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

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams is a mix of personal stories and reflections on success, driven by the author’s experiences of failure. The author acknowledges that success might be a combination of luck, talent, and hard work but emphasizes that luck can be managed. He shares that his success comes from pursuing opportunities that make it easier for luck to find him, though he remains unsure of how much of it is pure luck versus conscious strategy.

The book isn’t intended as a traditional advice guide. The author humorously explains that he’s not an expert, and his style blends humor with personal anecdotes, often making fun of the advice-giving process itself. Instead of offering one-size-fits-all solutions, the author outlines some principles that have worked for him, such as managing energy, embracing luck, conquering shyness, and focusing on fitness and simplicity.

The key takeaway is that success doesn’t follow a predictable formula, and the best way to approach it is with humility and openness to learning from various sources. The author introduces a “system” for filtering truth and tackling problems based on patterns, personal experiences, and reliable sources, encouraging readers to question advice and use common sense. Lastly, the author positions himself as a “smart(ish)” friend offering practical insights from his career in cartooning, emphasizing the importance of simplification and humor in understanding success.

Book Summary Contents

1 What questions are How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life Answers?
2 How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life Details & Statistics
- 2.1 Statistics of How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams
3 How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams Quotes
4 How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams Table Of Contents
5 How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams Book Summary
6 About the Author: Scott Adams
7 Attachments & References
- 7.1 Share:

What questions are How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life Answers?

How can you control your attitude?
What is the impact of daydreaming on your energy and mood?
Why is having a big project or idea beneficial for your energy and attitude?
What pattern did the author notice in high-school volleyball games, and what is the potential psychological explanation behind it?
What is the “5–2 curse” in amateur tennis, and how does it affect the outcome of a match?
How does Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” relate to the idea of successful behavior patterns, and what are the seven habits?
What are the key patterns for success that the author identifies from his observations, and how do they contribute to a person’s success?
How does exercise correlate with success, according to the author, and what impact does physical fitness have on a person’s overall life and achievements?

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life Details & Statistics

Attribute	Details
Publisher	Portfolio; Reprint edition (December 30, 2014)
Language	English
Paperback	256 pages
ISBN-10	1591847745
ISBN-13	978-1591847748

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

Best Sellers Rank:

#33,818 in Books
#54 in Job Hunting & Career Guides
#61 in Self-Help & Psychology Humor
#317 in Motivational Management & Leadership

Customer Reviews:

4.6 out of 5 stars (7,525 ratings)
4.1 on Goodreads (19,686 ratings)

Genres:

Nonfiction
Self-Help
Business
Biography
Personal Development
Psychology

Release Date: December 30, 2014
Editions: 35 editions

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

The only way to succeed in the long run is by using a system that bypasses your need for willpower.
For example, if every time you eat popcorn, one hour later you fart so hard that it inflates your socks, you can reasonably assume popcorn makes you gassy.
My failure taught me to seek opportunities in which I had an advantage.
The Success Formula: Every Skill You Acquire Doubles Your Odds of Success
If you think your odds of solving your problem are bad, don’t rule out the possibility that what is really happening is that you are bad at estimating odds.
Failure always brings something valuable with it. I don’t let it leave until I extract that value.
One of the most important tricks for maximizing your productivity involves matching your mental state to the task.
In most groups the craziest person is in control. It starts because no one wants the problems that come from pissing off a crazy person. It’s just smarter and easier sometimes to let the crazy person have his or her way.
Positivity is far more than a mental preference. It changes your brain, literally, and it changes the people around you. It’s the nearest thing we have to magic.
Free yourself from the shackles of an oppressive reality. What’s real to you is what you imagine and what you feel. If you manage your illusions wisely, you might get what you want, but you won’t necessarily understand why it worked.
If you want success, figure out the price, then pay it. It sounds trivial and obvious, but if you unpack the idea it has extraordinary power.
Happiness has more to do with where you are heading than where you are.
Avoid career traps such as pursuing jobs that require you to sell your limited supply of time while preparing you for nothing better.
The most important form of selfishness involves spending time on your fitness, eating right, pursuing your career, and still spending quality time with your family and friends.

