How the World Sees You Book Summary - How the World Sees You Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

How the World Sees You summary

Sally Hogshead

Discover Your Highest Value Through the Science of Fascination

3.8 (193 ratings)
15 mins

Brief summary

How the World Sees You by Sally Hogshead shows you how to use your unique strengths to stand out in a crowded world. Discover your personality's advantages and learn how to use them to your advantage in work and life.

Table of Contents

    How the World Sees You
    Summary of 7 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 7

    You’ll only succeed in the right environment, and some indicators can tell you if you’re there or not.

    Perhaps you’ve heard this story: a priceless painting is sitting up in some forgotten attic, collecting dust for decades. Then, one day, someone stumbles upon it and sets off a million-dollar bidding war. Do you ever feel like that painting, waiting for someone to recognize your potential?

    The problem is, you have to be in the right environment for people to notice your unique talents and the great things you have to offer.

    Take Joshua Bell. He’s one of the world’s most famous violinists – but even a musical genius needs the right environment.

    He participated in an experiment in which he busked anonymously in a Washington, D.C., subway station. While he played, the people passing through the station were naturally caught up in their daily routines and failed to notice his amazing talent. In the end, he only made $32.12 whereas, under normal circumstances, he could easily earn $45,000 for a single performance.

    So, whether it is a priceless painting, Joshua Bell or you, without the right environment your talent will go unnoticed. You need to stay on the lookout for the kind of environment that will maximize your unique contributions.

    Luckily, there are some simple indicators that can tell you when you’ve found it – or if you might already be there.

    A good sign is when your boss approaches you to ask for your feedback and advice. The same goes for when clients decide to work with you rather than with more affordable competitors; this shows you that your good work is being recognized.

    On the other hand, you might not be in the right environment if your emails and calls are going unreturned. And if you’re self-employed, it should raise a red flag if you have to attract clients by offering the lowest price.

    So, finding the right environment is crucial to success, and in the next blink we’ll take a look at the obstacles that can stand in your way.

    Want to see all full key ideas from How the World Sees You?

    Key ideas in How the World Sees You

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is How the World Sees You about?

    How the World Sees You (2014) offers a window into yourself, helping you discover what fascinates you and how you can be fascinating to other people. Find out how to use your unique personality to improve your performance and your chances of success, and learn how to read those around you so you can put together the perfect collaborative team.

    How the World Sees You Review

    How the World Sees You (2014) explores the concept of personal branding and how to stand out in a crowded world. Here are three reasons why this book is worth your time:

    • With its innovative research and eye-opening assessments, it helps you discover your unique advantage and understand how others perceive you.
    • By providing practical strategies to leverage your strengths and communicate your value, it empowers you to build a powerful personal brand.
    • Through captivating stories and examples, the book engages readers and challenges them to think differently about their own personal branding, making the topic anything but boring.

    Best quote from How the World Sees You

    You will not make a difference by being quiet. You only make a difference by being heard.

    —Sally Hogshead
    example alt text

    Who should read How the World Sees You?

    • Business leaders who want to learn about team building
    • Employees stuck at a dead-end job
    • Professionals striving to better understand their personal skill set

    About the Author

    Sally Hogshead is an advertising expert who has appeared various times on NBC’s Today Show and is a frequent contributor to The New York Times. Her other books include Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation.

    Categories with How the World Sees You

    Book summaries like How the World Sees You

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    30 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    How the World Sees You FAQs 

    What is the main message of How the World Sees You?

    The main message of How the World Sees You is understanding your personal value and how to use it to make an impact.

    How long does it take to read How the World Sees You?

    The reading time for How the World Sees You varies depending on the reader, but it takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is How the World Sees You a good book? Is it worth reading?

    How the World Sees You is worth reading for its valuable insights into personal branding and self-awareness.

    Who is the author of How the World Sees You?

    The author of How the World Sees You is Sally Hogshead.

    What to read after How the World Sees You?

    If you're wondering what to read next after How the World Sees You, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar
    • Communicate to Influence by Ben Decker & Kelly Decker
    • Click by Rom and Ori Brafman
    • Deep Work by Cal Newport
    • The 11 Laws of Likability by Michelle Tillis Lederman
    • Grit to Great by Linda Kaplan Thaler & Robin Koval
    • Mastering Communication at Work by Ethan F. Becker and Jon Wortmann
    • Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
    • Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
    • The Body by Bill Bryson