Derek Sivers - Hell Yeah or No

Copyright 2020 by Sivers Inc
All rights reserved
Editor: Catherine Oliver
Producer: Saeah Lee Wood

Hell Yeah or No

Hit Media

If you want to know more about me or my work, go to sivers.org.Its all there.

Anyone who reads my books is my kind of person, so please go to sivers.org/contact to email me and say hello.Ask me anything or just introduce yourself.I reply to every email.

Derek

In my first book, Anything You Want, I told the story of how I started, grew, and sold my company.

As part of selling the company, I signed a non-compete agreement that said I couldnt do the one thing Id been doing since I was twenty-seven years old.So I had to make a real change in my life.

I thought a lot about whats worth doing, fixing faulty thinking, and making things happen.For the next ten years, I wrote for hours a day in my private journal, asking myself questions and answering them.When these thoughts seemed useful to others, Id turn them into articles, which are now the chapters of this book.

I write succinctly because Im only introducing ideas.You can apply them to your life better than I can.But if you want to hear more thoughts or talk about them, go to the URL at the end of each chapter:(sivers.org/_____)There youll find many interesting comments about that idea, and you can post your own.

Or just say hello at sivers.org/contactI love hearing from people who have found my work.I reply to every email.

Derek Sivers, Oxford, England, 2019

sivers.org/hy1

You know that feeling you have after a big meal?When youre so full that you dont want anything more?

Ever wonder what that would feel like in other parts of your life?

We do so many things for the attention, to feel important or praised.But what if you had so much attention and so much praise that you couldnt possibly want any more?What would you do then?What would you stop doing?

We do so many things for the money, whether we need it or not.But what if you had so much money that you couldnt possibly want any more?What would you do then?What would you stop doing?

And then if you stopped doing all these things youre doing just for the money or the attention, what would be left?Who would you be if you didnt do these things?If you were completely satiated, then what?After an understandable period of relaxing, what would you pursue?

Dont say sit around and do nothing, because thats still just relaxing.I mean after that, when youre ready to be useful to others again.

What would you do then, if you didnt need the money and didnt need the attention?

sivers.org/full

You can focus your time locally or globally.

If youre local, you focus on your community, doing things in-person.But this means you have less time to focus on the rest of the world.

If youre global, you make things for the whole world.But this means you have less time to be part of your local community.

Neither approach is right or wrong, but you need to be aware of the trade-off.

I lived in Woodstock, New York for three years.There I started my company, entirely online.I never met anyone in Woodstock.I just lived there, but didnt socialize there.My attention was focused globally, which helped my business grow quickly.

Then I lived in Portland, Oregon for three years.I worked every waking hour super productive.I made great friends worldwide, but I never hung out in Portland.It was just my place to work and sleep.My attention was still focused globally.

Then I lived in Singapore for three years and decided to do the opposite to get fully involved in my local community.I had an open door, said yes to every request, met with hundreds of people, and went to every event possible.I spent most of my time talking with people, and really got to know the Singapore community.

But something felt wrong.After a day of talking, I was often exhausted and unfulfilled.Two hours spent with one person who wants to pick my brain is two hours I could have spent making something that could be useful to the whole world, including that one person.

Then people in America started emailing to ask why Id been so silent.No new articles?No new projects?Nothing?

So theres the trade-off.When Im local-focused, I may be useful to my community, but Im not being as useful to the rest of the world.

So Im finally admitting:Im not local.

I feel equally connected to many places.Just because I live in one place now, that doesnt mean I should ignore the others.To me, the emphasis on local stuff never felt right.When I lived in Woodstock and Portland, people asked what I was doing to promote the local music scene.I argued that I shouldnt favor Woodstock or Portland any more than Wellington or Prague.But thats just me.

Some people feel a strong separation between insiders and outsiders.If youre a part of their family, neighborhood, organization, or circle of friends, then youre an insider.Everyone else is an outsider.

Other people feel no separation.Youre treated equally, no matter where youre from or who you know.There are no outsiders.You make connections based on who you are now, not where youve been.

Like your tendency to be introverted or extroverted, or conservative or liberal, these fundamental world views shape your approach to life and work.

A business can focus on growing their local market or on internationalizing.A musician can focus on doing local gigs or on reaching fans online.Very different approaches.Both are necessary.Neither is right or wrong.Just be aware that you can choose the local or global balance that works best for you.

sivers.org/local

I told my old coach that I really wanted to start my new company.

He said, No, you dont.

I said, Yes, I do!This is really important to me!

He said, No, its not.Saying it doesnt make it true.

I said, You cant ignore what Im saying.I know myself well.Im telling you whats important to me.

He said, Yes, I can ignore what youre saying and just look at your actions.Our actions always reveal our real values.

I thought about that, but it sounded wrong to me.What about people who want to learn languages, or create businesses, but havent started yet?What about people who want to quit smoking or quit their jobs, but havent been able to yet?

He said, If they really wanted to do it, they would have done it.Youve been talking about this new company idea since 2008, but never launched it.Looking at your actions, and knowing you, Id say that you dont really want to start another company.You actually prefer the simple life you have now, focused on learning, writing, and playing with your kid.