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Getting There: A Book of Mentors
The path to success is rarely easy or direct, and good mentors are hard to find. In Getting There, 30 leaders in diverse fields share their secrets to navigating the rocky road to the top. In an honest, direct, and engaging way, these role models describe the obstacles they faced, the setbacks they endured, and the vital lessons they learned. They dispense not only essential and practical career advice, but also priceless wisdom applicable to life in general. Getting There is for everyone - from students contemplating their futures to the vast majority of us facing challenges or seeking to reach our potential.
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First published April 14, 2015
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4801 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Zoe Segal
2 books26 followersBorn in Montreal, Gillian Zoe Segal has lived in Manhattan since she was eight years old. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. She is also photographer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
July 4, 2015
I absolutely loved "Getting There" by Gillian Zoe Segal. This book was given to me as a gift after graduation. I love that you can read it piece by piece, and skip around to learn about all these fascinating people if you wish to do so. I read them all in order and didn't look at the table of contents at all so that I would be surprised by who was next. I really enjoyed reading these stories - many were rags to riches, but it was also great to see many who recognized that they came from pretty well off families, yet made a name for himself or herself. I liked to highlight and keep a pen on me while reading this to take small notes. It was great to see themes of what makes a great leader in such a variety of industries. I would definitely recommend this to any self-starter, graduate, or someone who is looking for some motivation to push through and make their own difference in the world.
February 23, 2017
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14396078
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14396078
June 15, 2015
This book was a great compilation of successful people in many different industries. It was nice to hear their stories and I appreciate that those stories weren't cookie cutter like some books in this genre that encourage you to think positive and everything will fall in place. These people share their tragedies, their fears, their struggles and their triumphs. They don't sugar coat their journey to success. This book, really humanized these celebrities so anyone can relate to their story. Well done. Enjoyed this book, thank you!
June 1, 2017
It was interesting to see the different stories of success. They started to become a little repetitive, but that was interesting in its own way. The constant salesmen/saleswomen gigs. The constant failures. Even to the point of having nothing. The repetition of this point of nothing. But they also failed to stress how much their connections made them all. None of them did anything alone, it was always with the help of connections that they sort of just glossed over. I'd like to hear more about the connections that made them.
June 29, 2015
This book provides great insight into the life journey of many individuals in a diverse spectrum of fields. Each person's section is about 4 pages on average and all carry a common theme of positive thinking, overcoming hardships, and being a leader in today's society. I would highly encourage all to read.
February 12, 2020
One of the highly recommended books to read. This book helps someone who looking for resources, time and opportunity to start or in the middle of building their career which is so passionate to do. This book line up some great example to realize once path to move forward and determination required in once passion.
April 25, 2015
Beautiful book. Inspiring stories. We all need mentors. I received this book as a Firstreads winner, and will pass it on to someone who may need a little motivation and inspiration to see a future.
May 2, 2015
Great book packed full of life lessons. An overwhelming theme is persistence and continuing even after failure
February 11, 2021
Although I originally looked at the list of featured people as a who's who of crappy people (at least 3 men with sexual assault allegations and 1 person from a show known for unhealthy body image issues are the biggest issues I have at a first glance, not including people who have generational wealth and are in a different playing field), once I thought "maybe there is something to learn from the generation that got us to where we are today", it became more tolerable. I liked hearing Anderson Cooper, Sara Blakely, Kathy Ireland, and Rachel Zoe's stories but I'm sure they've given Ted Talks or other interviews about their personal lives. You can get similar wisdom in a Dove chocolate wrapper, the lyrics from the 1997 one hit wonder Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen, and even the recent Lifetime Wendy Williams biopic. I will admit that at least a genuine variety of people were picked, from art to television to business to nonprofits. Eventually you develop a sort of Stockholm syndrome on all of the vague fortune cookie advice that is in this book and you can power through it as well.
Also, I did not know anything about Marina Abramovic's or Jeff Koons' personal lives, so I guess that was interesting.
Also, I did not know anything about Marina Abramovic's or Jeff Koons' personal lives, so I guess that was interesting.
