If You're Curious About These Questions...
You should listen to this audiobook
- Have you ever wondered why school valedictorians rarely become the world's most successful leaders, and what the 'unfiltered' winners do differently?
- What if the secret to achieving your biggest goals isn't just about persistence, but knowing exactly when it's time to quit?
- Are you curious about whether being 'nice' actually helps or hinders your career, and what the data says about who really finishes first?
Listen to Barking Up the Wrong Tree — Free Audiobook
Loading player...
Key Takeaways from Barking Up the Wrong Tree
- Discover why the universal formula for success is a myth, and learn how to shape a life that genuinely fits your unique temperament and values.
- Understand the vital importance of environmental fit, shifting your focus from trying to be someone else to finding the spaces where your natural strengths thrive.
- Learn why academic achievement often rewards compliance over ingenuity, and why high school valedictorians rarely go on to change the world.
- Explore the concept of 'filtered' versus 'unfiltered' leaders to see why individuals who bypass traditional checkpoints often leave the most lasting marks.
- Realize that following the rules doesn't create extraordinary success but merely eliminates extremes, and uncover the power of stepping off the conventional path.
Learning Tools
Reinforce what you learned from Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Mind Map
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Rule Breaking & Creativity
The Valedictorian Illusion
Unruly Creatives
Niceness & Success
The Disagreeable Advantage
The Giver's Paradox
Grit & Perseverance
Optimistic Self-Talk
Purpose & Meaning
Extroverts vs. Introverts
The Extrovert's Financial Edge
The Introvert's Expertise
The Double-Edged Sword of Confidence
Benefits of Confidence
The Dark Side of Power
Work Ethic & Pushing Limits
The Necessity of Long Hours
Continuous Improvement
Social Happiness
The Happiness Boomerang
Quiz — Test Your Understanding
Question 1 of 6
Why do high school valedictorians rarely become visionary leaders in the real world?
Barking Up the Wrong Tree — Full Chapter Overview
Chapter 1: Recommendation
Chapter 2: Playing by the rules only gets you so far; creativity is indeed the true engine of success.
Chapter 3: Nice people are likely to finish both first and last.
Chapter 4: Persevere through hard times thanks to the stories you tell yourself.
Chapter 5: Extroverts earn the most money, while introverts become the best experts.
Chapter 6: Confidence is crucial to success, yet too much can sometimes lead you to harm others.
Chapter 7: The key to success is working long hours and always pushing yourself to continually improve.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree Summary & Overview
Barking Up the Wrong Tree (2017) explores the divide between the extremely successful and the rest of the pack. These blinks draw on science, statistics and surprising anecdotes to explain the factors that determine success – and how almost anyone can attain it.
Who Should Listen to Barking Up the Wrong Tree?
- Parents, coaches and teachers
- Psychologists and those interested in the field
- Anyone who wants to be more successful in life
Books Similar to Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Readers who enjoyed this also liked these titles.
Right Kind of Wrong
★ 4.5 / 5 • 93 ratingsThe Science of Failing Well
What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There
★ 4.2 / 5 • 264 ratingsHow Successful People Become Even More Successful!
Can You Learn to be Lucky?
★ 4.3 / 5 • 138 ratingsWhy Some People Seem to Win More Often Than Others
The Motivation Myth
★ 4.4 / 5 • 350 ratingsHow High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win