Rework

What are the big ideas?

1. The Power of Honesty and Authenticity in Communication: The book emphasizes the importance of being genuine and honest in business communication, even when delivering bad news or responding to customer queries. This approach helps build trust and respect with customers and team members alike, creating a strong culture based on authenticity rather than formal policies or jargon.
2. The Importance of Rapid Response and Speed: In today's fast-paced business environment, speed is crucial for effective communication and customer service. Responding quickly to queries and addressing issues promptly can turn negative situations into positive ones, while long wait times or delayed responses can lead to frustration and loss of trust.
3. Cross-Functional Collaboration and Customer Interaction: The book stresses the importance of direct communication between customers and those responsible for product development. By minimizing intermediaries and exposing team members to customer interactions, companies can better understand customer needs and provide personalized solutions, leading to improved products and happier customers.
4. Adapting to Change and Embracing Imperfection: The book encourages small businesses to be flexible and adapt quickly to change instead of trying to create a perfect image or plan for the future. By focusing on real problems and optimizing for the present, small businesses can make quick decisions and respond effectively to customer needs, setting themselves apart from larger competitors.
5. Developing a Rockstar Environment Through Trust and Autonomy: Instead of seeking "rock stars" or hiring individuals with impressive resumes, the book suggests creating an environment that fosters trust, autonomy, and responsibility among team members. By giving employees the freedom to work independently and making decisions based on merit rather than seniority, small businesses can unleash their potential and build a strong, motivated team.

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Takeaways

• The authors have over a decade of experience running a profitable business through recessions and industry shifts.
• They started as a small Web-design consulting firm and created their own project management software, Basecamp, which became successful.
• Their company now offers several online tools for businesses and invented Ruby on Rails programming framework.
• They reject the stereotype of Internet companies as big, spendthrift failures, and instead value being small, frugal, and profitable.
• They believe in selling to the masses rather than Fortune 500, having distributed teams, not sharing all secrets, and competing with less.
• The authors plan to challenge traditional business notions and teach readers how to succeed without following conventional methods.

The new reality

Takeaways

• This book is for various types of people, including hard-core entrepreneurs, less intense small business owners, day job dreamers, and those who have never considered starting a business.
• Today, anyone can start a business due to accessible tools and technology, requiring fewer hours and resources than before.
• Starting a business on the side while keeping a day job is possible, providing necessary cash flow.
• Working from home or collaborating with remote team members is now common.
• There's no need for massive savings or significant risk when starting a business.

Quotes

“Starting a business on the side while keeping your day job can provide all the cash flow you need.”

Ignore the real world

Takeaways

• Don't let "the real world" pessimism hinder new ideas and approaches
• People expect fresh concepts to fail, but don't let their negativity influence you
• Ignore those who want to drag you down with their despair and pessimism
• Prove the naysayers wrong by succeeding despite "real world" limitations
• The real world is not a place, it's an excuse for not trying.

Quotes

“Ignore the real world “That would never work in the real world.” You hear it all the time when you tell people about a fresh idea. This real world sounds like an awfully depressing place to live. It’s a place where new ideas, unfamiliar approaches, and foreign concepts always lose. The only things that win are what people already know and do, even if those things are flawed and inefficient. Scratch the surface and you’ll find these “real world” inhabitants are filled with pessimism and despair. They expect fresh concepts to fail. They assume society isn’t ready for or capable of change. Even worse, they want to drag others down into their tomb. If you’re hopeful and ambitious, they’ll try to convince you your ideas are impossible. They’ll say you’re wasting your time.”

“That world may be real for them, but it doesn't mean you have to live in it.”

Learning from mistakes is overrated

Takeaways

• Failure is overrated in business and shouldn't be seen as a prerequisite for success.
• Other people's failures don't reflect on your ability to market, build teams, price services or earn more than you spend.
• Learning from mistakes might tell you what not to do again, but it doesn't give you information on what to do next.
• Successes provide valuable lessons as they show what worked and can be repeated for better results in the future.
• Harvard Business School study shows already-successful entrepreneurs have a higher success rate (34%) in their follow-up companies than those who failed once before (23%).
• Evolution focuses on building upon what works, just like you should.

Quotes

“Failure is not a pre-requisite for success. Already successful entrepreneurs are far more likely to succeed again than who failed”

Planning is guessing

Takeaways

• Long-term business planning is essentially guessing due to uncontrollable factors.
• Label plans as guesses to reduce stress and acceptance of their inherent uncertainty.
• Plans can limit flexibility and hinder improvisation in response to new opportunities.
• Timing of writing long-range plans is often inaccurate, making decisions before implementation impractical.
• Focus on making small-scale decisions regularly instead of creating extensive plans.
• Embrace the concept of winging it and being adaptable to changing circumstances.

Quotes

“Unless you are a fortune-teller, long-term business planning is a fantasy”

“Give up on the guesswork. Decide what you’re going to do this week, not this year. Figure out the next most important thing and do that. Make decisions right before you do something, not far in advance.”

“Working without a plan may seem scary. But blindly following a plan that has no relationship with reality is even scarier.”

Why grow?

Takeaways

• Growth isn't always necessary for success or impressiveness in business.
• The size of a company doesn't determine its value.
• Don't assume a certain size is right for your business without experimenting.
• Small businesses can be great destinations in themselves, offering agility and flexibility.
• Be cautious about taking on excessive expenses and headaches that come with growth.
• Take pride in running a sustainable and profitable business, regardless of its size.

Quotes

“Do we look at Harvard or Oxford and say, “If they’d only expand and branch out and hire thousands more professors and go global and open other campuses all over the world … then they’d be great schools.” Of course not. That’s not how we measure the value of these institutions. So why is it the way we measure businesses?”

“Small is not just a stepping-stone. Small is a great destination itself”

Workaholism

Takeaways

• Celebrating workaholism is unnecessary and unsustainable, leading to burnout and inelegant solutions
• Workaholics create crises and make others feel inadequate, contributing to poor morale and ass-in-seat mentality
• Overworking can skew values and decision making, resulting in tiredness and impaired judgment
• Workaholics do not actually accomplish more than non-workaholics, wasting time on inconsequential details instead of moving on to the next task.

Quotes

“Not only is this workaholism unnecessary, it’s stupid. Working more doesn’t mean you care more or get more done. It just means you work more. Workaholics wind up creating more problems than they solve. First off, working like that just isn’t sustainable over time. When the burnout crash comes—and it will—it’ll hit that much harder.”

