Entrepreneur Revolution : A useful book for aspiring entrepreneurs

A version of this article originally appeared on http://sarahpaddleswim.wordpress.com

Simon Cocking specialises in covering Dublin tech / start up / innovation events. You can find him on Twitter @SimonCocking 

2013 Daniel Priestly : A review

This is a useful, thought provoking book. It’s tone was relaxed and useful, but also to get you beyond just thinking about your idea, and actually initiating it. He knows it’s not as easy as simply doing positive affirmation exercises. This is not a path that is completely straight forward and easy. If it were then everyone would be doing it. He sets some challenges through the book, to get people out of their comfort zone.

You will get different things out of this book, depending on what you are looking for. There are several video links given in the book

http://www.entrevo.com/er/ten-challenges.html

You could use as podcasts while driving perhaps. For me they just reaffirmed what he had already said in the book, however depending on how you engage with the content they may be useful.

The importance of tuning out as much distracting news as possible. There is so much going on in the world, many of these things, unfair, unjust. However they may not directly impact on us right now. If we give them too much of our time and energy we simply have less time to spend on the things we need to do, on our own to do list. This can seem contentious in terms of being a humane and engaged human being, but personally since I stopped watching the news on television, almost 10 years ago, it has been a really liberating experience. You just don’t get that time back, spent consuming television news, in a linear sequence, not chosen by you.

It’s been said many times, but it is still relevant on a daily level, not to be a perfectionist. Look at what you have, put lipstick on the pig, and get it out there. See which aspects your customers love and hate. Deal with those parts. I know the Steve Jobs / Apple way is to be an extreme perfectionist, but you also need to get your stuff out there, quickly, and to meet deadlines at all times where possible. Other companies products, which seem beautifully polished and finished, may actually be, metaphorically at least, held together with a cable tie and some duct tape round the back.

He also has an active interesting blog, with stories about his failures as well as his successes. Not to be voyeuristic about his mistakes, but to try and learn from as many of them as possible.

http://www.danielpriestley.com/2014/06/09/now-is-the-time-to-unleash-the-artist-in-you/

His website also mentions his other work, including a new book due out in 2015.

http://www.danielpriestley.com/

It was a good, useful, read. Now just go and follow through on your own ideas for global success!