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams Table Of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: The Time I Was Crazy
Chapter Two: The Day of the Talk
Chapter Three: Passion Is Bullshit
Chapter Four: Some of My Many Failures in Summary Form
Chapter Five: My Absolute Favorite Spectacular Failure
Chapter Six: Goals Versus Systems
Chapter Seven: My System
Chapter Eight: My Corporate Career Fizzled
Chapter Nine: Deciding Versus Wanting
Chapter Ten: The Selfishness Illusion
Chapter Eleven: The Energy Metric
Chapter Twelve: Managing Your Attitude
Chapter Thirteen: It’s Already Working
Chapter Fourteen: My Pinkie Goes Nuts
Chapter Fifteen: My Speaking Career
Chapter Sixteen: My Voice Problem Gets a Name
Chapter Seventeen: The Voice Solution That Didn’t Work
Chapter Eighteen: Recognizing Your Talents and Knowing When to Quit
Chapter Nineteen: Is Practice Your Thing?
Chapter Twenty: Managing Your Odds for Success
Chapter Twenty-one: The Math of Success
Chapter Twenty-two: Pattern Recognition
Chapter Twenty-three: Humor
Chapter Twenty-four: Affirmations
Chapter Twenty-five: Timing Is Luck Too
Chapter Twenty-six: A Few Times Affirmations Worked
Chapter Twenty-seven: Voice Update
Chapter Twenty-eight: Experts
Chapter Twenty-nine: Association Programming
Chapter Thirty: Happiness
Chapter Thirty-one: Diet
Chapter Thirty-two: Fitness
Chapter Thirty-three: Voice Update 2
Chapter Thirty-four: Luck
Chapter Thirty-five: CalendarTree Start-up
Chapter Thirty-six: Voice Update 3
Chapter Thirty-seven: A Final Note About Affirmations
Chapter Thirty-eight: Summary

Notes
Acknowledgments
Follow Penguin

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams Book Summary

Chapter 1: The Time I Was Crazy: This chapter recounts a challenging period in Adams’ life when he experienced profound loneliness due to a voice disorder. He highlights the importance of speaking and being heard to combat loneliness.

Chapter 2: The Day of the Talk: Adams describes a speaking engagement where his voice disorder nearly caused him to fail publicly. This experience underscores his unique relationship with failure, which he embraces and learns from. The chapter sets the stage for his journey of turning failures into successes.

Chapter 3: Passion Is Bullshit: Adams challenges the conventional wisdom that passion is essential for success, arguing that passion is often fleeting and unreliable. He suggests focusing on personal energy as a more effective driver of achievement.

Chapter 4: Some of My Many Failures in Summary Form: Adams humorously recounts a series of personal and professional failures, including his near-death experience during a blizzard. He emphasizes that failure is a valuable learning tool and a necessary step on the path to success.

Chapter 5: My Absolute Favorite Spectacular Failure: This chapter recounts a pivotal failure in Adams’ life: his decision to leave a stable job at Crocker National Bank for a risky but potentially more rewarding opportunity at a smaller bank. This failure ultimately led him to pursue a career in cartooning.

Chapter 6: Goals Versus Systems: Adams argues that systems are more effective than goals for achieving success. Goals create a sense of failure until they are achieved, while systems focus on continuous improvement and progress.

Chapter 7: My System: Adams describes his system for managing his time, energy, and opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of early rising, simplifying tasks, and pursuing multiple passions. He also shares his experience of nearly failing out of college in his first semester.

Chapter 8: My Corporate Career Fizzled: Adams recounts his experiences working in the corporate world, including his time at Pacific Bell. He highlights the absurdity and bureaucracy he encountered, which eventually led him to pursue a career as a cartoonist.

Chapter 9: Deciding Versus Wanting: Adams discusses the importance of making deliberate choices rather than simply following fleeting desires. He emphasizes the value of using systems to guide decision-making and overcome procrastination.

Chapter 10: The Selfishness Illusion: Adams challenges the negative perception of selfishness, arguing that prioritizing self-care can ultimately lead to greater generosity and societal benefit. He encourages readers to focus on long-term well-being and permits them to be selfish when necessary.

Chapter 11: The Energy Metric: Adams introduces the concept of personal energy as the most important metric for success. He argues that maximizing energy levels leads to better performance in all areas of life.

Chapter 12: Managing Your Attitude: Adams explores strategies for maintaining a positive and productive attitude. He emphasizes the importance of managing perceptions and embracing the power of illusion.

Chapter 13: It’s Already Working: Adams reassures readers that they are already on the path to success simply by reading his book. He highlights the power of identifying with successful groups and the transformative effect of believing in one’s potential.

Chapter 14: My Pinkie Goes Nuts: Adams shares his struggles with a debilitating hand spasm that threatened his cartooning career. This experience underscores the importance of recognizing limitations and seeking solutions even when they seem impossible.

Chapter 15: My Speaking Career: Adams discusses his experiences as a public speaker, highlighting how he overcame his voice disorder to achieve success in this field.

Chapter 16: My Voice Problem Gets a Name: Adams describes his efforts to diagnose his voice disorder, eventually discovering he has spasmodic dysphonia.

Chapter 17: The Voice Solution That Didn’t Work: Adams details various treatments he tried for his voice disorder, emphasizing the frustrations and disappointments he faced.

Chapter 18: Recognizing Your Talents and Knowing When to Quit: Adams argues for developing multiple skills to increase the odds of success, advocating for the power of being “good” at multiple skills rather than excellent at just one. He introduces the Success Formula: “Every Skill You Acquire Doubles Your Odds of Success”.