November 8, 2017
Enjoyed this book. The author is right that a lot of the mentors in this book were at one point or another door-to-door salesmen and women and/or cold callers, which forced them to build resilience. Most people in here. A lot of them, like everyone, had aspects of their childhood that shaped them and allowed their life to be livable from finding recognition in art or an escape in another field, they developed these. It’s useful that their downfalls were included too (Buffet was rejected from Harvard, Sara Blakely failed the LSAT twice,
- Succeeding takes staying active, looking around, and moving out of the clerk job you took for 2 years thinking it would lead to the real job. If you find something isn’t working, change it, move jobs, fast.
- Do a good job everywhere. People will remember. Be the first in and last out.
- Knowing what you don’t want to do is important as a motivator too.
- Use your weaknesses (dyslexia and David Boies)
- Be nice
- You can’t please everyone
- Only hire people who will raise the average
- You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, do the same in an original genuine imaginative way
- Never get too good for the work (Kathy Ireland selling socks)
- Be grateful
- Succeeding takes staying active, looking around, and moving out of the clerk job you took for 2 years thinking it would lead to the real job. If you find something isn’t working, change it, move jobs, fast.
- Do a good job everywhere. People will remember. Be the first in and last out.
- Knowing what you don’t want to do is important as a motivator too.
- Use your weaknesses (dyslexia and David Boies)
- Be nice
- You can’t please everyone
- Only hire people who will raise the average
- You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, do the same in an original genuine imaginative way
- Never get too good for the work (Kathy Ireland selling socks)
- Be grateful
April 1, 2018
The things that struck me about this book: all the stories are in first-person, it's as if you are having a one-on-one chat with these people who made it big in life. Their stories are candid - they do not omit the less glamorous parts of their journey, in fact they actively discuss their mistakes and low points in life. They are all short pieces, easily digestible but not lacking in depth.
Experiencing adversity and putting in hard work is a common theme throughout the book. Every next story you read proves to you that these successful people are not superhuman, and that they worked their way up. There are some really great life lessons to pick up from this book.
That said, it features mainly white American males, and many who had rather privileged lives (I'm not saying privileged persons cannot be counted as successful). Additionally, though these people come from a variety of fields, many stories lean towards success in the business sphere. I am loath to pass judgement, but I feel the selection of mentors could have been better in terms of diversity, in more respects of the word. However, the author might have had her reasons for putting together these 30 lives.
p.s. Admittedly, I did not know many of the names in here before this. The stories of the following personalities particularly resonated with me: Anderson Cooper, Matthew Weiner, Nitin Nohria, Ian Schrager, Michael Bloomberg, Wendy Kopp, Warren Buffett, Muhammad Yunus, Tom Scott and Gary Hirshberg.
Experiencing adversity and putting in hard work is a common theme throughout the book. Every next story you read proves to you that these successful people are not superhuman, and that they worked their way up. There are some really great life lessons to pick up from this book.
That said, it features mainly white American males, and many who had rather privileged lives (I'm not saying privileged persons cannot be counted as successful). Additionally, though these people come from a variety of fields, many stories lean towards success in the business sphere. I am loath to pass judgement, but I feel the selection of mentors could have been better in terms of diversity, in more respects of the word. However, the author might have had her reasons for putting together these 30 lives.
p.s. Admittedly, I did not know many of the names in here before this. The stories of the following personalities particularly resonated with me: Anderson Cooper, Matthew Weiner, Nitin Nohria, Ian Schrager, Michael Bloomberg, Wendy Kopp, Warren Buffett, Muhammad Yunus, Tom Scott and Gary Hirshberg.
October 19, 2020
This was a great collection of short stories of how some of the most successful people around us got there. It is a story in resilience, focus, and how when success is deconstructed it is a journey of failures and learning. This book would probably be a great nightstand book, reading one person's story in each sitting.
Want to read
July 22, 2022Wife of Bryan Lawrence of Oakcliff Strategy
https://moiglobal.com/bryan-lawrence-....
TIP Podcast w/ author Apr 2015
https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/e...
TIP Podcast w/ Bryan Lawrence Apr 2022
https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/e...
https://moiglobal.com/bryan-lawrence-....
TIP Podcast w/ author Apr 2015
https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/e...
TIP Podcast w/ Bryan Lawrence Apr 2022
https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/e...
