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    Rework
    Rework
    Rework
    Ebook242 pages1 hour

    Rework

    By Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. 

    Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf.

    Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don't even need an office. Those are all just excuses. 

    What you really need to do is stop talking and start working. This book shows you the way. You'll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and tons more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire and provoke you.

    With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCrown
    Release dateMar 9, 2010
    ISBN9780307463760
    Author

    Jason Fried

    JASON FRIED is the cofounder and CEO of Basecamp. He started the company back in 1999 and has been running the show ever since. Along with David, he wrote Getting Real, REWORK, and REMOTE. When it comes to business, he thinks things are simple until you make them complicated. And when it comes to life, we’re all just trying to figure it out as we go.

    Read more from Jason Fried

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    Reviews for Rework

    4/5

    616 ratings37 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 2/5

      Feb 21, 2024

      The book describes a way of starting and doing small business. It tries to convey importance of some attitudes they think are important for keeping the business afloat. Stay small, think about the product, don't waste resources on things you don't need, etc.
      Reminded me of Carnegie. Light, emotional, motivating. No deep research or argumentation presented. They are just showing the way it worked for them but try to put it as though it is the best way to do things.
    • 4/5

      Sep 16, 2023

      Highly recommended if you have any authority at all to control how work is done at your job.
    • 4/5

      Dec 13, 2020

      I'm not really one for business books, but I was really drawn to this one by some of the claims on the back.

      The author's aren't really claiming anything revolutionary, but in the fine tradition of David Allen, Fred Brooks, and Strunk/White it succinctly lists principles to strive for and the rationale behind them. It also does it in a very straightforward (and slightly abrasive) manner.

      I don't think the book is a bible, and I suspect that a successful company would find that a dogmatic adherence would eventually be counter-productive. I imagine that this book lays out a great mindset for someone starting out their own business, though.

      As an engineer, this book's appeal is that it both lays out some insight into the _business_ of software development and why I should invest some care into that aspect of my employment. It also provides some business rationale for arguments I mostly just thought about in terms of maximizing productivity, which I suspect provides for better effective ammo when it is the business types I need to convince.
    • 5/5

      Apr 15, 2020

      This is an amazing book for anyone who owns a business, wants to launch one, or simply wants to do their job in an amazing way. It's a very light and quick read, and yet it's full of so many things that after years of experience might sound obvious, but still most of us in the business fail to do.

      Just read it, give it to your employees or even to your boss, and keep it in mind every day. It will definitely make a difference in your work life.
    • 3/5

      May 9, 2017

      I picked this book up from Mark Cuban's "5 best business books." It was an easy, quick read. It definitely is a light book. Lots of graphics, and lots of white space...no Fountainhead or Drucker tome here. I don't usually need inspiration from business books, and instead am looking for new ideas, practices, habits, etc. There was no great enlightenment here, but there were enough good and simple reminders. I vacillated between 3-4 stars, because it's not a bad book...just a little simplistic. Not bad.
    • 5/5

      Dec 3, 2016

      A short book with short chapters meant to get you thinking differently about work.

      Much of what the book covers goes against the “common” advice out there.

      It gets you thinking (sometimes differently) and that’s one thing a good book is all about.

      David Heinemeir Hansson has recently been featured on two Tim Ferris podcasts – two excellent episodes.
    • 5/5

      Mar 23, 2016

      This is a great book for anyone who either owns, or is contemplating starting, a business. The authors founded 37Signals, a Chicago-based software development firm that created the website development software Ruby On Rails and the popular Highrise contact management program -- among others. The book expresses their successful business development philosophy which distills down to: (1) create a product/service that you would like to use (because it solves a problem you have experienced) (2) start it now (3) learn from your successes (as opposed to other people's failures) and (4) continuously rework your business in response to market signals to make it better.
      Along the way, they provide invaluable advice designed to disabuse people from commonly accepted business practices that they have found to be counter-productive. These include everything from building extensive 'mission statements' to seeking outside investment capital and working from written business plans. (As you can see, Rework is no ordinary business book!)
      The authors are creative minimalists who believe in distilling and developing the core of your business idea and not encumbering it with non-essential frills (see Chapters "Be a Curator" and "Throw Less at the Problem." They also believe in a new entrepreneurial work ethic involving a 10- to 40-hour
      work week.
      They practice what they preach. Rework, they write, began as a 52,000 word book which they then edited down to 26,000 words. Consequently, the book provides a quick, entertaining, thought-provoking read with pages peppered with insightful quotes and great, game-changing ideas.
      Highly recommended.
    • 3/5

