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Win or Learn: The Naked Truth About Turning Every Rejection into Your Ultimate Success
What would life be like if every risk you took ended in success?
In The Risk-Taking Experiment, rejection expert and New York Times bestselling author Harlan Cohen lays the framework for identifying your wants, taking the risks necessary to pursue them, and finding success no matter the outcome.
This step-by-step risk-taking experiment will guide you on a journey to understand your worth and fight for your goals without the fear of rejection--because rejection is a universal truth but not a final destination.
Cohen's revolutionary perspective on risk-taking and rejection will help you realize your dreams, understand your limits, and find victory in every risk.
In The Risk-Taking Experiment, rejection expert and New York Times bestselling author Harlan Cohen lays the framework for identifying your wants, taking the risks necessary to pursue them, and finding success no matter the outcome.
This step-by-step risk-taking experiment will guide you on a journey to understand your worth and fight for your goals without the fear of rejection--because rejection is a universal truth but not a final destination.
Cohen's revolutionary perspective on risk-taking and rejection will help you realize your dreams, understand your limits, and find victory in every risk.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2021
16 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 27, 2021
Change what you can, and accept what you cannot change.
This book is amazing! It's so relatable and inspiring. I haven't been good with motivational reads but I don't regret reading this one.
This book is amazing! It's so relatable and inspiring. I haven't been good with motivational reads but I don't regret reading this one.
December 28, 2020
Harlan Cohen's “Win or Learn” is a book that consists a process of five practical experiments that will teach you different ways to be immune to the rejections of life and the vulnerabilities that come with those rejections!
In a nutshell, this book will teach you to:
▪️'want' something,
▪️accept and embrace the discomfort that comes with it—in the author's words: to get comfortable with the uncomfortable,
▪️find the right people and the right places (resources) that will help to get whatever you want,
▪️ change perceptions and beliefs about your life that you might have conditioned yourself by telling yourself the story of your life in a wrong way,
▪️ develop a habit of telling your story not by the victim's perceptive but by the perceptive of someone you want to be, and,
▪️ celebrate little achievements and reflecting on all those different ways that may not work for you and find the one that 'may' work—after all, wanting something is a process of trial and error!
Learning ‘The Universal Rejection Truth’ was the first best takeaway that I learned from this book, which says that not everyone and everything will always respond to us the way we want; we are not mean to get whatever that we want and no matter what, we will eventually get rejections from people/jobs/things that are not meant for us. But does it mean we should stop trying?
That's where the second-best takeaway can be helpful, which suggests: “Information is not emotional.” if we are hit by a rejection then instead of attaching emotions with it, the author inspires us to find ‘Why’ and ‘how’ and to use them as facts to change the way we approach that 'dream, 'career', or 'person'.
It's not tough as it may seem because the author also gives reflective and follow-up questions to practically learn and implement takeaways in our life. This book is releasing on 5th January 2021; if you are looking forward to giving the next year an amazing head start, then you can count on this book! and yes, that means I am highly recommending it.
Thank you @netgalley @simpletruthsbooks and @harlancoben for this review copy!
In a nutshell, this book will teach you to:
▪️'want' something,
▪️accept and embrace the discomfort that comes with it—in the author's words: to get comfortable with the uncomfortable,
▪️find the right people and the right places (resources) that will help to get whatever you want,
▪️ change perceptions and beliefs about your life that you might have conditioned yourself by telling yourself the story of your life in a wrong way,
▪️ develop a habit of telling your story not by the victim's perceptive but by the perceptive of someone you want to be, and,
▪️ celebrate little achievements and reflecting on all those different ways that may not work for you and find the one that 'may' work—after all, wanting something is a process of trial and error!
Learning ‘The Universal Rejection Truth’ was the first best takeaway that I learned from this book, which says that not everyone and everything will always respond to us the way we want; we are not mean to get whatever that we want and no matter what, we will eventually get rejections from people/jobs/things that are not meant for us. But does it mean we should stop trying?
