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Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. Could have library markings. Ships promptly! Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. Could have library markings. Ships promptly! See less
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The Practice: Shipping Creative Work Hardcover – November 3, 2020

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From the bestselling author of Linchpin, Tribes, and The Dip comes an elegant little book that will inspire artists, writers, and entrepreneurs to stretch and commit to putting their best work out into the world.

Creative work doesn't come with a guarantee. But there is a pattern to who succeeds and who doesn't. And engaging in the consistent practice of its pursuit is the best way forward.

Based on the breakthrough Akimbo workshop pioneered by legendary author Seth Godin,
The Practice will help you get unstuck and find the courage to make and share creative work. Godin insists that writer's block is a myth, that consistency is far more important than authenticity, and that experiencing the imposter syndrome is a sign that you're a well-adjusted human. Most of all, he shows you what it takes to turn your passion from a private distraction to a productive contribution, the one you've been seeking to share all along.

With this book as your guide, you'll learn to dance with your fear. To take the risks worth taking. And to embrace the empathy required to make work that contributes with authenticity and joy.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is the book I need right now. It’s an extraordinary and electrifying call to action for writers, artists and creators in every walk of life. I re-read passages and felt as if my own secret creed was being explained back to me, in words I hadn’t yet found."
--
Rosanne Cash, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
 
“The Practice is a user’s manual for finding your calling and an alchemist’s handbook for pursuing your dream.”
--
Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art
 
“Seth's book is a skeleton key specially molded to unlock the most creative version of you. Read it, and find yourself free to be who you know you really are.” 
--
Brian Koppelman, co-producer and co-creator of Billions 

"With surgical precision, The Practice attacks our predictable misconceptions about the creative process and replaces them with better ideas, one by one. This book will inspire you to make things, hone your craft, and nudge you to ship things you are proud of. Read it."
--
Tobi Lutke, CEO, Shopify

The Practice explains that what looks like a barrier is often a catalyst in disguise. Magic may not come from what we can see on the stage but from behind it, where the wood chopping happens."
--
Peter Gabriel, Musician

About the Author

Seth Godin is the author of 18 international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about work and have been translated into 38 languages - among them Unleashing the Ideavirus, Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes, The Dip, Linchpin, Poke the Box, and All Marketers Are Liars. He writes the most popular marketing blog in the world and speaks to audiences around the world. He is the founder of the altMBA, the founder and former CEO of Squidoo.com, the former VP of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, and the founder of the pioneering online startup Yoyodyne. You can learn much more about him at sethgodin.com..

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Portfolio (November 3, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593328973
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593328972
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.98 x 7.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,999 ratings

About the author

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Seth Godin
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Seth Godin is the author of 20 international bestsellers that have been translated into over 38 languages, and have changed the way people think about marketing and work. For a long time, Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most popular ebook ever published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the decade.

He worked as a year as the volunteer founding editor of The Carbon Almanac, and his recent bestsellers also include The Practice and This is Marketing.

He's a recent inductee to the Marketing Hall of Fame, and also a member of the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame and (go figure), the Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame.

His book, Tribes, was a nationwide bestseller, appearing on the Amazon, New York Times, BusinessWeek and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. It's about the most powerful form of marketing--leadership--and how anyone can now become a leader, creating movements that matter.

His book Linchpin came out in 2008 and was the fastest-selling book of his career. Linchpin challenges you to stand up, do work that matters and race to the top instead of the bottom. More than that, though, the book outlines a massive change in our economy, a fundamental shift in what it means to have a job.

In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth was founder and CEO of Squidoo.com,. His blog (find it by typing "seth" into Google) is the most popular marketing blog in the world. Before his work as a writer and blogger, Godin was Vice President of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, a job he got after selling them his pioneering 1990s online startup, Yoyodyne.

He's known as a pioneer in online education, and was the founder of the altMBA.

You can find every single possible detail that anyone could ever want to know at sethgodin.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,999 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book inspiring and encouraging. They describe it as a valuable read and one of the best morning reads. However, opinions differ on how easy it is to follow the instructions. Some find the instructions clear and simple, while others find them tedious and repetitive.

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49 customers mention "Inspiration"49 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspiring and encouraging. They appreciate the important ideas and the encouragement to create with joy, generosity, and a sense of purpose. The book is full of wisdom and empowering, making it a must-read for creatives or anyone struggling to take on challenges.

"Seth Godin does not sleep. Practical advice for any professional. This book reads like a manual for anyone who has worked." Read more

"...A reading in the morning that is short and inspiring and helps you take the leap into action that day...." Read more

"...to feel like entries from a “wisdom of the day calendar”—still great wisdom and writing, but somewhat disjointed and repetitive at times...." Read more

"...A good process can lead to good outcomes, but it doesn’t guarantee them. Perfectionism has nothing to do with being perfect. Reassurance is futile...." Read more

21 customers mention "Value for money"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book valuable and a good morning read. They say it provides encouragement, perspective, and inspiration. The first half is really good, though the second slowed down a bit. Overall, customers consider it a quality product and a quick read that can be completed in a weekend.

