Reading Reflection No.3

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life, Scott Adams

What was the general theme or argument of the book?

The general theme of the book may be described as how to think and behave in a way that is conducive to success.  In the book, Adams enumerates a seemingly endless list of failures, one after the other.  Where others would be defeated, Adams chooses instead to adopt another tactic.  He not only accepts failure, he embraces it.  But the process doesn’t end there.  Adams suggests that we delve deep into that failure until we have discovered the necessary lessons revealed in each experience.  In Adams’ own words, he surmises that the way to approach failure is by, “…grabbing failure by the throat and squeezing it until it coughs up a hairball of success.”

How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?

This book was a perfect match for the subject matter we are learning in ENT 3003.  In our class, we have discussed failure, then in our exercises we experienced it, and finally we examined failure in our assignments.   After reading the book by Adams, I got a chance to see actual examples of how failure can be integrated into success and why failures are necessary stepping stones to success.  Adams faced his failures fearlessly.  He seemed fascinated by these experiences and was able to understand how each moment of defeat enriched his next venture.

If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?

If I were to design an exercise for this class, I would focus on the importance of creating systems for success.  In his book, Adams goes against everything that we have been taught by stating, “Goals are for losers.”  He believes that people, who set goals and try to reach them, live in a perpetual state of temporary failure and that happiness is dependent on a given result.  In its place, Adams suggests that we implement systems which are a series of practices that increase our chances of happiness.  For example, Adams describes, “losing twenty pounds is a goal, but eating right is a system.”  My exercise would be to ask students to list 5 goals that they have and then convert each of them into a system. 

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?

All of my life, I have been told to follow my dreams and to go after my passion because that will bring me happiness.  Adams objects.  He believes that passionate people tend to take huge risks for unlikely outcomes.  While being passionate may make a person driven, it is not necessary for achievement.  My biggest surprise in the book is when Adams stated that, “Success caused passion more that passion caused success.”  Passion is actually futile.  What we actually need for success is personal energy.