Smartcuts by Shane Snow Summary
Overview of Smartcuts
"Smartcuts" reveals how innovators like Jimmy Fallon and Elon Musk bypass traditional paths to success. Praised by entrepreneur Noah Kagan, this lateral thinking manifesto challenges conventional wisdom about "paying dues." Why build small when huge businesses are often easier? Discover counterintuitive strategies that rewrite success rules.
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Key takeaways
Why the Fastest Path to Success Isn't a Straight Line
Here's a puzzle that should make us rethink everything we know about success: U.S. presidents are, on average, seven years *younger* than senators when they take office, despite the presidency being the higher position. Most presidents spent just seven years in elected office before reaching the White House, and five never held elected office at all. Meanwhile, senators and representatives spend decades climbing political ladders, yet rarely reach the top. What's happening here? The answer reveals a pattern that appears everywhere from Silicon Valley to Hollywood: the most successful people don't patiently climb ladders-they hack them. They're not rule-breakers but pattern-recognizers who understand that conventional paths often lead to conventional results. Think about Mormon college students playing "Bigger or Better"-starting with a toothpick and trading door-to-door until they've acquired stereos or bikes. Their success comes from recognizing when one path becomes inefficient and making lateral moves to more promising opportunities. This same pattern appears in companies that revolutionize industries: Nintendo began printing playing cards before transforming gaming, while Apple pivoted from computers to music and phones. Research confirms that startups willing to pivot raise 2.5 times more money and grow users 3.6 times faster than those stubbornly sticking to original plans. Understanding how innovators compress decades of progress into years isn't just fascinating-it's essential for anyone who refuses to wait their turn.
The Leadership Paradox: Why Career Politicians Rarely Reach the Top
How Mentorship and Strategic Learning Accelerate Mastery
Creating Environments Where Failure Becomes Feedback
Leveraging Platforms and Wave-Reading to Multiply Your Impact
Building Success Through Genuine Generosity and Strategic Giving
Transforming Viral Moments into Lasting Movements
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"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"
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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