For me it was the name of his book and the thinking behind it "Only the Paranoid Survive".

The other similar article that I can think of is Joe Kraus of excite talking about "Startups & the stockdale paradox": http://bnoopy.typepad.com/bnoopy/2005/01/startups_and_th.htm...

So...the most inspirational part of his biography wasn't his business success, but rather the time he cheated a bunch of people in a queue?

"cheated"?

Funny how 2 people can look at the same data and see 2 totally different things.

For me success in business comes directly from constantly saying, "I am willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want."

All I thought was how the story is an excellent example of that.

"I am willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want."

I hope you don't mean that literally.

No. But it is the answer to this question:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Secret-Getting-Absolutely-Eve...

One of the best lessons of my life. (And apparently Andy Grove's, too.)