That's where the second-best takeaway can be helpful, which suggests: “Information is not emotional.” if we are hit by a rejection then instead of attaching emotions with it, the author inspires us to find ‘Why’ and ‘how’ and to use them as facts to change the way we approach that 'dream, 'career', or 'person'.
It's not tough as it may seem because the author also gives reflective and follow-up questions to practically learn and implement takeaways in our life. This book is releasing on 5th January 2021; if you are looking forward to giving the next year an amazing head start, then you can count on this book! and yes, that means I am highly recommending it.
Thank you @netgalley @simpletruthsbooks and @harlancoben for this review copy!
November 14, 2020
Firstly huge thanks to the publisher for my ARC I am grateful. I loved this book so much ,I cracked up , nodded my head,fist bumped myself and did the experiments and this was the best book with homework that I loved. If I am being honest I would cry a tad bit because I feel checked but key takeaways from the book was that not everyone will like me ,change is not easy if we being honest (it's scary), tell your story and I really don't want to be Miss Overshare so get this book.
November 14, 2020
In “Win or Learn”, Harlen Cohen lays out a straightforward sequence of steps to help the reader achieve his/her goals. Times are tough, we all face many challenges right now (November 2020, third coronavirus wave) and it is incredibly easy to get lost in the day to day stressors. It takes an incredibly disciplined mind to see your way through and maintain perspective.
We are rarely that mentally strong all the time - or even enough of the time. Cohen tells it like it is, starting with “Change is uncomfortable” and introducing “The Universal Rejection Truth”: That “not everyone and everything will always respond to you the way you want.” He returns to this often, as it is an important fact of life that the reader has to accept before moving on.
There are some real gems here, such as “The Three Types of Rejection”, “Change What You Don’t Love; Tolerate What You Can’t Change”, and, of course, “I never lose. I either win or I learn” the quote from Nelson Mandela from which the title comes.
At 152 pages, this is a quick read and a book that you can return to time and time again. It occurred to me in the middle of reading this book that the problem with finishing it is that the book goes on the shelf or you may never open it again on your Kindle or another e-reader device.
What I decided to do was to take all my highlighted titles and text and turn them into Anki cards using a program called RemNote (free). With RemNote, one can easily enter the outline of the book and key phrases that are important parts of your program, such as “Give yourself permission to feel the best-case” in the section “How to Create Your Story.” With Anki cards, you can flip through them daily - or at a frequency you need - to keep the program in mind.
I didn’t know what to expect from “Win or Learn” when I first opened the book, but I have been very pleasantly surprised at how accessible it is and it’s practicality. Pick up a copy, read it - and return to it often, whether or not you use Anki cards. There are many fundamental truths here that we can all benefit from.
We are rarely that mentally strong all the time - or even enough of the time. Cohen tells it like it is, starting with “Change is uncomfortable” and introducing “The Universal Rejection Truth”: That “not everyone and everything will always respond to you the way you want.” He returns to this often, as it is an important fact of life that the reader has to accept before moving on.
There are some real gems here, such as “The Three Types of Rejection”, “Change What You Don’t Love; Tolerate What You Can’t Change”, and, of course, “I never lose. I either win or I learn” the quote from Nelson Mandela from which the title comes.
At 152 pages, this is a quick read and a book that you can return to time and time again. It occurred to me in the middle of reading this book that the problem with finishing it is that the book goes on the shelf or you may never open it again on your Kindle or another e-reader device.
What I decided to do was to take all my highlighted titles and text and turn them into Anki cards using a program called RemNote (free). With RemNote, one can easily enter the outline of the book and key phrases that are important parts of your program, such as “Give yourself permission to feel the best-case” in the section “How to Create Your Story.” With Anki cards, you can flip through them daily - or at a frequency you need - to keep the program in mind.
I didn’t know what to expect from “Win or Learn” when I first opened the book, but I have been very pleasantly surprised at how accessible it is and it’s practicality. Pick up a copy, read it - and return to it often, whether or not you use Anki cards. There are many fundamental truths here that we can all benefit from.
