Title:<\/strong> “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big<\/a>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Author:<\/strong> Scott Adams<\/p>\n\n\n\n Published Date:<\/strong> 2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pages:<\/strong> 231<\/p>\n\n\n\n Average Time to Read: <\/strong>7 – 8 hours<\/p>\n\n\n\n Favorite Chapter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapter 11 \u2013 The Energy Metric<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a Type A person, a solution to \u201cwhat metric should I track to evaluate my progress\u201d has eluded me for decades. Every solution I\u2019ve developed thus far has created a polarization that I haven\u2019t been happy with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I end up feeling constantly at war with myself and then the \u201cthing to track\u201d gets tossed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enter Scott Adams’ Energy Metric <\/strong>\u2013 the solution to this decades\u2019 old problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do all of these other metrics (time, weight, sleep) have in common? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Their impact on my ENERGY<\/strong> levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With more energy, I am more productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, since all of the metrics that I used to track work together within this Energy Metric, there are no more polarizations! Instead I can work on observing how the various factors relate to one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance \u2013 I stay up late binging TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I lose sleep so I wake up in the morning with my energy levels low. In order to raise them, I grab something sugary and quick to eat and load up on the caffeine. This ends up being a recipe for disaster by the afternoon and then I\u2019ve lost all motivation to work out which further plummets my energy levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of focusing on the one metric (sleep), Adams solves the whole problem by telling you to track your energy levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His Energy Metric is honestly so simple, I have NO idea why I didn\u2019t realize this myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the Energy Metric itself is simple, Adams coverage of it is not. Within this chapter, Adams delves much deeper into common energy traps and how to avoid them. You’ll really want to make sure you take a look at this chapter if you want to get tips for how to maximize your energy and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After reading this chapter and trying to track my energy levels on my own, I stumbled upon a tool that simplified how I tracked my energy levels throughout the day. Garmin makes a line of smartwatches which include a \u201cBody Battery<\/a>\u201d metric that takes into account your heart rate variability, sleep quality, level of activity and more and produces a variable score that shows how your body’s energy level is responding to your environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I bought the Garmin Vivosmart 5<\/a> fitness band and the watch as a whole is awesome, but the Body Battery metric itself has been such a great tool in helping me better understand how things like exercise, sleep, and stress impact my energy levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are looking to increase your energy levels so that you can be more productive, I definitely recommend that you read this chapter and grab a Garmin watch that has a Body Battery metric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Favorite Quotes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPriorities are the things you need to get right so that the things you love can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverything you learn becomes a shortcut for understanding something else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo put it another way, the right amount of exercise today is whatever amount makes me look forward to being active tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight choices can be challenging, but they usually charge you up. When you\u2019re on the right path, it feels<\/em> right, literally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a very early fall morning in 2022 and I felt distraught. I had been battling various illnesses for weeks (hello tri-demic!) and I had fallen behind on so many of my goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My inner critic was fuming about me failing to make my desired progress so I took to my LinkedIn community for words of wisdom and support. I hoped that someone had advice for how to live through another illness season and still make progress on your work goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully, several lovely commenters shared lots of great advice (I highly recommend using LinkedIn for your social media account if you aren\u2019t already. If you are, connect with me<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there was one piece of advice that stood out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a comment I received from someone who said: Goals are dead, you need better systems. Read <\/em>“How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big<\/a>” and never have another goal again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While I had heard of Dilbert, I didn\u2019t know of Scott Adams or that he wrote books about his life experience. I wasn\u2019t sure that this book was going to be the right book for me, as I was really looking for a guide on how to continue making progress in my life despite a seemingly endless supply of hurdles and pivots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The commenter assured me that Scott Adams\u2019 life was filled with hiccups and pivots and yet he still managed to find success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If someone had figured out how to navigate life\u2019s turbulence and still end up on course, I definitely wanted to know how. Curiosity piqued, I bought the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams tries to accomplish a lot in this book, as he blends both memoir and personal development tips \u2013 not an easy feat. He sacrifices topic depth in order to cover a breadth of factors related to building a successful life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that said, by providing an overview and basic information on personal development, <\/em>“How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big” would be a great first read for anyone who is new to the topic of personal development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams\u2019 frankness, humor and approachable writing style makes this book an especially great gift for a graduating high school student who is starting out on their own journey toward finding success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, I plan on gifting this book to my three sons on their high school graduation day. My kids hear me discuss a lot of the advice given in this book but I feel strongly that you have to hear the words from the right person to get them to stick. Adams does a great job of offering a different take on proven methods for finding success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This book would also be helpful to anyone who lacks a lot of real-world experience, as Adams weaves together his personal experience with his success tips, thus showing you how to apply the tips to your own life circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an avid personal development reader, however, I found the material within this book a bit beginner. If you\u2019re familiar with the basic principles of personal development, I\u2019d consider either skimming this book or skipping it entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, I don\u2019t generally gravitate towards memoir books but I tried this one because of the personal development angle. I thought the idea of weaving together personal story with lessons learned might add a unique perspective not often found in general personal development books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams did deliver this magic in some sections and in others, his writing felt patronizing \u2013 like a parent saying \u201cdo this and not that\u201d without really delving into the why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of this may be a misinterpretation by me because Adams writing style for this book