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January 27, 2023This is a great book with the stories of several people of how they have achieved success in their lives.
May 29, 2024
Good, inspirational people.
January 27, 2018
A really inspiring book in which successful well known people share their raw stories and vulnerabilities. It is an interesting read and you’ll get to meet other not so well known people but whose business or product you’ll recognize for sure. There’s nothing new and don’t expect some enlightenment or deep psychological read - it’s more an entertaining easy read.
Some of the quotes that stuck with me while reading this book:
- You can always tell someone to go to hell tomorrow
- Things that seem disastrous at the time usually work out for the best
- Thrive on rejection and hold on to compliments
- A great idea is worthless: execution is everything
- Ideas are the most vulnerable at the moment you have them
- You can only know as much depth, success and happiness in your life as you can know vulnerability
- Fear of failure paralyzes people and prevents them from succeeding
- There are very few things in life you can’t recover from. If you play it too safe, you won’t get anywhere
- Do one thing at a time and it will all get done. There is no other way
- You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be successful - the key is to do whatever you do in an original imaginative way
- Sometimes it’s necessary to say no to good things in an effort to achieve great things
- If you never fail it means you’re not trying hard enough
- We are all ordinary people with a chance to create extraordinary situations for ourselves. Being successful is a choice
- Everyone’s on the road to success, it’s just that most people step off
- If you start off focusing on everything you’ll eventually have to figure out, and all the problems you’ll eventually have to solve, it can be overwhelming, even debilitating
- You don’t need to know all the answers right away. Everything has an organic time and place. Being patient can be a huge advantage
- It’s essential to strike the right balance between confidence and humility. If you don’t have enough confidence you’ll give up too easily, but you must have humility to recognize your limitations and be receptive to learning from others
- Human creativity is limitless. If we channel it toward addressing the problems we created over the years, we can redesign anything and construct the kind of works in which we want to live
- If you observe something that bothers you, make your own action plan to fix it
- Don’t take existing theories for granted. Don’t think that other people know more than you or that everything has been invented. Your theory may be right and you can become the new expert
- People often respond to something new and unusual in a negative way. Be prepared for this. As long as you are convinced that what you are doing is right, go ahead and do it!
- Be prepared to work hard for everything you want. Nothing is easy - and when something appears to be, there’s usually a lot of work that’s gone on behind the scenes
- Anything worth having requires working hard
- Think on your own and question authority. Authority is a short lived phenomenon. It’s who is in charge now, but that doesn’t mean that they are right
- Determination is the most important ingredient for success
- If you’ve got something to say, say it and stop talking. If you don’t have anything to say, you’re doing yourself and others a favor by keeping quiet. If you can’t make a contribution, don’t slow down the people who can
- Risks allow for progress and this applies to all fields
- Question everything. Curiosity is the lifeblood of creativity
- You will be judged on everything you do. It doesn’t matter what field you’re in
Some of the quotes that stuck with me while reading this book:
- You can always tell someone to go to hell tomorrow
- Things that seem disastrous at the time usually work out for the best
- Thrive on rejection and hold on to compliments
- A great idea is worthless: execution is everything
- Ideas are the most vulnerable at the moment you have them
- You can only know as much depth, success and happiness in your life as you can know vulnerability
- Fear of failure paralyzes people and prevents them from succeeding
- There are very few things in life you can’t recover from. If you play it too safe, you won’t get anywhere
- Do one thing at a time and it will all get done. There is no other way
- You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be successful - the key is to do whatever you do in an original imaginative way
- Sometimes it’s necessary to say no to good things in an effort to achieve great things
- If you never fail it means you’re not trying hard enough
- We are all ordinary people with a chance to create extraordinary situations for ourselves. Being successful is a choice
- Everyone’s on the road to success, it’s just that most people step off
- If you start off focusing on everything you’ll eventually have to figure out, and all the problems you’ll eventually have to solve, it can be overwhelming, even debilitating
- You don’t need to know all the answers right away. Everything has an organic time and place. Being patient can be a huge advantage
- It’s essential to strike the right balance between confidence and humility. If you don’t have enough confidence you’ll give up too easily, but you must have humility to recognize your limitations and be receptive to learning from others
- Human creativity is limitless. If we channel it toward addressing the problems we created over the years, we can redesign anything and construct the kind of works in which we want to live
- If you observe something that bothers you, make your own action plan to fix it
- Don’t take existing theories for granted. Don’t think that other people know more than you or that everything has been invented. Your theory may be right and you can become the new expert
- People often respond to something new and unusual in a negative way. Be prepared for this. As long as you are convinced that what you are doing is right, go ahead and do it!