October 26, 2020
Thank you to both NetGalley and Sourcebooks/Simple Truths for giving me a copy of Harlan Cohen’s self-help book, Win or Learn.
Let me preface this review by saying I do not normally read self-help books, nor did I intentionally request this one. I read an email I received from NetGalley too quickly that informed the receiver they only had a certain amount of time to snatch up a copy. Given the urgency of the matter and the fact that I had recently added Harlan COBEN’s new title, Win, to my “to read” shelf on Goodreads, I excitedly clicked on it.
That being said, Harlan COHEN’s self-help book was decent. I could do without the photos interspersed between sections, but otherwise it was succinct and to the point. For anyone who requires exercises or a template to work off of when practicing self-improvement, this novel does just that and seems to be for beginners who are not familiar with the genre or the topics that the author discusses.
Win or Learn is for anyone, in any age group, seeking motivation to reach any goal. It provides basic steps for how to change your thinking and deal with the fear of rejection. The author reinforces this statement by constantly reiterating who this book applies to and how to use it.
Why only three stars? I felt it was overly simplistic at times; as if I were reading surface-level adages, as opposed to concrete advice. I also think the author should have included less about his own experience and made it more of an in-depth research project. I understand that the author was probably trying to connect with readers or maybe even use this work as his own catharsis, but some of it was too flimsy; propped up by advice found on Instagram.
Again, I do not normally read this genre and I did not follow through with the exercises at the end of each chapter. An active reader will probably get more use out of this book, so take my review with a grain of salt; especially, if you are just starting out with the self-improvement genre. Sometimes, a positive story is all it takes.
Let me preface this review by saying I do not normally read self-help books, nor did I intentionally request this one. I read an email I received from NetGalley too quickly that informed the receiver they only had a certain amount of time to snatch up a copy. Given the urgency of the matter and the fact that I had recently added Harlan COBEN’s new title, Win, to my “to read” shelf on Goodreads, I excitedly clicked on it.
That being said, Harlan COHEN’s self-help book was decent. I could do without the photos interspersed between sections, but otherwise it was succinct and to the point. For anyone who requires exercises or a template to work off of when practicing self-improvement, this novel does just that and seems to be for beginners who are not familiar with the genre or the topics that the author discusses.
Win or Learn is for anyone, in any age group, seeking motivation to reach any goal. It provides basic steps for how to change your thinking and deal with the fear of rejection. The author reinforces this statement by constantly reiterating who this book applies to and how to use it.
Why only three stars? I felt it was overly simplistic at times; as if I were reading surface-level adages, as opposed to concrete advice. I also think the author should have included less about his own experience and made it more of an in-depth research project. I understand that the author was probably trying to connect with readers or maybe even use this work as his own catharsis, but some of it was too flimsy; propped up by advice found on Instagram.
Again, I do not normally read this genre and I did not follow through with the exercises at the end of each chapter. An active reader will probably get more use out of this book, so take my review with a grain of salt; especially, if you are just starting out with the self-improvement genre. Sometimes, a positive story is all it takes.
January 5, 2021
Your job is simple. Want something. Know that you are enough. Dream it. Believe it. Make it happen.”*
Cohen’s approach on rejection is straightforward, simple, and life changing. Fear of rejection plagues most people, preventing them from taking risks. That inaction and fear, along with the devastation of taking rejection personally holds people back. The author offers a better way to look at risk taking and rejection that offers readers the potential for unlimited success.
The title for the book comes from a quote from Nelson Mandela: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” This nicely sums up the core tenet of looking at rejection differently, namely viewing it as an opportunity to gain knowledge. Therefore, rejection is never a losing proposition.
WIN OR LEARN provides the universal law of rejection, the three reasons behind rejection, and rationale for not taking rejection personally. Also included is a multistep process for setting goals and making them a reality. A chapter is devoted to each of the steps: Want Something, Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable, Think People, Places, and Patience, Tell Your Story as If It Has Already Happened, and Celebrate, Reflect, and Repeat. This approach is straightforward and powerful, and the applications are endless.
