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Skip the Line: The 10,000 Experiments Rule and Other Surprising Advice for Reaching Your Goals
The entrepreneur, angel investor, and bestselling author of Choose Yourself busts the 10,000-hour rule of achieving mastery, offering a new mindset and dozens of techniques that will inspire any professional—no matter their age or managerial level—to pursue their passions and quickly acquire the skills they need to succeed and achieve their dreams.
We live in a hierarchical world where experience has traditionally been the key to promotion. But that period is over! Straight, clear-cut career trajectories no longer exist. Industries disappear, job descriptions change, and people’s interests and passions evolve. The key to riding this wave, entrepreneur James Altucher advises, is to constantly be curious about what’s next, to be comfortable with uncertainty so you can keep navigating the rough waters ahead, and most important, to pursue the things that interest you. In Skip the Line, he reveals how he went from struggling and depressed to making his personal, financial, and creative dreams come true, despite—and perhaps due to—his many failures along the way. Altucher combines his personal story with concrete—and unorthodox—insights that work. But Skip the Line isn’t about hacks and shortcuts—it’s about transforming the way you think, work, and live, letting your interests guide your learning, time, and resources. It’s about allowing yourself to do what comes naturally; the more you do what you love, the better you do it. While showing you how to approach change and crisis, Altucher gives you tools to help easily execute ideas, become an expert negotiator, attract the attention of those around you, scale promising ideas, and improve leadership—all of which will catapult you higher than you ever thought possible and at a speed that everyone will tell you is impossible.
We live in a hierarchical world where experience has traditionally been the key to promotion. But that period is over! Straight, clear-cut career trajectories no longer exist. Industries disappear, job descriptions change, and people’s interests and passions evolve. The key to riding this wave, entrepreneur James Altucher advises, is to constantly be curious about what’s next, to be comfortable with uncertainty so you can keep navigating the rough waters ahead, and most important, to pursue the things that interest you. In Skip the Line, he reveals how he went from struggling and depressed to making his personal, financial, and creative dreams come true, despite—and perhaps due to—his many failures along the way. Altucher combines his personal story with concrete—and unorthodox—insights that work. But Skip the Line isn’t about hacks and shortcuts—it’s about transforming the way you think, work, and live, letting your interests guide your learning, time, and resources. It’s about allowing yourself to do what comes naturally; the more you do what you love, the better you do it. While showing you how to approach change and crisis, Altucher gives you tools to help easily execute ideas, become an expert negotiator, attract the attention of those around you, scale promising ideas, and improve leadership—all of which will catapult you higher than you ever thought possible and at a speed that everyone will tell you is impossible.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2021
288 people are currently reading
2584 people want to read
About the author
James Altucher
43 books989 followersJames Altucher is a writer, successful entrepreneur, chess master, and investor.
He has founded over 20 companies and sold some of them for large exits. He has also run venture capital funds, hedge funds, angel funds, and currently sits on the boards of many companies.
He has written and been profiled in most major national media publications like the Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, CNBC, Forbes, and Business Week.
His blog, which began by detailing Altucher's precipitous fall from wealth and success to absolute rock bottom and then back to wealth, has attracted more than 10 million readers since its launch in 2010, and in 2011 inspired a comic book.
He has founded over 20 companies and sold some of them for large exits. He has also run venture capital funds, hedge funds, angel funds, and currently sits on the boards of many companies.
He has written and been profiled in most major national media publications like the Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, CNBC, Forbes, and Business Week.
His blog, which began by detailing Altucher's precipitous fall from wealth and success to absolute rock bottom and then back to wealth, has attracted more than 10 million readers since its launch in 2010, and in 2011 inspired a comic book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
March 2, 2021
James's book "Choose Yourself" literally helped me make it through federal prison and was instrumental in reinventing my life after prison.
I was excited to hear that he was coming out with another book and had high hopes for it. I was NOT disappointed.
Skip The Line is his best work to date.
It's packed with valuable and executable information. I'm already implementing some of the practices (50/1) in my business.
What I like most about James is that he does not merely regurgitate knowledge. He walks his walk, and everything in this book is something he has put to use in his own life, and he openly shares his experiences.
I found myself putting the book down every couple of pages to capture all the ideas and inspirations that were flowing. I created a file in Evernote to keep track of them all.
Skip The Line gave me the courage and the tools to finally take action towards a lifelong passion (40 years) that I never had the courage to pursue.
I have a short list of books that I reread regularly. Skip The Line just made that list slightly longer. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to reach their goals.
I was excited to hear that he was coming out with another book and had high hopes for it. I was NOT disappointed.
Skip The Line is his best work to date.
It's packed with valuable and executable information. I'm already implementing some of the practices (50/1) in my business.
What I like most about James is that he does not merely regurgitate knowledge. He walks his walk, and everything in this book is something he has put to use in his own life, and he openly shares his experiences.
I found myself putting the book down every couple of pages to capture all the ideas and inspirations that were flowing. I created a file in Evernote to keep track of them all.
Skip The Line gave me the courage and the tools to finally take action towards a lifelong passion (40 years) that I never had the courage to pursue.
