Reviews

Hell Yeah or No: what's worth doing by Derek Sivers

hmh's review

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informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Very inspiring lessons. Will be reading this one many times.

distopian_'s review

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informative medium-paced

4.0

_nathanielsullivan_'s review

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inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

failedimitator's review

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4.0

It's very short, which is great. And a lot of the ideas are thought-provoking. Derek loves parables and fables, and like most good parables, his book isn't so much instructional, but a way of thinking. He gives you ideas and frameworks to think about your own life. I dug this.

valedeoro's review

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inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

4.0

sandini's review

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5.0

When one struggles with what's worth doing, it often seems like a terrible conundrum. This book makes it seem like maybe, possibly, it could be less of one. Or a solvable quandary at the very least. Full of earnest and delightful quotes, this is the type of book I'd like to have at my nightstand to flip through before bed.

With the consoling essence of a warm cup of tea and a tart zing of inspiration, Sivers seems like that off-beat high school friend who you could always go to for an absolutely odd, but somehow insightful perspective. Some notable quotes:


“No matter what you tell the world or tell yourself, your actions reveal your real values. Your actions show you what you actually want. There are two smart reactions to this:
1. Stop lying to yourself, and admit your real priorities.
2. Start doing what you say you want to do, and see if it’s really true.”

"Someone who played football in high school can’t call himself an athlete forever. Someone who did something successful long ago can’t keep calling himself a success. You have to keep earning it. Holding on to an old title gives you satisfaction without action. But success comes from doing, not declaring."

"There are three things to consider when making life-size decisions:
• What makes you happy
• What’s smart — meaning long-term good for you
• What’s useful to others
We have a tendency to forget one of these."

"If I’m acting too undisciplined, I realize it’s because I’ve stopped vividly seeing my future. I can only see the present. If I’m acting too disconnected, I realize it’s because I’m obsessed with my goals. I can see only the future."

"Refuse almost everything. Do almost nothing. But the things you do, do them all the way."

2shruti2's review

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fast-paced

2.0

suryapandian's review

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4.0

Many practical and useful insights.
I especially liked his suggestions on how to pursue contrasting career interests.
Will be trying it out.

Worth re-reading again.

kacawcaw's review

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informative inspiring fast-paced

3.5

nheer's review

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5.0

The book "Hell Yeah or No" by Derek Sivers is genuinely thought-provoking and fun to read or listen to.
The book's philosophy goes like this: when you have the opportunity to do something, anything, with your time, it needs to be a 'hell yes' or a 'no' — nothing in between. The reasoning is this: if you say yes to the things that are not that important, you won't have time for the hell yeah stuff in your life. The more you say no to something, the more time, energy, and focus you will have for the things that will excite you.

I can especially recommend the audio version of the book. At first, I thought the audio effects were a bit much, but the more I listen, the more I found them enjoyable.
I can recommend this book to everyone; it is a fun and thoughtful book.