How Books Changed My Life...
By Agustin Cisneros
Co-founder of Hustle Outlet
When I was starting my entrepreneurial journey, I had trouble connecting with like-minded people. I really wanted to start my own business one day, but whenever I told my parents or friends, they just told me “I don't get it”... or they just thought it was a bad idea.
It didn't take long before I felt completely discouraged to pursue my passion to build a business... so I stopped.
The worst part was that I didn't even know where to start. I was lost, disappointed & somewhat annoyed.
One day, I decided to buy my first business book, Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier.
Until that point in my life, I had never read an entire book from start to finish. I was 17 years old.
To my surprise, I finished the book in two weeks. I felt a big sense of hope for my entrepreneurial journey, once again. I decided to keep reading business books, until I began understanding new concepts and ideas. As days went by, I felt more confident about pursuing entrepreneurship as a career.
I was never encouraged to take risks, but I always wanted to undertake an adventure. Those books showed me that.. there are other people out there following their passion.
Books changed my life because they encourage me to pursue something that I felt was, truly meaningful...
I learned that books can have an incredible influence on you. The authors of the books you read, are able to act as mentors, and give you some kind of guidance, especially when no one else is willing to do that for you.
Below are some notes I took from the book Rework that taught me about entrepreneurship.
Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
Idea # 1 - Ignored the real world
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“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. They assume society isn’t ready for or capable of change. Even worst, they want to drag others down into their tomb. If you’re hopeful and ambitious, they’ll say you’re wasting your time.
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Don’t believe them. That world may be real for them, but it doesn’t mean you have to live in it. The real world isn’t a place, its an excuse. Its a justification for not trying. It has nothing to do with you.
Idea # 2 - Learning from mistakes is overrated
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People's advice “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
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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 service properly … well, you get it.
Idea # 3 - What do you really learn from mistakes?
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You might learn what not to do again, but how valuable is that? You still don’t know what you should do next.
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In contrast, when you succeed, you know what worked– and you can do it again. And the next time, you’ll probably do it even better. Success is the experience that actually counts.
Why Join Mentor Tips?
I realized that at the end of the day, all you are looking for is great ideas, that's why I created “Mentor Tips”, simple book summaries from best business books delivered to your inbox every month.
Some of the books contain very practical exercises, alongside with quotes and action steps to follow.
The exercises range from how to create morning routines, learn to meditate and network, to having better sleep and be more productive.
These summaries have helped me in my entrepreneurial journey, and I am excited to share them with you. I hope they will be as useful for you, as they have been for me.
