How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Summary

Success is a learnable skill, and failure is just a step toward mastery.

1. Systems Beat Goals

Focusing on systems rather than goals can lead to consistent progress and greater satisfaction. Goals are often tense and future-oriented; you may not feel success until you reach a possibly distant objective. In contrast, systems focus on the present by creating habits you can work on daily.

Scott Adams explains that systems keep you engaged by offering daily wins instead of delayed gratification. Systems help you find joy and fulfillment in the process, which makes it easier to keep going long-term. For instance, instead of trying to lose 20 pounds, create a system where you exercise every day and celebrate consistency itself.

By prioritizing systems, Adams transitioned from a series of failures to the huge success of his "Dilbert" comic strip. He didn’t aim for overnight success but instead followed a system of creating content, learning, and adapting. Eventually, the system led him to his breakthrough.

Examples

• Replacing weight-loss goals with a daily exercise habit.
• A business professional moving between jobs to acquire diverse skills instead of staying fixated on one role.
• Adams writing new comics frequently to refine his craft over time.

2. Become a Versatile Generalist

Instead of narrowing your focus on a single skill, develop multiple abilities across different areas. The modern world values adaptability and diversity of knowledge more than hyper-specialization.

Adams credits his success to being "good enough" at writing, drawing, and business without excelling in any one skill. By combining these competencies, he stood out from competitors who mastered only one domain. Becoming a generalist increases your market value since the right mix of skills can create entirely new opportunities.

While some technical or specialized fields still rely on mastery, having a basic command of universally useful skills can benefit anyone. Skills like communication, technology fluency, and even conversational charm can apply broadly in both personal and professional contexts.

Examples

• Adams using his general drawing and storytelling skills to create "Dilbert."
• Learning Spanish in California to improve job prospects due to bilingual demand.
• Personal failures shaping improved future attempts, like Adams’ failed "Dilberito" restaurant teaching him business lessons.

3. Identify and Harness Your Talents

Discovering what you're naturally good at or what excites you deeply often holds the key to where you’ll find success. Identify talents through reflection or by recalling childhood activities that brought you joy.

Adams suggests that risky or bold behaviors—such as being willing to fail in front of others—can also reveal hidden aptitudes. For Scott, an early love of doodling and cartoon creation hinted at his path to becoming a renowned comic artist. Even after years of career missteps, he turned back to drawing, his true talent.

Once you identify your unique skills, experiment with different career options to see how they align. You might even try starting a business or pursuing an unorthodox path. Aligning your work with your abilities is key to long-term satisfaction and success.

Examples

• Adams’ childhood obsession with drawing cartoons leading to "Dilbert."
• Extroverts thriving in communication-driven fields like sales or media.
• People interested in children leveraging their talents in teaching or daycare work.

4. Find Energizers and Respect Your Rhythms

Our energy isn’t infinite, and our natural cycles shape when we’re at our best. Recognizing these trends and leaning into energizing activities can fuel better work and overall well-being.

Listen to yourself: when do you feel most productive—morning, afternoon, or evening? Set aside those periods for creative or critical tasks. Similarly, separate spaces for relaxation and work; using the same couch for TV-watching and working dampens efficiency.

Adams describes himself as a "soft robot" programmed to maximize efficiency based on routines. Blogging energizes him every day, while shopping is an energy drain he avoids. By tweaking his environment and schedule, he maximizes productivity while keeping unnecessary drains to a minimum.

Examples

• Avoiding working from relaxing areas, like your couch or bed.
• Choosing blogging as an energizing activity compared to the draining task of shopping.
• Planning creative thinking sessions during peak energy periods, like mornings.

5. Use Food and Fitness to Boost Mood

Your body and mind are connected, and maintaining good health can translate to better energy and mood. Simple adjustments to diet and exercise can make a big difference.

Adams emphasizes how food impacts emotional states with what he calls the "food-is-mood" hypothesis. Eating processed carbohydrates often leaves people tired and sluggish, while healthy food combinations can be uplifting. For example, small indulgences like buttered broccoli can make eating vegetables more enjoyable.

Consistent exercise also serves as a mood booster. Joining a class, scheduling sessions, or using a rewards system can make sticking to workouts enjoyable and sustainable. The energy from a healthy lifestyle naturally propels other areas of life.

Examples

• The author’s wife committing to tennis every Thursday with a group for motivation.
• Using flavorful additions like spices and butter to make nutritious foods more palatable.
• Adams enjoying coffee as a self-reward post-exercise.

6. Failure Leads to Learning

Failure isn’t the end of the road—it’s a stepping stone. Each loss or setback carries valuable lessons if you’re willing to reflect and adjust.

Adams failed at multiple ventures, including business ideas, patents, and even job retention before finding success. Instead of calling it quits, he absorbed lessons from these incidents. By adapting, he accumulated the experience he needed to make "Dilbert" resonate with readers.

Remember, setbacks foster creativity and resilience. Facing challenges with a growth mindset allows you to transform roadblocks into growth opportunities.

Examples

• Adams’ burrito chain failure teaching him marketing lessons.
• Revising a failed business pitch with feedback from initial rejections.
• Writers rewriting based on harsh critiques to improve storytelling ability.

7. Leverage Relationships for Positive Energy

People influence us deeply, whether it’s in achieving goals or adopting habits. Surround yourself with those who inspire and uplift you.

This concept, which Adams calls "associate energy," demonstrates how positive relationships create a ripple effect. For example, living in a high-achieving community might motivate you to aim higher. Adams even observed that when he got healthier, his friends often followed suit.

Deliberately connecting with creative and supportive individuals increases your own aspirations. Consider networking with those whose energy mirrors the life you want.

Examples

• Working alongside three aspiring writers before creating "Dilbert."
• Friends’ fitness improvement matching Adams’ healthier habits.
• A connection pushing someone to move into an ambitious environment.

8. The Power of Delusions

Sometimes, believing in things that aren’t "logical" can help you stay focused and strive harder. Harmless delusions can be a surprising asset.

Adams practiced affirmations—a type of personal mantra—long before Dilbert took off. Repeating "I, Scott Adams, will be a famous cartoonist" wasn’t based on certainty but gave him drive. Small rituals, like performers’ lucky pennies or athletes’ special socks, can provide mental comfort and motivation.

While delusions shouldn’t steer you into harmful choices, they can serve as light-hearted tools for encouragement and goal focus.

Examples

• Repeating affirmations daily for clarity and drive.
• Athletes sticking to pre-game superstitions for confidence.
• Believing you can learn any skill, even if it initially seems overwhelming.

9. Focus on the X-Factor

Some ideas or products succeed because they hit a unique spark—an "X-factor" that grabs attention. Pinpointing and amplifying this quality can shape a winner.

Consider the iPhone’s initial release: despite its flaws, its touch screen and sleek design captured public imagination. Adams suggests focusing most on elements of excitement. When you identify something people can’t stop discussing, refine and emphasize it.

Align innovation with excitement, and customers will often market your products for you through conversations and social sharing.

Examples

• The original iPhone’s buzz around its revolutionary interface.
• Adding humor and relatability to "Dilbert," which made it widely shareable.
• Highlighting thrilling product features over minor technical details.

Takeaways

1. Create simple, repeatable systems for daily success and consistency instead of fixating on long-term goals.
2. Analyze your diet and exercise habits to identify what increases energy and adjust routines to stay energized.
3. Surround yourself with people whose energy and ambition inspire you toward growth.