“Workaholics miss the point, too. They try to fix problems by throwing sheer hours at them. They try to make up for intellectual laziness with brute force. This results in inelegant solutions.”

“Workaholics don't actually accomplish more than nonworkaholics. They may claim to be perfectionists, but that just mean they're wasting time fixating on inconsequential details instead of moving on to the next task.”

“Workaholics aren’t heroes. They don’t save the day, they just use it up. The real hero is already home because she figured out a faster way to get things done.”

Enough with “entrepreneurs”

Takeaways

• Retire the outdated and exclusive term "entrepreneur"
• Replace it with the inclusive and down-to-earth term "starter"
• Anyone who creates a new business, regardless of background or self-identification, is a starter
• No need for formal education, suits, or excessive risk tolerance to be a starter.

Quotes

“Everyone should be encouraged to start his own business, not just some rare breed that self-identifies as entrepreneurs.”

“You don’t need an MBA, a certificate, a fancy suit, a briefcase, or an above-average tolerance for risk. You just need an idea, a touch of confidence, and a push to get started.”

Make a dent in the universe

Takeaways

• Make a meaningful impact on the universe by doing valuable work.
• Feel urgency and importance in your life's work, aim for more than just "me-too" products.
• Look at examples like Craigslist and The Drudge Report for inspiration – small teams can make big differences.
• Disrupt old models and industries to create something new and impactful.

Scratch your own itch

Takeaways

• Create products or services based on your own needs and experiences for clear decision-making and effective problem-solving
• Scratching your own itch exposes potential large markets of people with similar needs
• Building what you need enables quick and direct assessment of quality
• Successful examples include 37signals' Highrise, James Dyson's cyclonic vacuum cleaner, Vic Firth's drumsticks, and Nike's waffle sole running shoes
• Founders like Mary Kay Wagner have fallen in love with their creations due to deep personal connection and understanding of the problem and solution.

Quotes

“When you build a product or service, you make the call on hundreds of tiny decisions each day. If you’re solving someone else’s problem, you’re constantly stabbing in the dark. When you solve your own problem, the light comes on. You know exactly what the right answer is.”

Start making something

Takeaways

• Start taking action on your ideas instead of just thinking or planning
• Creating something, whether it's a business or a film, is more important than having an idea
• Stanley Kubrick advised aspiring filmmakers to "get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie"
• Ideas are abundant and inexpensive, the true value lies in execution.

Quotes

“We all have that one friend who says, "I had the idea for eBay. If only I had acted on it, I'd be a billionaire!" That logic is pathetic and delusional. Having the idea for eBay has nothing to do with actually creating eBay. What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan.”

“Until you actually start making something, your brilliant idea is just that, an idea.”

“When you are new at something, you need to start creating.”

“The most important thing is to begin.”

“Ideas are cheap and plentiful. The original pitch idea is such a small part of a business that it’s almost negligible. The real question is how well you execute.”

No time is no excuse

Takeaways

• Make effective use of your time to pursue your goals, even if it means sacrificing some leisure activities or sleep.
• Don't let the lack of hours in a day be an excuse for not starting a project or pursuing a dream.
• Quit making excuses and take responsibility for making your dreams come true.
• If you're unsure about your commitment to a project, using extra time can help determine if it's worth continuing.
• The perfect moment doesn't exist – start now regardless of circumstances.

Quotes

“Once you [work on your idea extra hours], you'll learn whether your excitement and interest is real or just a passing phase.”

“When you want something bad enough, you make the time—regardless of your other obligations. The truth is most people just don’t want it bad enough. Then they protect their ego with the excuse of time. Don’t let yourself off the hook with excuses. It’s entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come true.”

“Besides, the perfect time never arrives. You’re always too young or old or busy or broke or something else. If you constantly fret about timing things perfectly, they’ll never happen.”

Draw a line in the sand

Takeaways

• Have a clear point of view for your business or project.
• Attract superfans by taking strong stands and expressing opinions.
• Prepare for criticism and understand that not everyone will agree with you.
• Simplify your product or service to focus on what you do best.
• Make decisions easily when you have a clear belief system.
• Whole Foods' success comes from standing for selling high-quality natural and organic products.
• Vinnie's Sub Shop's success comes from focusing on fresh ingredients and closing when the bread runs out.

Quotes

“If no one’s upset by what you’re saying, you’re probably not pushing hard enough. (And you’re probably boring, too.)”

“When you don’t know what you believe, everything becomes an argument. Everything is debatable. But when you stand for something, decisions are obvious.”

“There’s no point in selling a few more sandwiches if the bread isn’t good. A few bucks isn’t going to make up for selling food we can’t be proud of.”

Mission statement impossible

Takeaways

• Mission statements that aren't authentic and disconnected from reality can be harmful and frustrate customers
• A genuine mission requires belief and action, not just words on a piece of paper or a website
• Avoid empty promises and unrealistic expectations through honesty and fairness
• Prioritize customer loyalty by delivering more than promised and providing exceptional personalized service
• Motivate employees to provide excellent service by investing in their development and growth, and fairly compensating them.

Quotes

“It's like when you're on hold and a recorded voice comes on telling you how much the company values you as a customer. Really? Then maybe you should hire some more support people so I don't have to wait thirty minutes to get help.”

“Standing for something isn’t just about writing it down. It’s about believing it and living it.”

Outside money is Plan Z

Takeaways

• Avoid outside funding for service businesses and startups that don't require much infrastructure.
• Taking on outside cash gives you less control over your business and may result in building what investors want instead of customers.
• Raising money is distracting and time-consuming, taking focus away from building a great business.
• Spending other people's money can lead to loss of control, short-term thinking, addiction, and bad deals.
• Look for alternative ways to fund your business instead of relying on outside investors.

Quotes

“You wind up building what investors want instead of what customers want.”

You need less than you think

Takeaways

• Question your need for large teams, resources, and expenses
• Two or three people may be enough for business start-up
• Smaller budgets can be sufficient, consider starting with less
• Share office space, rent small storage, or outsource instead of buying or building
• Promote online instead of advertising and hiring PR firms
• Hire someone else to manufacture products instead of building a factory
• Use simple tools for accounting and IT instead of hiring departments
• Handle inquiries yourself instead of hiring full-time support
• Sell products online instead of opening a retail store
• Forego fancy business cards, letterhead, and brochures initially
• Great companies can start small, even in a garage.

