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The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? Audiobook
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(3.03) - 834 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
Nearly everybody has heard the story of Icarus: the man who flew too high. He and his father were trapped on an island with no hope of escape, until they fashioned wings for themselves and flew away. Before they took off, Icarus' father warned him that if he flew too high, the wax which held the wings together would melt and he would fall to his death. If he flew too low, the beasts of the sea would catch him and devour him. But Icarus didn't listen, and being fascinated by the Sun, he flew too close to it, falling out of the sky and dying among the remnants of his broken wings.
Today, the story of Icarus is often used as a cautionary tale in business: if you fly too high, you will eventually fall. If you play it safe, everything will be fine. What the people spreading this propaganda forget to mention is that Icarus was also warned not to fly too low, and that being 'under the radar' could be even worse than being in the stratosphere. This is what Seth Godin calls The Icarus Deception.
Unlike flying too high, Godin argues, flying too low feels safe, and that false sense of safety actually makes it more dangerous. He contends that the safety zone has moved, and that while it may not feel that way at first, it is actually better to do something bold and daring, risking flying too high, than to spend your life conforming to expectations, building up a false sense of security as you fly ever lower.
Seth Godin, former head of direct marketing for Yahoo!, is a world-renowned author, having penned fifteen international best-sellers such as Poke the Box and the revolutionary Purple Cow, which changed how the world thinks about marketing. His work has been translated into over 35 languages. In addition to writing books and changing the world, Godin is the founder of Squidoo, author of the most widely read marketing blog in the world, and a popular lecturer and guest speaker.
"This book is classic Seth, with a few twists. Icarus is a mythical figure who, when given wax wings, was cautioned not to fly too high or too low. He flew too high, his wings melted and he died. However, what this book focuses on is what happens if the caution not to fly too low is ignored. As a regular reader of his books and blog, I didn't find anything new and groundbreaking in this book. That said, it is inspirational, well written and well worth the read. The best part, for me was Appendix 1, where he highlights fourteen people who are living according to the principles that Seth believes in."
— Becky (4 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
What are you afraid of? The old rules: Play it safe. Stay in your comfort zone. Find an institution, a job, a set of rules to stick to. Keep your head down. Don’t fly too close to the sun. The new truth: It’s better to be sorry than safe. You need to fly higher than ever. In his bravest and most challenging book yet, Seth Godin shows how we can thrive in an economy that rewards art, not compliance. He explains why true innovators focus on trust, remarkability, leadership, and stories that spread. And he makes a passionate argument for why you should be treating your work as art. Art is not a gene or a specific talent. It’s an attitude, available to anyone who has a vision that others don’t, and the guts to do something about it. Steve Jobs was an artist. So were Henry Ford and Martin Luther King Jr. To work like an artist means investing in the things that scale: creativity, emotional labor, and grit. The path of the artist isn’t for the faint of heart—but Godin shows why it’s your only chance to stand up, stand out, and make a difference. The time to seize new ground and work without a map is now. So what are you going to do?
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The Icarus Deception Listener Reviews
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" I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It will change the way you think, or at the very least strengthen your conviction to think in the unique way you already do. I wish I could have thrown this book in the face of all my middle school teachers when I was growing up. Please give it a chance, it's incredible. "
— Troy, 2/16/2014 -
" Explains over and over again about the Industrial era creation of our current school system and I got the problem early. I think this book is at least twice as long as needed to do an excellent job on the subject, but I do enjoy Seth's way of explaining things anyway. "
— Terry, 2/14/2014 -
" Different and thought-provoking but a little redundant at times. If you are willing to look it makes you think about your definition of art and what you might be able to produce. I will admit to not being there yet, but may have pushed a thought or two. "
— Brianna, 2/10/2014 -
" Great content but for me the writing style gets in the way. Seth writes books like blog posts. As blog posts their great but reading in that format from cover to cover gets tedious. That said, this is a motivational read about getting over the fear and using the new digital revolution we are a part of to make the difference you were born to make. Not much new here though - was a little too similar to his last book Linchpin and if you read his blog, like I do, you've already read a lot of this. "
— Zacho, 2/2/2014 -
" Great book full of the importance of doing art. Similar to The War of Art but definitely Seth Godin's style. Highly recommended "
— Alan, 1/21/2014 -
" It felt like a lazy stream of consciousness regurgitation of platitudes and poorly interpreted anecdotes. I think he's capable of much more so I'll try reading other works, but for my first full read of him, I'm pretty disappointed. Such lazy arguments! "
— Aaron, 1/20/2014 -
" A few months into my own path, this gave me just what I needed. Validation, reassurance that it makes sense while emphasizing why I shouldnt consider dealing w some of the stuff I've left behind. It reinvigorated my focus and enthusiasm. "
— Aprille, 1/18/2014 -
" I enjoyed the prevalent theme about the need to create "art" and not conform but the book felt quite long. Two thirds through I was really just looking forward to getting through it because I didn't feel like I was getting anything else out of it. "
— John, 1/10/2014 -
" Possibly Seth's best book yet! "
— Ariana, 12/22/2013 -
" If you've read most or all of Seth Godin's books the beginning of this will feel like you've already read it. I almost gave up, but in Part Four (out of Five) something clicked and it was all worth it. So give it a chance if you're feeling like giving up after the first few parts. "
— Karol, 12/14/2013 -
" I enjoy the challenge that Seth puts forth to create art and follow your passion in life. I feel like Linchpin is his best achievement and this continues the conversation. I believe that Seth needs to keep reminding people to be remarkable! "
— John, 12/7/2013 -
" HIGHLY overrated. I couldn't get past Disc 1 of a 9-disc set -- for one, because it was read by the author (and writers are often terrible readers), and secondly because his pabulum wasn't much more eye-opening than the revelations you might get from a junior college student. "
— Scott, 12/6/2013 -
" Very current! What the business world needs now...why we don't get there and what keeps us down! Must read for business owners! "
— Brenda, 11/30/2013 -
" Godin is the man. "
— Rob, 9/13/2013 -
" Seth. You. Are. Amazing. I love everything Seth has written, and this book by far is the best. "
— Jenny, 8/12/2013 -
" An inspiring read. Treat your work or whatever it is you do as art. I especially like how Seth organizes the content in small digestible paragraphs with bold text and one liners throughout. A must read! "
— Rohan, 7/27/2013 -
" to read my review, please visit: theagencyreview.wordpress.com/icarus "
— Martin, 7/22/2013 -
" Outstanding for anyone who wants to fall in love with the work they do. "
— Chris, 7/10/2013 -
" This is an inspiring book. If you want to challenge yourself to make more of your work or start in a new field, this is a great book. I am listening to the audiobook, and Godin narrates. "
— Laura, 6/27/2013 -
" Validation for artistis working in the connected economy. Nothing new, but concise. "
— David, 6/25/2013 -
" A challenging book that I am currently re-reading to try and absorb it all. "
— Colleen, 5/15/2013 -
" Loved this book. Favorite by Seth Godin to date. This read encourages you to live your dreams. As cliche as it sounds, Godin does a great job of helping you figure out what you need to do to make your dreams come to life. You'll learn more about yourself from this one. "
— Kim, 1/9/2013
About Seth Godin
Seth Godin is the former Vice President of Direct Marketing at Yahoo! and the founder of Squidoo.com. His blog is one of the most popular marketing blogs in the world. Godin is the author of over a dozen books, all of which have been bestsellers. Notable titles include Tribe: We Need You to Lead Us, Poke the Box, and Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. He has been a speaker at numerous large companies nationwide, including Disney, Cadillac, eBay, Google, Amazon, Eddie Bauer, and many others.