What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith Summary
Overview of What Got You Here Won't Get You There
Your success ceiling isn't skill-based - it's behavioral. Marshall Goldsmith's leadership classic reveals the 20 habits blocking your next breakthrough. Endorsed by Thinkers50 Hall of Fame and praised by executives worldwide, it's the brutally honest guide that transformed corporate leadership psychology.
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Key takeaways
The Invisible Barriers to Your Next Level of Success
What if your greatest strengths were actually holding you back? This paradox sits at the heart of Marshall Goldsmith's revolutionary approach to leadership development. Unlike typical business advice that focuses on what to do, Goldsmith reveals something far more powerful: what to stop doing. The behaviors that propelled you to your current success might be the exact obstacles preventing you from reaching the next level. These aren't deep psychological issues but simple behavioral tics that gradually erode goodwill and effectiveness. Think of them as the leadership equivalent of bad breath - everyone notices except you. The higher you rise, the more your problems become behavioral rather than technical. At senior levels, everyone's smart - what differentiates leaders is their ability to connect with and influence others. Success creates a dangerous form of blindness. The more we achieve, the more likely we develop behavioral blind spots that prevent us from seeing ourselves accurately. Four key beliefs in particular become problematic: First, "I have succeeded" - we maintain an internal highlight reel of victories while editing out failures. This selective memory explains why 80-85% of professionals rate themselves in the top 20% of their peer group (a statistical impossibility). Second, "I can succeed" - high achievers possess unshakable faith in their ability to make outcomes happen through sheer force of personality. While this drives achievement, it creates resistance when feedback suggests they need to change. Third, "I will succeed" - optimism drives opportunity-seeking but leads to overcommitment. Fourth, "I choose to succeed" - achievement-oriented people believe they're doing what they choose to do, not what they have to do.
Career-Derailing Habits and the Power of Feedback
The Magic Moves: Apologizing, Listening, and Gratitude
Follow-Up and Feedforward: Creating Lasting Change
Looking Back from the Future: What Really Matters
Overcoming the Success Delusion
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
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"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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