Assignment 21

How to Fail at Everything and Still Win Big 

By Scott Adams

1. What was the general theme or argument of the book?

      The general theme of the book was how Adams searched for something he was successful, through loss after loss until he finally found something he could win at.

2. How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT3003?

      I think this taught me a lot that even though my first few ideas may not be effective, if I were to keep trying and adjusting my plans I may eventually find the right fit. These are good lessons to learn in regards to ENT3003 as students may become discouraged after a few of their ideas or jobs do not work to plan or can not be carried out. Adams shows that through these failures you are getting closer to an idea or job that will be the right fit for you.

3. If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?

      As the theme of the book is failing at things many times until getting it right, I think a good exercise for the class would be writing down as many ideas or innovations as they can think of. They will have 10 minutes to write down anything that comes to mind on a certain topic and at the end they can share their ideas or not. At the end for the ones who choose to share their ideas, a discussion with the class can take place about the pros and cons of the idea. 

4. What was your biggest surprise 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?

      The biggest 'aha' moment was when Adams spoke on setting systems in place rather than goals, systems allow for adjustments in the schedule and are not hard set around a time. An example can be rather than saying 'I will lose ten pounds' which is a goal, say 'I will eat healthier' which is a system. This allows for a better change for the farther future rather than change in the immediate future. Adams also focuses on finding your energy rather than finding your passion which really spoke to me. In regards to a major I have had difficulty finding something I am passionate about but only recently have I realized my passion comes from the energy, time, and dedication I put into a project.