Derek Sivers podcast

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About this book Jun 01, 2018

Show notes

In my first book, Anything You Want, I told the story of how I started, grew, and sold my company.

As part of selling the company, I signed a non-compete agreement that said I couldn’t do the one thing I’d been doing since I was twenty-seven years old. So I had to make a real change in my life.

I thought a lot about what’s worth doing, fixing faulty thinking, and making things happen. For the next ten years, I wrote for hours a day in my private journal, asking myself questions and answering them. When these thoughts seemed useful to others, I’d turn them into articles, which are now the chapters of this book.

I write succinctly because I’m only introducing ideas. You can apply them to your life better than I can. But if you want to hear more thoughts or talk about them, go to the URL at the end of each chapter: (sivers.org/_____) There you’ll find many interesting comments about that idea, and you can post your own.

Or just say hello at sive.rs/contact I love hearing from people who have found my work. I reply to every email.

— Derek Sivers, Oxford, England, 2019

Moving for good Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

You are the way you are because of what you’ve experienced.

Your country, family, town, random circumstances, and friends have shaped the way you think. If you had grown up on the other side of the world, you would have a different set of values and thought patterns.

But if you keep experiencing the same things, your mind keeps its same patterns. Same inputs, same responses. Your brain, which was once curious and growing, gets fixed into deep habits. Your values and opinions harden and resist change. If you don’t flex, you lose your flexibility.

You really learn only when you’re surprised. If you’re not surprised, then everything is fitting into your existing thought patterns. So to get smarter, you need to get surprised, think in new ways, and deeply understand different perspectives.

With effort, you could do this from the comfort of home. But the most effective way to shake things up is to move across the world. Pick a place that’s most unlike what you know, and go.

This keeps you in a learning mindset. Previously mindless habits, like buying groceries, now keep your mind open, alert, and noticing new things. New arrivals in a culture often notice what the locals don’t. (Fish don’t know they’re in water.)

Don’t think of yourself as visiting. Say that you’ve moved here, and mean it. Commit. Immerse. Go native.

Form deep friendships with locals. Ask lots of questions. Ask people to explain and show you how things are done. When they state a fact, ask how they know. When they state an opinion, ask for examples.

At first, their values and methods will feel wrong. You’ll feel the urge to tell them how their lives or ideas could be better — more like what you know. But try to understand a perspective where they are right and you are wrong. Eventually, you’ll realize that your beliefs were not correct — they were just the local culture of where you grew up. You’re a product of your environment.

Every country has a shared and working philosophy. Dive in and really try to understand it. This is one of the best things you can do for your brain. Stay immersed at least until you feel yourself saying “we” instead of “they.”

Then, if you want to keep your brain actively learning and growing forever, keep moving across the world and immersing yourself like this for the rest of your life.

Detailed dreams blind you to new means Mar 18, 2018

Show notes

There’s a fable of a man stuck in a flood. Convinced that God is going to save him, he says no to a passing canoe, boat, and helicopter that offer to help. He dies, and in heaven asks God why He didn’t save him. God says, “I sent you a canoe, a boat, and a helicopter!”

We all have vivid imaginations. We get a goal in our mind and picture the path so clearly. Then it’s hard to stop focusing on that vivid image, to see what else could work.

New technologies make old things easier, and new things possible. That’s why you need to re-evaluate your old dreams to see if new means have come along.

Some actors move to Hollywood hoping to get noticed. Others use every new outlet to make themselves unavoidable.

Some authors are just waiting for a publisher to sign them. Others are getting rich just self-publishing.

You need to distinguish between what is your real goal, and what are the unnecessary details. Don’t let the details distract you from your goal.

For each of your dreams, occasionally ask yourself what the real point is. Then look for a better way to get to that point.

Let go of outdated dreams that keep you from noticing what’s here now.

Include everyone in your success Mar 07, 2018

Show notes

Everyone who is drawn to you before you’re famous is thinking the same thing: You might be famous soon!

fans who want to help you
professionals who want to meet you
musicians who want to play with you
companies that want to work with you

They’re all hoping to be included in your glorious future.

