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Be Different: How Navy SEALs and Entrepreneurs Bend, Break, or Ignore the Rules to Get Results!
Be How Navy SEALs and Entrepreneurs Bend, Break, or Ignore the Rules to Get Results is the third book in a trilogy of deeply insightful business books by retired Navy SEAL and CEO Marty Strong. Take a journey into the fascinating world of disruptive and divergent thinking, and how leveraging your mind in an open and enlightened way can open the door to incredible creativity and innovation.
208 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2024
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 12, 2024
Based on the title alone, I was eager to dive into an advance copy of, Be Different: How Navy SEALs and Entrepreneurs Bend, Break, or Ignore the Rules to Get Results!, set for release on December 1, 2024.
This is the third installment in Marty Strong's nonfiction series, following Be Visionary and Be Nimble, which are now on my reading list. Though I have no military background, I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons shared by this former Navy SEAL turned entrepreneur. The analogies drawn are clear and relevant to anyone navigating corporate culture today, especially those striving to foster innovation without losing sight of execution.
The ideal reader for this book is someone frustrated with the status quo that has led to stagnation in their company’s culture and strategy. This book delivers if you’re looking for advice on influencing senior leadership to loosen their risk-averse grip on outdated rules and procedures.
At its core, Be Different drives home a key lesson: We need to think and act differently. The author encourages readers to embrace intellectual disobedience—questioning norms, traditions, and rules that stifle creativity and bold action. Success, he argues, lies in the willingness to challenge the status quo, no matter what "winning" looks like in your context.
Some of the most potent themes include:
- Humility and curiosity as the foundation of innovation: The author emphasizes that we must first acknowledge what we don’t know. This intellectual humility paves the way for curiosity, allowing us to explore ideas beyond the familiar and push boundaries.
- The value of simple, flexible planning: Complex plans are fragile and prone to failure in real-world conditions. Instead, we should focus on flexible strategies that adapt to variables we can’t control, enabling more effective execution.
The book also explores breaking the cycle of obedience, the power of collaboration and diverse thought, and the importance of having a bias toward action. A convenient takeaway is the author's guidance on challenging the status quo productively—without blindly accepting outdated processes or rules. Acting boldly, he warns, is crucial. Waiting too long leads to “comfortable inaction” and missed opportunities.
In closing, this book encourages the divergent thinker, who often feels isolated or misunderstood. It reminds you to stay the course and manage the inevitable backlash of being an innovator. By fostering self-awareness and development, you’ll weather the resistance, attract allies, and ultimately achieve the breakthroughs you seek.
This is the third installment in Marty Strong's nonfiction series, following Be Visionary and Be Nimble, which are now on my reading list. Though I have no military background, I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons shared by this former Navy SEAL turned entrepreneur. The analogies drawn are clear and relevant to anyone navigating corporate culture today, especially those striving to foster innovation without losing sight of execution.
The ideal reader for this book is someone frustrated with the status quo that has led to stagnation in their company’s culture and strategy. This book delivers if you’re looking for advice on influencing senior leadership to loosen their risk-averse grip on outdated rules and procedures.
At its core, Be Different drives home a key lesson: We need to think and act differently. The author encourages readers to embrace intellectual disobedience—questioning norms, traditions, and rules that stifle creativity and bold action. Success, he argues, lies in the willingness to challenge the status quo, no matter what "winning" looks like in your context.
Some of the most potent themes include:
- Humility and curiosity as the foundation of innovation: The author emphasizes that we must first acknowledge what we don’t know. This intellectual humility paves the way for curiosity, allowing us to explore ideas beyond the familiar and push boundaries.
- The value of simple, flexible planning: Complex plans are fragile and prone to failure in real-world conditions. Instead, we should focus on flexible strategies that adapt to variables we can’t control, enabling more effective execution.
The book also explores breaking the cycle of obedience, the power of collaboration and diverse thought, and the importance of having a bias toward action. A convenient takeaway is the author's guidance on challenging the status quo productively—without blindly accepting outdated processes or rules. Acting boldly, he warns, is crucial. Waiting too long leads to “comfortable inaction” and missed opportunities.
In closing, this book encourages the divergent thinker, who often feels isolated or misunderstood. It reminds you to stay the course and manage the inevitable backlash of being an innovator. By fostering self-awareness and development, you’ll weather the resistance, attract allies, and ultimately achieve the breakthroughs you seek.
November 26, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was an interesting book to read with the self-help style advice coming from a retired SEAL with all his background and expertise. It is very anecdotal but contains some interesting ideas and is broken down into easily digestible chapters. I also found that the quotes at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch.
July 2, 2024
A leadership and creativity book that uses lessons learnt in the Seals and applies to business leadership. The writing is quite dense and it didn’t leave me with key takeaways. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
December 19, 2024
“Be Different: How Navy SEALs and Entrepreneurs Bend, Break, or Ignore the Rules to Get Results!” is a mindset changer.
Marty Strong takes examples of his different roles as a Navy SEAL combat veteran, and instructor, and his different roles as a Business owner and Entrepreneur and trains us how to start thinking differently.
And that is the crux of this book. Think differently, and in order to think differently one must think creatively.
To begin thinking creatively Marty Strong gives us the history of how it is against our norm to think differently. We have been conditioned and trained to live by rules, to be obedient. Not make waves.
However, it is in our wave making creative thinking where we will find the greatest results. It is where your profits will be. It is where life takes on purpose and meaning.
Marty also cautions however, that when you start thinking differently, and take action on your thinking get ready for “blowback”. Get ready for the “naysayers”. Get ready to be shunned. You will need a thick skin.
At the end of it all when your thinking and action is different, it is where you will find your authenticity and success. I highly recommend this book!
Marty Strong takes examples of his different roles as a Navy SEAL combat veteran, and instructor, and his different roles as a Business owner and Entrepreneur and trains us how to start thinking differently.
And that is the crux of this book. Think differently, and in order to think differently one must think creatively.
To begin thinking creatively Marty Strong gives us the history of how it is against our norm to think differently. We have been conditioned and trained to live by rules, to be obedient. Not make waves.
However, it is in our wave making creative thinking where we will find the greatest results. It is where your profits will be. It is where life takes on purpose and meaning.
Marty also cautions however, that when you start thinking differently, and take action on your thinking get ready for “blowback”. Get ready for the “naysayers”. Get ready to be shunned. You will need a thick skin.
At the end of it all when your thinking and action is different, it is where you will find your authenticity and success. I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews