Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal

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REPLAY: Derek Sivers On Life Advice, Writing and Entrepreneurship (BONUS EPISODE)

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Jan 27, 2023

Guest

Derek Sivers

Derek Sivers, a writer, musician, and entrepreneur known for founding CD Baby, shares insights on creativity and happiness in work. He discusses his book, "Anything You Want," encouraging writers to focus on connecting with their audience rather than getting bogged down by the writing process. Sivers reflects on the relationship between music and identity, the challenges of originality, and the transformative power of pursuing joy in business. His journey from music to entrepreneurship highlights the importance of meaningful connections and personal passion.

01:47:41

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Episode notes

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ADVICE

Offline Writing & Plain Text

Write offline to avoid distractions and unnecessary research.
Use plain text editors for long-term compatibility and equipment agnosticism.

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ADVICE

Process-Driven Creation

Do things you love, even if inefficient, like building your own store.
Prioritize the process and personal satisfaction over pure efficiency.

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ANECDOTE

Over-Quoting Analogy

Derek Sivers used to over-cite sources, like a chef explaining every ingredient's origin.
He now avoids excessive quoting unless asked, focusing on delivering the core idea.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Embracing the Writing Journey

01:48 • 23min

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Pursuing Happiness and Motivation in Work

24:25 • 3min

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Navigating Creativity and Identity

27:32 • 19min

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Harmonizing Connections: The Journey of Singing and Friendship

46:12 • 27min

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Finding Kindred Spirits Through Shared 'Weirdness'

01:13:40 • 4min

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Shared Experiences and Connections Across Cultures

01:17:26 • 2min

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Reflections on Connection and Isolation

01:19:05 • 16min

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Redefining Goal Setting: Purpose Over Metrics

01:35:25 • 3min

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Finding Passion in Business

01:38:01 • 10min

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#16812

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Small Is the New Big

Seth Godin

In 'Small Is the New Big', Seth Godin compiles his most impactful short pieces from his blog and columns, offering new perspectives on business and success in a rapidly changing marketplace. The book emphasizes the advantages of small, agile organizations and provides inspiration for entrepreneurs and innovators to challenge the status quo.

#4493

• Mentioned in 10 episodes

Your Music and People

Derek Sivers

In 'Your Music and People,' Derek Sivers shares a philosophy on getting your work to the world by emphasizing creativity, consideration, resourcefulness, and connection. Although the book uses music as an example, its principles are applicable to any creative field. Sivers discusses how marketing is an extension of your art, the importance of being considerate and helpful, and how persistence and specificity are key. The book is praised for its practical advice and inspiring perspective on building a successful creative career.

#1053

• Mentioned in 34 episodes

Anything you want

Derek Sivers

In 'Anything You Want,' Derek Sivers shares 40 powerful lessons learned from his experience of accidentally starting and growing CD Baby into a successful business. The book emphasizes the importance of creating a business that is a 'utopia' or perfect world, where the focus is on making dreams come true for both the entrepreneur and the customers. Sivers stresses that business is not just about money but about helping people and making them happy. He also highlights the advantages of starting with no money, the irrelevance of traditional business plans, and the importance of prioritizing customer needs over personal gain. The book includes memorable stories of his mistakes and successes, including his interactions with Steve Jobs and the impact of his decisions on his business.

#1104

• Mentioned in 32 episodes

Hell Yeah or No

What's Worth Doing

Derek Sivers

This book by Derek Sivers is a collection of short, concise chapters offering practical wisdom on decision-making, prioritization, and living a fulfilling life. The central philosophy is that one should only commit to things that elicit a 'hell yeah' response, and say 'no' to everything else. This approach helps in avoiding burnout and ensuring time and energy are dedicated to the most important and exciting activities. The book covers themes such as what’s worth doing, fixing faulty thinking, and making things happen, providing numerous mental models and life lessons to apply in daily life.