      Nov 11, 2015

      Although there is some good advice in this book, the format makes it hard to remember or apply. Much of the book, especially the first half, felt like a list of platitudes and marketing speak. The second half is a bit better, though the most useful takeaways are just insights about how the company works. This book might have worked better as a memoir: stories are more memorable than lists of advice.

      A few food quotes:

      "Meetings are toxic"

      "Marketing is not a department"

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

      “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.”

      “You’ve probably heard of Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Julia Child, Paula Deen, Rick Bayless, or Jacques Pépin. They’re great chefs, but there are a lot of great chefs out there. So why do you know these few better than others? Because they share everything they know. They put their recipes in cookbooks and show their techniques on cooking shows.”

      “Culture isn’t a foosball table or trust falls. It isn’t policy. It isn’t the Christmas party or the company picnic. Those are objects and events, not culture. And it’s not a slogan, either. Culture is action, not words.”

      “When everything constantly needs approval, you create a culture of nonthinkers. You create a boss-versus-worker relationship that screams, “I don’t trust you.”

      “Policies are organizational scar tissue.”
    • 4/5

      Aug 11, 2014

      The Internet has transformed how many businesses operate and Re-Work clearly explains how to build and run a business in this new era. However, in contrast to some Internet-era business approaches that encourage fantasy accounting and venture capital infusions until the patient is alive, the author encourages bootstrapping, building within real-world financial considerations, and being methodical.
      Using examples from his company's internal technology development, the author shares ideas on using and managing a distributed workforce operating out of the normal office structure. I applaud his desire to kill the oft misused word "entrepreneur." I also appreciate the focus on building a business that creates value for the customer, not just a financial parachute for the founders.

      Focus on business guides instead of plans. Business plans are based on thinking in the past about how things will be in the future. When you are in that "future" don't be constrained by the plans of the past. View it for what it is: an educated guess from the past about how things would be and what you wanted to accomplish. As things change, adjust. Don't be constrained.

      Great book for rethinking the modern workplace and company.
    • 4/5

      Jul 26, 2014

      Simple, lean, "common sensical", fun and useful, even if you've no intention of starting your own business.
    • 3/5

      Mar 6, 2014

      A bit average and ordinary in its advice, especially if you've occasionally read the 37signals blog. Basically the book describes that its OK to be a small business, passion is required, hunt hard for good people (not just using resume), treat customers well but don't listen to everything they want, keep the product simple, ship often and early, etc.
    • 3/5

      Feb 6, 2014

      This book is a super easy read, finished it in less then a day. It's mostly 1 or 2 page sections with a full page cartoon image per chapter. The book is written by two guys who run a very successful web company. The book is about running a business, productivity, and really just a collection of tips/maxims that have helped them be successful.
      They say it isn't a "web" book, but it definitely is. Most of the maxims and ideas are more specific to someone creating a web service or company, though there are definitely plenty of tips that have value for any type of business.
      I liked it because I am involved in a handful of web projects. I also liked it because it's different then normal work productivity advice and guides. Any book with a new angle helps you be reflective of your current methodology and usually results in a fresh mindset for tackling work.

      If your looking for a good productivity book, and specifically if you do web related work or small business, I'd recommend this.
    • 2/5

      Oct 1, 2013

      Rework is an example of the business-inspirational genre by the founders of 37Signals, a software company. I like 37Signals because they’re straightforward, even pithy, and because founder Jason Fried has some right-on things to say about business culture, such as the stupidity of insisting that all workers come to an office and stay for eight hours, whether they are productive there or not. Rework follows the format of a lot of these books, which alternates extremely short chapters with crude page-sized art. Usually this format follows naturally when the author is reworking his blog into a book, which is the case here.