- Be prepared to work hard for everything you want. Nothing is easy - and when something appears to be, there’s usually a lot of work that’s gone on behind the scenes
- Anything worth having requires working hard
- Think on your own and question authority. Authority is a short lived phenomenon. It’s who is in charge now, but that doesn’t mean that they are right
- Determination is the most important ingredient for success
- If you’ve got something to say, say it and stop talking. If you don’t have anything to say, you’re doing yourself and others a favor by keeping quiet. If you can’t make a contribution, don’t slow down the people who can
- Risks allow for progress and this applies to all fields
- Question everything. Curiosity is the lifeblood of creativity
- You will be judged on everything you do. It doesn’t matter what field you’re in
October 19, 2019
What makes someone successful? Talent? Luck? Hard work? In Getting There Gillian Zoe Segal asked 30 successful individuals about how they made it to the top of their respective industries and then collected the results in a series of first-person essays. The "mentors" here include investors, entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, scientists, executives, and at least one Nobel laureate. Some of the more recognizable names include Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffet, Kathy Ireland, Laird Hamilton, and Hans Zimmer. The essays are coupled with high quality photographs of the subjects, taken by the author.
As one might imagine, the style and tone of the essays vary quite a bit. Each subject has his or her own voice. For that reason, I found it easiest to read no more than one or two of them at a time. The advice the subjects give is also widely scattered, and sometimes even contradictory. One mentor might suggest pursuing one's dreams with passion regardless of expertise, while another might encourage the reader to do as much research and homework as they possibly can before starting out. This dichotomy suggests that the path to success doesn't look the same in every field - or for every person. For someone trying to gain inspiration, this might prove a bit frustrating. The reader will have to decide which mentor's advice most resonates with them, and who they find most credible.
There are a couple of things that recur. For example, a great number of these mentors did sales jobs early on in their careers, and credit those jobs with building both skills and character. Having done sales myself, I don't disagree. You learn a lot about yourself and others in the process of selling. Another common theme was hitting rock bottom. Many mentors discuss having nothing, being at wit's end, living out of a car, having no money in the bank, etc. The ways in which they respond to these bottoming out moments varies, but the theme is resilience. If one can hit that low point without despair and keep moving forward, there is life on the other side. You may not develop the next Craig's List or crack the human genome, like some of these folks did, but a brighter day of some sort is possible - and even likely.
A few of the mentors struck me as incredibly unhelpful. Laird Hamilton's story for example conveyed to me a sense of a young man who had a chip on his shoulder and parlayed that attitude into a daredevil career. It worked for him, but I wouldn't take it as life advice - nor would I want to be him. He doesn't seem like a nice man. Additionally, I wondered if Ms. Segal regretted any of the people she chose to put in the book. Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS, probably seemed like a pretty safe success story in 2015 but the coda of his tale has made him persona non grata.
Still, for someone looking for a shot in the arm as they pursue their dreams, this book can offer a pick me up. Or if you're just curious about successful people and how they view their own lives, this could be an entertaining read. It may not provide any particularly new or earth-shattering insights, but it does show the breadth and variety of ways people make it. We each have to find our own road to success - however we may define it.
As one might imagine, the style and tone of the essays vary quite a bit. Each subject has his or her own voice. For that reason, I found it easiest to read no more than one or two of them at a time. The advice the subjects give is also widely scattered, and sometimes even contradictory. One mentor might suggest pursuing one's dreams with passion regardless of expertise, while another might encourage the reader to do as much research and homework as they possibly can before starting out. This dichotomy suggests that the path to success doesn't look the same in every field - or for every person. For someone trying to gain inspiration, this might prove a bit frustrating. The reader will have to decide which mentor's advice most resonates with them, and who they find most credible.