2020 was a horrible year for so many people. WIN OR LEARN can help make 2021 a whole lot better.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simple Truths, an imprint of Sourcebooks, for providing an Advance Reader Copy.
*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.
Cohen’s approach on rejection is straightforward, simple, and life changing. Fear of rejection plagues most people, preventing them from taking risks. That inaction and fear, along with the devastation of taking rejection personally holds people back. The author offers a better way to look at risk taking and rejection that offers readers the potential for unlimited success.
The title for the book comes from a quote from Nelson Mandela: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” This nicely sums up the core tenet of looking at rejection differently, namely viewing it as an opportunity to gain knowledge. Therefore, rejection is never a losing proposition.
WIN OR LEARN provides the universal law of rejection, the three reasons behind rejection, and rationale for not taking rejection personally. Also included is a multistep process for setting goals and making them a reality. A chapter is devoted to each of the steps: Want Something, Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable, Think People, Places, and Patience, Tell Your Story as If It Has Already Happened, and Celebrate, Reflect, and Repeat. This approach is straightforward and powerful, and the applications are endless.
2020 was a horrible year for so many people. WIN OR LEARN can help make 2021 a whole lot better.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simple Truths, an imprint of Sourcebooks, for providing an Advance Reader Copy.
*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.
January 3, 2021
Another fantastic self-development book is Win or Learn by Harlan Cohen. He goes on to share about how people should take these steps to turning rejection into ultimate success. It has everything to do with our mindset.
Prior to reading this book I though my life was just grand. It’s been an easy road where every day felt the same contentment. Then I read Win or Lose by Harlan Cohen to find that my life has so much more potential!
In this book, Cohen explains why and how to turn rejections into success! This means so much to me because I have my own business and I haven’t been reaching my goals like I’d planned. I seem to put maybe two weeks of effort and then when I don’t get the answers I want I put my business on neutral and i coast the rest of the way.
But this isn’t how my business will grow! I need to realize that others may not be on the same wavelength as I am. This book encourages planting the seed, share meaningful conversation, and seeing how I can be helpful to support the person or family. Everything will fall i Tom place when that persons ready. I cannot expect others to be ready because I want them to be!
A digital ARC of Win or Learn by Harlan Cohen was provided complimentary by Sourcebooks nonfiction via NetGalley. While a review is not required, I write one to hopefully help readers and authors alike. I give this book 5 our of 5 tiaras as I will purchase a copy for my personal library and I feel the information will benefit me in balmy business.
Prior to reading this book I though my life was just grand. It’s been an easy road where every day felt the same contentment. Then I read Win or Lose by Harlan Cohen to find that my life has so much more potential!
In this book, Cohen explains why and how to turn rejections into success! This means so much to me because I have my own business and I haven’t been reaching my goals like I’d planned. I seem to put maybe two weeks of effort and then when I don’t get the answers I want I put my business on neutral and i coast the rest of the way.
But this isn’t how my business will grow! I need to realize that others may not be on the same wavelength as I am. This book encourages planting the seed, share meaningful conversation, and seeing how I can be helpful to support the person or family. Everything will fall i Tom place when that persons ready. I cannot expect others to be ready because I want them to be!
A digital ARC of Win or Learn by Harlan Cohen was provided complimentary by Sourcebooks nonfiction via NetGalley. While a review is not required, I write one to hopefully help readers and authors alike. I give this book 5 our of 5 tiaras as I will purchase a copy for my personal library and I feel the information will benefit me in balmy business.
