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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Poke the Box summary
Seth Godin
When Was the Last Time You Did Something for the First Time?
13 mins
Brief summary
Poke the Box by Seth Godin is a motivational book that urges readers to take action and start something new. It encourages experimentation, risk-taking, and embracing failure as essential components of progress and success.
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Poke the Box
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Key idea 1 of 5
In today’s ever-shifting economy, the ability to adapt and change is essential for success.
What would you do if there were no obstacles in your way? Is there a dream project you’d pursue if you had all the resources and the cooperation from others you needed?
These days, instead of money, contacts and powerful organizations, the most important success factor for businesses is instigation capital: the desire and entrepreneurial spirit required to take the initiative and turn your dreams into a reality.
In the past few years, money has become less important for business success. In 2012, 67 internet start-ups were funded in San Francisco and New York. But traditionally, the amount of money needed for this would have only covered around 20 companies in Silicon Valley. This illustrates how much cheaper it is to operate a successful business these days.
This means that money and networks are no longer the most crucial factors for launching a successful venture. What you really need is the drive to pursue your goals. What you need is instigation capital.
Anyone can take a business class and learn about marketing, distribution and all the other elements of business. What’s not taught in class is instigation. Yet, if there’s no one around to inspire and push an idea forward, there is no business – and certainly no product to market and distribute.
Without initiative, all anyone can do is sit back and watch the changes that other players are instigating.
Take Wikipedia, for example. It was started in 2001 by regular people who were inspired to build an online encyclopedia that was open to contributions from anyone.
Though the idea wasn’t to overtake the dominant player at the time, Encyclopaedia Britannica, that’s exactly what happened. And the reason was that Encyclopaedia Britannica lacked the initiative to take advantage of the internet.
With countless investors ready to fund the next great idea, there’s just one thing separating the next Wikipedia from the next Encyclopaedia Britannica: the initiative to bring that idea to life.
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What is Poke the Box about?
Poke the Box (2015) dives deep into today’s connected economy, where initiative and innovation are more important than financial capital or prestige. If you want to embrace innovation and be the first to stick your neck out with a new idea, you must overcome your fear of failure and keep bouncing back when you get knocked down. This is a handbook for those who need a push to take their ideas off the drawing board and into the real world.
Poke the Box Review
Poke the Box (2011) by Seth Godin is a thought-provoking book that encourages readers to take action and embrace their entrepreneurial spirit. Here's why we think it's a worthwhile read:
- Emphasizes the importance of taking risks and embracing failure as a stepping stone towards success, empowering readers to overcome their fears and start creating.
- Offers practical strategies and tips for fostering creativity, innovation, and initiative, providing readers with actionable tools to make a real impact in their personal and professional lives.
- With its engaging anecdotes, examples, and case studies, the book keeps readers captivated and inspired, ensuring that the subject matter remains intriguing and far from dull.
Best quote from Poke the Box
The job isnt to catch up to the status quo; the job is to invent the status quo.
—Seth Godin
Who should read Poke the Box?
- Creative types and marketing executives
- Entrepreneurs and advertisers
- Anyone with a great idea or dream project that they wish to pursue
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Poke the Box FAQs
What is the main message of Poke the Box?
The main message of Poke the Box is to take action and embrace uncertainty to achieve success.
How long does it take to read Poke the Box?
The reading time for Poke the Box varies, but it typically takes a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Poke the Box a good book? Is it worth reading?
Poke the Box is worth reading as it encourages action and inspires you to step out of your comfort zone.
Who is the author of Poke the Box?
The author of Poke the Box is Seth Godin.
What to read after Poke the Box?
If you're wondering what to read next after Poke the Box, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Power of Starting Something Stupid by Richie Norton
- Grit to Great by Linda Kaplan Thaler & Robin Koval
- The Messy Middle by Scott Belsky
- The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin
- We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
- The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
- The Runaway Species by Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman
- Uncertainty by Jonathan Fields
- Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom
- The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking by Michael D. Watkins