There are a couple of things that recur. For example, a great number of these mentors did sales jobs early on in their careers, and credit those jobs with building both skills and character. Having done sales myself, I don't disagree. You learn a lot about yourself and others in the process of selling. Another common theme was hitting rock bottom. Many mentors discuss having nothing, being at wit's end, living out of a car, having no money in the bank, etc. The ways in which they respond to these bottoming out moments varies, but the theme is resilience. If one can hit that low point without despair and keep moving forward, there is life on the other side. You may not develop the next Craig's List or crack the human genome, like some of these folks did, but a brighter day of some sort is possible - and even likely.
A few of the mentors struck me as incredibly unhelpful. Laird Hamilton's story for example conveyed to me a sense of a young man who had a chip on his shoulder and parlayed that attitude into a daredevil career. It worked for him, but I wouldn't take it as life advice - nor would I want to be him. He doesn't seem like a nice man. Additionally, I wondered if Ms. Segal regretted any of the people she chose to put in the book. Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS, probably seemed like a pretty safe success story in 2015 but the coda of his tale has made him persona non grata.
Still, for someone looking for a shot in the arm as they pursue their dreams, this book can offer a pick me up. Or if you're just curious about successful people and how they view their own lives, this could be an entertaining read. It may not provide any particularly new or earth-shattering insights, but it does show the breadth and variety of ways people make it. We each have to find our own road to success - however we may define it.
March 19, 2025
3 stars just bc this genre of self-help/mentorship sometimes feels a little disconnected for me BUT I have to say, I really liked this one. Hearing from so many successful people across different industries, discussing their non-linear career paths was something I needed rn.
June 10, 2020
I wish this book was written in the interview format. It would have brought more life to the stories of majority of the people. Sometimes it felt like drag because only one person is talking and writer doesn't contribute much to the conversation.
The part I liked is that most of the people had a humble but ordinary beginning. And most of the success stories are not legendary or mythical. Most of the people here were brought-up in ordinary life and gradually reached to the position and reading their story gave the confidence that any ordinary person can get successful.
Some of the advice I found uncommon and truthful
1. You must do something that you are passionate about—and something that is “within your circle of competence - Gillian Zoe Segal
2. I knew if I gave him the cash I'd show up - Warren Buffet
3. Knowing what to leave out is as important as knowing what to focus on. - Warren Buffet
4. When you have a meeting with somebody, look that person up and know everything you can about him or her. - Matthew Weiner
5. No matter how early they are in their career, treat them as if they were important - Matthew Weiner
6. A great idea is worthless; execution is everything. - Matthew Weiner
7. Intelligence and drive are important, but fairness, loyalty, and all around good morals are essential. - Tom Scott
8. If you observe something that bothers you, make your own action plan to fix it. - Muhammad Yunus
9. If you set a goal that isn’t fairly realistic, you could be setting yourself up for failure—which can really set you back emotionally - Rachel Zoe
10. Brevity is the soul of wit - Craig Newmark
The part I liked is that most of the people had a humble but ordinary beginning. And most of the success stories are not legendary or mythical. Most of the people here were brought-up in ordinary life and gradually reached to the position and reading their story gave the confidence that any ordinary person can get successful.
Some of the advice I found uncommon and truthful
1. You must do something that you are passionate about—and something that is “within your circle of competence - Gillian Zoe Segal
2. I knew if I gave him the cash I'd show up - Warren Buffet
3. Knowing what to leave out is as important as knowing what to focus on. - Warren Buffet
4. When you have a meeting with somebody, look that person up and know everything you can about him or her. - Matthew Weiner
5. No matter how early they are in their career, treat them as if they were important - Matthew Weiner
6. A great idea is worthless; execution is everything. - Matthew Weiner
7. Intelligence and drive are important, but fairness, loyalty, and all around good morals are essential. - Tom Scott
8. If you observe something that bothers you, make your own action plan to fix it. - Muhammad Yunus
9. If you set a goal that isn’t fairly realistic, you could be setting yourself up for failure—which can really set you back emotionally - Rachel Zoe
10. Brevity is the soul of wit - Craig Newmark
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2015
Curious about how Warren Buffett, Jillian Michaels, or Michael Bloomberg became so successful? Read about the road to success from these public figures and more who excel in a variety of careers. Each person also offers advice in addition to their candid recollections about success. An excellent book, especially for anyone looking for a mentor or just some career inspiration.