      A lot of the little chapters pretend to upend the common wisdom. There are chapters titled “Welcome Obscurity,” “Good Enough is Fine” and “Drug Dealers Get It Right.” This gives even completely passive readers the feeling of boldly thinking outside the box. There is a chance, I suppose, that some readers really will be jolted into changing their way of thinking, and I think that’s what the authors are aiming for. But I’m skeptical. You’re either ready to be bold, or you’re not, and if you are ready, you’ll quickly find your own path and won’t need this book.

      Ultimately, Rework is not a lot different from a traditional book of business wisdom (say, Winning by Jack Welch of GE). People are hungry for advice and seek it from those they consider brilliant, and what higher proof of brilliance is there than success in the market? But consider: 37Signals began as a Web-design company just as the Web was becoming a truly mass phenomenon. The company then switched to developing Web apps just as the iPhone came out and apps became a very big commercial thing. These guys are very smart, no doubt, but they’re also lucky; like the rock musicians of the ‘50s and ‘60s, they were there just as the market demanded their particular skills for the very first time. If they’d been born ten years earlier or later, they would have found much less rewarding outlets or would have faced much stiffer competition.

      If you’ve already begun a startup company, this book may be the encouragement you need and may even give you a few good ideas. If you’re looking for a book to inspire you to action, look within yourself instead.
    • 3/5

      Mar 30, 2013

      So. A quick read. Some good points. Some overstated points. Overall, I liked it. A good reminder to look past all the strategic plans, policies and organizational charts and work for love of product and customer. Basically, at its essence, this book is about avoiding burnout more than it is about starting a business. It is about working smart and not hard.
    • 5/5

      Dec 25, 2012

      The power of Say NO by default and when ASAP is Poison !
      Once again this is a kind of Manifesto & Controversy book.
      He provides us with daily brainstorming exercises to get rid of preconceived ideas and therefore «real world».
      This is particular useful to jeopardize Big Data trends and correctly manage new Businesses opportunities.
      My new leitmotiv would be Do More with less!

      Saturday, Sept 15 - 2012
    • 5/5

      Aug 7, 2012

      Amazingly, the things that appealed to me in this book should be business common sense, such as rejecting the idea of a mission statement and the "false apology". I wish this were a staple of corporate culture instead of pop business books.
    • 4/5

      Jan 7, 2012

      This audio will expose you to non-traditional, minimalist business practices that will make you think. It is a short motivational Seth Godin's type audio. Unfortunately, it's like a horoscope. People will feel validated that others think the same way when they only took the controversial ideas they liked and ignored the ones they didn't. Worth reading taken with a grain of salt.
    • 5/5

      Sep 14, 2011

      Finally read this. Chock full of great pithy material. The drawings are a equal part of the fun. Not heavy on theory but that's the point...they keep it simple, just the like and the products. Provoked me to think a lot about my own work and the drive (somewhat externally generated to grow and expand).
    • 3/5

      May 16, 2011

      This is a pretty solid 3.5 stars for me. A fast read. Examples throughout are typically from mainstream sources so the stories aren't anything particularly new, but some good reminders that help you keep moving forward on your projects whether you're in business or not.
    • 4/5

      Mar 2, 2011

      I recommend this to anyone that works in an office setting - be you an entrepreneur or someone working in a cube farm - working for a huge company or a small startup. There's a lot of good info here, to be sure. Some of it reads too much like the "young, hipster rebel" and comes off a little trite as a result. However, there's definitely a lot of truth in the book as well. Some of the things, I'm sure you've heard before, but that doesn't make it less meaningful. This is a very quick read that is full of useful gems of information. I keep it at my desk in case anyone wants me to come up with an opening thought for a meeting.
    • 3/5

      Feb 25, 2011

      Many 'Aha's, some surprises, few 'Oh no's!
    • 3/5

      Feb 4, 2011

      The authors of ReWork run a small, software development company based in Chicago. Their meager staff of 16 is global, however. The book is about focusing on core competency and focusing on what you do best. They believe in targeted products with limited functionality -- the kitchen sink approach leads to escalating costs with little pay-off. This philosophy is applied to all other aspects of business too -- from hiring people of certain skill sets and ability, to marketing and PR functions.

