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Anything You Want Hardcover – June 29, 2011

by
Derek Sivers (Author)
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Derek Sivers (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 313 customer reviews
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Tim Ferriss Reviews Anything You Want

Tim Ferriss is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Workweek. He has a diverse background of experience, including working as an actor, speaking seven foreign languages, holding a world record in tango, and being a national Chinese kickboxing champion. He has written for Maxim and the Philadelphia Inquirer, has appeared on MTV and CBS radio, and has been interviewed or featured in such major publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and more. Read his review of Derek Sivers's Anything You Want:

I love this book!

Derek is the entrepreneur's entrepreneur. Just as important, perhaps more so--he is a phenomenal teacher. Whether detailing the fascinating rise of CDBaby, explaining catastrophic (but common) founder mistakes, or teaching me about relational databases in two minutes using analogies, he makes the complex simple. Moreover, he makes it all actionable.

If you want a true manifesto, a guidebook with clear signposts, and a fun ride you'll return to again and again, you have it here in this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. --Tim Ferriss

Derek Sivers's Recommended Reading
 
We asked author and founder of CD Baby Derek Sivers to tell us about the books that have influenced him the most as an entrepreneur. His list includes everything from What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful to The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World. Check out Derek's complete list of recommended reading for those aspiring to follow their passion to build a successful business--and a rewarding life.

See the complete list of Derek's recommended reading

Review

"If you want a true manifesto, a guidebook with clear signposts, and a fun ride you'll return to again and again, you have it here in this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did."
—TIM FERRISS, author of The 4-Hour Workweek

"[I] burned through the book in about an hour. Wow. Really. Derek shares some of the principles (and anti-principles) he learned and applied during his time as an accidental entrepreneur and how to grow a business without losing your soul."
—TODD HENRY, author of Die Empty

"One of the best hours you’ll ever spend will be reading Derek Sivers’s new book…Anything You Want."
—Forbes

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
See all Editorial Reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 88 pages
  • Publisher: The Domino Project (June 29, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1936719118
  • ISBN-13: 978-1936719112
  • Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (313 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #277,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Derek Sivers Page
Derek Sivers
After making a living as a professional musician, Derek Sivers went looking for ways to sell his own CD online and ended up creating CD Baby, once the largest seller of independent music on the web with over $100M in sales for over 150,000 musician clients. Since 2008, Derek has traveled the world and stayed busy creating and nurturing creative endeavors, like Muckwork, his newest company where teams of efficient assistants help musicians do their "uncreative dirty work." Derek writes regularly on creativity, entrepreneurship, and music on his blog: http://sivers.org/.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 122 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 starsIn the end, it's about what you want to be, not what you want to have
By B on June 29, 2011
Format: Hardcover
"In the end, it's about what you want to be, not what you want to have."

If you agree with that statement (I think my favorite quote from this book), you need to read this book.
If you're looking for inspiration.
If you're afraid of failure.
If you want to start something.
You need to read this book.

"Don't pursue business just for your own gain. Only answer the calls for help."

Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby shares his success and his failures in this remarkably straight forward and honest book about how he basically accidentally founded a remarkably successful internet company - long before the internet bubble and without knowing anything about it.

I read this book in a couple of quick subway rides, to and from work. Don't be fooled by its ease, though. While you'll zoom through it, you'll close it feeling inspired and ready to start something new and, most importantly, you'll close it feeling less afraid of failure and less self-conscious about doing what makes you happy in life.

One more favorite quote: "... if you think true love looks like Romeo and Juliet, you'll overlook a great relationship that grows slowly." Revolution - in business and in life - often starts with a small step.

This book will help you remember that.
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97 of 110 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 starsAn honest account
By Vanessa on July 2, 2011
Format: Hardcover
While there is little here that you can't find in many other business books, it sounds like a very honest account of one man's journey. It's a short book that details the decisions (good and bad) and events that happened on the way to creating and eventually selling CDBaby. There's no secret in the book that will help you succeed in a similar way, but there are some important mantras that can be taken away, such as the importance of focusing on the customers above everything else. Due to the length of the book, it's hard to rate this book as you would a 300 - 500 page work. The book is worthwhile, but not great. Think of it as an opportunity to sit down with the author for an hour and having him tell you about the experience... definitely worthwhile.
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70 of 81 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 starsHit me CD Baby One More Time
By Tyler Hurst on June 29, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition
I've never met Derek Sivers. Never bought a CD from him and don't know of anyone who has. As far as I know, Derek doesn't know me either.

But I get him. I think.

I get that he likes to solve problems. I get that money isn't his sole or main goal. I get that he wants to live life on his terms.