I have a short list of books that I reread regularly. Skip The Line just made that list slightly longer. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to reach their goals.
April 1, 2021
A ton of useful and helpful content, but if you have read his other books you will see recycling of a lot of stories and repackaging of previous tips. I still think it’s worth the read if you are excited about entrepreneurship and/or developing and mastering multiple skills throughout your life. In a way, it’s another take on the art of practicing something new and mastering that.
I did find the audio book to be a bit grating after a while and at times I thought if hear him say the word “experrment” one more time I would throw my air pods down the street. But that’s probably just me...
I did find the audio book to be a bit grating after a while and at times I thought if hear him say the word “experrment” one more time I would throw my air pods down the street. But that’s probably just me...
December 21, 2023
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. PASSIONS:
- Skipping the Line is a way of living your life by allowing your passions to drive your learning, time, and other resources.
- It’s allowing yourself to do what comes naturally to you by getting better at it day by day.
2. EXPERIMENTS:
- Experiments help you skip the line.
- First you have to step out of line.
- Saying “I can do this” and not being too tied to the result is freedom.
- When curiosity is active, you know your heart is talking to your mind. That is something worth pursuing.
3. DISCOMFORT:
- You only get better if you lean in to the uncomfortable.
- The room least crowded is the room you learn in.
- When the audience feels like they have a choice, they have a cognitive bias to be more engaged with what you are doing.
4. BORROW HOURS:
- A toolbox that you can open when you need to fix something or start something new .
- Being detached from the results is not only the most important role of science, but the most important role for skipping the line.
5. BUILD MICROSKILLS:
- To be truly good at business, or entrepreneurship, you need to be good at a basket of micro-skills.
- Master micro skills by borrowing from other skills you might have.
- Always be the fool, the one who innocently doesn’t understand. Be the outsider.
- Every day find someone to help. Find someone to give credit to. Find someone for whom you can selflessly figure out how to make their lives easier. Need no credit ever and everyone will give you credit forever.
- Micro-skills in business: sales, negotiation, idea, creation, execution, leadership, management, marketing, selling the business, project management, follow-ups, networking, delegating.
6. PLUS, MINUS, EQUALS:
- Plus: Add mentors, virtual mentors from books you read.
- Reading is the most important superpower. It turned you from a normal mortal civilian into a supernatural vampire.
- Minus: if you can’t teach the basics, so a beginner can understand, then it turns out you don’t yet fully understand them yourself.
- Fundamentals are the key to continued success.
- Equals: you learn by competing with them this is part of the challenge. Keep pace with your equals, and even pass them before they pass you. Comparing our progress with those on or near the same level in the hierarchy.
7. WHO / WHY ARE YOU?
- Being an outsider forces you to look at alternative routes to get to the front of the line.
- Do not count on the good graces of others to fulfill your inner passion.
- Obsession is the first clue toward finding your purpose. And doing helps you find what you were obsessed with.
- There’s no reason to be successful at something if it doesn’t also satisfy the needs and pleasure of living life.
- Be the best person you can be in the tiny time we are allotted on this planet.
8. 50/1 RULE:
- If you can explore what you love and get paid for it, then it is bliss.
- Eliminate or trim meetings, rarely productive.
- Investing: Always invest alongside people smarter than me.
9. TAKE 2 STEPS BACK:
- If you can take a leap backward, you will eventually be able to leapfrog past those who have been dutifully plodding along.
10. EXIT THE LINE:
- Your best new clients are your old clients. Provide services or products to your old clients.
- Being productive is about using the time to make a better YOU.
- Diversification - invest in happiness strategy.
11. BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR:
- Products are always more valuable than services.
- If your gut says no, then listen to it.
- Most experiments don't work. When it works, your life will change. If you never experiment, your life never change.
- Only talk when you have something unique to say. Otherwise, listen.
- List your options every day. Use the possibility muscle every day, ten ideas a day.
- Be around good people.
12. SPOKE & WHEEL APPROACH:
- Diversify your income stream so that you're not beholden to one single source of income.
13. INCERTO TECHNIQUE:
- It is our ability to withstand uncertainty and thrive from it.
- “Skin in the game” will force you, in a natural way, to do the research you need to do to reduce risk as much as possible.
14. 30/ 150/ MILLIONS:
- When the size of the group exceeds 30, bonds of trust and community start to break down.
- Stories create value and allow us to cooperate with millions of strangers.
1. PASSIONS:
- Skipping the Line is a way of living your life by allowing your passions to drive your learning, time, and other resources.
- It’s allowing yourself to do what comes naturally to you by getting better at it day by day.
2. EXPERIMENTS:
- Experiments help you skip the line.
- First you have to step out of line.
- Saying “I can do this” and not being too tied to the result is freedom.
- When curiosity is active, you know your heart is talking to your mind. That is something worth pursuing.
3. DISCOMFORT:
- You only get better if you lean in to the uncomfortable.
- The room least crowded is the room you learn in.
- When the audience feels like they have a choice, they have a cognitive bias to be more engaged with what you are doing.