#918

• Mentioned in 37 episodes

How to Live

27 conflicting answers and one weird conclusion

Derek Sivers

In 'How to Live', Derek Sivers presents a collection of 27 independent chapters, each offering a different philosophy on how to live. These chapters often contradict each other, arguing for various approaches such as being completely independent, committing to one career or person, being fully present, or delaying gratification. The book is designed for reflection as much as instruction, providing actionable directives without quoting philosophers or naming specific ideologies. It invites readers to consider multiple perspectives and find their own way, emphasizing that there is no one right way to live life.

#325

• Mentioned in 77 episodes

The Inner Game of Tennis

Timothy Gallwey

This book, first published in 1974, focuses on the 'Inner Game' played within the mind of the player, against obstacles such as self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses in concentration. Gallwey introduces the concept of two selves: Self 1, the thinking brain that analyzes and judges, and Self 2, the 'feeling and doing' brain that can master skills naturally if not interfered with by Self 1. The book provides strategies for achieving 'relaxed concentration' and overcoming internal mental and emotional obstacles, making it relevant not only to tennis but also to other areas of life such as music, writing, work, and personal relationships.

#478

• Mentioned in 59 episodes

Stumbling on Happiness

Daniel Gilbert

In 'Stumbling on Happiness,' Daniel Gilbert delves into the human capacity to imagine the future and why we are often poor at predicting what will make us happy. Gilbert argues that our imagination is flawed in several ways: it adds or removes details, extrapolates from the present, and fails to account for the psychological immune system that helps us cope with undesired outcomes. The book uses scientific research from psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral economics to explain why we consistently misjudge our future satisfaction and how this affects our decisions. Gilbert also suggests that understanding these biases can help us make better choices and gain more control over our pursuit of happiness.

• Mentioned in 1,695 episodes

1984

George Orwell

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

Happy New Year! While I’m currently working hard writing my book and getting ready for Season 5 of the podcast which is just around the corner, I thought I’d share with you a bonus episode taken from the livestreams I recorded during lockdown (which aren’t available anywhere else on the internet). This episode is a conversation with Derek Sivers, a writer, musician and entrepreneur who founded CD Baby, an online CD store for independent musicians, back in 1997. He sold CD Baby in 2007 and has since embarked on other ventures including writing 4 books including Anything You Want: 40 Lessons For A New Kind of Entrepreneur - one of the three books that I've listed as changing my life. This is one of my favourite interviews from the livestreams and his advice on book writing felt particularly timely as I sit two years later writing a book of my own. Enjoy :)

📚Check out my New York Times Bestselling book Feel-Good Productivity!
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(00:45) Background and Career

(02:00) Anything You Want Book Discussion

(03:00) Writing a Book

(07:00) Fear of Plagiarism

(09:35) Advice on Writing, Apps and Productivity

(16:05) Current Books Being Written

(19:00) Building Your Own Store

(24:20) Do What Makes You Happy

(27:30) Avoid Quoting From Other People

(32:50) Identity: Music and Being A Doctor

(37:20) Music Theory: Is it really that valuable?

(44:45) Musical Originality

(46:05) Derek’s Singing Journey

(50:15) Ali’s Singing Experiences

(53:00) On Making Friends

(55:45) What Does Friendship Mean?

(59:40) Vulnerability, Exposure and Making Friends

(01:07:00) Talking To People On The Phone

(01:08:45) The Famous Broadway Musical Composer…

(01:13:35) Weird Like Me, Shared Experiences and ‘Burning The Ships’

(01:20:00) Connecting With People and Strangers

(01:23:20) Replying To Everyone

(01:28:30) Replying To People Asking For Advice

(01:33:20) Imposter Syndrome

(01:35:10) Goal Setting in Life and Business

(01:42:45) The Most Powerful Thing to Remember About Goals

(01:45:30) Closing Thoughts

📝 Live Blog Notion Page

🔗 CONNECT WITH DEREK

💻 Website
🎙 Podcast
🐦 Twitter
📕Anything You Want: 40 Lessons For A New Kind of Entrepreneur
📗Hell Yeah or No Your Music and People
📘How To Live

🔗 CONNECT WITH ALI

📚 Download my FREE 100 Books To Live Your Best Life Reading List
🎥 YouTube Channel
💻 Website
📸 Instagram
🐦 Twitter
👥 Linkedin

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