As you get more successful, share that success with those who helped you years ago. When you’re in the tornado of fame, you can’t depend on your memory. So use your database now to keep track of who has done special favors for you. When you are famous, return the favors. Reach out to contact them, and invite them into your new world. (Don’t wait for them to ask.)

Those that gave their services for free? Now you can pay full price.

Those who wanted glamour by association? Invite them to the best party.

Those who deserve more recognition? Shout their praises to your new audience.

You aren’t pulled to success by destiny. You’re lifted there by those around you. So acknowledge their contribution, and bring them along for the ride.

Keep in touch Mar 05, 2018

Show notes

When I was promoting myself as a musician, I noticed an interesting pattern. If I had a good conversation with somebody in the music business, then quite often they would send an opportunity my way within a day or two.

In other words, when I look back at the random opportunities that came my way, they often came from someone who I had just spoken with a day or two before.

Yes I just said this twice to emphasize it. This is important.

Years later, when I was running CD Baby, various opportunities came up where someone asked me to recommend a musician. I almost always recommended whichever musician I had just spoken with, since they came to mind first. That’s why it’s so important to keep in touch.

There were some amazing musicians whose music I loved, so I contacted them to tell them I’m a huge fan, and would love to help however I can. But if they didn’t keep in touch, they eventually fell out of my mind. It’s unfortunate, but that’s life.

There were some good (but not amazing) musicians who were great at keeping in touch. So when opportunities came my way, guess who I thought of to recommend? Yep. That’s life.

The difference between success and failure can be as simple as keeping in touch.

It takes effort to meet people. So once you’ve met someone, get the most out of the relationship for both of you. Keep in touch.

Be an extreme character Feb 28, 2018

Show notes

This is both fun and considerate.

When people say that a movie has a great character, they mean it was someone especially shocking, funny, or honest. To be a great entertainer, you need to be larger than life.

Push your outer boundaries. Show your weirdness. Bring out all your quirks. The world needs that.

Your public persona — the image you show the world — should be an extreme character. It can be a version of yourself, or it can be a mask. (It’s easier to be honest behind a mask.)

Some of the biggest musicians of the last few decades have admitted they were playing a character. Eminem, for example, said he wrote lyrics with the goal of shocking a passive listener into paying attention. Then he built his public persona to match the lyrics.

Are you concerned that maybe you should play it safe, because your music isn’t so extreme? Well… Think of the conservative, old-fashioned performers that your great-grandmother probably liked. Frank Sinatra. Judy Garland. Miles Davis. Billie Holiday. Even these old legends were rather extreme.

It’s more interesting for the audience if you’re the opposite of normal. So be an extreme character. The spotlight is the excuse. You can get away with anything in the name of entertainment.

Get specific! Feb 25, 2018

Show notes

This is one of the most useful lessons I’ve learned in life.

When you don’t know your next step…
When you’re feeling unmotivated…
When asking someone to help you…
When you’re ready to make a dream come true…
Get more specific about what’s needed.

There are two ways to do it:

#1: Write down every detail you know.

Inside your head, there is more than you’ve said. Take the time to write it all down.

When you have a vague or distant goal — like “be a great singer” or “make a million from my music” — break it down into specific ingredients. Describe concrete milestones, and exactly how to reach them. Then break those down into actions that you can start doing today.

When you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated, figure out your next step. Even something as simple as finishing a song is easier when you realize exactly what’s wrong.

When you hire someone to help you, write down absolutely everything you need them to do. Include every detail of every step, and your philosophy too.

#2: Research what you don’t know.

Most people know what they want, but don’t know how to get it. When you don’t know the next step, you procrastinate or feel lost. But a little research can turn a vague desire into specific actions.

For example: When musicians say, “I need a booking agent”, I ask, “Which one? What’s their name?”

You can’t act on a vague desire. But with an hour of research you could find the names of ten booking agents that work with ten artists you admire. Then you’ve got a list of the next ten people you need to contact.

A life coach told me that most of his job is just helping people get specific. Once they turn a vague goal into a list of specific steps, it’s easy to take action.

