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It's only a little difficult to say no. You've got to believe that the work you're doing is ultimately more useful to the world.

Derek Sivers

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Derek Sivers
Age: 55
Born: 1969
Born: September 22
Businessperson
Musician
the United States of America
Littles
Little
Work
Believe
World
Useful
Ultimately
Difficult

More quotes by Derek Sivers

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If you really care about starting a movement, have the courage to follow and show others how to follow. And when you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first one to stand up and join in.
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You can't please everyone, so proudly exclude people.
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The first follower is actually an underestimated form of leadership in itself. … The first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader.
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Five years after I started CD Baby, when it was a big success, the media said I had revolutionized the music business. But 'revolution' is a term that people use only when you're successful. Before that, you're just a quirky person who does things differently.
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Don’t pursue business just for your own gain. Only answer the calls for help.
Derek Sivers
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The most brilliant idea, with no execution, is worth $20. The most brilliant idea takes great execution to be worth $20,000,000.
Derek Sivers
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In the end, it's about what you want to be, not what you want to have.
Derek Sivers
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Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it.
Derek Sivers
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If you keep thinking about putting on a conference or being a Hollywood screenwriter, and you find the idea terrifies but intrigues you, it's probably a worthy endeavor for you. You grow (and thrive!) by doing what excites you and what scares you everyday, not by trying to find your passion.
Derek Sivers
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If I’m not saying ‘Hell Yeah!’ to something, then I say no.
Derek Sivers
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Most people don't know what they're talking about. They move their mouth and say things because they don't want to admit they don't know. Or they think they know, but it's just confabulation and biases. So ignore them unless what they say resonates with some real wisdom inside of you. Assume they're a fool and find out the truth for yourself.
Derek Sivers
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Make every decision—even decisions about whether to expand the business, raise money, or promote someone—according to what's best for your customers.
Derek Sivers
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Learning. It's really the primary reason behind everything I do. Programming, entrepreneuring, writing.
Derek Sivers
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There is no movement without the first follower. See, we are told that we all need to be leaders but that would be ineffective. The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow.
Derek Sivers
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Don't be on your deathbed someday, having squandered your one chance at life, full of regret because you pursued little distractions instead of big dreams.
Derek Sivers
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When you make a business, you get to make a little universe where you control all the laws.
Derek Sivers
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Are you helping people? Are they happy? Are you happy? Are you profitable? Isn't that enough?
Derek Sivers
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If it's not a hit, switch.
Derek Sivers
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You're free to do anything you want with your company. It's more like art. You don't have to follow any norms. It's an expression of how you feel the world should be. When you make a company, that's your little place to make your own little utopia.
Derek Sivers
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The single most important thing is to make people happy. If you are making people happy, as a side effect, they will be happy to open up their wallets and pay you.
Derek Sivers