Derek Sivers

6 notes in the collection. Writes at sive.rs (opens in a new tab)

First saved If you’re not feeling “hell yeah!” then say no on July 31, 2026.

There’s no speed limit(favorite) Jul 31 3 min
How teacher Kimo Williams pushed a teenage Sivers through two years of music theory in a few lessons, showing you can learn far faster than the standard pace.
Related
- 6 things I wish I knew the day I started BerkleeDerek Sivers
- Being BadMichael Kaminsky
- Being Generally Capable
- Learn to love the Moat of Low StatusCate Hall
Read the original of There’s no speed limit (opens in a new tab)
Create. Aug 22 4 min
A chapter from Sivers's How to Live arguing that the way to live is to create, finish what you start, and die with nothing left inside you.
Related
- fun is the only metric that doesn’t liesignull
- PsychokineticsManav B. Ponnekanti
- Everything that turned out well in my life followed the same design processHenrik Karlsson
- What you could have beenBrian • The Tiny Wisdom
Read the original of Create. (opens in a new tab)
6 things I wish I knew the day I started Berklee Aug 19 6 min
Sivers's talk to incoming Berklee students: six lessons on focus, ignoring distraction, and treating school as an intense training period.
Related
- There’s no speed limitDerek Sivers
- Andrej's advice for successAndrej Karpathy
- Being BadMichael Kaminsky
- Being Generally Capable
Read the original of 6 things I wish I knew the day I started Berklee (opens in a new tab)
It’s about being, not having Aug 13 3 min
Sivers spent years learning to sing, produce, and program himself when shortcuts existed, because the point was to become those things, not just to have the results.
Related
- There’s no speed limitDerek Sivers
- Create.Derek Sivers
- If you’re not feeling “hell yeah!” then say noDerek Sivers
- Ideas That Changed My LifeMorgan Housel
Read the original of It’s about being, not having (opens in a new tab)
Repeatedly follow-up to show you care Aug 12 1 min
A busy music publicist only listened to artists who followed up three times, which Sivers uses to argue that persistent follow-up is how you show you care.
Related
- How to Network EffectivelyWill Eden
- There’s no speed limitDerek Sivers
- Create.Derek Sivers
- 6 things I wish I knew the day I started BerkleeDerek Sivers
Read the original of Repeatedly follow-up to show you care (opens in a new tab)
If you’re not feeling “hell yeah!” then say no Jul 31 1 min
Say no to anything you feel half-hearted about so you have the time and focus to go all in when something exciting comes along.
Related
- How to Do What You LovePaul Graham
- Work Life Balance is ImpossibleNat Eliason
- Don't be a Career by Steve JobsSteve Jobs
- What Should You Do with Your Life? Directions and AdviceAlexey Guzey
Read the original of If you’re not feeling “hell yeah!” then say no (opens in a new tab)

If you like Derek Sivers, try

Patrick Collison3 notes · also on learning and agency
janelle☆2 notes · also on learning and agency
Jakob Greenfeld18 notes · also on agency and life

Derek Sivers

If you like Derek Sivers, try

Keyboard shortcuts

Everywhere

Note lists

Collections

Shuffle deck