Sunday 7 November 2021

Book ~ "My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings (2021) Terry O'Reilly

From Goodreads ~ The Incredible Hulk was originally supposed to be grey but a printing glitch led to the superhero’s iconic green colour. NHL hall-of-famer Serge Savard’s hockey career nearly ended prematurely, not because of an injury, but because of an oversight. And the invention of a beloved treat, the Popsicle, began with a simple mistake.

In his fascinating and meticulously researched new book, Terry O’Reilly recounts how some of the biggest breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake. Some people’s “mistakes” led to dramatic life changes - losing their jobs, their companies and often their credibility - only for them to discover new opportunities on the other shore. Other people’s mistakes seemed minor, almost insignificant - until they led to a famous brand, a legendary band or a groundbreaking work of art. And in a few instances, a mistake actually saved lives.

The fear of failing often holds us back. "My Best Mistake" will change how you think about screwing up and will encourage you to accept mistakes and embrace the obstacles that may arise from these errors, leading you to unexpected breakthroughs and silver linings of your own.


I saw an interview on TV a couple weeks ago with Terry O'Reilly and he was talking about this book.  It sounded interesting so I thought I'd check it out ... and it was.

The stories were varied and included those about Billy Joel, Rob Lowe, Ellen DeGeneres, Seth MacFarlane, Steve Jobs, Swanson's TV Dinners, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Jaws, Scotty Bowman, Ski-Doos, Bill Maher, the Dixie Chicks, Popsicles and more.

I liked the writing style.  It was written at a high level and gave me just enough information.

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