"This is one of the best “morning reads” I’ve picked up. A reading in the morning that is short and inspiring and helps you take the leap into action..." Read more

"I really liked it and learned a lot. The first half was really good, though the second slowed down a bit and almost started to feel like entries..." Read more

"...On the whole, the is a valuable book if you are thinking of contributing to society and need a boost...." Read more

"...Well worth reading and using to direct your forward progress in business and life." Read more

7 customers mention "Ease of assembly"3 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed reviews about the assembly process. Some find it easy with clear instructions and a process that produces desired results. Others find the process tedious and repetitive at times.

"...great wisdom and writing, but somewhat disjointed and repetitive at times...." Read more

"...I’m excited to move forward. I have a clear, easy path ahead of me with clear, simple instructions. I’ve told everyone I know to read this book...." Read more

"...of bits of wisdom from all of his writings, assembled more like a coffee table book." Read more

"Simple and inspiring..." Read more

What should you be practicing?
5 out of 5 stars
What should you be practicing?
No, practice doesn't make perfect, but Seth Godin says that keeping a practice can make you better. I just finished reading his book The Practice.Many of the books I read are business books and books on marketing or leadership. This one is on the surface a bit more about a different type of work. I have heard people say "If you want to be a writer, then stop talking about wanting to be a writer and just write."Godin talks about The Practice for writers being to write. It does not matter what we write or how good it is, only that we write. This seems like the kind of advice that belongs in a more artistic (or artsy) book until you start to dig a little.Businesses produce products or services. Not all of them are market leaders. Some of them flop (remember New Coke?) and if you bet the whole company on a single product or service, you are risking your business on every release. If you delay until you are certain the product is what the market wants, then there is a good chance that one or more of your competitors will beat you to market by being willing to release something that they might be less certain about.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2024
    Seth Godin does not sleep. Practical advice for any professional. This book reads like a manual for anyone who has worked.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2022
    This is one of the best “morning reads” I’ve picked up. A reading in the morning that is short and inspiring and helps you take the leap into action that day. I could have made this book last longer by just reading a section at a time but I was enjoying myself too much!
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
    I really liked it and learned a lot. The first half was really good, though the second slowed down a bit and almost started to feel like entries from a “wisdom of the day calendar”—still great wisdom and writing, but somewhat disjointed and repetitive at times.

    I’m a little spoiled because I get his email newsletter which is very similar and has similar wisdom.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2020
    When I find myself in times of creative trouble, need some words of wisdom, and Mother Mary is a little preoccupied (see: date), I turn to my go-to books. The "Tao Te Ching" is always a good one. When I need the big guns — down with you, Resistance! — I call in Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art" and "Going Pro." And now, there is a new book that combines aspects of all three: "The Practice", by Seth Godin.

    A main thrust of the book is to dismantle myths about creative output. Creativity is not a special talent reserved for the elect; you don't have to wait for the muse; wherever you are now is fine. You just have to get started and, above all, establish a regular practice (hence the title). Sure, a lot of what you produce will be dreck. That's okay, because in that big pile of dreck, a small fraction will be great. But you won't get the hits without the dreck.

    Early in the book, Seth serves us this list of what it means to establish a practice:
    "We can adopt a practice. Here are the surprising truths that have been hidden by our desire for those perfect outcomes, the ones industrial recipes promise but never quite deliver: Skill is not the same as talent. A good process can lead to good outcomes, but it doesn’t guarantee them. Perfectionism has nothing to do with being perfect. Reassurance is futile. Hubris is the opposite of trust. Attitudes are skills. There’s no such thing as writer’s block. Professionals produce with intent. Creativity is an act of leadership. Leaders are imposters. All criticism is not the same. We become creative when we ship the work. Good taste is a skill."

    That's a lot of wisdom in the space of 109 words, much of it counterintuitive, which Seth then unpacks in 8 sections. What does it mean to trust yourself, and to be generous with your art? How do you go pro? How important is intent? Are creative constraints good or bad?

    One by one, Seth dismantles the excuses and blocks creators unwittingly make up for themselves, such that by the end of the book, you just might say, "Hey, I think can do this, too."

    Each chapter is a short, memorable little nugget with anecdotes that stay with you. I especially appreciated the quotes from other wise people and the stories from great artists like Joni Mitchell about their creative process.

    This book felt like a jolt of concentrated wisdom, like one of Seth's workshops in written form. He's been walking the path of creativity and entrepreneurship for 4 decades and taught thousands of individuals, so what he shares in "The Practice" rings true to me. If you'd like to light up a booster rocket under your butt and establish a prolific practice of creating work that matters, "The Practice" is your indispensable guide and companion. It's my new go-to book for years to come. May you let it be a catalyst to *your* greatness.
    -- Ali Binazir, M.D., M.Phil., Happiness Engineer, executive coach, and author of The Tao of Dating: The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible, the highest-rated dating book on Amazon for 7 years, and Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine
    77 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
    You sit in life wondering if you are enough! Can I actually make a difference? Why does it feel like I am an imposter, pretending? You feel like a fraud, wondering when you will be found out.

    You sit thinking, perhaps someday I can take “that” step.. you search.. you wonder… you seek….

    Then somehow, the universe or God gives you a gift - this book - to read … and you find the answers you were always looking for.

    If you read this review and your heart starts racing a little faster .. it might be your time to start. To finally share with the world who you are and the change you wish to make.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2020
    I was attracted to this book because… I’m always challenged and inspired by Seth Godin’s writing. I know my practice of the work I want to do is failing. Common sense suggestion that lead you to believe in yourself and take responsibility for your own magic.

    This book was about It breaks down into three calls to action. 1. ‘Shipping - your efforts don’t count if you don’t share it.’ 2. Create because you are working toward making things better by producing a new way forward. ‘Creativity is a choice.’ 3. Work - isn’t a hobby, it’s a practice that requires commitment.

    Things I liked about this book I’m always amazed at Godin’s ability to speak truth in few words. Reading anything he writes is never a waste of time.

    Why you should read this book If your work is lagging, especially if you are a creative. If you are waiting for the next great inspiration. If you are struggling with finding the time to fo your passion. If you are experiencing any of those things, this book will pick you up out of the dust that has surrounded you and turned you around to a more satisfying outlook on your practice,

    This book lived up to the back cover copy -The recommendations on the back cover resonated with my experience in reading the book. From the inside cover - “If you’re ready to make a difference with your ideas and your craft, what are you waiting for? Because we’re waiting for you.”
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2021
    I absolutely love this book! While I am giving it five stars for being incredibly encouraging and spot-on for creatives, I think the subtitle is confusing. I've even had people ask me if I suggested the right book to them because they don't want a book about packing and shipping things. Seth uses the word "shipping" as "sharing" your creative work. I do disagree that the work has to be "shipped" to count. Sometimes you can create things simply for the process, but he does reiterate that elsewhere in the book.

    I love his encouragement to create with joy, with generosity, and with a sense that the world is large and there is enough room for you and your work. There is no need to feel protective, jealous, or angsty about the work your creating, which is easy to do in this world of hyper-comparison on social media. I found this book to be a huge lift and I love that I can read/listen to it in little nuggets.

    So, if you forgive that he doesn't mean literal shipping, this book is gold.
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • synchro
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book
    Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2024
    If you are a writer or creator, it's worth reading this book. I've highlighted it throughout and have gone through it multiple times. There are nuggets of gems scattered in this book.
  • F. Xavier
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book.
    Reviewed in Mexico on February 22, 2022
    Truly great advice for creators, I can’t recommend it enough!
  • Fabrício Yutaka Fujikawa
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Best I've read from Seth Godin
    Reviewed in Brazil on August 8, 2021
    Unfortunately, I've finished the book. I've read it slowly, a few pages per day, because I knew I would become sad when I finish it.

    I follow Seth's words almost daily. I recommend this book for all knowledge work professionals, especially freelancers and independent consultants.

    You'll find here words of wisdom, acknowledge that it's not your fault — it's the way things are —, and get more confident to ship your work.
  • Albert Pujol
    5.0 out of 5 stars A father, a mother, a friend and a mentor
    Reviewed in Spain on June 27, 2024
    Just awesome.

    Lifechanging philosophy of art and business.

    To be read again, and again.

    Inspiring piece of art.

    Just read it.
  • A. Lehrdamm
    5.0 out of 5 stars MAGICAL!
    Reviewed in Germany on October 13, 2022
    I love the book. I am a songwriter, and am killing it with my practice! Search for 'Lila Tace'
    lots of love to You reading this!
    I know Seth is not reading his reviews (yes I'm a nerd, and listen to his interviews, and read all of his books...) but this is my favorite yet, Seth! It speaks to me deeply, and I want to thank you for guiding me to gently learn to see, and understand what I do, and who I serve with my art in generosity
    - Lila Tace
    Customer image
    A. Lehrdamm
    5.0 out of 5 stars MAGICAL!
    Reviewed in Germany on October 13, 2022
    I love the book. I am a songwriter, and am killing it with my practice! Search for 'Lila Tace'
    lots of love to You reading this!
    I know Seth is not reading his reviews (yes I'm a nerd, and listen to his interviews, and read all of his books...) but this is my favorite yet, Seth! It speaks to me deeply, and I want to thank you for guiding me to gently learn to see, and understand what I do, and who I serve with my art in generosity
    - Lila Tace
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