10 Lessons I Learned from Derek Sivers' Useful But Not True

I’ve been stalking Derek Sivers. OK, I’m not a psycho. Stalking writers is part of my reading strategy. I already read Anything You Want. Binge-watching Derek’s interviews taught me about his succint writing style and his trick for better sentences. This time, I finished Useful But Not True. Here’s what I learned: #1. Perspectives are like timezones. They feel absolutely true, but that’s only for you. #2. Rules are someone’s perspective. Like kids, you can play with the rules. The floor is lava…until red tiles save you. #3. Someone’s “can’t” or “don’t” is their own perspective. They’re projecting their own can’ts and don’ts onto you. #4. Your brain loves to come up with stories and explanations—and believe them. Your beliefs are like a picture hung upside down. Only reframing shows it was hanging the wrong way. #5. You can’t choose your first thought, but you can always choose the next one. #6. There’s no best choice. It’s the best one because that was the one you chose. #7. You are…