Anything You Want by Derek Sivers Summary
Overview of Anything You Want
Derek Sivers' accidental journey from musician to multimillion-dollar entrepreneur distilled into 40 bite-sized lessons. Endorsed by top business leaders, this 150-page manifesto asks: What if success means ignoring conventional wisdom and building exactly what you want - nothing more?
Similar books to Anything You Want
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key Takeaways
What If Success Meant Building Less, Not More?
A musician couldn't sell his CD online. Distribution companies rejected him. So he built his own "BUY NOW" button, helped a friend, then another, and accidentally created a $22 million company. Derek Sivers never planned to revolutionize the music industry-he just wanted to create his perfect world. His journey challenges everything we're told about business: grow fast, raise capital, scale aggressively. Instead, Sivers stayed small, rejected investors, and built a company that made him genuinely happy. The result? A business that musicians loved, employees cherished, and eventually sold for millions-all without compromising his values or sanity.
Creating Your Perfect World Through Business
Two Numbers That Built Millions
Hell Yeah or No: The Power of Extreme Decisions
Starting Small: The Bootstrap Advantage
Little Things Make All the Difference
Knowing When to Let Go
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Anything You Want Summary in 8 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Anything You Want into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 8 Insights from Anything You Want in a Nutshell
Distill Anything You Want into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight key principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - Anything You Want Lessons Told Through 20-Min Stories
Experience Anything You Want through vivid storytelling that turns innovation lessons into moments you'll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Anything You Want Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the Anything You Want summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.