Showing results by narrator "Derek Sivers" in All Categories

Many books believe they know how you should live. But each book disagrees with the next. In How to Live, each chapter believes it knows how you should live. And each chapter disagrees with the next.

You started a business. But why? Entrepreneurs often lose sight of what matters. Are you helping people? Are they happy? Are you happy? Are you profitable? Isn't that enough? Derek Sivers accidentally started a business by helping musicians sell their music. It became the largest online seller of independent music with over 150,000 musicians and $100M in sales. After ten years, he sold the company for $22 million and gave all the money to charity.

Overwhelmed? If you feel anything less than “hell yeah!” about something, say no. We say yes too often. By saying no to almost everything, you leave space and time in your life to throw yourself completely into the few things that matter most.

“Useful Not True” is about reframing. Success in anything starts with your perspective which affects your strategy — your actions. Your first thought (“this is a disaster”) feels true, but it’s not the only perspective. Your first thought is an obstacle you need to get past by realizing no thoughts are necessarily true. After your initial impulse, consider other perspectives, then choose the thought that’s more useful to you — the one that makes you take effective actions. People share perspectives, not facts. They tell you how they see things.

Reimagine your future, adjust your efforts, jump into action and work for just ten more years before doing what the hell you want! Building a business can be confusing. Entrepreneurs aren't sure whether to keep control or delegate and automate, say yes or say no, work all hours or prioritise work-life balance. They take advice from all directions and wind up feeling overwhelmed and overworked without a finish line in sight.

Derek Sivers was a professional musician before he started a music distribution company that helped 150,000 musicians sell their music to over four million people. So after years of living the problems, he was able to learn the solutions.