I get that some of the best, most enriching ideas in the world never started out that way.

And that's what this book is about. How to create, maintain and let go of an dream that morphed into an idea that morphed into a solution that morphed into a business that morphed into something that made money.

Too many of us are always looking for the next thing. We're looking for whatever comes next.

We'd be well served just solving problems now and see where that goes.

I think Derek would agree.
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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsConnecting ...
By eackbarali on July 1, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I used to be a fan of the self-help books, all the way from Norman Vincent Peale to Dale Csrnegie to Anthony Robbins. The point of all of the reading was to just learn about living life at a higher frequency. But I started to move away from these because they made things look so very easy, to the point where I think they are almost irrelevant to the real world.

I was brought to this book through Seth Godin's Blog. It was an excellent read to me because it seemed to be a very honest and realistic discourse. The points of inspiration in this book are not Pollyanna-ish in the least. Sivers made errors, retreated, emerged, retreated again and then emerged again. Ups and downs. No smooth path. And he relates it very clearly.

I have built a successful business over the past 7 years but I have not enjoyed the ride. I am always looking to the end. But now that things are much better, I look back and see that I could have really enjoyed the process much more, and really it is the process that is the juice for me.

Sivers distills this very very well in writing about his experiences. Reading this has shaken me up tonight and brought to the forefront of my mind thoughts that I need to make some serious changes finally that will make me happier and my business more successful.

Thank you Derek Sivers for this book!
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32 of 38 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsInspirational, practical and easily digestible
By Neil Davidson on June 29, 2011
Format: Hardcover
This is a short, well-written, thought-provoking, deep, entertaining and useful book. Ostensibly a set of stories about Derek Sivers's journey building and selling CD Baby, it's actually a philosophy (but not a dogma) and an illustration of how being an entrepreneur is entirely compatible with leading a life well lived. A brilliant book, well worth reading.
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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsShort. Sweet. Simple. Powerful.
By Nate Bagley on June 29, 2011
Format: Hardcover
This book is written for a new generation of entrepreneurs. It's written for those who would rather be happy than rich. It's written for those who would prefer to make a difference than make a paycheck. It's a written testament that the definition of success is changing in our culture.

If you want to be inspired by a real story by a real guy who helped to transform an industry simply by following his heart, and filling a need that both needed to be filled, and that he was passionate about, this is the book for you.

If you're trying to start a business, and you think you need a round of funding, and a team of experts and advisers... this book is for you.

If you hate your job, and wish you could be doing something you love every day, this book is for you.

If you think that being happy is more important than having a million dollars, this book is for you.

Read it. Love it. Change your life. Change your definition of success. Be happy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 starsOne Star

Stay away, nothing but platitudes.

Published 22 hours ago by Marc Mathys
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

loved it

Published 6 days ago by GiGi
5.0 out of 5 starsTerrific

Fast-paced. Not an ounce of fat or fluff. Contrarian wisdom. Loved this book. Read it in an hour and got a lifetime of helpful principles. Thanks Derek.

Published 10 days ago by Bill O'Hanlon
4.0 out of 5 starsPractical and fun

This is no boring business book. Derek shares useful insights from his own accidental business success story. I watched him on video @ http://sivers. Read more

Published 12 days ago by Patrick GG
5.0 out of 5 starsInspiring, sad and relatable.

This was a great insight. One that I might look back on as one of the books that changed my life. Thanks to Tom Ferris who interviewed the author on his podcast in 2015.

Published 16 days ago by burhaan
4.0 out of 5 starsA twist in success uncommon in management

Derek makes a very simple yet powerful case for understanding and following your dreams. Refreshing read in times when everyone is focusing on making billion dollar tech start... Read more

Published 18 days ago
5.0 out of 5 starsSimple and brilliant

A breeze to read and loaded full of actionable tips and strategies.
I loved that this book tended to push against much of what is "out there" - i.e. That more is better.

Published 19 days ago by Angus Pyke
5.0 out of 5 starsShort on words long on wisdom.

Derek does a great job of clearly and concisely relating the important information he learned by starting and running CD Baby. He does not add fluff to the book. Read more

Published 20 days ago by Rahawthor
5.0 out of 5 starsit's ok to be me

Derek gave me insight into the things I enjoy, but more importantly the things I dread. I will now be more likely find my calling. Thanks Derek.

Published 24 days ago by Scott
5.0 out of 5 starsShort and sweet

Just the book I needed to read in order to get the ball rolling on ideas I have for my life!

Quick read, but filled with great tips.

Published 1 month ago by Claudio Lassala

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