Aaron D. Bare - Exponential Theory: The Power of Thinking Big

Exponential Theory

EXPONENTIAL
THEORY

The Power of Thinking BIG

Aaron D. Bare

with N. Forbes Shannon

NEW YORK

LONDONNASHVILLEMELBOURNEVANCOUVER

EXPONENTIAL THEORY

The Power of Thinking BIG

2022 Aaron D. Bare with N. Forbes Shannon

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and specific other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author at aaronbare.com, with Attention: Exponential Th eory in the subject line of your message.

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Dedicated to all those in pursuit of purpose; by asking questions, challenging assumptions and changing the world around you. Carpe Diem!

AB & FS

Dedicated to my family, who have supported my global innovation journey for the last 15+ years, to my children Bali and Maverick who inspire me to be part of the solution for our future, and to my parents, who instilled great values in me.

AB

Dedicated to my Mom, who taught me to love telling stories.

FS

Special thanks to Forbes Shannon for helping me draw out the stories for this book. Thanks to Alan AP Powell for keeping life interesting. Thanks to the mother of my children Jennifer Bare for always being there for me. Thanks to Russ Wall for the support. Thanks to Hannah Brodie and Jaya Chatterjee for the editing.

I also want to express extreme gratitude and appreciation for the support, mentorship, thought leadership, and/or conversations on innovation with: Aaron Richardson, Aaron Rodriquez, Abdu Daindridge, Adam Bremen, Adam Such, Adam Vigil, Alan AP Powell, Alan G. Rodbell, Alec Ross, Alex Osterwalder, Amir Glogau, Amy Rae, Andrew Cohn, Andrew Lampe, Andreas Bauer, Andrew Lombard, Dr. Angel Cabrera, Anna Sokolova, Antonio Dominquez, Anthony Bajores, Art Hamilton, Aish Narang, Ash Maurya, Austin Jack, Bali Bare, Beau Lane, Bill Bare, Bill Lavidge, Dr. Bob Hisrich, Bob Stockwell, Bonnie Love, Boris Kodjoe, Brad Tilford, Brent Sebold, Brian Burt, Brian Mohr, Bryan Sperber, Candi Luciano, Carl Yamoshiro, Cheri Reeves, Cheryl Heller, Chris Farrell, Chris Jester, Chris Johnson, Chris Rawlinson, Chris Voss, Chris Yoo, Christina Ngo, Christopher Deutch, Clare Boyd, Craig Nealy, Darren Wilson, Dan Zlaket, Daniel Epstein, Dave McLurg, David Johnson, David Barnett, Daymond John, Dr. Denis LeClerc, Dennis Prince, DeVonte Rosero, Donald Hannah, Douglas Griffen, Drew Trojanowski, Donavon Ostrom, Don Tapscott, Elle Shelley, Eric Hawkins, Eric Ries, Eric Trappen, Erron Boes, Frankie Jaramilla, Frank Busch, Fedrik Carlstrom, Francine Hardaway, Francisco Palao Reins, George Grombacher, Gerd Leonhard, Gerhard Meier, Glenn Hammer, Gonzalo De La Melena, Admiral Hal Pittman, Hala Al Kasm, Hannah Brodie, Heath McCarter, Heidi Lee, Humberto Espinosa, Jaclyn Kleiner, Jared Cohen, Jaraslav Dokoupil, Jeffrey Guldner, Jeffrey Gittomer, Jeffrey Pruitt, Dr. Jeff Walls, Jen Kaplan, Jennifer Bare, Ji Mi Choi, Jim Collins, John Fees, John Hagel, Jim Lane, Jim Prendergast, Jimmy Hutchinson, Jimmy Walker, John Santry, John Smart, Jon Gowar, Jon Tull, Jonathan Bonghi, Jonathan Hegrenes, Jonathan Keyser, Jonathan Limancoa, Jonathan Lines, Jonscott Turco, Joshua Husk, Justin Bachman, Justin Choi, Dr. Karen Walsh, Kate Robertson, Katie Clemens, Katie Perrine, Keld Jensen, Ken Mulligan, Ken Kendrick, Kenja Hassan, Kent Langley, Kerry Dunne, Kerwin Brown, Kirill Eremenko, Lieb Bolel, Linda Capcara, Liz Pellet, Malcolm Gladwell, Marc Goodman, Marsha Bare, Dr. Mary Sully de Luque, Matt OBrien, Matthew Shuman, Maverick Bare, Max Hansen, Mel Hawkins, Michael Blazina, Michael Davidson, Michael Gerber, Michael Southworth, Dr. Neta Kela Madar, Dr. Netra Chhetri, Nicole Spracale, Noah Barrasso, PJ Bouchard, Paige Maurer Wheeler, Patrick McDermott, Pascal Finette, Patti Dubois, Paul Saffo, Peter Diamandis, Peter Theil, Randy Kendrick, Ray Kurzweil, Reed Glick, Dr. Robert Stralser, Dr. Robert Cialdini, Ron Williams, Rich Hempel, Rich Nickel, Richie Norton, Rick Stilgenbauer, Ryan Allis, Ryan Garmers, Safi Bahcall, Salim Ismael, Samuel Mueller, Sandra Watson, Dr. Sanjeev Khagram, Sara Ragland, Scott Foreman, Scott McIntosh, Shamshad Khan, Shawn Seaton, Sidnee Peck, Simon Kavanagh, Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, Smoke Wallin, Dr. Sogol Homayoun, General Spider Marks, Dr. Stefan Michel, Steve Blank, Steve Chucri, Steve Giusto, Steve Loy, Steve Moak, Steven Olson, Sunil Narang, Susan Halverson, T. Ryan Fitzgerald, Tasha Boyd-Jones, Thomas Shumann, Tim Leake, Timothy Ferriss, Trip Hawkins, Toby Farmer, Todd Woods, Tom Collins, Tom Fulcher, Tony Feiter, Uwe Steinwender, Velma Treyham, Vielka Atherton, Will Overstreet, Wellington Reiter, and Zach Ferres.AB

Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.

Harry Truman

A guide to reading and understanding any book, including this book:

1. Take notes in the margins
2. Reflect on how you can apply each story on your own life
3. Highlight points of interest, put stars next to important points and come back to them
4. Use the book as a journal
5. Answer the questions posed by the author
6. Dig deep, read books in the bibliography to further understand the subject matter
7. Find a place to read and continue to read in that spot
8. Brief the book first, read the titles and get the gist before diving deep
9. Shut the outside world out
10. Give the book to someone else, pay it forward
11. Create a group to read the book together
12. Share quotes and messages to connect with other like-minded people online

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless yet be determined to make them otherwise.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

As a young man, I was very successful on any standard. I was a Coca-Cola Scholar, the Valedictorian of my high school class, my high schools Martin Luther King Jr. award winner for service and leadership, and the National Civic Leagues 2011 All America Teen of the Year. I had my choice of universities (Michigan, Chicago, or Toronto) and I was certainly on my way to do something great to change the World.

Instead, I took an unconventional path and went to Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University (ASU), moving all the way across the country to find my lifes purpose. I created a new identity at ASU as a writing fellow and an entrepreneurship and innovation fellow. I even started going by my middle name Forbes. I created a weekly comedy show (which became the largest performing group on campus), and I developed a duality to my life that most college kids do, balancing schoolwork with extracurricular activities. Life was great.