4. BORROW HOURS:
- A toolbox that you can open when you need to fix something or start something new .
- Being detached from the results is not only the most important role of science, but the most important role for skipping the line.
5. BUILD MICROSKILLS:
- To be truly good at business, or entrepreneurship, you need to be good at a basket of micro-skills.
- Master micro skills by borrowing from other skills you might have.
- Always be the fool, the one who innocently doesn’t understand. Be the outsider.
- Every day find someone to help. Find someone to give credit to. Find someone for whom you can selflessly figure out how to make their lives easier. Need no credit ever and everyone will give you credit forever.
- Micro-skills in business: sales, negotiation, idea, creation, execution, leadership, management, marketing, selling the business, project management, follow-ups, networking, delegating.
6. PLUS, MINUS, EQUALS:
- Plus: Add mentors, virtual mentors from books you read.
- Reading is the most important superpower. It turned you from a normal mortal civilian into a supernatural vampire.
- Minus: if you can’t teach the basics, so a beginner can understand, then it turns out you don’t yet fully understand them yourself.
- Fundamentals are the key to continued success.
- Equals: you learn by competing with them this is part of the challenge. Keep pace with your equals, and even pass them before they pass you. Comparing our progress with those on or near the same level in the hierarchy.
7. WHO / WHY ARE YOU?
- Being an outsider forces you to look at alternative routes to get to the front of the line.
- Do not count on the good graces of others to fulfill your inner passion.
- Obsession is the first clue toward finding your purpose. And doing helps you find what you were obsessed with.
- There’s no reason to be successful at something if it doesn’t also satisfy the needs and pleasure of living life.
- Be the best person you can be in the tiny time we are allotted on this planet.
8. 50/1 RULE:
- If you can explore what you love and get paid for it, then it is bliss.
- Eliminate or trim meetings, rarely productive.
- Investing: Always invest alongside people smarter than me.
9. TAKE 2 STEPS BACK:
- If you can take a leap backward, you will eventually be able to leapfrog past those who have been dutifully plodding along.
10. EXIT THE LINE:
- Your best new clients are your old clients. Provide services or products to your old clients.
- Being productive is about using the time to make a better YOU.
- Diversification - invest in happiness strategy.
11. BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR:
- Products are always more valuable than services.
- If your gut says no, then listen to it.
- Most experiments don't work. When it works, your life will change. If you never experiment, your life never change.
- Only talk when you have something unique to say. Otherwise, listen.
- List your options every day. Use the possibility muscle every day, ten ideas a day.
- Be around good people.
12. SPOKE & WHEEL APPROACH:
- Diversify your income stream so that you're not beholden to one single source of income.
13. INCERTO TECHNIQUE:
- It is our ability to withstand uncertainty and thrive from it.
- “Skin in the game” will force you, in a natural way, to do the research you need to do to reduce risk as much as possible.
14. 30/ 150/ MILLIONS:
- When the size of the group exceeds 30, bonds of trust and community start to break down.
- Stories create value and allow us to cooperate with millions of strangers.
February 26, 2021
Books in the personal development or self-help field are difficult to review. All people are different, and the "best" version of each person will behave in a unique way. Beyond the basics of "be positive," "remember to exercise," and "work hard" - most self-help advice is not something that tracks to all people. That's fine and there's no way around it. "Skip The Line" is no different in principle. Not everyone should try to model themselves after the behaviors, tools and tactics in this book. But I know I will be.
The great fault I see when folks read personal development books is they go into thinking they are going to develop THEMSELVES, but they end up trying to imitate some author they've never met. Some people would benefit if they get up at 4AM like Jocko, some people won't (I'm a "won't," I've tried it). Some people would benefit from a focus on "the one thing" and putting 10,000 hours of practice into one domain, but some people are better off experimenting with a "talent stack."
So with that context out of the way, I felt "Skip The Line" was exactly the book *I* needed to read at this time in my life, because I don't feel like I'm doing everything wrong and need to suddenly change my routine to be successful like James Altucher. In fact, 80% of this book was reiterating tactics, mindsets and deeply wise principles that I've already found benefit from in one form or another. Surely many will benefit from the tactical advice in this book (and some won't).
For me, the true value in the book was having a "psychographic" of somebody who thinks like me (I can't read James' mind, but I did read his book and that seems like a good substitute). James' honesty in relaying the stories of his failures and successes in several domains and at several points in time was reassuring and encouraging to me. To me it read like "You're on the right path. Maybe upgrade some of your practices, and remind yourself of some things - but keep it up." I personally am a marketing/creative agency owner, writer, comedian, musician, podcaster, and event producer. It's great to see someone who thinks like me and has had fulfilment success in multiple fields (in many cases the same fields, comedy, podcasting and agencies)
Self-help books should allow you to help yourself, not force yourself into a caricature of some one you're not. This book serves an audience that has only really been served before by Scott Adams' book "How To Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big."
Along the way, the stories and examples provide plenty of entertainment. James' experience in so many domains including chess, investing, agencies, TV, podcasting, comedy, writing, software, and more mean you're getting an incredibly diverse and fresh range of stories, so it's unlikely you'll find yourself bored at any point. I enjoyed the book so much I listened to it on one single 3 hour walk (It's a 7 hour production but I listened on over 2x speed - sidenote, if you like playing audiobooks on higher speeds, James' reading is still clear and enjoyable at higher speeds)
I recommend this book (especially the audiobook version, very well produced and with extra content) to anybody who enjoys experimenting, pursuing many domains (sometimes at once) and who feel at home in the creative/entrepreneurial process more than in any particular creative or professional field/medium. If you're undergoing a career transition, or COVID-19 threw your life upside down and you don't know what to do next, this book might be for you.
The great fault I see when folks read personal development books is they go into thinking they are going to develop THEMSELVES, but they end up trying to imitate some author they've never met. Some people would benefit if they get up at 4AM like Jocko, some people won't (I'm a "won't," I've tried it). Some people would benefit from a focus on "the one thing" and putting 10,000 hours of practice into one domain, but some people are better off experimenting with a "talent stack."
So with that context out of the way, I felt "Skip The Line" was exactly the book *I* needed to read at this time in my life, because I don't feel like I'm doing everything wrong and need to suddenly change my routine to be successful like James Altucher. In fact, 80% of this book was reiterating tactics, mindsets and deeply wise principles that I've already found benefit from in one form or another. Surely many will benefit from the tactical advice in this book (and some won't).
For me, the true value in the book was having a "psychographic" of somebody who thinks like me (I can't read James' mind, but I did read his book and that seems like a good substitute). James' honesty in relaying the stories of his failures and successes in several domains and at several points in time was reassuring and encouraging to me. To me it read like "You're on the right path. Maybe upgrade some of your practices, and remind yourself of some things - but keep it up." I personally am a marketing/creative agency owner, writer, comedian, musician, podcaster, and event producer. It's great to see someone who thinks like me and has had fulfilment success in multiple fields (in many cases the same fields, comedy, podcasting and agencies)
Self-help books should allow you to help yourself, not force yourself into a caricature of some one you're not. This book serves an audience that has only really been served before by Scott Adams' book "How To Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big."
Along the way, the stories and examples provide plenty of entertainment. James' experience in so many domains including chess, investing, agencies, TV, podcasting, comedy, writing, software, and more mean you're getting an incredibly diverse and fresh range of stories, so it's unlikely you'll find yourself bored at any point. I enjoyed the book so much I listened to it on one single 3 hour walk (It's a 7 hour production but I listened on over 2x speed - sidenote, if you like playing audiobooks on higher speeds, James' reading is still clear and enjoyable at higher speeds)
I recommend this book (especially the audiobook version, very well produced and with extra content) to anybody who enjoys experimenting, pursuing many domains (sometimes at once) and who feel at home in the creative/entrepreneurial process more than in any particular creative or professional field/medium. If you're undergoing a career transition, or COVID-19 threw your life upside down and you don't know what to do next, this book might be for you.
March 3, 2021
amazing, absolutely fantastic, I am already re-reading it, packed full of great tactical ideas, how do experiments to test your ideas, why you don't need 10,000 hours to become great at it, how career paths can flex and how you need to become an idea generator and use it like a muscle. I am not doing it justice, I don't write reviews, but if you are thinking of how to pursue your ideas or how to create more/better ideas then you need to read this book. I liked his honesty about his own shortcomings and failures and his pitbull-like persistence to pursue new ways of doing something, mitigating risk, and .... just be fearless. I like that.
May 7, 2021
What a true piece of garbage of a book!
April 2, 2021
ANOTHER MUST READ FROM JAMES ALTUCHER!
James Altucher has done it again. ‘Skip the Line’ is just as good as ‘Choose Yourself’.
Ive been following James’ work since 2014 and it has helped me immensely. I spent several years (2014 - 2019) fire fighting (struggling and paying off huge debts) and James’ advice — writing down ideas etc — really helped me stay positive and since 2014 I’ve accumulated many new micro skills.
This book is jammed full of actionable advice and I would recommend at his anyone who wants to better themselves.
Whether we like it or not we have to navigate our way through the ebb and flow of the long and winding river of life and the journey is always more enjoyable when we have some control over the direction of travel and the reassurance that if we do find ourselves shipwrecked we have the skills not only to to survive but to build a new and more seaworthy vessel.
James’ books will help you develop the courage to be your true self and develop the skill-set to embrace your creativity and start earning a living from doing what you love.
If you haven’t read ‘Choose Yourself’ by James Altucher and ‘How to Get Rich’ by Felix Dennis, do yourself a favour and read/listen to them ASAP.
Thanks James!
James Altucher has done it again. ‘Skip the Line’ is just as good as ‘Choose Yourself’.
Ive been following James’ work since 2014 and it has helped me immensely. I spent several years (2014 - 2019) fire fighting (struggling and paying off huge debts) and James’ advice — writing down ideas etc — really helped me stay positive and since 2014 I’ve accumulated many new micro skills.
This book is jammed full of actionable advice and I would recommend at his anyone who wants to better themselves.
Whether we like it or not we have to navigate our way through the ebb and flow of the long and winding river of life and the journey is always more enjoyable when we have some control over the direction of travel and the reassurance that if we do find ourselves shipwrecked we have the skills not only to to survive but to build a new and more seaworthy vessel.
James’ books will help you develop the courage to be your true self and develop the skill-set to embrace your creativity and start earning a living from doing what you love.
If you haven’t read ‘Choose Yourself’ by James Altucher and ‘How to Get Rich’ by Felix Dennis, do yourself a favour and read/listen to them ASAP.
Thanks James!
September 20, 2021
James's life has been a roller-coaster ride and so is the book. James effortlessly challenges many pre-conceived notions through abundant narratives from his own life and they were fun to read. After reading the book, I realised how I was using the "default" setting in many of my endeavours where I can experiment. The act of experimenting itself is liberating as you keep the novelty and excitement counter up. Thanks for the reminder, James :)
If you want to challenge a bunch of your preconceived notions, this is a great place to venture. While you're reading this, you can start implementing many ideas right away and that'd be your key takeaway from the book
If you want to challenge a bunch of your preconceived notions, this is a great place to venture. While you're reading this, you can start implementing many ideas right away and that'd be your key takeaway from the book
September 21, 2022
short, but invaluable. pep talk... tinges of stoicism and adlerian philosophy... ideas for getting out of a professional or interpersonal rut... humor... plain language... relatable
also check out his podcast, it's how I know of JA. Though it's taken me 5-6yrs of being a reg listener before grabbing this book. You're likely to get a nugget from his various guests, most hawking some book. IMHO the best episodes are in the archive, titles mention making a million $$ or writing first book in 30days. mind blowing techniques of how to exploit those ideas you think aren't ready for prime time... you'd be surprised how much you've been short changing your potential.
also check out his podcast, it's how I know of JA. Though it's taken me 5-6yrs of being a reg listener before grabbing this book. You're likely to get a nugget from his various guests, most hawking some book. IMHO the best episodes are in the archive, titles mention making a million $$ or writing first book in 30days. mind blowing techniques of how to exploit those ideas you think aren't ready for prime time... you'd be surprised how much you've been short changing your potential.
March 7, 2021
Great book full of wisdom. This is one of those books I'd recommend to my non-reader friends if they only read one or two books a year. Implement half of his ideas, and it'll change the course of your life. If you're an avid reader and already a fan of James, there's not much that's new here. Nevertheless, I love his writing style and will continue to buy/ support all he does.
June 23, 2021
I listened to the audiobook. I love it. Will read the book next time. If you’re a hustler, and need an assurance, this is the book for you.
I just need to read (listen?) to the part on diversification of our happiness hormones by doing many different things that we love. Less stressful, more smiles.
I just need to read (listen?) to the part on diversification of our happiness hormones by doing many different things that we love. Less stressful, more smiles.
July 2, 2021
Listened to this so it was James reading it. Didn’t like the very stream of consciousness writing and it didn’t seem super credited to me. Some good tips sprinkled throughout but overall this one was not for me.
February 14, 2023
Very interesting book for both those who want to start a business and those who are interested in seeing new interesting point of view for business and search for new, innovative ideas. I plan to read also other books of James Altucher because I really like content of this book.
August 22, 2022
I'm a little torn on this book. Many of the ideas and stories are already familiar from the podcasts and talks, without having to have heard each one. I had read the book for that reason, to maybe get a deeper insight. However, it actually basically stuck with what was already known.
May 12, 2021
Lots of helpful tips but he repeats his stories and ideas that he learned from those experiences throughout the book making me think the audiobook had messed up. It has done that in the past and replayed parts. I borrowed it from the library through an eaudiobook option. Anyway, it is helpful if you can get past the repeat stories and his voice-oui! along with the strange pauses and hurry up already that I kept thinking about as I listened.
August 1, 2022
1. Why did I enjoy it or dislike it?
I must admit that I am a fan of James Altucher and regularly tune in to his show. This novel lived up to its promise, which is why I liked it.
2. Who is this book for?
Anyone looking to start a side business, having trouble being inspired or coming up with a decent idea.
3. Who won't enjoy this book?
Anyone who avoids taking risks
4. How did I use what I learnt from this book?
I attempt to write my "10 daily thoughts" every day, but I don't always succeed. I have to admit that it truly helps to stimulate my creative thinking.
5. How many pages pass before a note is taken and written down?
1 or 2 at most
6. How many times did I give this book as a gift?
I've only given this book away once, but I'd like to.
7. Just how easy is it to read?
Mr. Altucher is a creative powerhouse, and as such, he deserves recognition for having been able to organize the occasional turmoil of his mind into a book that is incredibly simple to read and comprehend.
8. Do you want to learn more after reading this book?
I'd be shocked if anyone who read this book didn't try to chack sources that were cited or listen to The James Altucher Show.
9. Would it make the world a better place if the concepts in this book were widely used?
If everyone was motivated read this book, I would venture to say that more people would find the secret to coming up with their brilliant idea.