is much like his comic writing style \u2013 it\u2019s dry. I prefer a warner, more nurturing approach so the dry, reporter-style way of writing made it difficult for me to get through this book – I kept putting it down and lacked a desire to pick it back up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I persevered because the pure memoir parts of this book were interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you like to read about someone\u2019s rise to success and get into their mind, you might enjoy this book. Scott Adams did not have an easy journey to success, he had to overcome quite a bit of adversity to find his success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also appreciated Adams\u2019 deep self-reflection and candor about the decisions he made and how he felt they impacted his life and success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some sections within the book also delved deeper into his thought patterns and behaviors which were very relatable. He wrote about his lessons learned and shared tips for what he wish he had done. These sections were by far my favorite, as I felt like I was learning from a mentor who wanted to make sure I didn\u2019t make the same mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, if you like reading unique books \u2013 take a look at \u201cHow to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.\u201d It does an interesting job weaving together memoir and personal development so you walk away with a behind-the-scenes look at how someone found success despite many failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Part memoir, part self-help book, Adams shares various tips and tricks that helped make his career and life a success \u2013 success meaning financial independence and enough health to enjoy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So how do you find success? What does that path look like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some key takeaways from Adams\u2019 book on how you can build a successful, prosperous life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What goes into developing a successful life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Adams, the general recommended parts of developing a successful life include: passion, desire, luck, hard work, determination, brains and an appetite for risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Adams who started his journey towards success as an average man, has a different view on what factors you need to focus on to grow a successful life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most important is luck<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your entire journey success\u00a0is influenced by this very one thing \u2013 luck, also referred to as timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order for you to find success, you have to luck on your side orchestrating the timing so that you and the right circumstances come together at just the right time to create a kind of magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s Adams one line about his formula for success: \u201cI pursued a conscious strategy of managing my opportunities in a way that would make it easier for luck to find me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What does this mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to be successful, you have got to put yourself out there by taking risks and opening yourself up so that luck can find you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of luck, as I was writing this section I took a break and checked my email only to find an email from Sahil Bloom with the subject line: \u201cThe 4 Types of Luck.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yep, I\u2019m sitting here writing about luck and The Universe drops some incredibly well-timed additional wisdom into my inbox and then nudges me to go find it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s like magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right place, right time – it\u2019s THE perfect example of how you find luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure you listen to those nudges!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s look at Sahil Bloom\u2019s idea:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bloom beautifully adds to Adams luck idea by sharing his 4 types of luck<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n How can you improve your chances of luck finding you? (Other than paying attention to those little nudges The Universe sends you).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t worry – Adams gives you extra suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start with your natural advantages, i.e. what you\u2019re naturally good at that requires minimal effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To find some of your natural advantages, think back to ages 5 \u2013 10, how did you spend your time? What were you drawn to? What activities or attributes did you receive praise for? What caught people\u2019s attention? What did you enjoy doing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most often it is in these early years when our natural advantages are most prevalent. As we age, we become more aware of society\u2019s pressure and standards which can force us away from our natural advantages, as we desire conformity over self-expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reconnecting with those strengths is a key factor in developing lasting success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams writes: \u201c\u2026There\u2019s a strong connection to what interests you and what you\u2019re good at.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Focus on what interests you and you\u2019ll find some of your natural advantages and talents. These are great building blocks to form the foundation of your success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You just need one success to start welcoming more success into your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Play games, take up a sport, engage in competition, start a streak \u2013 anything where you can be successful and that helps you feel a sense of accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In these situations, success builds on success and becomes a habit. Start with something small and work towards bigger accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not sure I wholeheartedly agree with Adams\u2019 take on this, however, there are many situations where it applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams writes: \u201cThe pattern I noticed was this: Things that will someday work out well start out<\/em> well. Things that will never work start out bad and stay that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I do feel that there are instances where there are things that start out poorly and are salvageable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes the timing is wrong (need luck to come find you) or you\u2019re missing key information or you don\u2019t have the right people supporting you. Shifting some of these factors could turn the situation around and make it work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which brings me to Adams\u2019 next point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026the best loan customer is one who has no passion whatsoever, just a desire to work hard at something that looks good on a spreadsheet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want luck to find you, you have to consistently take action that opens you to more opportunities for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams also shares that if you consistently focus on learning new skills, you\u2019re essentially doubling your odds of success. More experience, more skills, more opportunities for luck to find you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in referencing my comments above, if you consistently apply effort to something and it does not shift from an unproductive thing to a productive thing, then maybe it is time to quit. Not everything you try will bring you success but it will bring you lessons that you can apply to your next adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which brings me to Adams next factor for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You have to have a solid understanding of who you are and what you can offer the world if you want to find success. The Universe values people who value themselves and are also ready to serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspersed throughout