Imagine It Forward by Beth Comstock & Thal Raz Summary
Overview of Imagine It Forward
In "Imagine It Forward," GE's former Vice Chair Beth Comstock reveals how courage drives innovation. Named a top business book by Fast Company, it's the battle plan for fearless change that influential leaders embrace. "Ideas aren't the problem - fear is."
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Key takeaways
When Giants Must Learn to Dance
The story begins in 2017 with a woman walking away from three decades at one of America's most iconic companies. Beth Comstock left General Electric just as it was being removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average after 110 years-a symbolic fall from grace that would have crushed most executives. But here's what makes her story remarkable: she wasn't running from failure. She was carrying forward hard-won wisdom about how massive organizations can survive in a world that punishes the inflexible. Her journey from a shy, divorced single mother to Vice Chair of GE reads less like a corporate playbook and more like a field guide for navigating uncertainty itself. The central tension? How do you transform a hundred-year-old industrial giant into something nimble enough to compete with startups, without losing the very strengths that made it great in the first place? This is a story about giving yourself permission to imagine what others can't see yet, about embracing the productive power of being an outsider, and about having the courage to color outside the lines when everyone around you is still searching for the ruler.
The Courage to Break Your Own Rules
The Power of Productive Outsiders
Reconnecting with the Inventor's Spirit and Finding Environmental Opportunity
The Symphony of Productive Conflict
The Industrial Internet and Digital Awakening
The Unfinished Revolution and What It Teaches Us
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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