Kathleen K. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
June 24, 2015
Very satisfying read about success, mentors and people from different disciplines looking to make a name for themselves. It is enlightening and relevant for all of those who are looking for information on self-improvement or may be stuck career-wise.
April 10, 2021
I've seen numerous collection anthologies from smart and successful people before so I was a bit cynical about this one. However, I really enjoyed the eclectic "mentors" that were selected and the themes that came out of their lives. As in most cases, there were ups and downs in many of these entrepreneurs personal and professional lives.
I think the key messages I took away were the value of learning to sell, facing (and accepting) rejection, not seeking validation for your ideas because people will talk you out of many good ones, trying to get to decisionmakers and avoiding gatekeepers and the perennial one about what appear to be overnight successes taking 10+ years (and a lot of hard work).
Of the 30 interviews, my favorites included Warren Buffet, Sara Blakely (Spanx), John Paul DeJoria (John Paul Mitchell/Patron), Craig Venter, Tom Scott (Nantucket Nectars), Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Gary Hirschberg (Stonyfield Farm).
Overall, motivational and highly informative. Extremely well summarized with loose themes for takeaways. I did feel as though the last few interviews were not as crisp or the content was not as interesting but perhaps that was me. I'm a bit surprised as it included several well known individuals I was interested in learning more about.
Definitely a book to share with my girls and any young HS or college kids that I might be mentoring myself.
I think the key messages I took away were the value of learning to sell, facing (and accepting) rejection, not seeking validation for your ideas because people will talk you out of many good ones, trying to get to decisionmakers and avoiding gatekeepers and the perennial one about what appear to be overnight successes taking 10+ years (and a lot of hard work).
Of the 30 interviews, my favorites included Warren Buffet, Sara Blakely (Spanx), John Paul DeJoria (John Paul Mitchell/Patron), Craig Venter, Tom Scott (Nantucket Nectars), Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Gary Hirschberg (Stonyfield Farm).
Overall, motivational and highly informative. Extremely well summarized with loose themes for takeaways. I did feel as though the last few interviews were not as crisp or the content was not as interesting but perhaps that was me. I'm a bit surprised as it included several well known individuals I was interested in learning more about.
Definitely a book to share with my girls and any young HS or college kids that I might be mentoring myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2022
Great, albeit lightweight, compilation of success stories
This is a compilation of first person success stories from various fields of business, tech, finance, entertainment, public health, etc. It is a lightweight and easy to digest read and good inspirational material for kindling your entrepreneurial flame.
My main criticism is that much of it is very surface level (find something you’re passionate about and work hard; no one is a true overnight success) but I did wish it would have gone a little deeper in some areas. Perhaps curating the information in a different way (e.g. a separate section that slices the “pearls of wisdom” across general entrepreneurial topics and challenges) could help offer more concrete takeaways and reveal some common themes.
I would have also appreciated a quick mini-bio of each “mentor” before their respective content as I didn’t know who all of them were and as such found it tougher to feel engaged in all sections (especially towards the middle and end).
Overall I enjoyed the book and despite my thoughts above I understand it’s purpose as more of a “survey course” rather than a deep dive. I think there’s immense value in hearing stories from industries and areas which I don’t normally think about and seeing both the commonalities as well as differences that led to the various successes and failures. So while it’s very lightweight, I feel like this book does accomplish that.
This is a compilation of first person success stories from various fields of business, tech, finance, entertainment, public health, etc. It is a lightweight and easy to digest read and good inspirational material for kindling your entrepreneurial flame.
My main criticism is that much of it is very surface level (find something you’re passionate about and work hard; no one is a true overnight success) but I did wish it would have gone a little deeper in some areas. Perhaps curating the information in a different way (e.g. a separate section that slices the “pearls of wisdom” across general entrepreneurial topics and challenges) could help offer more concrete takeaways and reveal some common themes.