10. Can the length of the book be changed?
Given how prolific Mr. Altucher is as an author, it is understandable how he was able to determine the ideal length for this book.
11. Does the author express an opinion?
The entire book is a compilation of the author's experiences.
12. What was the most crucial realization?
Without giving too much away, I must reveal that it is the previously described "10 daily ideas" method. Any listener of the author's podcast, even casual ones, are familiar with this strategy.
I must admit that I am a fan of James Altucher and regularly tune in to his show. This novel lived up to its promise, which is why I liked it.
2. Who is this book for?
Anyone looking to start a side business, having trouble being inspired or coming up with a decent idea.
3. Who won't enjoy this book?
Anyone who avoids taking risks
4. How did I use what I learnt from this book?
I attempt to write my "10 daily thoughts" every day, but I don't always succeed. I have to admit that it truly helps to stimulate my creative thinking.
5. How many pages pass before a note is taken and written down?
1 or 2 at most
6. How many times did I give this book as a gift?
I've only given this book away once, but I'd like to.
7. Just how easy is it to read?
Mr. Altucher is a creative powerhouse, and as such, he deserves recognition for having been able to organize the occasional turmoil of his mind into a book that is incredibly simple to read and comprehend.
8. Do you want to learn more after reading this book?
I'd be shocked if anyone who read this book didn't try to chack sources that were cited or listen to The James Altucher Show.
9. Would it make the world a better place if the concepts in this book were widely used?
If everyone was motivated read this book, I would venture to say that more people would find the secret to coming up with their brilliant idea.
10. Can the length of the book be changed?
Given how prolific Mr. Altucher is as an author, it is understandable how he was able to determine the ideal length for this book.
11. Does the author express an opinion?
The entire book is a compilation of the author's experiences.
12. What was the most crucial realization?
Without giving too much away, I must reveal that it is the previously described "10 daily ideas" method. Any listener of the author's podcast, even casual ones, are familiar with this strategy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2023
The first three-quarters of this book, Skip the Line, offers some helpful insights, especially for people who already are (or who want to be able to be) making themselves free from the corporatism structure - be your own person! This book is not a footnoted type of book, as it is written from the author's one-man life experiences (or the anecdotes of others). This book is for encouraging people to be creative and to regularly think up new ideas - every day - as working your "idea muscle!" The last 70 pages or so felt like they were added as "extra thoughts" to make a book be "fuller" - even though some good nuggets were found there too.
There so many great takeaways, for sure - from "10,000 Experiments" to "Idea Sex" (merging two different ideas) to this quote:
"Reading is the most important superpower. It turns you from a normal mortal civilian into a supernatural vampire... You have all the memories and even some of the skills of every book you've read if you go through the process of reading carefully,taking notes, rereading, and repeating."
(Page 82).
But once in awhile, he also does include his own nonsense. For example on Page 232, he imagines a wildly imaginative invention of a supposed "evolution" of mankind from monogamy to polygamy to monogamy as if somehow related to Ghengis Khan and supposed "violence." I thought this unnecessary tidbit to be mildly bizarre, considering that earlier in the book, the author claims to have written a book about the renowned King David of the Bible (known as a hero to Bible readers that he married more than 8 wives). He also goes over the top in his probably-unpaid advertising of shamelessly promoting the search monopolist corporation called "Google." None of these additions of nonsense were really necessary for the book. These are the reasons for me as to why this could not be a 5-Star book. Aside from these few issues, though, the rest of the book is truly helpful and otherwise insightful.
Skip the Line took me exactly 500 minutes total to read - 8 hours 20 minutes. I started it on Thursday, May 4, and finished it the next week on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - seven days to read.
I would have rated this book higher if not for the last quarter (and the aforementioned added nonsense). This is not to say that the last one-fourth is not "good" (because overall, it still is okay), but I only note that it is not as gripping or as newly insightful as the first three-quarters. I did like how the author ended with advice for his children which he recommends to readers too. Good stuff.
Skip the Line: The 10,000 Experiments Rule and Other Surprising Advice for Reaching Your Goals
is a 4-Star book.
There so many great takeaways, for sure - from "10,000 Experiments" to "Idea Sex" (merging two different ideas) to this quote:
"Reading is the most important superpower. It turns you from a normal mortal civilian into a supernatural vampire... You have all the memories and even some of the skills of every book you've read if you go through the process of reading carefully,taking notes, rereading, and repeating."
(Page 82).
But once in awhile, he also does include his own nonsense. For example on Page 232, he imagines a wildly imaginative invention of a supposed "evolution" of mankind from monogamy to polygamy to monogamy as if somehow related to Ghengis Khan and supposed "violence." I thought this unnecessary tidbit to be mildly bizarre, considering that earlier in the book, the author claims to have written a book about the renowned King David of the Bible (known as a hero to Bible readers that he married more than 8 wives). He also goes over the top in his probably-unpaid advertising of shamelessly promoting the search monopolist corporation called "Google." None of these additions of nonsense were really necessary for the book. These are the reasons for me as to why this could not be a 5-Star book. Aside from these few issues, though, the rest of the book is truly helpful and otherwise insightful.
