Scott Adams Book Review

How to Fail at Everything and Still Win Big, Scott Adams, creator of the business comic Dilbert, published this book that explains the importance of finding success out of each failure. This will be a four chapter review of the most meaningful chapters including, Goals v Systems, Affirmations, Deciding vs Wanting and Luck. 

Beginning with the first chapter, “Goals v Systems”, Adams argues that goals are for losers while systems are for winners. Goal oriented people expect to reach their goal, systematic people show discipline to do something productive everyday which will increase their odds for success in the long term. A system has no deadline as it is something you do on a regular basis that increases your odds of success. Adams explains that if you’re waiting for something to happen it’s a goal as “goal oriented people exist in a state of nearly continuous failure that they hope will be temporary.” Systems allow you to achieve anything you set your eyes on through continued disciplined work. Goals have you sitting back on your heals expecting you to get what you desire. You need to take action. 

In the chapter, “Affirmations”, Adams discusses the phenomenon of the mind and how it belongs in the domain of psychology and perception. (Note,, there is proven science to back up this phenomenon, only personal stories) Affirmations are about improving your focus and having the repetition of repeating to yourself the  wants, things, and outcomes you desire. 

For example, I AM _(Insert name)_ AND I WILL RECEIVE  __(Insert what you desire)__

It’s really that easy. Affirmations act as a message from your subconscious to your rational mind telling you that you are going to have all the outcomes you desire. Affirmations have to be a system as without repetition you’ll lose the subconscious thought. Affirmations are known to help you focus, boost your optimism, energy and approve the capabilities you wish to desire though the subconscious mind. Adams describes affirmations as “borderline miraculous.”

“Deciding vs Wanting” is one of my all time favorite chapters. If you decide you want something you need to figure out the price you need to pay for it. “If you want success, figure out the price then pay for it.” Everything has a price, especially success. Deciding is taking action for the things you desire.  Through taking action, you acknowledge the price to achieve  success. You can’t get anything you desire from a want, a want is meaningless. It won't take you anywhere, you need to decide and take action.

Lastly, Adams explains that every element of your personality is a a product of luck. Each person is different, but their are certain genes in each individual where life experiences create opportunities of the person you’re supposed to be. All forms of success are based off of some kind of luck. Every person has luck in their life... Luck favors the bold and comes from out of body experiences. The more risk you take, the more opportunity there will be for lady luck to be on your side. 

A great book, “Everything you want out of life is in that bubbling vat of failure. The trick is to get the good stuff out.” I recommend this read for everyone because Adams shows how to invite failure in, embrace it, then pick its  pocket for the things that worked.