Derek Sivers

Principles are our summary of their public statements.

• Measure success by quality not duration

  Mindset

  A project or relationship is successful if it fulfills its purpose and provides value during its existence, regardless of whether it lasts forever.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Because we were strangers on the other side of the world, we got more and more honest, like a confession booth, saying the things we wouldn't tell anyone else.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Prioritize function over aesthetics

  Product

  Design systems so they are easy to maintain and change. Exposed infrastructure is better than hidden complexity that is hard to repair.

  Supporting quotes

  • “When you catch yourself thinking "We'll need this," stop and say, "Let's find out what we really need.”

    “I love the isolation of purposes. When I go into my cabin, it's time to work. When we go into the sleeping cabin, it's time for bed.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Rebel against dependency

  Resilience

  Identify small or large dependencies by noticing when you feel you 'need' something, then intentionally remove them to maintain independence.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Quitting something you love, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Create space for growth

  Focus

  Quitting something you love or are good at is often necessary to make room for the next stage of personal growth.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I must be the rare bird who never emailed you a question. Thought about it many times but following your writing since the CDB forum days, I can almost always guess your answers”

• Time is the ultimate resource

  Productivity

  Protecting your time by saying no to constant accessibility allows you to focus on deep work and new challenges.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I must be the rare bird who never emailed you a question. Thought about it many times but following your writing since the CDB forum days, I can almost always guess your answers”

• Embrace the evolution of self

  Mindset

  Recognize that letting go of things you love is a natural part of growth and making room for new adventures.

  Source Quitting something you love, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Be the captain of fate

  Career

  Taking proactive control over career transitions is better than waiting for external circumstances to force a change.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source Quitting something you love, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Trust your intuition over logic

  Decisions

  When a deep intuition suggests it is time to move on, no further rationalization or logical justification is required to take action.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I seriously considered it, but love getting to know people around the world.”

• Embrace the crossroads

  Career

  Recognize that a change in trajectory is often a sign of growth and a prerequisite for reaching a new level of success.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Quitting something you love, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Create a vacuum for foundation

  Strategy

  To build something new, one must first clear the existing space and remove things that are in the way of the new foundation.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Quitting something you love, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Create a vacuum for growth

  Mindset

  Intentionally leaving a role or habit creates a vacuum that forces new opportunities and adventures to flow into one's life.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Quitting something you love, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Create space for the new

  Mindset

  Empty space is as important as content because it provides the necessary room for new ideas and activities to emerge.

  Supporting quotes

  • “It's a tough decision sometimes to let go of the things that no longer serve you but that you still love”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Define what you stop

  Strategy

  Strategic quitting involves identifying specific high-drain activities to stop while maintaining the core creative work that drives the business forward.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I just said I'm not answering questions anymore. I'm still replying to every email, still writing new articles, starting a new podcast, and everything else I've ever done here.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Balance selfless service with self-care

  Integrity

  While focusing on helping others is useful, one must also practice healthy self-respect to protect the ability to keep contributing.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Traits of useful perspectives, 2026  (opens in a new tab)

• Create with artificial limitations

  Creativity

  Instead of total freedom, set specific rules or constraints to spark creativity and avoid being overwhelmed by options.

  Supporting quotes

  • “It's anti-inspiring because having infinite options is overwhelming.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Optimize for comprehension over prestige

  Productivity

  When learning something difficult, choose tools and versions that are readable and clear rather than those that are merely traditional or prestigious.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Reading the Bible start to finish, 2023  (opens in a new tab)

• Use multi-modal learning aids

  Learning

  Supplementing dense primary material with high-quality visual or explanatory summaries can prevent confusion and deepen understanding.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Reading the Bible start to finish, 2023  (opens in a new tab)

• Automate integrity with triggers

  Technology

  Use database triggers to automatically format and clean inputs like email addresses and names before they are saved.

  Supporting quotes

  • “So no matter what code is inserting or updating, a database trigger will sanitize it before saving .”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Treat projects like living things

  Management

  Every project requires active attention to thrive; having too many means they all suffer from neglect.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Although each goodbye was sad, it opened up more space. I enjoyed the freedom and feeling unconflicted.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Avoid the best-thing trap

  Decisions

  Aiming for the absolute best leads to envy when a new version arrives; aiming for good enough leads to lasting satisfaction.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Think like a bronze medalist, not silver, 2017  (opens in a new tab)