CONTENTS
Chapter 1: The Art of Being Unreasonable
Being Unreasonably Unreasonable
Discovering the Art of Unreason
Chapter 2: Why Not? The Powerful Question
“Why Not?” as the First Step to Success
Nothing Sets Me Off More Than Being Told I Can’t Do Something
“Why Not?” Should Be Something You Ask Every Day
Chapter 3: Forget Conventional Wisdom
Conventional Wisdom Strangles Innovation
Innovation Is a Permanent Revolution
Success Is a Starting Point, Not a Conclusion
Look Outside Your Personal and Professional Comfort Zone
Chapter 4: Do Your Homework No Matter How Much Time It Takes
Don’t Waste Time on Shortcuts—They’re Usually Dead Ends
Is Core Competency Just Another Term for Complacency?
Once You’ve Done Your Homework, Put in the Long Effort—It Will Pay Off in Unexpected Ways
Big Ideas Don’t Happen in a Moment
You Can’t Do It All Yourself, So Ask Questions and Delegate
Chapter 5: The Value of Being Second
Markets Evolve and First Movers Sometimes Can’t, or Won’t, Keep Up
First Movers Always Leave Some Room—You Just Need to Find It
Study a First Mover’s Failure for Clues to Success
Whether You’re the First Mover, the Second, or the Last—Just Keep Moving
Chapter 6: How to Work 24/7 and Still Get 8 Hours of Sleep
Work Doesn’t Have to Be Your Life, But Your Life Is Your Work
Know What You Have to Do, Which Is Less Than You Think
Setting Priorities Means Being Disciplined, but Not Rigid
If You Can’t Delegate, It’s Not Them, It’s You
Try Saying “Let’s Move On”—Even to Me
Chapter 7: Bright and Young Is a Winning Combination
Sometimes You Are What You Wear
Interviews Don’t Have to Be Tricky
Qualifications Are Almost Everything
How to Keep ’Em Once You Hire ’Em
Clinging to Safety Is More Irrational Than Taking Risk
Risk Can Be Contagious—Don’t Catch the Deadly Kind
Never Bet the Farm—Or Even Half the Farm
Make Sound Promises and Offer Something in Return
Perfect Your Pitch, and Make It Big
Some Straight Talk About the Mother of All Loans—Your Mortgage
Spread the Wealth—How to Leverage Doing Good
Extend the Power of Your Dollar—Find Money That Costs Less Than Yours
Leveraging People and Effort Works Just as Well as Leveraging Money
Know Your Customers and What Moves Them
Focus on Value Because Your Customers Will
Market Like a Major Player, but Don’t Spend Like One
Make What You’re Selling Matter—From the Name and Slogan on Down
Selling a Cause Requires More Than Conviction
Don’t Fear Risk, but Don’t Take One if You Don’t Have to
Focus on Picking an Advisor, Not Stocks
How to Make a Sound Offer Every Time
In a Good Negotiation, Everybody Wins
Surviving the Silences and the Stares—Stay Unemotional and Disciplined
Be Ready to Say Yes and Don’t Sit Down Unless You Can Make a Decision
Don’t Swing Wildly—Start Close to Where You Want to End Up
Never Forget What Makes the Other Guy Tick
Chapter 14: The Logic of Being Logical
A Logical Idea Is One That Makes You Say, “Why Didn’t I Think of That?”
Like Wine, an Idea May Need to Age
Chapter 15: I Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog
Whether or Not You Succeed, You Have to Keep Hunting
Unreasonable Persistence Produces Big Payoffs
Even the Unreasonably Persistent Must Know When to Quit
Chapter 16: Is that the Best You Can Do? Motivating People by Challenging Them
High Expectations and Shared Challenges Create Loyalty
Nothing Motivates Like Achievement
What’s Better Than Praise—Money and Higher Expectations
Fear Is Not a Motivator—It Only Gets You Unhappy Employees and Poor Work
Whether You Succeed or Fail, Keep Moving
Just Because There’s a Winner Doesn’t Mean There’s a Loser
Architecture—The Purest Form of Competition
The Unexpected Pluses of Architecture Competitions
Chapter 18: It’s Better to Be Respected Than Loved
Disagreement Is Healthy—Learn How to Distinguish It from Dissent
Good Principles Are Portable—Stick to Them
Let Go of Power Before You Let Go of Principles
Don’t Become Ensnared by Egos—Not Even Your Own
Nothing Wins People Over Like Success
Everyone Can Be a Philanthropist—Not Just the Rich
Don’t Just Give It Away—Look for the Place to Make a Difference
Start Giving Now—And It Doesn’t Have to Be Money
Be a Philanthropic Game Changer—Start Local and Think Like an Entrepreneur
Chapter 20: Education: Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste
The World Is Moving Forward, but American Education Is Stagnant
If There’s a Crisis, Get Involved and Make a Change
Taking Big Risks Means Getting Big Pushback
Chapter 21: The Unreasonableness of Art and Artists
Doing Homework—Even for an Avocation—Will Deepen Your Experience
Pursuing a Passion Sometimes Means Casting Aside Your Business Sense
How Not to Get Distracted by Your Passion
A Passion Is Not a License to Spend
For Even Greater Rewards, Share What You Love
Chapter 22: Reflections and Second Thoughts
My Parents’ Unintentional Gift
My Sons and My Choice—On That Elusive Work-Life Balance
Don’t Let Others Define Your Failures or Your Successes
My Proudest Moments—They May Not Be What You Think