages. The sooner we accept that, the closer we get to a world built for everyone, not just the default few.

Just started Anyone Can Train to Become a Polymath. So far, it’s connecting the Renaissance spirit of curiosity with the modern chaos of the AI era. The book argues that while specialists thrive in stable times, polymaths—those who blend disciplines—are the ones who adapt when the world shifts beneath their feet.

Still deep in Wealthy and Well-Known—and the insights keep stacking. A personal brand isn’t what you do; it’s who you are. Reputation = Results × Reach, and the truth is, the best idea doesn’t win—the best communicator does. Your brand should move people emotionally and make them feel something, because that’s what lasts. Emotion, not exposure, is what makes you unforgettable.

Some lessons seem obvious—be bold, be brave, take action—but that’s exactly why they matter.
Future shapers don’t just dream; they move.
They ask for what they need, anticipate the future, and act before certainty arrives.
Courage turns strategy into transformation.

The Vadens nail it in Wealthy and Well-Known. A personal brand is your reputation. Reputation = Results × Reach. Your work matters, but only if people know it exists. The best idea doesn’t win; the best communicator does. Marketing is art—the art of creating and the art of letting people know you created. In the end, jobs end, titles fade, but reputation follows.

Personal branding is the formalization, digitization, and monetization of your reputation. You’re not inventing who you are—you’re scaling it.

A.J. Vaden opens Wealthy and Well-Known with raw honesty—after years of nonstop work, she lost her job just weeks after giving birth. Her realization? Every success, failure, and struggle becomes part of your unique story, and your story’s purpose is to serve others. A personal brand isn’t about showing off; it’s about transforming your experiences into something that helps people.

Chaos isn’t just destruction—it’s creation in disguise.

Times of change hold potential for reinvention and renewal.

When you feel yourself contracting, pause and breathe.

Choose to expand: step forward, focus on others, and look for opportunity in uncertainty.

(Let’s Go by Jamie Ramsden)

Sense-making in action 👇

1️⃣ Get the right info—facts, context, assumptions.
2️⃣ Set a time frame—urgency + success markers.
3️⃣ Map outcomes—worst 😬 best 😃 hybrid 🤝

Leaders who slow down to think make smarter, calmer choices.

Starting Disrupt Everything and Win by James Patterson and Patrick Leddin, PhD. The opening chapters dig into what fuels purpose—the fire inside you. It’s that intersection between your talents, passion, and inner voice that lights up your direction in life. I like how the authors remind us that identifying your intentions is personal, but activating them? That takes courage.

Every decision starts inside you.
Your beliefs shape your mindset, your mindset drives behavior, and behavior creates outcomes.
Growth begins with self-awareness, deepens through self-management and self-development, and culminates in self-mastery—acting with intention, not ego.
(Let’s Go by Jamie Ramsden)

Success ≠ happiness.
Truly joyful leaders build stable roots, help others win, live by guiding principles, act with passion, keep perspective, and laugh at themselves.
Happiness isn’t found in achievement—it’s found in alignment, growth, and humility.

Rushing feels productive, but without delegation, you become the bottleneck.
Your team never learns, reflection disappears, and success or failure becomes just another task.
Slow down. Delegate.
True leadership means empowering others so growth—and learning—can multiply beyond you.

Leadership as Gardening

Jamie Ramsden compares leadership to gardening—a vivid and practical analogy.

Building a team is like planting and nurturing a garden:

🌵 Some team members are cactuses—independent, resilient, and thrive with minimal resources or oversight.

🌸 Others are orchids—they require more care, attention, and support, but when tended properly, they bloom with extraordinary results.

Reading this because I've got an interview coming up at Fisher Investments