There are three things worth remarking on about this book:
- It’s short.
- It’s unusual.
- It seems honest.
Derek Sivers is a musician who accidentally built a 22-million-dollar business. And his book of business and life advice is compelling for the same reason that I imagine his business, CDbaby, was successful: he has nothing to sell.
The entire book is a 90-minute read, so I’ll keep this review short.
See for Yourself
“When people would ask, “What are you doing to grow your company?” I’d say, “Nothing! I’m trying to get it to stop growing! I don’t like this. It’s too big.””
“Never forget that absolutely everything you do is for your customers.”
“Making a company is a great way to improve the world while improving yourself.”
“Don’t pursue business just for your own gain. Only answer the calls for help.”
“Make sure you know what makes you happy and don’t forget it.”
– Derek Sivers, Anything You Want
The Fundamental Lesson of Anything You Want
For me, this book is fundamentally an argument for the following way of life:
Happiness is a way to be, not a thing to have. So learn what makes you happy, and be that way. Don’t bother with anything else.
Sivers makes the same point immaculately in his 2-minute blogpost. It’s one of my favorite essays on the internet.
Who’s this for?
Entrepreneurs, creators and people with unusual dreams will benefit most from this book.
You don’t have to agree with everything the book says. And don’t try to persuade yourself if you disagree. This is Derek Sivers’ utopic vision of the world and yours can look different from his.
Do I recommend it?
Most books—even great ones—aren’t worth recommending. Because the best book to recommend is one that will actually get read, and most recommendations don’t get read.
This book is different. For the three reasons mentioned at the beginning of this post, this book is thoroughly readable. And I think it’s worth reading as well.
You should read this one.
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