Hell Yeah or No: 16 Reality-Shattering Insights from Derek Sivers That Will Break Your Brain
Derek Sivers sold CD Baby for $22 million then gave it all away to music education.
I love reading his books and I love his radical way of thinking.
His insights are so counterintuitive they make most “contrarian” advice look mainstream.
Here are his most mind-breaking principles.
1. The Hell Yeah Rule (The Ultimate Decision Framework)
Sivers’ most shocking discovery: Every “yes” must pass the “Hell Yeah!” test.
The framework:
- If it’s not a “HELL YEAH!” it’s a “no”
- No exceptions
- No “great opportunities”
- No FOMO
- No maybes
Mind-blowing result: Saying no to 99% of “amazing opportunities” made him more successful than saying yes ever did.
2. The Absence of Excellence Theory
Most radical insight: Excellence isn’t about what you do — it’s about what you eliminate.
Formula:
Excellence = (Total Capacity — Distractions) × Focus Time