21A Reading Reflection 2

I wrote about Scott Adams’ memoir, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.

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

The main argument of the book is pretty much explained in the title, that you can fail over and over again but still end up winning in the long run, even if it takes a lot of time. This is listed in three main steps. The first is to focus on systems instead of goals, because if you do not achieve a goal you end up disappointed and disheartened. The second is that in order to find the best job for you, you have to be willing to take risks in the job application process. The third is vaguer, being a general guideline to use your energy to further yourself in anything, it doesn’t have to be something you are inherently good at or passionate about as long as you are driven to excel in it.



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

I think that Adams’ tips are helpful in the business world, which directly relates to what we are learning in this class. For example, he speaks about the importance of taking risks in your career in order to find the best job for yourself. Although a slightly different circumstance, we have learned in this class that most entrepreneurs are taking risks. They do not have a set plan that is certain to be successful, they have an idea and a lot of hope and dedication. This explains why, like Adams, many entrepreneurs fail before they find their niche. The guest we had in class is a perfect example of this, a Dr. Pryor has mentioned over and over again in lecture that Ronnie Patel from BleuBird did not even know how to cook chicken wings when he decided to pursue a chicken wing restaurant.



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

If I had to design an exercise for this class, it would probably revolve around failure and subsequent success. It would be for students to evaluate a failure in their life, such as what happened and why it happened. The ‘why’ is important, because during reflection on failures, young people need to be able to first identify if it was their own fault, and then own up to this truth in order to prevent it. Blaming yourself for your failures is sometimes difficult, and finding other people or circumstances to blame is common. After, the student would reflect on all of the successes, big and small, they have had since then. The point of the assignment would be to understand how failures can help you move forward, and what they can teach you about future circumstances to ensure that they do not happen again.

Since we are all pretty young, an alternative or addition to this idea would be to look up ‘famous failures,’ people who have failed and ultimately ended up becoming wildly successful. While students will not have the personal insight into the failure, it would still be helpful to see how successful people bounced back from failure.



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 found Adams’ advice about utilizing systems instead of goals very insightful. I consider goal setting to be very helpful, as it outlines what you need to achieve and by when. However, I now see the alternative that Adams pointed out. Although goals tell you what you need to achieve, if you do not maintain your predetermined schedule, you are now “behind” and disappointed. If there was no time frame in the first place, there would be no way to fall behind or feel as though you have not reached your goal.