HOW TO GET FROM ‘ZERO TO ONE’
Create and Nurture Original Business Ideas
“What important truth do very few people agree with you on?”
Throughout the book, Thiel shares his wealth of knowledge garnered from a long, successful career of recognizing and acting on original ideas. According to him, and anyone else who has ever tried creating something wholly unique, developing an original idea is no easy task. The difficulty of originality even led Mark Twain to once say “There is no such thing as a new idea. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope.” But in “Zero to One,” Thiel proves that coming up with original ideas is possible, and he provides readers with helpful tips and lessons for how to get there. One such lesson: Stop trying to be the next Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg because “if you’re copying these guys, you aren’t learning from them.” Thiel uses his favorite interview question to try to identify original thinkers. These are the people who take their businesses from zero to one because they looked at past successes and thought, “I can do it differently, and I can do it better.” If you want to be in that group, then reading Thiel’s advice in “Zero to One” is a great place to start.
That’s entrepreneur and author Peter Thiel’s favorite interview question. To Thiel, a person’s answer to that question provides insight into whether they’ll be able to find success as an entrepreneur. Ideally, if you can answer with something like “Most people believe in X, but the truth is the opposite of X,” then you’re well on your way from zero to one and creating an original business idea. That’s what Thiel explores in his book “Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future.” “Zero to One” is all about coming up with and nurturing unique ideas, which are the foundation of game-changing businesses. As a co- founder and investor in a number of companies that have changed the business landscape, Thiel has some authority on this subject. He co-founded Cofinity (which later became PayPal) and invested in startups like Facebook, SpaceX, Lyft, and Airbnb whose ideas were so novel at the start that they were perceived as risky by many.
DON’T THINK — JUST GO GREEN! 3 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Impact on the Environment
Eat less meat. We’re not saying you have to give up your cheeseburgers or ribs, but opting for fewer meat-focused meals could create big impacts on a global scale. According to the Center for a Livable Future, if just 32% of Americans opted for meatless meals one day each week, it would be equivalent to reducing the impact of emissions from 1.6 million cars each year. Swap meat for beans, tofu, cauliflower, squashes, or a vegetarian soup. Delish.com has a great selection of vegetarian- based meals if you’re ready to start. Shop locally. When you venture into “Meatless Monday” or search for products that reduce your single-use footprint, consider shopping locally. According to Transport & Environment, shipping could contribute to 10% of all carbon emissions by 2050. One way you can help reduce the reliance on global shipping is by focusing on locally sourced products and foods. Shop for produce at the local farmer’s market, seek out local crafters for gifts, and buy your clothes from local retailers who purchased the materials locally. Large store chains can also have local sections that make this endeavor easier! To get started, check with your local chamber of commerce for a list of shops to visit.
Living a sustainable, zero-waste lifestyle is all the rage these days. Celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, Jessica Alba, and Emma Watson continue to make big waves by supporting eco-conscious causes and by boasting their eco-friendly products. Not everyone has the budget or the ability to go as eco-friendly as our celebrity counterparts, but “going green” isn’t as difficult as you may think. This Earth Day, try adapting some of these easy eco- friendly tips into your daily life!
Reduce your reliance on single-use items. Swap out items like paper towels, plastic water bottles, shampoos and conditioners, straws, plastic bags, and other single-use products that fulfill a need for you once and then end up in a landfill. Instead, find creative ways to avoid these single-use products. You can cut up old shirts to use as rags, fill up reusable water bottles instead of buying throwaway plastic ones, and use cloth bags instead of plastic sacks at the grocery store. If you’re looking for new products, consider shampoo bars or refillable bottles for hair care products from companies like Plaine Products or EcoRoots.
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