Ahearn David - Happy accidents: the transformative power of yes, and at work and in life

If you are looking to unleash human potential in your organization, there is no better place to start than with the power in two words, Yes, And. If you need proof of concept, this book and the entrepreneurial vision and lessons of the authors will provide a pathway.

O. HOMER EREKSON, John V. Roach Dean and Professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy, Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University

Working with Four Day Weekend changed my life. They instilled confidence in me and helped me believe in my own ability to impact the world in a positive way by making people laugh and feel good.

CRISTELA ALONZO, Actor, Writer, Comedian and Producer

This book is a must-read for people who yearn for a new way of working, thinking, doing and creating a better world.

ERIK WAHL, New York Times bestselling author of Unthink

Read this book and heed its words the Yes, And philosophy can work wonders by opening minds and inspiring your family, your company, and your community to make the seemingly impossible happen.

BETSY PRICE, Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas

Happy Accidents sets the table for creating a positive attitude and a better way of seeing the world, which impacts our lives in everything we do. From school to work to home, this is a great read about an optimistic approach to life that benefits all of us.

MIKE MONCRIEF, Businessman, Philanthropist, former Texas State Senator and former Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas

David Ahearn,
Frank Ford,
and David Wilk

Founders of Four Day Weekend Comedy
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence at The Neeley School of
Business at Texas Christian University

Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: DonNichols / Getty Images

Copyright 2017 by Four Day Weekend, Inc. All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Ahearn, David, 1969- author. | Ford, Frank, 1967- author. | Wilk, David, 1966- author.

Title: Happy accidents : how yes, and thinking helps you open hearts, change minds, and win together in a no, but world / by David Ahearn, Frank Ford, and David Wilk.

Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. |

Identifiers: LCCN 2017025189 (print) | ISBN 9781119428565 (cloth)

Subjects: LCSH: Attitude change. | Acquiescence (Psychology) | Creative thinking. | Success.

Classification: LCC BF327 (ebook) | LCC BF327 .A34 2017 (print) | DDC 204/.4dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017025189

To our family, our friends, and our fans:
This happened because of you.
You inspired us. You gave us a chance to shine.
We couldnt dream of what weve accomplished without you.

And to you, our readers:
Listen to each other. Learn from each other. Laugh together.
Its the best way to improve the world.

May Yes, and transform your lives
as much as it did ours.

Over the years, through various political, civic, and business engagements, weve had the privilege of getting to know some of the most talented, dynamic and, in rare cases, truly exceptional people anywhere. Four Day Weekends founding members David Ahearn, Frank Ford, and David Wilk are among them. We are honored to call them our friends, and proud to call them Fort Worths Greatest Ambassadors.

Our shared Happy Accident started some 20 years ago, mostly on a whim. It was early on in their entrepreneurial and artistic journey, and the authors, along with another founding member, Troy Grant, made the auspicious decision to launch an improvisation and sketch comedy theater company in, of all places, our beloved city of Fort Worth, Texas. It was a leap of faith with clear risks and an uncertain landing. It took real courage, one borne of a belief in possibility and the power of the words Yes, and to change their lives for the better.

To give you context, our city had never witnessed their kind of comedy before, and for their part, theyd never witnessed a city as wonderful as ours. And so formed the beginnings of a beautiful bond that has blossomed from a risky experiment into a 20-years and counting, massively successful Yes, and experience. Its one that has touched the lives of thousands of people, and we can proudly say it has forever changed our city and our cultural landscape for the better. It has brought our people closer and made us feel a deep sense of pride about our home.

Four Day Weekends philosophy of Yes, and offers an enchanting way of drawing hearts and minds together. It helps us recognize that life and work are best played as a team sport. It leads us toward placing value on a shared purpose, shared vision, and a shared experience for what can be a more optimistic, enriching, and supportive life experience for all.

To us, and our broader Fort Worth family, it means one other thing: taking care of each other, no matter what. Its true in times that are good and in those that are challenging. It applies to all of usfriends, neighbors, strangers and especially those in need. At times we are called upon to lift up our fellow citizens, and do our part. Thats the Fort Worth way, its a message of belief in an empowered community, that none of us as individuals are as good as all of us as a city, and a family working in harmony together. Its not always perfect, but it works well. And it honors those with whom we get to experience this preciously short gift of life.