I just finished reading the book Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.
It’s based on a simple – yet often overlooked – concept that suggests rather than trying to figure out how to do something, you’re better served to figure out who can help you do it.
Following are some of my favorite excerpts from the book…
What would happen for us if we, gleaning this precious insight, would shift our mind-set from “how” to “who?”
What would be possible for you if your capabilities and potential were expanded by other brilliant Whos?
In looking at your own life for a moment, how much of it are you trying to shoulder alone, for one reason or another? (p. 4)
You must stop asking yourself, “How can I accomplish this?”
That question, although common, leads to mediocre results, frustration, and a life of regrets.
A much better question is: “Who can help me achieve this?” (p.7)
Your purpose and vision expand when you have powerful Whos who can take your goals to places you couldn’t have imagined yourself. (p. 15)
In Transformational Relationships, all parties give more than they take. There is an abundance mind-set, and an openness to novelty and change.
Rather than viewing people or services as a “cost,” as in the transactional mind-set, everything is viewed as an investment, with the possibility of 10x (10 times), 100x, or even bigger returns and change. (p. 16)
As Albert Einstein has said, “Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.” (p. 20)
As the famous quote says: “Someone once tole me the definition of Hell: The last day you have on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become.” (p. 24)
If you’re focused on doing everything yourself, then you are dramatically limiting the resources you can direct toward your goals. If your resources are limited, your potential, your options, and your future are limited too.” (p. 37)
“What is the ultimate quantification of success? For me, it’s not how much time you spend doing what you love. It’s how little time you spend doing what you hate.” – Casey Neistat (p. 61)
Psychologists call this the Escalation of Commitment: Every time you invest yourself in something, you become more committed to it. (p. 86)
It is the role of the leader to determine the “what” – which is the desired outcome or goal – and to provide clarity, feedback, and direction when needed.
It is not the role of the leader to explain how the job is done.
The Who determines how they will best go about getting the job done. All they need is clarity about what specifically “done” looks like. (p. 92)
Don’t reach out to someone unless you have something meaningful to offer them. That “something” needs to be real and relevant, not just a compliment or flattery. True and real value.
And if you want the relationship to continue, you must continue creating value. (p. 114)
Dan has a saying for this: “Always be the buyer.”
What he means is that, in every situation you’re in, you should be the one who is buying, not selling. The buyer can reject the seller, not the other way around. (p. 128)
“A painting is never finished – it simply stops in interesting places.” – Paul Gardner (p. 134)
In elementary school, you were taught that getting help from others is “cheating.” You were not taught to enlist the help and capabilities of your peers.
Yet in the world of business and life, collaboration is the name of the game. Getting help from others not only enables you to create success in your life, but also gives you a deep sense of meaning and belonging. (p. 148)
If you dug the above excerpts, you can get the book here.
You also may enjoy my summaries of The Practice: Ship Creative Work, Hell Yeah or No: What’s Worth Doing and Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind.
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