Myth-busting Success is at the core of Barking Up The Wrong Tree by Eric Barker, in my opinion.

The book provides a rich tapestry of examples that challenges established norms and traditional views on success, as well as offering a diverse and realistic perspective on the myriad ways individuals have navigated the path to accomplishment.

For instance, it talks about the "success paradox" - where traits often considered advantageous can sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes; it emphasizes that what may seem like the right path isn't always the most straightforward one. Moreover, the book delves into how social dynamics impact success, using different examples to highlight the importance of collaboration and networks.

Another interesting point the book covers is grit and resilience. Rather than insisting these are the sole keys to success, it shares stories of people who succeeded by combining determination with adaptability (and at some point, even work-life balance). This approach adds depth to our understanding of what it takes to succeed.

In a nutshell, Barking Up Wrong Tree doesn't just challenge common beliefs; it supports its insights with real cases, with the intention of prompting us to rethink what we thought we knew about success.

As usual, sharing some of my favourite quotes from the book:

"Rationally, gaining a dollar should be as pleasurable as losing a dollar is painful. But that’s not how our minds work. Losing a dollar bothers us a lot more than earning a dollar makes us feel good. It makes sense; losing too much can mean death but gaining a lot... well, it’s nice but quickly results in diminishing returns. So evolution has wired us to fear losses a lot more than we love gains.''

"Most of life isn’t zero-sum. Just because someone else wins, that doesn’t mean you lose. Sometimes that person needs the fruit and you need the peel. And sometimes the strategy that makes you lose small on this round makes you win big on the next."

"We spend too much time trying to be “good” when good is often merely average. To be great we must be different. And that doesn’t come from trying to follow society’s vision of what is best, because society doesn’t always know what it needs. More often being the best means just being the best version of you."

"Here’s the problem: We love having choices. We hate making choices. Having choices means having possibilities. Making choices means losing possibilities. And having so many choices increases the chance of regret."

#barkingupthewrongtree #ericbarker #goodbook #goodreads #gtmreads