2016-07-14 1:15
The biggest lessons of this wonderful book, is to make many small experiments which lead to big discoveries. Sims highlights over and over how different companies, comedians, and innovators make small bets, constantly tweaking their approach, and refining their ideas to reach big final conclusions. This seems like a great way to approach anything in life. If, for example, you were interested in teaching full time, you'd be better off making a small bet, on tutoring after school, or possibly substitue teach for a single day, before going through all the certifications necessary to teach full time.
Immerse yourself in whatever you are trying to innovate. Without getting down to the "worms-eye view" of things, rather than the bird's eye view, we miss critical details that may lead to key creative discoveries. Follow this up with relentless inquisitiveness. When you are unafraid to ask any question, you'll find the right answer faster.
Overall, this was a wonderfully quick read that gave a fly-on-the-wall experience to many industry greats. Sims takes us on a ride through the innovation process of Amazon, Chris Rock, Pixar, as well as many others. I'm left with the distinct impression that I can gain a lot more value out of my efforts by shifting focus to smaller bets.