Reading Reflection No.2- Assignment 21A

Book: “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big” by Scott Adams

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?

I would say that the general theme would be to embrace your failures. When you fail, you need to reflect on what caused you to fail, so you are able to implement what you learned from failing when you are trying out new opportunities. I think the author did a great job of this in his own life which allowed for some of his successes. He also did a great job of explaining why people should embrace and not fear failure. Failure is inevitable, so you can’t let it scare you or stop you from pursuing another interest/idea/opportunity after one has failed. I am also talking about failure in all aspects of life, if you bomb a job interview and don’t get your dream job, take a step back, see what you did wrong, where you can improve, and adjust and move on.

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

ENT3003 is all about learning about entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs have to deal with failure all the time in the real world. They may have had products not work out, ideas not come to life, etc. and they have had to get back up and think up something else because that is what being an entrepreneur is all about. So I think this book does a great job of tying in the need to embrace failure that goes right along with the messages this class focuses on.

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

The exercise would be for the students to try one affirmation for the semester. The author used affirmations throughout his life and he by no means tells you they are what caused him to succeed it is interesting that on more than one occasion for him the affirmation become true. I have read other books where the authors use affirmations and try to implement them into my own life. I would love for a large  scale class such as this one, for each student to try and say one affirmation for one whole semester, really picture yourself completing that affirmation. I would love to hear everyone’s take on how the whole experience went. 

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?

I would have to say that the biggest surprise in this book for me would be the authors adamant point that this was not a self-help book. It was just a book about how one person become successful, and what he did to become successful. Though he did not push any of his ways onto the reader, he said what worked for him, and left it at that. That surprised me the most because at least for me, the self-help books I have read all seem to have the one solution that will make you happier, richer, etc. but with this one it was different. The author continuously said he was lucky a lot, it wasn’t because he knew something the rest of the world didn’t know, simply luck.