Start a business, not a startup

Takeaways

• Start a real business instead of relying on the fantasy of a startup
• Every business, old or new, is subject to market forces and economic rules
• Revenue must exceed expenses for a sustainable business
• Ignoring profitability is irrational and hampers growth
• A business without a path to profit is not a business but a hobby.

Quotes

“A business without a path to profit isn't a business, it's a hobby.”

Building to flip is building to flop

Takeaways

• Prioritize commitment strategy over exit strategy when building a project
• Focus on making project grow and succeed, rather than planning for an early exit
• Odds of getting acquired are slim, and it may lead you to prioritize the wrong things
• Consider the long-term satisfaction of running a business you enjoy and believe in, instead of solely chasing a big payday
• Be cautious about selling out and potentially regretting the loss of your business.

Less mass

Takeaways

• Embrace having less mass in business to be agile and quick to change direction.
• Avoid accumulating excess staff, long-term contracts, permanent decisions, meetings, thick processes, inventory, hardware, software, technology lock-ins, long-term road maps, office politics.
• Keep your organization lean to make mistakes and fix them quickly.
• Change priorities, product mix, focus, business model, product features, marketing message easily.
• Huge organizations take years to pivot and often talk instead of act.

Embrace constraints

Takeaways

• Embrace constraints as advantages in disguise, limiting resources forces creativity.
• Creative expressions like poetry, Haiku and limericks thrive on strict rules.
• Simple language can help writers deliver maximum impact.
• The longevity of shows like "The Price Is Right" lies in their simple formula.
• Companies like Southwest Airlines reduce costs by operating with consistent equipment.
• Constraints during product development lead to simpler, more effective products.
• Make the most of available resources and limitations instead of bemoaning them.

Quotes

“Limited resources force you to make do with what you've got. There's no room for waste. And that forces you to be creative.”

Build half a product, not a half-assed product

Takeaways

• Focus on building half a product instead of trying to do everything at once
• Limited resources and focus make it difficult to execute multiple ideas well
• Sacrifice some ideas for the greater good to create a kick-ass half product
• Perspective reveals that many great ideas may not be as fantastic as initially thought
• Eliminating good content can lead to better overall quality in various fields (movies, music, books)
• Start cutting out excess to reach greatness.

Quotes

“You're better off with a kick-ass half than a half-assed whole.”

Start at the epicenter

Takeaways

• Start new projects by focusing on the most essential part, the epicenter
• The epicenter is what cannot be removed from your project or business
• To find the epicenter, ask if removing it would render the project non-existent
• Prioritize and put effort into making the epicenter the best it can be
• Secondary aspects depend on the foundation of the epicenter.

Quotes

“If you're opening a hot dog stand, you could worry about the condiments, the cart, the name, the decoration. But the first thing you should worry aout is the hot dog. The hot dogs are the epicenter. Everything else is secondary.”

Ignore the details early on

Takeaways

• Ignore details in the initial stages of ideation and design
• Use large tools or broad approaches to keep focus on the big picture
• Nail down basics before worrying about specifics
• Details often become clearer during the implementation process
• Avoid focusing on insignificant aspects early on
• Use a big, thick Sharpie marker instead of fine-point pen for initial sketches.

Quotes

“When we start designing something, we sketch out ideas with a big, thick Sharpie marker, instead of a ballpoint pen. Why? Pen points are too fine. They’re too high-resolution. They encourage you to worry about things that you shouldn’t worry about yet, like perfecting the shading or whether to use a dotted or dashed line. You end up focusing on things that should still be out of focus.”

Making the call is making progress

Takeaways

• Making decisions is progress; piling up decisions leads to ignored, hasty, or discarded solutions
• Commit to making decisions and building momentum instead of waiting for perfect answers
• Decisions don't have to be permanent; you can correct mistakes later
• Don't let complex problems prevent action; find a good-enough solution and improve upon it over time
• Long projects with prolonged development are less likely to launch, so make progress and get something out now.

Quotes

“Whenever you can, swap “Let’s think about it” for “Let’s decide on it.” Commit to making decisions. Don’t wait for the perfect solution. Decide and move forward.”

“Decisions are progress. Each one you make is a brick in your foundation. You can’t build on top of “We’ll decide later,” but you can build on top of”

“It doesn’t matter how much you plan, you’ll still get some stuff wrong anyway. Don’t make things worse by overanalyzing and delaying before you even get going.”

“Long projects zap morale. The longer it takes to develop, the less likely it is to launch. Make the call, make progress, and get something out now—while you’ve got the motivation and momentum to do so.”

Be a curator

Takeaways

• Be selective and consciously decide what to include and exclude, like a museum curator
• Simplify and streamline, focusing on the essentials
• Build relationships and vouch for quality of offerings, rather than just filling shelves
• Taste and personally experience each item before making a decision to carry it
• Strongly recommend only the best based on personal experience and authenticity.

Quotes

“You don’t make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That’s a warehouse.”

“The owner actually tried the oil and chooses to carry it based on its taste. It’s not about packaging, marketing, or price. It’s about quality. He tried it and knew his store had to carry it. That’s the approach you should take too.”

Throw less at the problem

Takeaways

• Trim down menus or projects to around ten items for improvement
• Starting by reducing instead of adding will help avoid inventory headaches and improve quality
• Resist the urge to throw more resources at a problem, instead cut back to make tough decisions and focus on what truly matters.

Focus on what won’t change

Takeaways

• Invest in things that won't change in your business and focus on substance over fashion
• Core principles for Amazon include fast or free shipping, great selection, friendly return policies, and affordable prices
• Japanese automakers focus on reliability, affordability, and practicality
• For 37signals, prioritize speed, simplicity, ease of use, and clarity
• Focusing on permanent features leads to timeless success in business.

Tone is in your fingers

Takeaways

• Tone comes from the player, not the equipment.
• Obsessing over tools instead of skills is a common mistake.
• Expensive gear doesn't guarantee success or quality output.
• In business and creative pursuits, focus on getting customers and creating content, rather than obsessing over tools and frivolities.
• Use what you have or can afford to start, and improve your skills instead of relying on expensive equipment.

Sell your by-products

Takeaways

• Everything you create has by-products
• Observant business minds see opportunities in by-products, such as sawdust, chips, and shredded wood in the lumber industry
• By-products can lead to significant profits and new ventures, like a book or documentary
• Identify your own by-products, even if they're not obvious
• Look for creative ways to monetize or utilize your by-products, such as turning wood scraps into charcoal briquets.