Skip the Line took me exactly 500 minutes total to read - 8 hours 20 minutes. I started it on Thursday, May 4, and finished it the next week on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - seven days to read.
I would have rated this book higher if not for the last quarter (and the aforementioned added nonsense). This is not to say that the last one-fourth is not "good" (because overall, it still is okay), but I only note that it is not as gripping or as newly insightful as the first three-quarters. I did like how the author ended with advice for his children which he recommends to readers too. Good stuff.
Skip the Line: The 10,000 Experiments Rule and Other Surprising Advice for Reaching Your Goals
is a 4-Star book.
May 11, 2021
This book has changed how I look at personal growth and entrepreneurship. I had a business idea that I wanted to execute this summer. However, after looking more into it, I thought that it may not be profitable enough for me and this made me dejected. But then I remembered what Altucher said in this book: he was full of ideas and always came up with new ones. I started writing ten ideas everyday and eventually came up with more ideas for businesses to run. The world is to big to feel bad about one business idea.
Beyond that, Skip the Line made me ask questions every day about whether I'm becoming better person. Did I do any experiments today? Did I get 1% better today? It's important to treat the events in your life like a science experiment. Some days, I'll try my pullups on a different type of bar. How does that feel? Did I learn something? And on the question of improvement, asking yourself to get 1% better every day makes sure that you're not stagnant. In my case, that sometimes doing one more pushup than the day before.
Another thing that Skip the Line taught me to do is to embrace fear. Before Tracy Morgan or after Tracy Morgan? Altucher had to choose whether he wanted to perform his stand-up routine before (easy) or after (hard and scary) Tracy Morgan. He leaned into his fear and went after. This month, my friend challenged me to see who could do 100 pushups faster. I could only do 70. When he made the offer, my heart raced. I listened to my fear. I too went after Tracy Morgan.
Outside Vanderbilt University's Buttrick Hall, these words are written: THE BRAIN IS WIDER THAN THE SKY. If you're stuck in your career or in life, James Altucher's Skip the Line will give you the tools that let you harness the power of the human brain, generate ideas, and succeed.
Beyond that, Skip the Line made me ask questions every day about whether I'm becoming better person. Did I do any experiments today? Did I get 1% better today? It's important to treat the events in your life like a science experiment. Some days, I'll try my pullups on a different type of bar. How does that feel? Did I learn something? And on the question of improvement, asking yourself to get 1% better every day makes sure that you're not stagnant. In my case, that sometimes doing one more pushup than the day before.
Another thing that Skip the Line taught me to do is to embrace fear. Before Tracy Morgan or after Tracy Morgan? Altucher had to choose whether he wanted to perform his stand-up routine before (easy) or after (hard and scary) Tracy Morgan. He leaned into his fear and went after. This month, my friend challenged me to see who could do 100 pushups faster. I could only do 70. When he made the offer, my heart raced. I listened to my fear. I too went after Tracy Morgan.
Outside Vanderbilt University's Buttrick Hall, these words are written: THE BRAIN IS WIDER THAN THE SKY. If you're stuck in your career or in life, James Altucher's Skip the Line will give you the tools that let you harness the power of the human brain, generate ideas, and succeed.
August 26, 2024
This was a short read, but it was interesting.
The author repeated the stories several times so I am sure this book could have been 30% shorter, but the concepts are very valid some which I already use every day!
But the exercising the idea mussel I think was the biggest take away from this book.
If you are looking for a short read I would recommend.
The author repeated the stories several times so I am sure this book could have been 30% shorter, but the concepts are very valid some which I already use every day!
But the exercising the idea mussel I think was the biggest take away from this book.
If you are looking for a short read I would recommend.
March 30, 2021
Not his best
I love James Altucher. I follow his podcast and binge read his books. I do find him extremely inspiring and more or less follow a similair daily practice to his. I did enjoy the book but If you have read his previous books you will find that he repeats the same content a lot! I think its time that he moves away from his origin story. It makes him interesting yes, inspiring yes, but one book too many.
I love James Altucher. I follow his podcast and binge read his books. I do find him extremely inspiring and more or less follow a similair daily practice to his. I did enjoy the book but If you have read his previous books you will find that he repeats the same content a lot! I think its time that he moves away from his origin story. It makes him interesting yes, inspiring yes, but one book too many.
March 16, 2021
James Altucher’s book, Skip The Line, is all about learning how to break out of your routine. You don’t need to spend 10,000 hours learning a new skill to become proficient and be able to make a living. You needn’t abide by our culture’s rules for success and the path to reach the top. You can find your purpose and break out of the box.
But to succeed you must walk a path that very few of your peers are willing to take. The path is lonely, full of self doubt, and difficult to find and traverse. But don’t let anyone stop you from achieving your goals.
To skip the line you must do the unthinkable. Run towards fear. Dig deep and find the real answers to important questions. And grow your creativity muscle.
I have so many takeaways from reading this book that I strongly encourage you to read it if you want to lead your business and family to new heights.