      The authors also caution against over-expansion, particularly in the manner of increasing capacity to serve a single customer. Loss of that customer could result in rapid downsizing, and an anything that jeopardizing serving other existing customers attracted by your product and service could prove disastrous. Knowing when to let a customer go, in their opinion, is as important as attracting a new customer.

      ReWork contains sound advice for small companies that can succeed with a tight focus. Avoiding the growth of a corporate bureaucracy can help keep small (and perhaps mid-sized) companies more nimble and adaptable. By design, it prevents growth into large companies, however. It is sound advice for the many businesses that will never rise above small business, however. This is not an MBA-level business analysis, it's short and easily comprehended by those who might desire some business advice but lack a formal business background (but have salable business ideas or skills).
    • 4/5

      Jan 20, 2011

      Great book full of short, practical, sometimes controversial, essays about how to successfully run a business.
    • 2/5

      Dec 11, 2010

      I totally agree with the general intent of the book's themes but I found this to be only a mildly thought-provoking but mostly dangerous book if not taken with a grain of salt.
    • 4/5

      Nov 27, 2010

      Rework is a book very much of its moment as those preferring Web 2.0-style collaborations and those who feel territorial about everything they produce attempt to find common ground. The writers suggest that we avoid the complexities and turf wars which so often hold many of us back from achievements we might otherwise produce if we were not trying to do too much, trying to recreate what others are doing rather than pursuing our own vision on behalf of those we serve, and allowing ourselves to "obsess over tools instead of what [we]'re going to do with those tools" (p. 87). They take a light and playful approach: the simple graphics which are interspersed with the text throughout the book keep readers moving from page to page. The use of the graphics and the stylistic device of providing short sections on dozens of interrelated themes--most pieces are no longer than a tightly written blog posting and have the same sense of informality--make the book a pleasure to peruse and easy to absorb.

      It is not the content that is revolutionary here. Reminders to improvise (pp. 18-20), produce something tangible rather than engaging in endless discussions about producing something tangible (pp. 33-45), undertake a few achievable projects rather than trying to do pursue every possibility and ending up completing none (p. 83), ask what problems we are solving through our undertakings (p. 100), and learn by doing rather than always trying to duplicate what others have accomplished (pp. 134-136) simply take us back to basics we should already know but all too often set aside in a frenzy of trying to respond to all constituents without serving any of them effectively. Which, of course, makes the time spent with Rework tremendously worthwhile.
    • 2/5

      Sep 9, 2010

      This book is really nothing but a short list of business approaches, some new, some not so new.Because we have an existing framework for the internet, it's easier now to focus on the ends of creating a business, instead of the means, and this book addresses this new outlook. The advice is clear and to the point, but I can't help wondering if they could have just written a pamphlet with a bullet list of their ideas.There are some good ideas in the book, particularly in the second half, but having worked in different IT companies over the last ten years I didn't see anything really new to their approach. It would probably be a worthy read to people outside the industry still working on old business models, though.
    • 3/5

      Sep 5, 2010

      An entertaining, short account of the management philosophy that drives 37signals, a software as a service company catering to artsy freelancers. Apart from knocking around too many straw-men, it fails as a management book due to the author's lack of self-awareness of their special case which does not lend itself as a template for general management advice.

      37signals serves the Apple customer segment, people who prefer to pay extra in order to not be exposed to the hassles of technology. The low price sensitivity of this segment makes it a very lucrative market, sheltered from most of the "internet is free" effect.

      The next difference is the type of service 37signals sells: It has a heavy lock-in effect with its preservation of the customer history and files. The authors make a lot of comparisons with bakeries and restaurants where this is not the case. What 37signals has in common with their examples is survivor bias. The low barriers to entry creates a never ending stream of entries and exits. Whether they were truly outstanding or just lucky can never be answered. This survivor bias vexes all Jim Collins books (and earlier the In Search of Excellence companies).

      Finally, 37signals is, in Charles Handy's terminology, an Athena company, a group of dedicated professionals. Much of the advice offered does not easily apply to other types. Calling your employees "associates" (as Wal-mart does) will only create a fake kind of equality. While learning to survive on the factory floor is helpful in disseminating corporate culture and understanding (and mandatory for example with BMW), the task differentiation in large companies demands specialists.

      The small is beautiful idea can work if you occupy a suitable ecological niche. It is a disastrous strategy to survive among elephants. If Rework were to be reworked, it might become more than a witty PR gag. Robert Townsend's Up the Organization is the better book(let).
    • 4/5

      Aug 15, 2010

      Even though I am not a business person who is struggling to make his venture work (in fact I work for a major multi-national corporation), I still found much inspiration in this book. So much so that I plan to keep it on my desk to help me creatively navigate my job.
    • 1/5

      Jun 1, 2010

      Crap, all of it.
    • 4/5

      May 29, 2010

      Short, punchy business guide from the guys at 37Signals that is a distillation of ideas from their Signal vs. Noise blog. Rework consists of short (two-or-so page) chapters that provide high-level business advice. Each of these bloggy aphorisms is crafted to contradict some piece of conventional wisdom (sample chapter titles: "Why grow?", "Let your customers outgrow you", "Welcome obscurity", "Don't write it down"), and though this can sometimes feel like a shtick, the overall point is well-taken. Fried and Hansson play up the virtues of being small and nimble in lively prose that draws on their experience running a successful software company, and while some of their specific ideas may not be as well-suited for more capital-intensive industries, their do-it-now attitude is energizing and applicable outside the business world. Plus you can read the whole book over lunch, so it doesn't hurt to take a look.

    Book preview

    Rework - Jason Fried

    CHAPTER

    INTRODUCTION

    We have something new to say about building, running, and growing (or not growing) a business.

    This book isn’t based on academic theories. It’s based on our experience. We’ve been in business for more than ten years. Along the way, we’ve seen two recessions, one burst bubble, business-model shifts, and doom-and-gloom predictions come and go—and we’ve remained profitable through it all.

    We’re an intentionally small company that makes software to help small companies and groups get things done the easy way. More than 3 million people around the world use our products.

    We started out in 1999 as a three-person Web-design consulting firm called 37signals. In 2004, we weren’t happy with the project-management software used by the rest of the industry, so we created our own: Basecamp. When we showed the online tool to clients and colleagues, they all said the same thing: We need this for our business too. Basecamp became our main product, generating tens of millions of dollars a year in profits. In 2014, we decided to go all-in on making that software tool and renamed the company Basecamp.

    Before focusing on making Basecamp, we built and sold other online tools. We created Highrise, a contact manager and simple CRM (customer relationship management) tool. We spun off Highrise as its own company in 2014, but it continues to be used by tens of thousands of small businesses to keep track of leads, deals, and more than 10 million contacts. More than 500,000 people signed up for Backpack, an intranet and knowledge-sharing tool we launched in 2005 and retired in 2012. And people have sent more than 100 million messages using Campfire, a real-time business chat tool that is now a feature within Basecamp.

    Some people consider us an Internet company, but that makes us cringe. Internet companies are known for hiring compulsively, spending wildly, and failing spectacularly. That’s not us. We’re small (fifty-five people as of 2017), frugal, and profitable.

    A lot of people say we can’t do what we do. They call us a fluke. They advise others to ignore our advice. Some have even called us irresponsible, reckless, and—gasp!—unprofessional.

    These critics don’t understand how a company can reject growth, meetings, budgets, boards of directors, advertising, salespeople, and the real world, yet thrive. That’s their problem, not ours. They say you need to sell to the Fortune 500. Screw that. We sell to the Fortune 5,000,000.

    They don’t think you can have employees who almost never see each other spread out across eight cities on two continents. They say you can’t succeed without making financial projections and five-year plans. They’re wrong.

    They say you need a PR firm to make it into the pages of Time, Business Week, Inc., Fast Company, the New York Times, the Financial Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Atlantic, Entrepreneur, and Wired. They’re wrong. They say you can’t share your recipes and bare your secrets and still withstand the competition. Wrong again.

    They say you can’t possibly compete with the big boys without a hefty marketing and advertising budget. They say you can’t succeed by building products that do less than your competition’s. They say you can’t make it all up as you go. But that’s exactly what we’ve done.

    They say a lot of things. We say they’re wrong. We’ve proved it. And we wrote this book to show you how to prove them wrong too.

    First, we’ll start out by gutting business. We’ll take it down to the studs and explain why it’s time to throw out the traditional notions of what it takes to run a business. Then we’ll rebuild it. You’ll learn how to begin, why you need less than you think, when to launch, how to get the word out, whom (and when) to hire, and how to keep it all under control.

    Now, let’s get on with it.

    CHAPTER

    FIRST

    The new reality

    This is a different kind of business book for different kinds of people—from those who have never dreamed of starting a business to those who already have a successful company up and running.

    It’s for hard-core entrepreneurs, the Type A go-getters of the business world. People who feel like they were born to start, lead, and conquer.

    It’s also for less intense small-business owners. People who may not be Type A but still have their business at the center of their lives. People who are looking for an edge that’ll help them do more, work smarter, and kick ass.

    It’s even for people stuck in day jobs who have always dreamed about doing their own thing. Maybe they like what they do, but they don’t like their boss. Or maybe they’re just bored. They want to do something they love and get paid for it.

    Finally, it’s for all those people who’ve never considered going out on their own and starting a business. Maybe they don’t think they’re cut out for it. Maybe they don’t think they have the time, money, or conviction to see it through. Maybe they’re just afraid of putting themselves on the line. Or maybe they just think business is a dirty word. Whatever the reason, this book is for them, too.

    There’s a new reality. Today anyone can be in business. Tools that used to be out of reach are now easily accessible. Technology that cost thousands is now just a few bucks or even free. One person can do the job of two or three or, in some cases, an entire department. Stuff that was impossible just a few years ago is simple today.

    You don’t have to work miserable 60/80/100-hour weeks to make it work. 10–40 hours a week is plenty. You don’t have to deplete your life savings or take on a boatload of risk. Starting a business on the side while keeping your day job can provide all the cash flow you need. You don’t even need an office. Today you can work from home or collaborate with people you’ve never met who live thousands of miles away.

    It’s time to rework work. Let’s get started.

    CHAPTER

    TAKEDOWNS

    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.

    Don’t believe them. That world may be real for them, but it doesn’t mean you have to live in it.

    We know because our company fails the real-world test in all kinds of ways. In the real world, you can’t have more than a dozen employees spread out in eight different cities on two continents. In the real world, you can’t attract millions of customers without any salespeople or advertising. In the real world, you can’t reveal your formula for success to the rest of the world. But we’ve done all those things and prospered.

    The real world isn’t a place, it’s an excuse. It’s a justification for not trying. It has nothing to do with you.

    Learning from mistakes is overrated

    In the business world, failure has become an expected rite of passage. You hear all the time how nine out of ten new businesses fail. You hear that your business’s chances are slim to none. You hear that failure builds character. People advise, Fail early and fail often.

    With so much failure in the air, you can’t help but breathe it in. Don’t inhale. Don’t get fooled by the stats. Other people’s failures are just that: other people’s failures.

    If other people can’t market their product, it has nothing to do with you. If other people can’t build a team, it has nothing to do with you. If other people can’t price their services properly, it has nothing to do with you. If other people can’t earn more than they spend … well, you get it.

    Another common misconception: You need to learn from your mistakes. What do you really learn from mistakes? You might learn what not to do again, but how valuable is that? You still don’t know what you should do next.

    Contrast that with learning from your successes. Success gives you real ammunition. When something succeeds, you know what worked—and you can do it again. And the next time, you’ll probably do it even better.

    Failure is

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