Launch now

Takeaways

• Launch your product or service as soon as it meets basic requirements, focusing on necessities rather than luxuries.
• Impose deadlines to gain clarity and prioritize what's essential for launch.
• Don't wait to address urgent problems; tackle them before and after launch.
• Learn through iterations and real-world feedback to create a great product.
• Recognize that perfection is not necessary at launch; improvement comes with time.
• Use temporary solutions or incomplete elements to attract customers and gather feedback.

Quotes

“Think about it this way: If you had to launch your business in two weeks, what would you cut out?”

Illusions of agreement

Takeaways

• Avoid creating illusions of agreement through abstractions like reports and documents
• Get real by drawing, humming, or physically building to remove layers of abstraction
• True understanding comes from engaging with something tangible instead of imagining different interpretations
• Alaska Airlines built a mock-up using cardboard boxes for effective design and testing
• Sam Maloof believed in starting the making process to discover details instead of relying on drawings alone.

Quotes

“The problem with abstractions (like reports and documents) is that they create illusions of agreement. A hundred people can read the same words, but in their heads, they’re imagining a hundred different things.”

Reasons to quit

Takeaways

• Question why you're doing a task and understand its purpose
• Identify the problem you're solving and ensure it's real
• Create something useful, not just cool
• Add value to your product for customers
• Change behavior with your work
• Find easier ways to solve problems
• Consider what else you could be doing instead
• Evaluate if the effort is worth it before committing.

Quotes

“It’s a lot harder to pull your head up and ask why.”

“Ever find yourself working on something without knowing exactly why? Someone just told you to do it. It's pretty common, actually. That's why it's important to ask why you're working on _____. What is this for? Who benefits? What's the motivation behind it? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you better understand the work itself.”

“Don't throw good time after bad work.”

Interruption is the enemy of productivity

Takeaways

• Interruptions, such as meetings, emails, and casual interactions, hinder productivity.
• Productivity increases during long stretches of uninterrupted work time.
• Setting aside dedicated alone time at work can help increase productivity.
• Communication tools like email can be used instead of interruptive methods like phone calls for collaboration.
• Eliminate distractions and communication addiction during alone time to maximize productivity.

Meetings are toxic

Takeaways

• Meetings can be toxic and unproductive, wasting valuable time and resources
• Prepare for meetings thoroughly or avoid them altogether
• Set a clear agenda, invite only necessary attendees, and limit meeting length
• Begin with a specific problem to address and end with a solution
• Avoid abstract discussions and focus on real things and changes.

Quotes

“Meetings: "They often include at least one moron who inevitably gets his turn to waste everyone’s time with nonsense".”

Good enough is fine

Takeaways

• Recognize that problems are negotiable and seek judo solutions for maximum efficiency with minimum effort
• Look for simple, mundane solutions instead of complex ones that may waste resources or delay progress
• Good enough solutions can be effective in achieving results and can often be improved upon later.

Quotes

“Find a judo solution, one that delivers maximum efficiency with minimum effort. When good enough gets the job done, go for it.”

Quick wins

Takeaways

• Build momentum by accomplishing small victories and moving on to the next task
• Longer projects are less likely to be completed, focus on small wins for motivation
• Excitement comes from delivering results to customers, don't wait too long
• Dedicate time regularly to completing small projects and celebrating successes
• Focus on what can be accomplished in two weeks or less and release it to customers.

Quotes

“The longer something takes, the less likely it is that you're going to finish it.”

“So ask yourself, "What can we do in two weeks?" And then do it. Get out there and let people use it, taste it, play it, or whatever. The quicker it's in the hands of customers, the better off you'll be.”

Don’t be a hero

Takeaways

• Assess tasks realistically and know when to quit if it's taking longer than expected.
• Four hours into a task that should have taken two hours is a sign it may be time to quit and move on.
• Hero mode, or determined effort overload, may not always lead to success and can waste valuable time and resources.
• Seek feedback from others and consider their perspective to gain a fresh perspective and potentially find an obvious solution.
• Quitting is not always a sign of failure, sometimes it's the best course of action when time and resources are being wasted on something unproductive.

Quotes

“People automatically associate quitting with failure, but sometimes that's exactly what you should do. If you already spent too much time on something that wasn't worth it, walk away. You can't get that time back. The worst thing you can do now is waste even more time.”

Go to sleep

Takeaways

• Forgoing sleep destroys creativity, morale, and attitude.
• Pulling an all-nighter occasionally is acceptable, but avoid making it a habit.
• When tired, stubbornness makes it difficult to reconsider routes and find new solutions.
• Lack of sleep hampers creativity, preventing one-tenth solution thinking.
• Tiredness reduces morale, leading to less motivation to tackle big problems.
• Irritability increases when not getting enough sleep, making patience and tolerance more difficult.
• Do not develop a masochistic sense of honor about sleep deprivation.

Your estimates suck

Takeaways

• We're all inaccurate estimators, often off by a factor of two or more.
• Estimating long-term projects is particularly challenging and prone to large errors.
• Break down large projects into smaller chunks for more accurate estimation.
• The smaller the time frame, the easier it is to estimate accurately.
• Structure larger projects as multiple smaller ones for better time management.
• Avoid overestimating by breaking tasks into manageable six-to-ten-hour chunks.

Long lists don’t get done

Takeaways

• Long lists of tasks can be demotivating and result in unfinished items
• Break long lists into smaller, manageable lists for increased satisfaction and progress
• Prioritize tasks visually by placing the most important task at the top and focusing on it before moving to the next
• Avoid labeling tasks as high or low priority, instead prioritize by importance and completing each task before moving onto the next.

Make tiny decisions

Takeaways

• Make small, temporary decisions for greater flexibility and less risk of big mistakes.
• Tiny decisions allow you to change course easily without fear of saving face or incurring significant penalties.
• Big plans and ideas can still be pursued through a series of small decisions.
• Focus on achievable goals for greater satisfaction from accomplishments and progress towards larger objectives.
• Polar explorer Ben Saunders prioritized daily, small decisions during his expedition to avoid being overwhelmed by huge choices.

Don’t copy

Takeaways

• Imitation can be a helpful learning tool in creative pursuits, allowing students to discover their own voice.
• Copying in business is usually unethical and leads to failure.
• Copying skips the crucial step of understanding why something works.
• The work of an original creator contains invisible layers that a copycat doesn't comprehend.
• Being a copycat keeps you in a passive position, always following instead of leading.
• To avoid being a copycat, be influenced but don't steal.