Please read my full review here.
But to succeed you must walk a path that very few of your peers are willing to take. The path is lonely, full of self doubt, and difficult to find and traverse. But don’t let anyone stop you from achieving your goals.
To skip the line you must do the unthinkable. Run towards fear. Dig deep and find the real answers to important questions. And grow your creativity muscle.
I have so many takeaways from reading this book that I strongly encourage you to read it if you want to lead your business and family to new heights.
Please read my full review here.
March 21, 2023
The book could have been structured better; oftentimes, it felt like being in a conversation where the topic frequently changed. The author was repetitive. He contradicted himself at times because he was dismissive of the 10,000 hours rule but later stated getting out of several fields too quickly hurt him such as some of the businesses he was engaged in. The 10,000 experiments rule seemed very similar to the 10,000 hours rule with the author observing himself in a task just like Michael Jordan did. Some of the anecdotes may not work for everyone. That said, a lot of the advice is useful. Products are more valuable than services, get better every day at a skill, make lists that stretch your creativity or help you monetize an idea in multiple ways, help your boss look good, support people's ideas, make small experiments for an idea to see if it's worth pursuing, find mentors, transfer time and skills in one discipline to another.
March 12, 2021
James Altucher has done it again; I loved this book. Skip the Line combines life lessons, real life experience, outside the box practices, and the author’s unique brand of humor into a fantastic read.
I have been using his possibility muscle (nee idea muscle) for the last few years, but this book reinvigorated my efforts. What was 5 times a week will continue to be 7, and with deeper topics.
It also reminded me the importance of failing fast. His concept of conducting micro-experiments should be obvious, but it isn’t. And when you combine a well-developed possibility muscle with a willingness to try low risk experiments, the potential positive outcomes are endless.
Skip the Line is worth a read and a trial of some of the concepts. I know I will be revisiting this book soon as my own journey continues!
I have been using his possibility muscle (nee idea muscle) for the last few years, but this book reinvigorated my efforts. What was 5 times a week will continue to be 7, and with deeper topics.
It also reminded me the importance of failing fast. His concept of conducting micro-experiments should be obvious, but it isn’t. And when you combine a well-developed possibility muscle with a willingness to try low risk experiments, the potential positive outcomes are endless.
Skip the Line is worth a read and a trial of some of the concepts. I know I will be revisiting this book soon as my own journey continues!
May 7, 2022
I dug this book, mainly because it gave me great ideas for working my creativity muscle and for reinforcing my belief that skills learned for one type of work can help you in another--letting you, as the author says, skip the line.
Now, I don't agree with everything he says--I think college is a good thing for a lot of people, for instance.
But overall, I liked it. I listened to it while on a road trip and have bought a hard copy so I can highlight the practices he mentions that I want to emulate!
Now, I don't agree with everything he says--I think college is a good thing for a lot of people, for instance.
But overall, I liked it. I listened to it while on a road trip and have bought a hard copy so I can highlight the practices he mentions that I want to emulate!
October 8, 2020
I wish I had known these things in my early life. It seems Altucher fails as often as he succeeds, but that's OK. He is willing to take risks and make an attempt to go after what he wants, or thinks he wants at any given time. I admire his attitude. Not sure if being female has anything to do with it, but I would never dream of doing most of these things even now. IMHO, girls need to be socialized not to be so accepting of authority.
April 11, 2021
James Altucher presents original thoughts for how to achieve goals based on his own experiences. The overall theme is to make a lot of quick, inexpensive experiments and then analyze the results rather than overthink what to do next. The emphasis is on continuous improvement and taking small steps that can yield big results. This book is a real motivator that makes you think, "Maybe things don't have to be so hard."
May 20, 2021
I've read this book twice and highlighted it like crazy. Not only do you get practical lessons, incredible life stories from James, but you get actionable next steps that you can mold and shape to fit your own life. It's such a powerful textbook for those trying to understand themselves better, get a dose of encouragement, and have a game plan for how to move forward on what they truly want.
June 21, 2021
Great wisdom on persistence and creativity
I don’t agree with everything James writes in this book, but that’s okay. I am still grateful he wrote it!
Anyone who wants more out of life and doesn’t want to be limited by conventional boundaries or other people’s opinions should read this book.
Lots of practical wisdom in these pages.
I don’t agree with everything James writes in this book, but that’s okay. I am still grateful he wrote it!
Anyone who wants more out of life and doesn’t want to be limited by conventional boundaries or other people’s opinions should read this book.
Lots of practical wisdom in these pages.
August 12, 2021
Easy listening about many obvious things in life and a clear suggestion keep experimenting to see what’s working rather than waiting the right time. Also be courages, don’t be afraid to fall. It’s all valuable lessons you learn on the way.
May 16, 2021
Skip the Line (2021) is a practical guide to achieving your dreams – fast.
It reveals strategies for shortening your path to success, which include how to execute and scale ideas, learn new skills, and harness fear to help you grow.
It reveals strategies for shortening your path to success, which include how to execute and scale ideas, learn new skills, and harness fear to help you grow.
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