I would have also appreciated a quick mini-bio of each “mentor” before their respective content as I didn’t know who all of them were and as such found it tougher to feel engaged in all sections (especially towards the middle and end).
Overall I enjoyed the book and despite my thoughts above I understand it’s purpose as more of a “survey course” rather than a deep dive. I think there’s immense value in hearing stories from industries and areas which I don’t normally think about and seeing both the commonalities as well as differences that led to the various successes and failures. So while it’s very lightweight, I feel like this book does accomplish that.
Want to read
January 12, 2024The path to success is rarely easy or direct, and good mentors are hard to find. In Gillian Zoe Segal’s Getting A Book of Mentors , 30 leaders in diverse fields share their secrets to navigating the rocky road to the top.
In an honest, direct, and engaging way, these role models describe the obstacles they faced, the setbacks they endured, and the vital lessons they learned. They dispense not only essential and practical career advice, but also priceless wisdom applicable to life in general.
Getting There is for everyone—from students contemplating their futures to the vast majority of us facing challenges or seeking to reach our potential.
Mentors include Warren Buffett, Kathy Ireland, Frank Gehry, David Boies, Ian Schrager, Anderson Cooper, Leslie Moonves, Wendy Kopp, Graydon Carter, Marina Abramović, Laird Hamilton, Rachel Zoe, J. Craig Venter, John Paul DeJoria, Jeff Koons, Tom Scott, Muhammad Yunus, Stacey Snider, Helene Gayle, Matthew Weiner, Jeff Kinney, Craig Newmark, Nitin Nohria, Jillian Michaels, Sara Blakely, Gary Hirshberg, Hans Zimmer, Daniel Boulud, Jim Koch, and Michael Bloomberg.
“Kudos to Gillian Zoe Segal for assembling this remarkable group of visionaries and helping them all tell their stories without filters or false bravado. Getting There is both empowering and illuminating.” —Piper Kerman, New York Times bestselling author of Orange Is the New Black
“For life-changing, real-world advice.” — Vanity Fair
In an honest, direct, and engaging way, these role models describe the obstacles they faced, the setbacks they endured, and the vital lessons they learned. They dispense not only essential and practical career advice, but also priceless wisdom applicable to life in general.
Getting There is for everyone—from students contemplating their futures to the vast majority of us facing challenges or seeking to reach our potential.
Mentors include Warren Buffett, Kathy Ireland, Frank Gehry, David Boies, Ian Schrager, Anderson Cooper, Leslie Moonves, Wendy Kopp, Graydon Carter, Marina Abramović, Laird Hamilton, Rachel Zoe, J. Craig Venter, John Paul DeJoria, Jeff Koons, Tom Scott, Muhammad Yunus, Stacey Snider, Helene Gayle, Matthew Weiner, Jeff Kinney, Craig Newmark, Nitin Nohria, Jillian Michaels, Sara Blakely, Gary Hirshberg, Hans Zimmer, Daniel Boulud, Jim Koch, and Michael Bloomberg.
“Kudos to Gillian Zoe Segal for assembling this remarkable group of visionaries and helping them all tell their stories without filters or false bravado. Getting There is both empowering and illuminating.” —Piper Kerman, New York Times bestselling author of Orange Is the New Black
“For life-changing, real-world advice.” — Vanity Fair
September 19, 2019
Such a wonderful compilation of stories of successful people from different industries. Each story is eye-opening and I really had a great time reading this book. At the end of the book, I could notice several common traits among these celebrities even if they're from different industries.
1. They were passionate about what they were doing.
2. They had to change their career paths frequently.
3. They believed in coming up with their own ideas even if they were unconventional.
4. Formal education didn't have a greater influence on their success. Lessons from life were far more important and became more useful for them.
5. They worked very hard. Many of them managed both a job and education simultaneously.
6. They were risk takers.
7. They went through countless bitter experiences before tasting victories.
8. What separates them from unsuccessful people is how they dealt with their difficult moments.
9. They treated each problem and criticism as an opportunity.
Well, these are my findings, and you can comment below if I missed more of these.
1. They were passionate about what they were doing.
2. They had to change their career paths frequently.
3. They believed in coming up with their own ideas even if they were unconventional.
4. Formal education didn't have a greater influence on their success. Lessons from life were far more important and became more useful for them.