Quotes

“Plus, if you’re a copycat, you can never keep up. You’re always in a passive position. You never lead; you always follow. You give birth to something that’s already behind the times—just a knockoff, an inferior version of the original. That’s no way to live.”

Decommoditize your product

Takeaways

• Make your unique perspective a part of your product or service to differentiate from competitors (Decommoditize)
• Zappos sets itself apart by prioritizing customer service, allowing employees to engage customers and fostering a company culture that values it
• Polyface sells not just the product but the idea behind it - environmentally friendly farming practices, accessibility, transparency - creating loyal customers
• Infuse your business with your strong beliefs and values, go beyond the commoditized offerings of competitors.
• Immerse yourself into every aspect of your product or service to ensure that 'you' cannot be easily replicated by competitors.

Quotes

“Pour yourself into your product and everything around your product too: how you sell it, how you support it, how you explain it, and how you deliver it. Competitors can never copy the you in your product.”

Pick a fight

Takeaways

• Positioning yourself as the anti-competitor can help differentiate your brand and attract followers
• Using humor or taste tests to compare yourself favorably to competitors is effective
• Audi, Apple, 7UP, and Under Armour are examples of successful brands that took on industry giants
• Having an enemy gives you a compelling story to tell customers and can ignite passions
• Identify a competitor or industry to target and take a clear stance against them.

Underdo your competition

Takeaways

• Instead of trying to outdo or one-up your competition, consider underdoing instead by focusing on solving simple problems and leaving complex issues to competitors
• Simpler, lighter, cheaper solutions can be attractive to customers and gain popularity, as seen in the examples of fixed-gear bicycles and the Flip camcorder
• Highlighting a product or service's limitations and selling its ease of use can be an effective marketing strategy.

Quotes

“Don't shy away from the fact that your product or service does less. Highlight it. Be proud of it. Sell it as aggressively as competitors sell their extensive feature lists.”

Who cares what they’re doing?

Takeaways

• Stop obsessing over the competition and focus on yourself.
• Constantly analyzing competitors dilutes your own vision and creativity.
• Don't let competitors define the rules of your industry or business.
• Avoid imitating competitors and instead find ways to redefine the rules.
• Your existence is meaningless if you merely replicate what others are doing.

Quotes

“If you're just going to be like everyone else, why are you even doing this? If you merely replicate competitors, there's no point for your existence. Even if you wind up losing, it's better to go down fighting for what you believe in instead of just imitating others.”

Say no by default

Takeaways

• Saying no is essential for prioritizing and focusing on important tasks.
• Confrontation when saying no is preferable to regretting yes decisions.
• Don't let a few vocal customers dictate your product offerings.
• Be honest and polite when saying no, explaining why and recommending alternatives if needed.
• Keep your product right for you by believing in it strongly.

Quotes

“It's better to have people be happy using someone else's product than disgruntled using yours.”

Let your customers outgrow you

Takeaways

• Don't cater solely to one big customer, risking alienation of general customer base
• Letting customers outgrow your product is better than tailoring it too much
• Adding advanced features can intimidate new customers and scare them away
• Focus on providing a basic product that caters to constant needs
• Make it easy for potential customers to join, as there are more of them than current users
• Companies should be loyal to a type of customer rather than individual customers with changing needs.

Don’t confuse enthusiasm with priority

Takeaways

• Don't let enthusiasm for new ideas replace prioritization.
• Ideas that seem valuable in the moment may lose priority by morning.
• Evaluate the true worth of new ideas before putting everything else on hold.
• Allow new ideas to cool off before evaluating their priority.
• Write down new ideas and park them for a few days before evaluation.

Be at-home good

Takeaways

• Focus on creating "at-home good" products that exceed expectations once used, rather than relying solely on in-store appeal and features.
• Simplify offerings by prioritizing a few essential functions over an excessive number of bells and whistles.
• Build long-term relationships with customers through delivering on the basics beautifully.
• In media and advertising, authenticity and follow-through are crucial to maintaining customer trust and satisfaction.
• A product that executes well in real life is more valuable than one that only looks impressive in a store or on TV.

Don’t write it down

Takeaways

• Listen carefully to customer requests but don't write them down.
• Your customers will serve as your memory, reminding you of important requests over and over.
• Focus on the requests that are consistently mentioned.
• Forget about requests that aren't important enough to stick in your memory.

Quotes

“How should you keep track of what customers want? Don’t. Listen, but then forget what people said. Seriously. There’s no need for a spreadsheet, database, or filing system. The requests that really matter are the ones you’ll hear over and over. After a while, you won’t be able to forget them. Your customers will be your memory. They’ll keep reminding you. They’ll show you which things you truly need to worry about.”

Welcome obscurity

Takeaways

• Embrace obscurity and use it as an opportunity to make mistakes and experiment without public scrutiny.
• Retailers and Broadway shows test new ideas in small markets before launching them on a larger scale.
• Starting out, focus on a small audience rather than risking embarrassment in front of a large one.
• Once you gain success, the pressure to maintain consistency makes taking risks more difficult.
• Use your time of obscurity to take risks and learn from mistakes before facing greater scrutiny later on.

Quotes

“If you've never given a speech before, do you want your first speech to be in front of ten thousand people or ten people? You don't want everyone to watch you starting your business. It makes no sense to tell everyone to look at you if you're not ready to be looked at yet.”

Build an audience

Takeaways

• Build an audience instead of buying ad space or reaching out to people expensively and unreliably.
• An audience is a group of receptive customers and potential customers who come back regularly for your content.
• Building an audience saves you money and time in the long run as they give you their attention willingly.
• Speak, write, blog, tweet, make videos, or share valuable information to build a loyal audience.

Quotes

“All companies have customers. Lucky companies have fans. But the most fortunate companies have audiences.”

“When you build an audience, you don’t have to buy people’s attention—they give it to you. This is a huge advantage. So build an audience. Speak, write, blog, tweet, make videos—whatever. Share information that’s valuable and you’ll slowly but surely build a loyal audience.”

“Share information that’s valuable and you’ll slowly but surely build a loyal audience. Then when you need to get the word out, the right people will already be listening.”

Out-teach your competition

Takeaways

• Instead of trying to outspend, outsell, or outperform competitors, focus on out-teaching them.
• Teaching forms a deeper bond with customers than traditional marketing tactics.
• Individuals and small companies can afford to teach, while big companies cannot due to secrecy and red tape.
• Out-teaching competitors sets you apart and earns trust and respect from your audience.

