Reading in Progress
These are active notes while I make my way through the book. Expect updates, revisions, and maybe contradictions until I finish.
Crawling gets the caterpillar to the fattest leaf, but only transformation lets it reach the flowers beyond.
Summary in Four Sentences (or Less)
TBD
Content coming soon, after I finish reading.
Chapter Map
| Chapter | Core Message |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1: You Are Here | Success can blind you to how your behavior impacts others; feedback is the map that reveals where you really stand, and small behavioral shifts are what move you forward because what got you here won’t get you there. |
| Chapter 2: Enough About You | Success doesn’t mean you’ve arrived; honest feedback and small, disciplined changes are what make you better. |
| Chapter 3: The Success Delusion, or Why We Resist Change | The very beliefs and habits that make us successful often become the biggest obstacles to further growth and change. |
| Chapter 4: The Twenty Habits | Success is often limited not by what you need to start doing, but by what you need to stop doing (especially behaviors that damage relationships). |
| Chapter 5: The Twenty-First Habit: Goal Obsession | |
| Chapter 6: Feedback | |
| Chapter 7: Apologizing | |
| Chapter 8: Telling the World, or Advertising | |
| Chapter 9: Listening | |
| Chapter 10: Thanking | |
| Chapter 11: Following Up | |
| Chapter 12: Practicing Feedforward | |
| Chapter 13: Changing: The Rules | |
| Chapter 14: Special Challenges for People in Charge | |
| Coda: You Are Here Now | |
| Appendix |
Who Should Read It
TBD
Content coming soon, after I finish reading.
Book Discovery
Our leadership book club at work selected this title in September 2025.
Impact
TBD
Content coming soon, after I finish reading.
Favorite Quotes
Quote
“Over time these ‘minor’ workplace foibles begin to chip away at the goodwill we’ve accumulated in life.”
Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (1)
This reminds me of something our realtor told us when we were selling our house: fix as many imperfections as you can, because you never know which small flaw will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Buyers are rarely turned off by one big issue—it’s usually the accumulation of little details that adds up.
Reducing foibles reduces friction in workplace relationships.
Also, how fun of a word is “foible”!
Quote
“Despite your demonstrable success and laudable self-esteem, you might not be as good as you think you are.”
Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (1)
I think this quote captures one of the book’s central messages—and it hits close to home. I often find myself swinging between arrogance and imposter syndrome, struggling to land in a steady middle ground. The reminder that success doesn’t always equal self-awareness really resonated with me. Maybe one day I’ll learn how to balance that spectrum with more consistency.
Quote
“People will do something—including changing their behavior—only if it can be demonstrated that doing so is in their own best interests as defined by their own values.”
Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (1)
This is one of those quotes where in hindsight it seems obvious.
Quote
“Almost everyone I meet is successful because of doing a lot of things right, and almost everyone I meet is successful in spite of some behavior that defies common sense.”
Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (1)
Quote
“Less me. More them. Equals success.”
Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (1)
Atomic Notes
WIP
These notes will evolve as I continue to read the book.
Chapter 1: You Are Here
- Orient to Your Impact
- Success Masks Blind Spots
- Ideas Heard as Orders
- Overhelping Stifles Others
- Favoritism Breeds Cynicism
- Ego Over Empathy Backfires
- Tiny Habits, Big Costs
- Feedback as GPS
- Impact–Intent Disconnect
- Small Tweaks Fix Bad Habits
- Separate Ideas from Orders
- Misread Intent Without Feedback
- From Here to There
- Past Wins, New Liabilities
- Role Models Possess an Internal Compass
Chapter 2: Enough About You
- Success Habits Can Become Barriers
- Importance of 360 Degree Feedback
- Apology as Reset
- Publicize Your Change Efforts
- Follow Up Religiously
- Listening Without Prejudice
- Power of Feedforward
- Delusion of Success
- Strengthening Weaknesses
- Humility as Growth Catalyst
Chapter 3: The Success Delusion, or Why We Resist Change
- Success Delusion as Barrier
- Three-Part Resistance to Feedback
- Four Beliefs That Block Change
- Highlight Reel of Success
- Trap of Attributing Success to Behavior
- Optimism Driving Overcommitment
- Self-Determination vs. Change
- Superstition Trap in Success
- Distinguishing Because vs. In Spite
- Cognitive Dissonance in Change Resistance
- Natural Law of Change
- Hot Buttons for Change
- Overoptimism in Mission Work
- Overcommitment Blocking Application
- Rivalry and Legacy as Motivators
Lingering Questions
- How can I ask others to provide 360 feedback in a way that’s not lame or inefficient?
- How can I balance gratitude w/ noise and my need to minimize additional disruption?
- If my self-perception is inflated, how can I ground it in reality?
- If people act mainly in their own best interest, how can I better understand those interests to become more influential?
- If feedback from others is paramount to change, how do I avoid chasing advice that does more harm than good?
- How do I balance filtering unhelpful advice without alienating the person offering it?