Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson: Summary & Notes

• Planning is guessing—embrace flexibility over detailed plans
• Make a dent in the universe—solve a real problem you care about
• Less is more: fewer features, fewer meetings, smaller teams
• Workaholism isn't a virtue—results matter, not hours
• Start a business, not a startup—profitability beats funding
• Ship it: done is better than perfect

• Entrepreneurs who want contrarian advice
• Anyone skeptical of traditional business wisdom
• Small business owners
• People overwhelmed by startup culture hype

Notes

• Don't learn from your mistakes. Learn from successes: they tell you what does work.
• Plan short-term, because we suck at planning. Long-term planning just doesn't work.
• Great schools don't try and grow—why should you? Great businesses can be small too.
• Workaholics try and make up for intellectual laziness with brute force. Work better instead.
• "To do great work, you need to feel that you're making a difference."
• To make a great product or service, make something you want to use.
• "What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan."
• You can always find the time if you're motivated enough.
• Stand for something when you create a business. You'll attract like-minded people.
• Take on as little outside cash as possible.
• "A business without a path to profit isn’t a business, it’s a hobby."
• Embrace being small. You're the most agile you'll ever be.
• "Constraints are advantages in disguise."
• Nail the basics first, and then worry about the details and the finer points later.
• Constantly look for things to remove or simplify.
• When you face a problem, see if you can remove things to solve it.
• You don't need fancy equipment to get the job done.
• Sell your by-products (aka sell your sawdust).
• Launch sooner.
• Do everything you can to remove layers of abstraction. You'll be more aligned.
• Meetings are toxic.
• You destroy your creativity, morale and attitude when you sacrifice sleep.
• Focus on the highest priority only. Then move to the next one.
• Make small decisions that are easy to change.
• Make yourself part of your product. Then it can never be copied.
• Being anti-something is a great way to attract followers. Position yourself against something.
• Say no by default.
• Share information that's valuable and build an audience.
• Overnight successes are myths.
• Never hire someone until you've done the job yourself first. And hire only when it hurts.
• Don't hire someone great just because they're available. There are lots of great people.
• Hire people that can manage themselves.
• Hire great writers.
• Give a test project to potential new hires before giving them an offer.
• Say sorry and own up to your mistakes.
• You don't create a culture, it just happens.
• Don't build a process just because of one mistake. You'll build up organizational scar tissue if you do.
• Act on your inspiration. It won't last forever.