Derek Sivers

Quotes are word for word from the source.

• Advice is biased

  “Because they can't know everything about you and your unique situation, they'll give advice that's really just a reflection of their own current situation.”

  Our noteDerek explains why successful people often give advice that doesn't fit the listener's life.

• Internal entertainment

  “We've all had plenty of input. It's fun to let your mind direct its own entertainment.”

  Our noteDerek suggests that we have enough information and should focus on processing it.

• Honesty through distance

  “Because we were strangers on the other side of the world, we got more and more honest, like a confession booth, saying the things we wouldn't tell anyone else.”

  Our noteDerek describes the early stages of his relationship through daily emails.

• Challenge your needs

  “When you catch yourself thinking "We'll need this," stop and say, "Let's find out what we really need.”

  Our noteHe advises against assuming future requirements before they are proven by experience.

• Isolation of purposes

  “I love the isolation of purposes. When I go into my cabin, it's time to work. When we go into the sleeping cabin, it's time for bed.”

  Our noteDerek describes the benefit of having separate physical spaces for different activities.

• Predictable wisdom

  “I must be the rare bird who never emailed you a question. Thought about it many times but following your writing since the CDB forum days, I can almost always guess your answers”

  Our noteA reader explains why they never felt the need to email Derek a question.

• Freedom in quitting

  “I've often found it hard to quit something until I could love it. When finally, I didn't feel the need to leave because I loved it, THEN I was truly at choice, free in the staying or leaving!”

  Our noteA reader reflects on the paradox of quitting something only after you have learned to love it.

• Connecting with people

  “I seriously considered it, but love getting to know people around the world.”

  Our noteDerek explains why he chooses to keep some form of contact despite quitting email.

• Ending an era

  “But as far as my email-answering years, it felt like a grand finale.”

  Our noteDerek explains why he decided to stop answering every personal email after a high-volume year.

• Letting go

  “It's a tough decision sometimes to let go of the things that no longer serve you but that you still love”

  Our noteA musician discusses the difficulty of moving on from projects that no longer work.

• Quitting specific tasks

  “I just said I'm not answering questions anymore. I'm still replying to every email, still writing new articles, starting a new podcast, and everything else I've ever done here.”

  Our noteDerek clarifies that he is only stopping one specific activity to make room for others.

• Obsession with utility

  “For the past twenty years, I was obsessed with being useful. That one measure drove all of my daily decisions: "How can I be the most useful to the most people today?”

  Our noteDerek reflects on how the drive to be useful dictated his life for two decades.

• Productivity through distraction

  “When I think back about the times in my life where I got the most done, created the most, or had a major breakthrough in some aspect of my life, it was often while I was supposed to be doing something else.”

  Our noteDerek reflects on how his most productive moments often happen during 'stolen' time.

• Overwhelming infinite options

  “It's anti-inspiring because having infinite options is overwhelming.”

  Our noteDerek explains why total freedom in music or life can be counterproductive.

• Compare before committing

  “I bought four different versions, and spent a couple hours reading the same passages in each one.”

  Our noteDerek describes his process for selecting the right translation for his needs.

• Automated data cleaning

  “So no matter what code is inserting or updating, a database trigger will sanitize it before saving .”

  Our noteDerek describes the reliability of using database triggers for data integrity.

• Eliminate the doubtful

  “If you're in doubt about something that's in your life already, get rid of it . Not just things, this goes for identities, habits, goals, relationships, technology, and anything else.”

  Our noteDerek suggests a radical approach to simplifying life by removing anything that causes hesitation.

• Happiness as strategy

  “Doing whatever makes you happy now is smart. When you're happy, you think better. More of your brain is engaged.”

  Our noteThe cognitive benefits of prioritizing current happiness and interest.

• Benefits of letting go

  “Although each goodbye was sad, it opened up more space. I enjoyed the freedom and feeling unconflicted.”

  Our noteDerek describes the relief of abandoning projects that were draining his energy.

• Replacing guilt with imagination

  “Before, I'd glance at each pet and feel love but guilt for not giving it more time. Now, I picture what could have been, and just enjoy the daydream.”

  Our noteDerek talks about moving from the guilt of unfinished projects to the peace of simple ideas.

• The pressure to decide

  “People make bad decisions because they felt they had to decide. It would have been wiser to do nothing.”

  Our noteHe discusses why people often rush into poor choices instead of waiting.

• Wait for clarity

  “The longer you go without deciding, the more information is revealed. Eventually, the choice is obvious and made without an agonizing decision.”

  Our noteDerek suggests that delaying a decision allows the right path to reveal itself naturally.

• Patience in investing

  “The stock market takes money from the active traders and gives it to the patient.”

  Our noteDerek highlights that in investing, doing less often leads to better results.

• Practical client filtering

  “It wasn't ego. It was just a practical way to deal with a flood, and a pretty good filter for choosing new clients.”

  Our noteDerek reflects on the publicist's system for managing overwhelming demand.

• Effort of new habits

  “Building new habits takes time and effort. After that initial challenge, my life could be richer by the expanded activities in my repertoire.”

  Our noteDerek considers if the mistake was giving up too early on new activities.

• The nature of models

  “In the scientific process, nothing is final or complete. No model is "true". Each one just aims to be less and less wrong.”

  Our noteDerek explains how scientific models are iterative improvements rather than absolute truths.

• Importance of memory

  “If you can't remember something, it's like it never happened. You could have a long healthy life, but if you can't remember it, it's like you had a short life.”

  Our noteDerek explains why failing to create and keep memories effectively shortens your perceived lifespan.

• Utility over truth

  “You don't need to decide which one is right. You can use one meaning to get you out of bed, and another to sleep well at night.”

  Our noteHe explains that we can choose perspectives based on their utility rather than their objective truth.

• Intentional offline focus

  “There are great benefits to being intentionally offline and unreachable, to focus. It's a super productivity boost.”

  Our noteThe productivity benefits of using tools that do not require an internet connection.

• Purpose of goals

  “Goals don't improve your future. Goals only improve your present actions. A good goal makes you take action immediately. A bad goal doesn't.”

  Our noteHe clarifies that the utility of a goal lies in its ability to change what you do right now.