Quotes

“Instead of trying to outspend, outsell, or outsponsor competitors, try to out-teach them.”

“Teach and you'll form a bond you just don't get from traditional marketing tactics. Buying people's attention with a magazine or online banner ad is one thing. Earning their loyalty by teaching them forms a whole different connection. They'll trust you more. They'll respect you more. Even if they don't use your product, they can still be your fans.”

Emulate chefs

Takeaways

• Business owners should share their knowledge like famous chefs do by writing cookbooks and showing techniques.
• Recipes are easier to copy than businesses, so there's no need to be secretive.
• Fear of competition is common in business, but most don't have truly proprietary advantages.
• Sharing knowledge can be informative, educational, and promotional for your business.
• Write a "cookbook" about how you operate to engage and educate your audience.

Quotes

“As a business owner, you should share everything you know too. This is anathema to most in the business world. Businesses are usually paranoid and secretive. They think they have proprietary this and competitive advantage that. Maybe a rare few do, but most don’t. And those that don’t should stop acting like those that do.”

Go behind the scenes

Takeaways

• Show how your business works behind the scenes to engage customers
• Even seemingly boring businesses can be fascinating when presented right
• People are curious about the making process and want to know how things are made
• Letting customers see the inner workings of your business builds a bond and deeper understanding
• Provide a backstage pass to give customers a unique perspective on your business.

Nobody likes plastic flowers

Takeaways

• Embrace imperfections and unique character instead of striving for a perfect image
• Wabi-sabi values real flaws and teaches to keep things simple
• Show who you truly are, including your warts and all
• Strip down to the essence but don't remove poetry or soul
• Share latest versions of work even if not finished yet
• Being genuine is more important than seeming professional.

Quotes

“It’s a beautiful way to put it: Leave the poetry in what you make. When something becomes too polished, it loses its soul. It seems robotic.”

“It’s OK if it’s not perfect. You might not seem as professional, but you will seem a lot more genuine.”

Press releases are spam

Takeaways

• Press releases are considered spam due to their generic and formulaic nature
• Sending press releases to hundreds of journalists is ineffective as they receive numerous pitches daily
• Personalized approaches such as calling or writing personal notes increase chances of getting noticed
• Standing out and being remarkable is key to securing the best coverage.

Quotes

“What do you call a generic pitch sent out to hundreds of strangers hgoping that one will bite? Spam.”

“Press Releases are spam”

Forget about the Wall Street Journal

Takeaways

• Focus on pitching to trade publications or niche bloggers instead of mainstream media outlets like Wall Street Journal, Time, Forbes, Newsweek, Business Week, and New York Times
• Barrier to entry is lower with smaller outlets; respond quickly to emails and may even get a post the same day
• Smaller sites thrive on being tastemakers and finding new stories, which can go mainstream quickly
• Getting written up in niche publications results in notable spikes in traffic and sales compared to mainstream publications.

Drug dealers get it right

Takeaways

• Make your product addictive and "can't miss" by giving customers a free taste.
• Create easily digestible introductions to what you sell for people to try without investment.
• Confidently offer a free sample if you know customers will return with cash in hand.
• Learn from industries such as bakeries, restaurants, ice cream shops, car dealers, and software firms that have successfully implemented this model.

Marketing is not a department

Takeaways

• Marketing is not a department, but rather something everyone in the company does constantly.
• Every interaction with customers or users, including phone calls, emails, product usage, and invoices, is an opportunity for marketing.
• Recognize the importance of small interactions and details in marketing, instead of focusing solely on events or promotional materials.

Quotes

“Marketing is not a department Do you have a marketing department? If not, good. If you do, don’t think these are the only people responsible for marketing. Accounting is a department. Marketing isn’t. Marketing is something everyone in your company is doing 24/7/365. Just as you cannot not communicate, you cannot not market: Every time you answer the phone, it’s marketing. Every time you send an e-mail, it’s marketing. Every time someone uses your product, it’s marketing. Every word you write on your Web site is marketing. If you build software, every error message is marketing. If you’re in the restaurant business, the after-dinner mint is marketing. If you’re in the retail business, the checkout counter is marketing. If you’re in a service business, your invoice is marketing. Recognize that all of these little things are more important than choosing which piece of swag to throw into a conference goodie bag. Marketing isn’t just a few individual events. It’s the sum total of everything you do.”

The myth of the overnight sensation

Takeaways

• Overnight success is a myth, most people have worked hard for years before achieving recognition
• Be patient and focus on slow, measured growth
• PR firms are expensive and not necessary for new, unknown entities
• Great brands grow organically without initial big PR pushes
• Start building your audience and interest today, keep at it for potential future success.

Do it yourself first

Takeaways

• Try doing a job yourself before hiring someone
• Understand the work and its requirements
• Write realistic job descriptions and conduct good interviews
• Determine the best way to hire (full-time, part-time, outsource)
• Becoming a better manager with experience
• Spend time learning instead of relying on others
• Stay involved in all aspects of your business

Hire when it hurts

Takeaways

• Assess if hiring is necessary by asking if work burden can be solved without additional help
• Consider software or practice changes instead of hiring new staff
• Delay replacement of lost employees to evaluate need for position
• Hire when workload exceeds capacity for an extended period, resulting in quality decline
• Do not hire prematurely.

Pass on great people

Takeaways

• Only hire people when there is a real need and important work for them to do.
• Pass on hiring talented individuals if they won't make a significant contribution to your team.
• Avoid overstaffing as it leads to artificial work, projects, and unnecessary costs.
• Don't worry about missing out on potential hires; there is always an abundance of talent available.
• Hire based on need rather than perceived greatness or potential.

Quotes

“Pass on hiring people you don't need, even if you think that person's a great catch.”

Strangers at a cocktail party

Takeaways

• Attending a cocktail party with strangers results in dull and stiff conversations, focusing on trivial topics.
• Intimate dinner parties among old friends lead to interesting conversations and heated debates.
• Rapidly hiring many people creates a "strangers at a cocktail party" problem, resulting in appeasement instead of challenging ideas.
• Companies get into trouble when people aren't honest about their opinions, leading to production of uninspiring and non-offensive output.
• Create an environment where everyone feels safe to be honest during difficult times.
• Hire employees slowly to avoid a cocktail party of strangers and ensure open communication.

