In Giving Up , author Annie Duke argues that perseverance also has its downsides. It can motivate you to pursue a difficult and worthy goal, but it can also keep you on a difficult path that is no longer worth pursuing.
Boxer Muhammad Ali is a clear example of this. In 1974, when he returned to the ring, many people considered him unlikely to defeat a young, muscular and “undefeated” opponent in the boxing world at that time.
But with perseverance and determination, Ali won and once again affirmed the title of “greatest boxer of all time”. If the story ended here, Ali would be a great example of the power of perseverance. But things don’t stop there…
As Annie Duke summarizes, because we don’t want to “finish the book” when we’re suffering losses, we keep sticking to a path that is no longer worth the effort we put in, even if it is a failing relationship. turns bad, an investment stock is losing value, or a business decision is increasingly losing money, but that’s also when we’re losing our competitive advantage.
Returning to the story of boxer Muhammad Ali, it was perseverance that helped Ali win and it also kept Ali in the ring for the next 7 years, despite all the advice and warning signs that his strength was strong. His health is going down. Because of this, he paid a heavy price at the end of his career with many consecutive losses, Parkinson’s syndrome (a disease that affects mobility) and physical and mental deterioration.
With deep, rigorous analysis and concrete evidence, Annie Duke shows learning how to unlock success in a new way. Whether faced with a business decision or an important personal choice, mastering the skill of letting go will help each person make progress on their journey.
Boxer Muhammad Ali
Another unique thing about the book is that Annie breaks down complex psychological and economic concepts into concise and easy-to-understand analysis. The author also gives many examples and stories from famous people through which readers can witness the ups and downs, successes and failures that come from the characters’ decisions to continue or give up.
The author believes that maybe when we give up, we fear that we will fail or waste the time, effort, and money we previously invested. But the truth is, giving up something that is no longer worth pursuing is not a failure but can be a success. Don’t just evaluate yourself by whether you achieved your goals or not, but ask yourself what you’ve achieved and what you’ve learned along the way.
Reading Giving Up , guided by the story of boxer Muhammad Ali, will see that the author not only focuses on solutions but also proposes strategies to improve decision-making ability. From there, each person will know how to think according to expected value to determine whether the path they are on is worth maintaining or not, and know how to set up a set of “death” criteria to avoid making decisions. bad, and at the same time know how to make contingency plans to diversify your opportunities.
