The Achievement Habit Book Summary - The Achievement Habit Book explained in key points
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The Achievement Habit summary

Bernard Roth

Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of Your Life

4.1 (117 ratings)
13 mins

Brief summary

The Achievement Habit by Bernard Roth is a self-help book that emphasizes taking action to achieve your goals. It provides practical advice for overcoming mental barriers and developing a problem-solving mindset, ultimately leading to success.

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    The Achievement Habit
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    The Achievement Habit is about closing the gap between what you want and what you do.

    Anyone can become an achiever. But first, you have to learn how to just do things.

    Think about how many people dream of starting their own company, but end up working for someone else. Well, you can learn to close the gap between what you want to do and what actually gets done.

    Look at it this way: there’s a fundamental difference between trying and doing.

    Imagine you want to take something from someone’s hand: merely trying gets you bupkis – the other person sees you reaching and strengthens their grip. In this case, you didn’t use enough force and you didn’t act quickly. If, instead of trying, you had simply done, the other person wouldn’t have had the time to resist you.

    The point is, the only obstacle is you. Everything else is just an excuse or a mental limit. If you’re not happy with some aspect of your life, you can change it.

    Because here’s the thing: life is basically an exercise in problem-solving – and that’s not a bad thing. Problems are opportunities to learn and move forward. And learning how to use problems to your advantage is exactly what the Achievement Habit is all about.

    One important aspect of the Achievement Habit comes from Design Thinking, a set of practices designers often use in their work, namely an openness to failure.

    Failure defines pretty much every success story. Even Oprah was fired from her first job as a television anchor. But failure didn’t stop her, it motivated her!

    Of course for most of us, motivation is the hard part. School trains us to work in order to earn high grades and degrees, but there are no report cards in life. So in adulthood, most of us have to train ourselves to be self-motivated.

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    Key ideas in The Achievement Habit

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    What is The Achievement Habit about?

    Big dreams that never come true? Long list of things to do but you spent half the morning on Facebook? The Achievement Habit (2015) is all you need to light a metaphorical rocket under your desk chair. With its down-to-earth revelations and simple instructions, it’s easy to apply to the life you already have, and bound to get you closer to the life you want.

    The Achievement Habit Review

    The Achievement Habit (2015) by Bernard Roth is a thought-provoking book that offers valuable insights on how to overcome obstacles and achieve success. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • Packed with practical strategies and exercises, it empowers readers to take action and develop a mindset of achievement.
    • By combining academic research, personal anecdotes, and real-life examples, the book provides a comprehensive and relatable perspective on achieving goals.
    • The book's engaging narrative and thought-provoking ideas make it anything but dull, leaving readers inspired and motivated to take charge of their own success.

    Best quote from The Achievement Habit

    [Achievement] is a muscle, and once you learn to flex it, theres no end to what you can accomplish in life.

    —Bernard Roth
    example alt text

    Who should read The Achievement Habit?

    • Anyone who feels stuck
    • People with a life goal but no plan
    • Chronic procrastinators

    About the Author

    Bernard Roth is a professor of engineering and the academic director of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University. He is one of the world’s pioneers in robotics and an expert in kinematics, the science of motion.

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    The Achievement Habit FAQs 

    What is the main message of The Achievement Habit?

    The main message of The Achievement Habit is that anyone can learn to be more successful and fulfilled by changing their mindset and taking action.

    How long does it take to read The Achievement Habit?

    The reading time for The Achievement Habit varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is The Achievement Habit a good book? Is it worth reading?

    The Achievement Habit is worth reading as it offers practical advice and insights for achieving success and fulfillment. It provides actionable steps to transform your mindset and take control of your life.

    Who is the author of The Achievement Habit?

    The author of The Achievement Habit is Bernard Roth.

    What to read after The Achievement Habit?

    If you're wondering what to read next after The Achievement Habit, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Get Out of Your Own Way by Dave Hollis
    • What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam
    • The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
    • A Handbook for New Stoics by Massimo Pigliucci and Gregory Lopez
    • Presence by Amy Cuddy
    • The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden
    • The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
    • I’m Ok, You’re Ok by Thomas A. Harris
    • The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
    • Manage Your Day-To-Day by 99U and Jocelyn K. Glei