5. They worked very hard. Many of them managed both a job and education simultaneously.
6. They were risk takers.
7. They went through countless bitter experiences before tasting victories.
8. What separates them from unsuccessful people is how they dealt with their difficult moments.
9. They treated each problem and criticism as an opportunity.
Well, these are my findings, and you can comment below if I missed more of these.
November 29, 2019
Getting there is a collection of success stories of well-known people/mentors. It's mostly about how these people thrive in their pwm areas of expertise. From Entrepreneurs, Teachers, Artists, Designers, Architects, Lawyers, Scientists, etc. The book tells how these people manage to overcome adversity, reach breakthroughs and ultimately become the ultimate top-dog.
What I like is that some of the stories are engaging. Each chapter is arranged so that it's not too long or short. It's Inspiring for anyone from various backgrounds. It's an inspiration fuel.
But as I read this through, I realized that the stories are becoming repetitive. I don't know if some of the stories are true but I think it becomes at a point a little too cliche.
In conclusion. It's a great book for anyone who's searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. You can even read this as a daily dose of inspirations to help achieve your goals.
What I like is that some of the stories are engaging. Each chapter is arranged so that it's not too long or short. It's Inspiring for anyone from various backgrounds. It's an inspiration fuel.
But as I read this through, I realized that the stories are becoming repetitive. I don't know if some of the stories are true but I think it becomes at a point a little too cliche.
In conclusion. It's a great book for anyone who's searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. You can even read this as a daily dose of inspirations to help achieve your goals.
January 10, 2025
There are many tips in here from successful people in diverse fields. Some of the tips wil probably be useful to anybody. The recurring theme is resilience: keep going in the face of rejection, failure, etc. That's a cliché that's not very interesting though. Of course you can't succeed if you give up or never try at anything.
Personally I found some of these people less than inspiring. For readers interested in science, I would recommend instead Passionate Minds: The Inner World of Scientists
Personally I found some of these people less than inspiring. For readers interested in science, I would recommend instead Passionate Minds: The Inner World of Scientists
January 17, 2019
I personally dislike the word success, not only because it can be subjective but often results are over glamourised. While this will always somewhat hold true for all motivational type of books, “Getting There” tells the ordinary story of 30 individuals who withstood their challenges to reach their fulfilment across a diverse domain ranging from Finance, Entertainment, Technology, Science, Business, Music and Art.
Three key lessons stand out for me.
1. Creativity works best with discipline: while having a structure naturally seems to oppose creativity it gives you focus to do your best work
2. Don’t compromise on work ethnic: if achievements are a sweat drop, then success is an Olympic sized swimming pool waiting to be filled
3. Rejection gets you closer to your goal: blergh, easier said than done but I think you get this one
Three key lessons stand out for me.
1. Creativity works best with discipline: while having a structure naturally seems to oppose creativity it gives you focus to do your best work
2. Don’t compromise on work ethnic: if achievements are a sweat drop, then success is an Olympic sized swimming pool waiting to be filled
3. Rejection gets you closer to your goal: blergh, easier said than done but I think you get this one
December 17, 2018
I usually borrow books from libraries nowadays because I don't have space at home, but I wish I own a copy of this one. It got many successful people talking about their work and life experiences, and their genuine advice to others on how to succeed and get through the obstacles. It's a very valuable book. I have personally typed out many of the good quotes and words that the people said in the book for future references when I need encouragement or positive thoughts. Even though some people commented that it gets repetitive in later on pages, I don't think so, and I enjoy reading about everyone's life experiences in their own words. Highly recommended for people who have a dream and wants to carry it out and get there.
January 21, 2025
Coming in as the 2nd book of 2025 — been meaning to read this for months and finally got into a stride. Books/resources can find you when you need them the most, and this is a clear example of that. I think this is a fantastic book that reminded me the importance of non-linearity & skill/experience building & trusting your gut in a time I need it the most. Albeit there were problematic pieces of advice/people (some stories didn’t evolve well, like people w/ SA allegations or saying they were discriminated against because they were “white”), this book gave me some faith and nuggets of wisdom that served as pertinent reminders.
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