21A – Reading Reflection No. 2
The book I chose to read for this reading assignment is:
"How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" by Scott Adams
"How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" by Scott Adams
1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?
- In this book, Scott Adams talks about the keys to being successful. He talks about how to live in such a way that opportunity is right around the corner. The main point that Adams' argues is that "goals are for losers, strategies are for winners". He says that finding sustained success in life involves you putting the right processes in place in your life to put you in the right position to get "lucky".
2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
- One point that Adams' hammers home is that we must be unafraid to fail. When we fail, we can learn many vital things. In this process of "failing forward", we set ourselves up for success down the road. The author says that we must put ourselves in positions to fail so that we can grow regardless of the result. These principles are mentioned by Professor Pryor in this course.
3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
- The exercise I would implement would be a challenge where two randomly paired people in the class would have to start and maintain a three-minute conversation not relating to education. The goal is to destroy peoples' fear of talking to others and teach them to be better communicators.
4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
- Adams' talks about staying healthy and the benefits of habitual exercising in order to have the most energy you can have. I learned that certain foods make you tired and decrease your productivity. I knew that eating too much can make you drowsy, however, I didn't know that simple carbs take much of ones' energy away leading to sleepiness. Adams' writes that positive/high energy/enjoyable people are the most likely to be successful in life and in business.
I highly recommend this book :)
Hello Cason,
ReplyDeleteFirst-off thank you for sharing!
I loved your level of detail and intentionality behind your responses. Moreover, your activity would be very interesting and fun to try. Since education at the University of Florida and the Warrington College of Business is arguably the main talking point for any student - it absolutely would force these individuals out of their comfort zones and adapt their communication skills.
Great job.
Caitlyn Torres
Hi Cason,
ReplyDeleteI actually chose this same book! It was a really good read and I'm sure you enjoyed it as much as I did. One thing I noticed is that we had very different exercises that we came up with. You can read my post if you'd like to hear my idea, but I love what you came up with! It is a skill we overlook to maintain and hold a conversation with someone we probably know nothing about. Over coming this fear time and time again will instill confidence whenever the situation arises in the real world. Good job!
Hi Cason,
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a really interesting and helpful book, especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. One point that really resonated with the purpose of this class is being "unafraid to fail." Many people have great new ideas, but only a few of them have the fearlessness and determination to turn them into a reality.
Hi Cason! Great post! I think the book you chose to read this time around was fascinating and can also be very applicable to many entrepreneurs, hence why it was such a great fit for this class. To be successful, there’s going to be many chances for failure which a lot of people may take as a negative, but it’s actually the best opportunity for growth. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Carson, I read the same book for this assignment so I was very interested to read someone else's thoughts on it. It seems that we had many similar takeaways to the overall themes and message of the book. He made many good arguments about why one should be unafraid to fail and how that opportunistic mindset is critical for success. I also like your idea for an assignment as it would definitely help to get people out of their comfort zones.
ReplyDelete