Little Bets
by Peter Sims · first published 2011
45% recommend45% neutral9% critical
Why HN recommends it
Argues that breakthrough ideas come from many small, low-cost experiments rather than one big bet. Readers use it as a guide for trying ideas iteratively and reframing scattered projects as deliberate exploration.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
In "Little Bets", leading business consultant Peter Sims turns problems on their heads and outlines a counter-intuitive path to perfection using negativity to positive effect.
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2009–2025The War of Art
Steven Pressfield
Recommended by 112 · mentioned by 140112 recommend · 140 mention112 recommend · 140112 recommend
2012–2026So Good They Can't Ignore You
Cal Newport, Diego Pereda Sancho
Recommended by 128 · mentioned by 185128 recommend · 185 mention128 recommend · 185128 recommend
…passion and identifying what makes you valuable to others (instead of what you think), he defines "competence" as "feeling that you are good at what you do." It's a good overview of skill acquisition. * Little Bets by Peter Sims will give you the grace to reframe your "jumping around" as a series of "little bets" of "discovery" and "inquisitiveness", not based on a particular skill or talent but on problem solving…
on “Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?” ↗There's a great book called Little Bets by Peter Sims: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1439170436?pc_redir=1397720852... He demonstrates how big ideas come from making lots of little bets, which can be imprecise but begin to give shape to a…
on “Ask HN: Is there something valuable in being imprecise?” ↗…mini projects, or I get intimidated. I accept that I’m weak and easily distracted, I guess I’m treating myself like a child. Who cares as long as it works? Good reflections. You might enjoy this book "Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries" by Peter Sims. > I also let people take advantage of my agreeableness. Only solution I’ve found is to change jobs every couple years. LOL, welcome…
on “How do you cross the bridge between Knowing and Practicing?” ↗…suspects of books on selling, I also recommend the following reading: * So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love * https://www.joelonsoftware.com/ * Rework * Little Bets * http://www.paulgraham.com/articles.html
on “Ask HN: How to Become a Consultant?” ↗Check out the book "Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries" In a way it's the concept of MVP but really from the point of view of picking up projects.
on “Ask HN: How can I pick a side project and stick with it?” ↗…learn to love the game, instead of depending on success of a single idea to value your worth. It might take a dozen ideas. I know that sounds daunting. A great book that motivates around this point is Little Bets. I'd give that a read. There's some great people mentioned in there who had to try and try and try before finding the right thing. I like the example of the guys that did Aardvark which they got a bunch…
on “Tell HN: Frustrated and feeling pretty useless at this point.” ↗Thank you for that suggestion. Here are the two books from that link.. Lean Startups by Eric Ries out mid-september http://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Eric-Ries/dp/0307887898 and Little Bets by Peter Sims http://www.amazon.com/Little-Bets-Breakthrough-Emerge-Discov...
on “Amazon ‘willing to be misunderstood for very long periods of time’” ↗Reminds me of Little Bets by Peter Sims
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Yeah, that's it! I just read Little Bets today. Actually, I was talking to somebody about lean startups this afternoon and I found that "make little bets" is a better way of expressing the lean startup approach than "test your assumptions".…
on “Little Bets” ↗Obama's '08 campaign team modus operandi is described in the recent book Little Bets. In short, they A/B test everything.
on “Obama’s site is performing a test on you” ↗…encouragement I do! Thanks! The premise is how to write a successful framework. The cynical takes are presented as advice. It's structured like those guru business books like "Blue Ocean Strategy" or "Little Bets". That genre requires an additional separate focus and some further work. It's by a bunch of narcissists who ran multiple businesses into the ground who pivoted to being a guru and offer acronyms, charts,…
on “React I love you, but you're bringing me down” ↗This reminds me of the book Little Bets. It mentions cities being hubs of creativity.
on “Think more about what to focus on” ↗