Skip the Line: Ingenious, Simple Strategies to Propel Yourself to

James' latest book is the perfect distillation of his life experiences into a concise guide to getting ahead in life that challenges commonplace advice.Most non-fiction books are a rumination of the same core idea over and over again. Reading one chapter is usually all you need to grasp the essential idea. "Skip the Line" is the exact opposite. The 23 chapters which make up the book are well connected and build upon each other. The resulting narrative becomes so compelling that the content is very easy to retain.What I like most about the book is how pragmatic it is. In a world where people rely more and more on what experts have to say, we often forget that the ultimate proof of whether anything works is to test it ourselves in our own life.That's why the "10,000 Experiments" idea is so important: the quickest way to improve at anything is to keep making experiments with limited downside but unlimited upside, a very Taleb-like idea.I could go over all the chapters and mention how I have applied James' ideas in my life and how I plan to apply them in the future, but it's definitely best to get them from the man himself and read the actual book.I totally recommend it!

This book is for anyone who is transitioning, who wants to re-invent or improve themselves or who wants to get further in their job.James Altucher gives a lot of tips on how to start finding ideas, what next steps to take and how to turn ideas into real world successes.The title "Skip the Line" refers to making things happen that would normally take years to get there. How to attain a skill, how to break things down into microskills, what to do when things go wrong and to develop a certain mindset that will get you there.I was surprised by how open James wrote about his experiences in life. Some things most people would not admit to which makes this book all the more authentic.The book is a guide on how to deal with situations and emotions that happen in life (business, relationships, high stake situations, rejection, insecurity).James achieved multi-million dollar companies, and went bankupt...several times. He talks about his mindset, how bankruptcy happenend and what lessons he learned.He talks about how to deal with negative emotions, difficult people and the destructive inner self talk that really strikes a core.A book full of useful information, practices and easy strategies. After reading this book, you will understand that there is no magic power or supertalent needed to achieve your goals. There are precise and carefully detailed but easy to accomplish strategies to achieve your goal. Any goal.

I came across the J. Altuchers podcast a few months back, which i listen to quite regularly as it is full of interesting content. I then moved to his website, which has more interesting blogs and content. The next evolution, was to try out his latest book. I was a bit skeptical at first, as many people who do regular content, have usually published their content around the place, but this was not the case. I really couldn't put the book down. I have started doing things outlined in the book, which is very rare for me, as usually i read something, enjoy it and move on, but this book has really sparked my imagination, and confirmed many things that i have thought about in my life, but never articulated properly, until reading this. We are all trying to skip the line, but this book gives you the permission you need to do it.

I could not get pass the first 8 pages. There is not clear focus, it is like like reading someone speaking casually. It feels as if the author was in a hurry and had to do a book quickly, then recorded his voice 'talking' the book, only to transcribe it on paper. It lacks structure, there is lots of repetition, no clear direction as to where the whole thing is going. A total literary mess in my opinion.

Some ideas are extremely helpful and will definitely leave a lasting impression. Three-quarters of the way through the chapters and writing becomes in my humble opinion a bit scatty and repetitive. It almost turns into a bit of a memoir. Saying that, very enjoyable read with a lot to take home!