Quotes

“hire slowly. It’s the only way to avoid winding up at a cocktail party of strangers.”

Resumés are ridiculous

Takeaways

• Resumes are often inaccurate and exaggerated, making them unreliable for hiring decisions
• Anyone can create a decent resume, leading to high volume of applications and little differentiation
• Cover letters provide genuine communication from applicants and allow for personalization
• Gut reaction to cover letter can indicate potential match for company culture and job requirements
• Focus on evaluating cover letters for effective candidate selection.

Quotes

“Check the cover letter. In a cover letter, you get actual communication instead of a list of skills, verbs, and years of irrelevance.”

Years of irrelevance

Takeaways

• Requiring a certain number of years of experience can be misleading in job ads
• After the initial learning curve, there's little difference between candidates with varying levels of experience
• What truly matters is an individual's dedication, personality, and intelligence
• Measuring these qualities is challenging, as experience is subjective and difficult to verify
• Focusing on how well someone has performed in their role, rather than length of tenure, is more important.

Quotes

“There’s surprisingly little difference between a candidate with six months of experience and one with six years. The real difference comes from the individual’s dedication, personality, and intelligence.”

“How long someone’s been doing it is overrated. What matters is how well they’ve been doing it.”

Forget about formal education

Takeaways

• Mark Twain's quote "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education" highlights the importance of self-directed learning and experience over formal education.
• Many successful CEOs did not receive undergraduate degrees from Ivy League colleges, challenging the notion that a college degree is necessary for success.
• Academic writing habits, such as long documents, stiff tone, and use of big words, can be harmful to effective communication in business.
• Consider expanding the pool of potential candidates beyond those with college degrees or high GPAs when recruiting for positions.

Quotes

“Too much time in academia can actually do you harm. Take writing, for example. When you get out of school, you have to unlearn so much of the way they teach you to write there. Some of the misguided lessons you learn in academia: The longer a document is, the more it matters. Stiff, formal tone is better than being conversational. Using big words is impressive. You need to write a certain number of words or pages to make a point.”

“It’s no wonder so much business writing winds up dry, wordy, and dripping with nonsense. People are just continuing the bad habits they picked up in school. It’s not just academic writing, either. There are a lot of skills that are useful in academia that aren’t worth much outside of it.”

Everybody works

Takeaways

• Hire doers instead of delegators for a small team.
• Everyone on a small team should be producing, not delegating tasks.
• Delegators create unnecessary work and hinder productivity by assigning busywork.
• Avoid hiring people who thrive in meetings and prefer assigning tasks to others.
• Focus on adding value through personal production rather than delegation.

Quotes

“Delegators love to pull people into meetings, too. In fact, meetings are a delegator’s best friend. That’s where he gets to seem important. Meanwhile, everyone else who attends is pulled away from getting real work done.”

Hire managers of one

Takeaways

• Identify managers who work independently and set their own goals (Managers of One)
• Look for individuals with a track record of setting project tone and running projects
• Managers of One require minimal supervision and oversight
• Hiring such managers allows your team to focus on their tasks instead of management
• These self-motivated individuals are capable of building projects from scratch and seeing them through.

Hire great writers

Takeaways

• Hire the best writer for any position due to their clear thinking and effective communication skills.
• Being a good writer involves more than just writing – it's about making things understandable, empathizing with others, and knowing what to omit.
• Writing is essential in today's society as communication increasingly occurs through email, text messages, instant messaging, and blogging.
• Invest in strong writing skills for the benefits of clear thinking and effective communication.

Quotes

“If you are trying to decide among a few people to fill a position hire the best writer. it doesn't matter if the person is marketer, salesperson, designer, programmer, or whatever, their writing skills will pay off. That's because being a good writer is about more than writing clear writing. Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking. great writers know how to communicate. they make things easy to understand. they can put themselves in someone else's shoes. they know what to omit. And those are qualities you want in any candidate. Writing is making a comeback all over our society... Writing is today's currency for good ideas.”

The best are everywhere

Takeaways

• Hire the best talent regardless of location with the help of technology.
• Aim for 2-4 hours of daily real-time overlap for effective communication.
• Schedule in-person meetings at least every few months to build relationships and plan for the future.
• Geography no longer limits hiring opportunities; focus on finding top talent.

Test-drive employees

Takeaways

• Evaluate employees' work abilities through miniprojects instead of relying on past experiences or interviews.
• BMW and Cessna use simulation projects to assess candidates' decision-making skills and compatibility with the team.
• Gauge potential hires by their actions, not just their words.
• Creating a fake project for testing purposes can provide valuable insights into a candidate's work style and problem-solving abilities.

Own your bad news

Takeaways

• When something goes wrong, be the first to tell the story to prevent rumors and false information.
• Tell your customers about bad news, even if they weren't aware of it initially.
• Being open, honest, public, and responsive during a crisis will earn respect from your customers.
• Delaying response or hiding behind spin can lead to PR disasters.
• The highest-ranking person should take control and spread the message far and wide.
• "No comment" is not an option, apologize genuinely and explain what happened in detail.
• Prove your concern for customers by taking action to address the issue.

Quotes

“People will respect you more if you are open, honest, public, and responsive during a crisis. Don’t hide behind spin or try to keep your bad news on the down low. You”

Speed changes everything

Takeaways

• Responding quickly to customer queries is crucial in customer service.
• A swift response can turn a bad situation into a good one.
• Long wait times or delayed responses are now expected by customers.
• Antagonistic tone from customers is often due to frustration over long wait times.
• Personalized, thoughtful responses can differentiate you from other companies.
• Offering a "let me do some research and get back to you" response can be effective.

How to say you’re sorry

Takeaways

• Use an "I" apology instead of a "we" apology to show personal responsibility.
• Avoid using conditional if phrases and the word "may" to minimize blame.
• Accept full responsibility and provide details on what happened and steps to prevent it from recurring.
• Use appropriate tone and language based on the severity of the issue.
• Consider how you would feel about the apology if you were on the receiving end.
• Building rapport with customers before an apology is necessary for them to trust and forgive.

Put everyone on the front lines

Takeaways

• Encourage cross-functional experiences between front-line staff and product makers in companies.
• Direct communication between customers and those responsible for product development is crucial for understanding customer needs and feedback.
• Implement a system to minimize the number of intermediaries between customers and product creators to avoid message distortion.
• Regularly expose all team members to direct customer interactions, both positive and negative, for motivation and improvement.
• Prioritize customer communication and involvement in your business, no matter how busy you are.

