Reading Reflection No. 3 - Assignment 27

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big - Scott Adams 

1) The general theme of the book is found in the title – failing does not equate to losing. One can still fail at a lot of things (just like the author) and still be able to find success by adopting certain mentalities.

2) Adams specifically mentions how entrepreneurs will never find success based on goals, but rather on a system. Adams advocates for adopting a system mindset, which differs from a goal mindset in that victories are found largely in the process and it is a culmination of the system that results in achieving a goal. For example, instead of setting a goal to lose 20 pounds, a system would be to exercise daily. By actually exercising daily you are achieving successes without the automatic failure of your goal until you actually lose the 20 pounds.

3) It would go back to the system mindset described above. The exercise would be 1) for students to think of a broad goal (such as receiving an A in the class). Then they must decide on the system to achieve that goal (complete every assignment and get atleast a 50% on all cupcakes). Then they must decide what they will do to achieve success based on the system and not the goal. In essence, getting an A shouldn’t be a thought in their minds, they should be focused on each individual assignment.

4) Adams makes a point that withholding praise in immoral. In essence he says that compliments and positive feedback in the adult world is so hard to come by, so when you actually are impressed by something, you should be obligated to let that person know. It is something so easy but makes a large difference in the lives of the other person. While I recognized that giving compliments is something that one should do, I never really took it to the extreme of morality. I may disagree slightly with this point, but looking at it from that perspective somewhat makes sense and encourages me to compliment people more often, especially loved ones.