Chapter 19: Is Practice Your Thing?: Adams discusses the role of practice in developing skills and achieving success. He emphasizes that consistent effort, rather than innate talent, is key to improvement.

Chapter 20: Managing Your Odds for Success: Adams explores strategies for maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks to improve the likelihood of success.

Chapter 21: The Math of Success: Adams delves into the practical application of probability and statistics in decision-making. He introduces the concept of “Each Unnecessary Word = $100” to illustrate how simplifying writing can increase its impact. He shares his experiences in Berkeley’s MBA program, emphasizing the value of combining diverse skills.

Chapter 22: Pattern Recognition: Adams stresses the importance of observing and recognizing patterns to identify opportunities, anticipate problems, and make better decisions. He advocates for the “Knowledge Formula: The More You Know, the More You Can Know”.

Chapter 23: Humor: Adams highlights the social and psychological benefits of humor. He argues that a good sense of humor enhances attractiveness, intelligence perception, and energy levels. He emphasizes that humor is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice.

Chapter 24: Affirmations: Adams discusses his controversial use of affirmations, clarifying that he does not believe in magic but acknowledges that some experiences are indistinguishable from magic. He suggests that affirmations might work by influencing perception and motivation.

Chapter 25: Timing Is Luck Too: Adams emphasizes the role of luck in success, particularly the importance of timing. He recounts how the unexpected death of a salesperson led to a significant boost in Dilbert’s popularity.

Chapter 26: A Few Times Affirmations Worked: Adams shares anecdotes where affirmations seemingly played a role in his successes. He recounts how he used affirmations to manifest opportunities and overcome challenges.

Chapter 27: Voice Update: Adams provides an update on his ongoing struggles with spasmodic dysphonia, highlighting the persistence and resourcefulness he employs in his search for a cure.

Chapter 28: Experts: Adams discusses the value and limitations of seeking advice from experts. He summarizes Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and observes that successful individuals often treat success as a learnable skill.

Chapter 29: Association Programming: Adams explores the power of association in shaping thoughts and behaviors. He discusses how positive associations can influence motivation and performance.

Chapter 30: Happiness: Adams argues that happiness is the ultimate goal in life, emphasizing the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind it. He highlights the factors that contribute to happiness, including good health, freedom, meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose. He also points to the importance of flexibility in one’s schedule.

Chapter 31: Diet: Adams provides a framework for a healthy diet, emphasizing the importance of managing cravings, simplifying food choices, and paying attention to energy levels. He shares his experience of quitting Diet Coke and offers a personal diet template based on his healthy eating habits.

Chapter 32: Fitness: Adams simplifies fitness advice to one sentence: “Be active every day.” He argues that consistent activity is more effective than complicated exercise plans and emphasizes that any type of physical activity counts. He connects fitness to willpower, asserting that daily activity can boost energy levels and reduce reliance on willpower.

Chapter 33: Voice Update 2: Adams provides an update on his voice disorder, sharing his hopes and anxieties as he continues his search for a cure.

Chapter 34: Luck: Adams recounts a series of seemingly improbable coincidences, prompting him to question whether his presence influenced the success of those around him. He contemplates the role of luck and the difficulty of separating it from other factors.

Chapter 35: CalendarTree Start-up: Adams discusses his involvement in a start-up company, highlighting the application of his success principles in a business context. He emphasizes the importance of managing energy levels, simplifying tasks, and using systems to maximize productivity.

Chapter 36: Voice Update 3: Adams shares further details about his experiences seeking treatment for spasmodic dysphonia, including his decision to undergo a risky surgical procedure.

Chapter 37: A Final Note About Affirmations: Adams addresses potential criticisms of his use of affirmations, reiterating his skepticism about magic while acknowledging the possible benefits of affirmations in shaping mindset and behavior.

Chapter 38: Summary: Adams summarizes the key concepts from his book, highlighting the importance of diet, exercise, managing energy levels, embracing failure, and using systems instead of goals. He emphasizes that the book aims to provide readers with tools and perspectives to increase their chances of success.

About the Author: Scott Adams

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams — Author’s image source: Amazon.com

Adams was born in Windham, New York, in 1957 and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hartwick College in 1979. He furthered his education by pursuing an MBA in Economics and Management from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, which he completed in 1986.

In recent years, Adams has faced a series of debilitating health challenges. Since late 2004, he has struggled with a recurrence of focal dystonia, which has impacted his ability to draw. However, he has found that using a graphics tablet allows him to bypass this issue. On December 12, 2005, Adams revealed on his blog that he was also dealing with spasmodic dysphonia, a condition that causes abnormal vocal cord behavior.

Nevertheless, on October 24, 2006, he shared that he had recovered from the condition, although he remains uncertain whether the recovery is permanent. He developed a technique to work around the disorder and has been able to speak normally since then. Additionally, on January 21, 2007, Adams posted a blog entry discussing his treatment experiences with Dr. Morton Cooper.