several chapters, Adams shares about all the times he failed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And he failed A LOT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was really surprised just how many times he flopped and yet over the course of several years, he found success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The number one factor that I think kept Adams going was that he knew his potential. He found his interests, he tested the market, and he kept at it until he got the timing right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Giving up therefore is the only time when you actually fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you believe in your potential and are able to get it validated by a market force at some point in the journey, then your commitment to realizing your potential is what will actually lead you to success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You figured out your interests, you know your potential, you\u2019ve focused on being consistent, and now the last piece is your attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, you need to watch for blind spots<\/strong>. These are the things that you don\u2019t know that you don\u2019t know. And these things will wreck your success more than anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s super fun about these little buggers is that most often only other people can help you see them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which is why finding people who will give you honest feedback is priceless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t want to surround yourself with people who just tell you \u201cyes\u201d or the good stuff \u2013 you want people who will tell you that you\u2019re off your rocker. People who will question you and ask you to really look at what you\u2019re thinking and doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes you can catch blind spots on your own if you focus on recognizing patterns<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, I love dairy but dairy doesn\u2019t love me. I only figured that out because I consistently kept experiencing unpleasant symptoms after I ate dairy. I paid attention to how I felt every time I ate dairy and my body alerted me that dairy was an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your instincts do this frequently \u2013 send you physical nudges throughout the day that often get ignored. It\u2019s important that you listen to them, especially if there\u2019s a pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Say for instance that you have a tight jaw. It\u2019s been bugging you for weeks and you\u2019ve tried all the things but it won\u2019t stop. One day, you commit to observing your life for patterns and you notice that as soon as this one particular co-worker walks into the room, your jaw clenches even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone else in the room may have noticed your physical discomfort and could have told you about this blind spot, but you figured it out for yourself by tuning into your body\u2019s clues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like I listened to the nudge to check my email and found Bloom\u2019s extra wisdom, your body and instincts are excellent at guiding you on your path toward success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The last piece of wisdom related to attitude is to practice humility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I really love Adams take on humility \u2013 success is a journey and you will fail frequently. You will need to set your pride aside and ask for help. You will need to take responsibility for action that you wish you hadn\u2019t taken and you will have to accept that very few things will go your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But if you stay humble, if you keep trying, if you commit to the journey and not the destination, Adams believes that you will find success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside of these success factors, Adams includes a variety of other supporting factors that impacted his ability to find success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapter Six \u2013 Goals vs. Systems is perhaps one of the biggest takeaways from Adams book, as he is often credited as being the original person to write about this idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s his take:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026let\u2019s say a goal<\/em> is a specific objective that you either achieve or don\u2019t sometime in the future. A system<\/em> is something you do on a regular basis that increases your odds of happiness in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bottom line \u2013 if you do something daily, it\u2019s a system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re waiting on something happening in the future, it\u2019s a goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams elaborates on this more by giving examples but what he\u2019s really talking about is creating a simple system of aligned and supportive habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Habits are the things you do every day that help luck find you and bring you success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Goals, however, are like buoys off in the distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me set the scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine you like to swim in an open body of water and you make it your goal to swim out to a buoy and back. You can see the buoy off in the distance – you know how to get out there and you want to get out there. Now what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The actions you take (swimming) is the system of habits that actually gets you to the buoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, even though this buoy is anchored, its location can shift or its tether can snap entirely. If you\u2019re solely committed to reaching that buoy, your happiness takes a serious hit when the buoy moves or disappears. You’ll also have to expend a lot more energy figuring out your next steps including another goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you are committed and focused on your system of habits (swimming) and not the goal (buoy), you won’t need to shift your perspective because you’ll still be out there swimming regardless of what happens to the buoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By committing to swimming each stroke, you also receive mini wins that keep you motivated. You end up falling in love with the process of swimming which can take you anywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Focusing on systems and not goals is what allows you to sustain your progress. You spend less time figuring out new plans and strategies and you stay happier and more motivated to continue your effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe so much in the power of systems that I created a unique Net Worth Tracker<\/a> – one that tracks the daily habits you need to grow your money. Habits such as dollars saved per month, daily step count, number of books read or podcasts listened, average hours of sleep, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure you grab a copy and start tracking your money habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want more support on how to develop a better system to support your journey towards success, James Clear\u2019s \u201cAtomic Habits<\/a>\u201d does an excellent job of digging deeper into how habits and the systems that support them can propel you toward success.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFavorites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Found Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Who Would Benefit from How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Key Takeaways from How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Implement These Success Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Luck<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Natural Advantage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Success Builds Success<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Success Starts off Successful<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Consistency is Critical<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Know Your Potential<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Attitude Matters<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Use Systems Not Goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n