November 13, 2020
Advanced Copy Received from NetGalley for my honest review. Harlan Cohen's Win or Learn is a succinct, easily digestible self-help book for those needing inspiration to go after they want and not get shut down by failing or the fear of it. While much of what is in this book appears to be common sense, it's nice to heat someone else say it and explain why. My biggest takeaway is the reminder of the Universal Rejection Truth and the three types of rejections. I think there were some missed opportunities to go into greater detail and include more research, but I realize that would change the quick and easy nature of this book. Win or Learn worked really well for what it was--quick self-help strategies and simple truths that are easy to re-reference when needed and spark aha! moments that inspire you to change. I look forward to reading other books in the Ignite Series--and love the idea of self-help that's digestible in an hour.
October 23, 2020
Reading this book is worth the risk! Harlan Cohen shares his secret to living a full life in this concise and easy-to-read book. He is endlessly optimistic yet I could not help but go along with him. His steps are simple to follow, alliterative (so, easy to remember) and are shared with warmth and humour. He also taps into Growth Mindset concepts with relatable stories from his own life and others he has connected with, and I am hoping to try his way of thinking with the children and adults in my life. He is just a human who has found the secret to creating his own meaningful life and wants to share it with the rest of us, in the hopes that it works for us too! I am looking forward to reading it again and again....
January 16, 2021
This is a quick read and a great one to get the year started on with a positive outlook. Some of my favorite pages are where the author addresses giving yourself permission to create, change or experience meaning in life, the fact that change is uncomfortable, and of course, the universal rejection truth, which, the earlier we can all wrap our minds around, will serve us well. Most importantly, asking for help isn't a sign of weakness but one of strength. Five concise chapters to take you through the process and some questions and exercises at the end of which - recommend the exercises and the book. I believe the author mostly writes with the student population/college crowd in mind but this one's great for an older audience just as well.
January 24, 2021
Wow I was hooked by the introduction.
I would have to say that i would highly recommend this read to many who enjoy self-help motivational reads. It is very short and simple, which i personally enjoy.
This is a great read to start off your year.
The Process: 1)Want something, 2)Get comfortable with the uncomfortable, 3) Think People,Places, and Patience, 4) Tell your story as if it has already happened, 5) Celebrate, reflect, repeat.
Some of my favorite take backs:
Intro: asking for what you want and continuing to pursue it
Note that wanting something is like a muscle, when you stop it weakens. Wanting is dangerous if you do it right. There are 3 possible outcomes to wanting something so be prepared: you will get what you want, you will not, you will get it and then lose it.
The Universal rejection truth, not everyone and everything will always respond to you the way you want. Three kinds of rejections:1)self rejection, 2) rejection by circumstance, 3)raw rejection because it can't be changed.
I felt like the last two sections did not inspire me as much, but maybe that is just a personal preference.
...
Thank you, Harlan Cohen, Simple Truths, an imprint of Sourcebooks, and Netgalley for the ARC.
I would have to say that i would highly recommend this read to many who enjoy self-help motivational reads. It is very short and simple, which i personally enjoy.
This is a great read to start off your year.
The Process: 1)Want something, 2)Get comfortable with the uncomfortable, 3) Think People,Places, and Patience, 4) Tell your story as if it has already happened, 5) Celebrate, reflect, repeat.
Some of my favorite take backs:
Intro: asking for what you want and continuing to pursue it
Note that wanting something is like a muscle, when you stop it weakens. Wanting is dangerous if you do it right. There are 3 possible outcomes to wanting something so be prepared: you will get what you want, you will not, you will get it and then lose it.
The Universal rejection truth, not everyone and everything will always respond to you the way you want. Three kinds of rejections:1)self rejection, 2) rejection by circumstance, 3)raw rejection because it can't be changed.
I felt like the last two sections did not inspire me as much, but maybe that is just a personal preference.
...
Thank you, Harlan Cohen, Simple Truths, an imprint of Sourcebooks, and Netgalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2020
While there's lots of books on this subject in various fashions, one more is a good thing. The book addresses ways for someone to overcome obstacles in life with rejection, risk taking and finding ways to get what you want with using some personal examples. It's great for students or those in careers that may be stuck and need some incentive on how to move forward. There's also some suggestions on how to lose weight. It's a quick, easy read and the words may help someone looking to adjust their lives.