It also makes you realize if something was a bad idea. Many things only sound nice in theory.

So do this for yourself. Take the time to get specific. It helps you and others to take action, and beats procrastination.

What it means to be resourceful Feb 23, 2018

Show notes

I was at a musicians’ gathering in Memphis. I met a lot of people complaining that their various forms of online distribution weren’t earning them as much as they’d hoped.

Then I met a musician who sold 8000 copies of his album himself. No distributor. No website. Just by himself.

I asked him how he did it. He said, “I just slowly drove around the city every night, with the windows down, playing my music loud. When I saw someone digging it, I’d go talk with them. I’d sell almost everyone a copy — about 20 or 30 a night. Been doing this about a year. Sold 8000 so far.”

I love this story! It’s so direct! It hit me especially hard because all the musicians I’d met before him were complaining about how it’s impossible to make money anymore.

It got me thinking about what it means to be resourceful.

The succinct way to show it is to contrast two different mindsets. I’ll call them A and B.

A: “I spent $60,000 making this album.”
B: “I spent $60 making this album.”

A: “There are no good live music venues anymore!”
B: “I made us a new venue.”

A: “I’ve tried everything.”
B: “I found a book from the 1970s with some unique ideas I’m applying to our marketing.”

A: “I don’t have time to do it all!”
B: “Two of my fans help with promotion, one edits my videos, and one runs my website.”

A: “I’m not some Hollywood networking dude. I don’t have connections in the industry.”
B: “My barber knew the promoter’s wife, so it took some persistence, but now we’re playing at his festival.”

A: “They said we weren’t allowed to just show up.”
B: “We just showed up, and wouldn’t leave. Eventually they said OK.”

A: “We didn’t get the festival gig.”
B: “They rejected us, so we contacted every artist at the festival until we found one that insisted the promoter book us as their opening act.”

A: “There’s just no way!”
B: “I figured out a way.”

It means being creative, rebellious, determined, and unstoppable.

It means asking for help, but not waiting for help.

Rock stars have a boss? Feb 18, 2018

Show notes

I was 20 years old. I had just moved to New York City. And I was working inside the music industry.

I ran the music library at Warner/Chappell. It was a huge room, near the executives’ offices, and I had it all to myself.

Rock stars would come into my room before or after their meetings, to wait or relax. Because I was just some nobody working in the library, they would often speak candidly.

What surprised me was this: These rock stars’ biggest complaints were about the things they were forced to do, or not allowed to do! Things like, “I think the album is perfect and finished, but the label says they don’t hear a hit, so they’re making me co-write.” Or, “I wanted to make a video with this director I admire, but the label won’t let me.”

I had always assumed that rock stars were the top of the food chain. It was weird to realize they had a boss! But that’s the trade-off when you sign away your rights.

The independent music revolution was so exciting because thousands of musicians were realizing that they didn’t need to sign these kinds of deals anymore. They didn’t need labels, distributors, publishers, or anything else to get their music to the public.

But years later, I still hear people making that trade-off. Giving up their rights and serving a company, in hopes of a greater reward.

authors who act like Amazon is the boss
web designers who act like Google is the boss
promoters who act like Facebook is the boss

But you only have a boss if you choose to! Nobody is making you serve these masters.

Of course, if you don’t want a boss, then everything is up to you. Less promotion, but more freedom. Less help, but keeping all your rights. Riding the back roads, not the highway. Serving no one but yourself.

Never forget you have the choice.

Never wait Feb 17, 2018

Show notes

One of the top music industry lawyers in Los Angeles was speaking at a conference.

She’s an expert in copyright law, so someone asked her advice on a licensing problem. They had recorded their version of a famous song, but were unable to get the rights to sell it because they couldn’t get a response from the publisher.

The lawyer shocked the audience when she said, “Sell it anyway. Don’t wait for permission. Save the proof that you tried your best to reach them. If they contact you to ask for money some day, pay them then. But never wait.”

Coming from a copyright lawyer, that was a bold statement.

It was a reminder that your career is more important than its details.

Success is your top priority. Never let anything stop you.