Quotes

“Everyone on your team should be connected to your customers—maybe not every day, but at least a few times throughout the year. That’s the only way your team is going to feel the hurt your customers are experiencing. It’s feeling the hurt that really motivates people to fix the problem. And the flip side is true too: The joy of happy customers or ones who have had a problem solved can also be wildly motivating. So”

Take a deep breath

Takeaways

• When introducing a new feature or change, expect negative reactions and resist making hasty decisions.
• People's initial negative reactions may be primal and not fully considered.
• Negative reactions are often louder than positive ones, so it may seem like more people are against a change than are actually unhappy.
• Let negative reactions simmer and show empathy towards those expressing discontent, but don't backpedal on necessary decisions.
• People may eventually adjust to and even come to prefer the change once they've had time to get used to it.

Quotes

“People are creatures of habit. That’s why they react to change in such a negative way. They’re used to using something in a certain way and any change upsets the natural order of things. So they push back. They complain. They demand that you revert to the way things were. But that doesn’t mean you should act. Sometimes you need to go ahead with a decision you believe in, even if it’s unpopular at first.”

You don’t create a culture

Takeaways

• Culture is not created artificially through mission statements or rules, but rather developed organically through consistent behavior.
• Sharing, trust, and treating customers well are examples of behaviors that can build a strong culture within an organization.
• Culture is action, not objects, events, or slogans.
• Don't worry too much about creating culture; it will develop naturally over time.

Quotes

“You don’t create a culture. It happens. This is why new companies don’t have a culture. Culture is the by-product of consistent behavior.”

“Culture is action, not words.”

Decisions are temporary

Takeaways

• Decisions are temporary and don't need to last forever
• Worry about real problems instead of inventing potential ones
• Optimize for the present, worry about scaling later
• Small businesses have the advantage of being able to make quick changes compared to larger competitors.

Quotes

“But what if …?” “What happens when …?” “Don’t we need to plan for …?” Don’t make up problems you don’t have yet. It’s not a problem until it’s a real problem. Most of the things you worry about never happen anyway.”

“If circumstances change, your decisions can change. Decisions are temporary.”

Skip the rock stars

Takeaways

• Stop seeking "rock stars" or "ninjas" for your team, focus on creating a great environment instead.
• The environment plays a significant role in producing great work.
• Cut out lame policies and poor direction to unleash potential.
• Develop trust, autonomy, and responsibility for a rockstar environment.
• Provide privacy, workspace, and tools for respecting your team's work.

They’re not thirteen

Takeaways

• Stop treating employees like children by requiring constant approval and permission
• Creating a culture of non-thinkers and mistrust through micromanagement is costly and ineffective
• Employees need diversions to disrupt monotony and maintain focus, banning social media or YouTube doesn't increase productivity
• Trust your employees and save costs on surveillance software, IT monitoring, and rule book writing.

Quotes

“When you treat people like children, you get children’s work.”

“When everything constantly needs approval, you create a culture of nonthinkers.”

Send people home at 5

Takeaways

• Prioritize having employees with a balanced life outside of work
• Long hours don't equate to better execution or competition against larger companies
• Encourage efficiency by setting personal goals and deadlines
• Hire individuals who have multiple interests and commitments
• Value and retain employees with a rich personal life.

Don’t scar on the first cut

Takeaways

• Avoid creating policies after the first offense
• Policies are organizational scar tissue and collective punishment
• Policies are codified overreactions to unlikely situations
• Bureaucracies grow one policy at a time
• Create policies only for recurring situations.

Quotes

“Policies are organizational scar tissue. They are codified overreactions to situations that are unlikely to happen again. They are collective punishment for the misdeeds of an individual. This is how bureaucracies are born. No one sets out to create a bureaucracy. They sneak up on companies slowly. They are created one policy—one scar—at a time. So don’t scar on the first cut. Don’t create a policy because one person did something wrong once. Policies are only meant for situations that come up over and over again.”

Sound like you

Takeaways

• Avoid sounding overly formal and robotic in business communication
• Honesty about who you are is important for small businesses
• Use simple, direct language instead of jargon and corporate-speak
• Write conversationsally and avoid legalese in emails
• Forget rules and communicate authentically
• Write for one specific person rather than a general audience.

Quotes

“Write to be read, don't write just to write.”

Four-letter words

Takeaways

• Avoid using four-letter words like need, must, can't, easy, just, only, and fast in business communication as they can create animosity and cause projects to be late
• Need: Instead of saying "need," ask questions or use alternative phrases like "maybe" or "what do you think?"
• Can't: Consider rephrasing "can't" statements as challenges or finding solutions instead
• Easy: Be mindful of using "easy" to describe others' tasks and recognize that your own tasks may not be easy for you as well
• Watch out for other four-letter words like everyone, no one, always, and never that can make it tough to find a solution and create tension in debates
• Be cautious when stringing together multiple four-letter words as they can lead to a hundred assumptions and a recipe for disaster.

Quotes

“They’re need, must, can’t, easy, just, only, and fast. These words get in the way of healthy communication. They are red flags that introduce animosity, torpedo good discussions, and cause projects to be late.”

“There are four-letter words you should never use in business. They're not fuck or shit. They're need, must, can't, easy, just, only and fast. These words gets in the way of healthy communication”

“Easy. Easy is a word that’s used to describe other people’s jobs. “That should be easy for you to do, right?” But notice how rarely people describe their own tasks as easy. For you, it’s “Let me look into it”—but for others, it’s “Get it done.”

ASAP is poison

Takeaways

• Avoid using "ASAP" in requests, as it devalues the importance of other tasks and creates unnecessary stress.
• Use emergency language only for true emergencies with direct consequences to inaction.
• Not everything requires immediate attention; some tasks can wait without negative consequences.
• Overuse of ASAP can lead to burnout and increased stress levels.

Inspiration is perishable

Takeaways

• Inspiration is perishable and has an expiration date.
• Ideas last forever, but acting on them requires immediate action.
• Don't wait to start a project, use inspiration as a productivity multiplier and motivator.
• Weekend procrastination can hinder the momentum of inspired ideas.
• Act on inspiration promptly to make the most of it.
• Inspiration is a powerful tool for getting work done, but it won't wait for you.

Quotes

“WE ALL HAVE ideas. Ideas are immortal. They last forever. What doesn’t last forever is inspiration. Inspiration is like fresh fruit or milk: It has an expiration date.”

Discussion

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