October 23, 2020
:: Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review ::
A fast and easy read with a simple theme - try. Try even if you fail and fail three more times, because with each try you get one step closer to understanding how you failed and one step closer getting what you want. Mr. Cohen gives an easy read with example stories and exercises to succeed. You actually get the feeling he wants you to try and succeed. And he warns you, it will hurt. Failing and/ or rejection hurts, but you have to ask yourself, are you willing to be hurt if you know, one day, you’ll get what you want?
A fast and easy read with a simple theme - try. Try even if you fail and fail three more times, because with each try you get one step closer to understanding how you failed and one step closer getting what you want. Mr. Cohen gives an easy read with example stories and exercises to succeed. You actually get the feeling he wants you to try and succeed. And he warns you, it will hurt. Failing and/ or rejection hurts, but you have to ask yourself, are you willing to be hurt if you know, one day, you’ll get what you want?
October 31, 2020
I liked the experiments the author included, as ways to get more used to being uncomfortable and facing rejection. However, the tone of the book just didn't vibe with me. I didn't really feel like I learned anything new. It's not a groundbreaking book, but it could be helpful for people who need concrete steps to take to help them open up to the world more.
January 9, 2021
2/5 stars!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved the idea of this book, however, I'm kind of disappointed because I already knew most of what supposed to be learned from this book. But that's on me. I still think this is palatable and much more useful to other readers.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved the idea of this book, however, I'm kind of disappointed because I already knew most of what supposed to be learned from this book. But that's on me. I still think this is palatable and much more useful to other readers.
November 24, 2020
This is a down-to-earth book on making success out of rejection. Beautiful pages. Lessons for life. Stories to inspire. Offers a process for assignments and reflections to dig deep. A short but inspiring read by someone who knows a thing or two about rejection.
August 10, 2022
Basic idea: find what you want in life and go after it. You can’t control what other people say, think, or how they respond to you. If you learn to accept that and get comfortable being uncomfortable, then you’ll be more successful vs if you fight the obstacles you can’t control
November 6, 2023
Grabbed it on a whim walking the shelves of the library. Not what I expected but did share a few insights that were helpful. Mainly you cannot control rejection in life and in a life of sales is always good to hear ways to view rejection.
March 29, 2024
Terrific little book! It is full of inspiration and some practical strategies for shifting your mindset. Grit, resilience, positivity in the face of life’s inevitable obstacles and rejections. Harlan Cohen’s voice is one well worth listening to!
September 13, 2024
It was interesting. I found the first 2 chapters the most interesting and the rest were ok. It felt like an article was turned into a book. It was small and enjoyable and most of the examples/shared stories were nice. I felt I took something from it. I can recommend it.
January 4, 2021
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." ~Wayne Gretzky
If that's too succinct for you, then you might enjoy this book.
If that's too succinct for you, then you might enjoy this book.
February 9, 2021
Good for people who feel lost and are just starting to put together their goals.
June 21, 2023
Oh brother this guy stinks
February 25, 2024
Quick easy useful read. I truly enjoy following the author on Instagram as well.
January 1, 2025
My first book that I read in 2025!
March 5, 2025
Very quick read, topical treatment
May 17, 2025
Shoutout to my grandma
January 2, 2021
This nonfiction focuses on basic concept that forms part of all self help books. It tells how failures are also opportunities to learn and grow.
It is a simple book with simple writing and explanation. Probably it is for little ternagers and youth.
It's simplicity is its strength too. You don't want complicated stuff. It also highlights how author sees himself. As a regular, normal guy who fails easily buts keeps trying.
A good book especially for young kids to learn how to embrace failures and removing taboo around them.
It is a simple book with simple writing and explanation. Probably it is for little ternagers and youth.
It's simplicity is its strength too. You don't want complicated stuff. It also highlights how author sees himself. As a regular, normal guy who fails easily buts keeps trying.
A good book especially for young kids to learn how to embrace failures and removing taboo around them.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews