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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Shoot for the Moon summary
Achieve the Impossible With the Apollo Mindset
21 mins
Brief summary
"Shoot for the Moon" by Richard Wiseman tells the story of the Apollo mission, focusing on the people behind the historic achievement. It offers insights on how to achieve your own goals through perseverance, teamwork, and innovation.
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Shoot for the Moon
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Key idea 1 of 8
Having a sense of purpose is a great motivator, as is the presence of known competitors.
July 20, 1969, is the date of a singular event in history, the day Apollo 11 landed safely on the moon. But it took decades of painstaking work filled with trials and tribulations to reach that goal.
What kept the Apollo team motivated was a great sense of purpose. They held on to the dream that US ingenuity would be responsible for the first moon landing, and that this would promote the American values of freedom and democracy around the world.
Such stakes are, of course, a big motivator. But having a strong sense of purpose doesn’t require rocket science. It can happen among any team, even one at a university call center.
The University of Pennsylvania has a grant program to help qualified but financially-constrained students afford tuition. The program has a call center devoted to contacting alumni and asking them to donate.
In 2007, psychologist Adam Grant had former beneficiaries of the program visit and speak to the team at the call center, to let them know in person just how much the money had changed their lives.
Grant noted how this created an impressive motivating factor. With the staff now clear on the difference they were making, they had an increased sense of purpose which revealed itself as a 140 percent increase in the time spent working and a 171 percent increase in funds raised.
Another proven way of boosting performance is to add a competitive element. And for the Apollo team, this aspect was certainly present. After all, the US was engaged in a riveting space race with the Soviet Union.
Back in 1898, this motivating factor was studied by Norman Triplett, a psychology professor at Indiana University. When observing cyclists racing both with and without competitors, he noticed that the sportsmen consistently reached faster speeds when facing competition.
In 2008, Triplett’s findings were expanded upon by Japanese psychologist Kou Murayama. He found that the motivating factor of competition increased even further when the individuals were part of a team, and team members were able to monitor their performance against their competitors’ performance.
Then, in 2014, psychology professor Gavin Kilduff found that the motivating factor could be increased even further when the competitor is a personally-familiar rival.
However, as we’ll see in the next blink, being competitive needs to be balanced against another important factor: knowing when to take it easy.
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What is Shoot for the Moon about?
Shoot for the Moon (2019) looks at the life lessons we can learn from the extraordinary people that accomplished the seemingly impossible mission of bringing mankind to the moon in 1969. This is practical and actionable advice that anyone can put to use today in order to do focused and purposeful work and achieve extraordinary things.
Shoot for the Moon Review
Shoot for the Moon (2019) is an inspiring book that chronicles the incredible journey of the Apollo 11 mission and the mindset it took to achieve such a monumental feat. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:
- Featuring amazing stories of the astronauts and the behind-the-scenes events, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of space exploration.
- It explores the power of determination and resilience, showing how ordinary people can overcome extraordinary challenges.
- Full of adventure and suspense, the book keeps readers hooked from start to finish, making it anything but boring.
Best quote from Shoot for the Moon
. . . merely imagining that you are competing against a rival can help boost performance.
—Richard Wiseman
Who should read Shoot for the Moon?
- Entrepreneurs
- Project managers
- Psychologists
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Shoot for the Moon FAQs
What is the main message of Shoot for the Moon?
The main message of Shoot for the Moon is about achieving your dreams through perseverance and a positive mindset.
How long does it take to read Shoot for the Moon?
The reading time for Shoot for the Moon varies depending on the reader, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Shoot for the Moon a good book? Is it worth reading?
Shoot for the Moon is a worthwhile read. It provides inspiring stories and practical strategies to help you achieve your goals.
Who is the author of Shoot for the Moon?
The author of Shoot for the Moon is Richard Wiseman.
What to read after Shoot for the Moon?
If you're wondering what to read next after Shoot for the Moon, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
- Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
- The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
- Eat Your Age by Ian K. Smith
- 59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman
- The Psychology of Winning by Denis Waitley
- The Net and the Butterfly by Olivia Fox Cabane
- Quirkology by Richard Wiseman
- How to Finish Everything You Start by Jan Yager
- The Expectation Effect by David Robson