Practical Genius

Noah Hawley has not followed a prescribed path. He was a musician who became a novelist, who became a screenwriter, who became a filmmaker and a showrunner (which itself is five jobs). He doesn’t have degrees from film or business school. What he has is an ability to solve problems in a creative way. Now, in Practical Genius, Hawley presents his paradigm-shifting philosophy of work and life to anyone looking to get and stay ahead. He shows how to be adaptable and persistent within large organizations. He shows how to be a strategic thinker as a solitary artist. He shows how to have boundaries, how to find good partners, and how to know when to be a diplomat and when to go to war. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker or entrepreneur or climbing the corporate ladder, here is a guide to inventing a fun, emotionally satisfying, and lucrative career.