Bet on Yourself: Recognize, Own, and Implement Breakthrough Opportunities

by Ann Hiatt, Eric Schmidt (Foreword)

Take charge of your career and create a life full of learning, adventure, joy, and success utilizing these never-before-shared leadership principles Ann Hiatt learned working alongside the world’s top tech CEOs—Google’s Eric Schmidt, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Yahoo!'s Marissa Mayer. Whether you’re stuck in your current job, starting your first job and wondering how you can use it as a steppingstone towards your dream career, or mid-career and wanting to finally be recognized for promotion or a leadership role, this book is for you. For the first time, Ann Hiatt shares both the daily habits and long-game strategies she learned working side-by-side for decades with the giants of technology at Amazon and Google. Through clear guidance and incredible stories, Bet on Yourself will teach you: These tried-and-true methods to take ordinary opportunities and create something extraordinary, and the leadership principles that guide the work of these celebrity CEOs, are directly applicable to your goals. With a few consistent, daily habits you can build a future that exceeds your wildest expectations. No matter the opportunities available to you in your particular community or career stage, there is a path for you.

Genres: Business, Self Help, Professional Development, Personal Development, Management, Nonfiction, Cultural

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 12, 2021

About the author

Ann Hiatt spent the first fifteen years of her career working at Amazon and Google starting in the early 2000s. She now is a leadership consultant with CEO clients all over the world. Ann is a native of Seattle but considers herself a global citizen. She has lived and worked in Tampa, Anchorage, Seattle, Stockholm, San Francisco, London, New York and Valencia. She studied International Studies and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington and began a PhD program in Scandinavian Studies at UC Berkeley before returning to tech. After two decades in Silicon Valley Ann now lives on the Mediterranean coast of Spain near Valencia. She is the author of Bet on Yourself published by HarperCollins in 2021.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a memoir the book is awesome! As for the working tips and tricks, you need to sieve through the book... I guess I expected something else from this book but I'll give it one more try sometime in the future 😅

[Heidi (MinxyD14) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The hardest pivots are those that come from a sudden loss of something that you hold most dear and consider part of your very self definition.”

While this book might be a challenge for some readers to appreciate, there is a great deal of thought-provoking value to be mined from it. If you are contemplating change or your self-confidence is at a low ebb, Chapter 8, Pivot Points & Reinvention may offer some inspiration.

[Jeff Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw an article about this book on Google News and it intrigued me enough to pick it up. I enjoy reading memoirs and business books. It reminded me of my days at Intel. Ann does a great job distilling from her experience working for 3 of the most powerful leaders in the world as well as her own insights along the way. There were so many nuggets. My favorite (if I had to choose) was the ‘thinking retreat’ learned from Jeff Bezos. Didn’t know about that one. Even applicable to my current day job which isn’t in tech anymore. Great stories also that were new. I won’t be flying in helicopters anytime soon! Great read.

[Coffee&Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book if you're directing your career to a goal past being an executive admin. This book is brilliant for admins who want to move to a Chief of staff or Operations role. While I took so many suggestions and tips for my role, this book is clearly written for people who think of the role of an EA as a point to start- a stepping stone, if you will. I'd like to deepen my skills and area of responsibility and experience. I am, however, happy where I am, and I love what I do.

[Vitaliy Zasadnyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational story of career growth. Especially relevant for those working in FAANG companies.

A few practical frameworks on how to plan your career as well, but inspiration was the biggest takeaway for me

[Sara Filipcic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Anna Hiatt on an NFX podcast episode "Ann Hiatt on Trillion Dollar Leadership" and immediately fell in love with her story. The part where she worked with Jeff Bezos, Erich Schmidt, and Marriissaa Mayer was out of my reach, but the content was still relatable. This podcast got me excited for her new book. I kept putting off finishing the book because I enjoyed the learning process so much that I did not want it to stop. As a young entrepreneur just out of college, I needed guidance and I got it with this book. Not only was it interesting to read and engaging, but I felt like I learned something new in every chapter. I even decided to use her tips and tasks at the end of the chapter as a structure for the different aspects of my project. This book has inspired me, encouraged me, and ensured that my moments of doubt and fear are not obstacles, but an essential part of this journey that I can grow from. It has helped me think about things I can do better and I can say without a doubt - thank you for helping me become a better entrepreneur!

[Maddog · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting read for me. A lot of the advice or insight was centered around the antiquated messaging "Show up when no one else is! Ask for more beyond the scope of your job! Pursue more work!", which can certainly help in some circumstances, but for someone who isn't young and single without kids, putting in more time or effort when they're already working 40-50 hours a week may not be possible. I did enjoy the sprints throughout the book because they gave me some great advice into actionable steps I can take. Very pleased with that.
The ending message of the book was so great because she acknowledged the breaking points she reached because of her schedule and over commitment to work, that now she's learned to say "no" and protect her peace, but she could've expanded on this point and give us insight into how she structures herself better in this regard (she did give some insight to this). Mental health and preserving your peace needs to be at the forefront of career advancement, not making sacrifices that are detrimental to your physical or mental health. Books like this NEED chapters covering that side of the "hustle culture."

[Janani Kalpathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The most consistent way I have up-leveled my career over the past two decades has been two part. First, I have prioritized finding a manager who is modeling the career path I want to take and embodies the leadership qualities I want to possess. Second, I have chosen roles that surround me with top quality people and a depth of opportunities to grow with them." - a quote that resonated with me from #AnnHiatt book "Bet On Yourself". And you absolutely should bet on yourself! Inspiring to read Ann's delivery of her experiences, tips and lessons learned in an illustrious career, as she sat three feet away from her boss, Jeff Bezos working as Chief of Staff at Amazon, with Eric Schmidt and Marissa Meyer at Google.

[Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound and Inspiring

What a great read. This book presented itself during a time of significant career changes for me and I’m delighted I took a chance on it. I’ve never read a ‘career’ book before. I’m grateful this was my first. So much of what I do and aspire for is captured here in such a genuine, meaningful way. Thank you for sharing your journey Ann! I’m excited and full of hope to continue on mine.

[Alex Mentis]

From the first day I started reading this book, I found it a "sui generis" (i.e., one of its kind) book! The body of advice offered, the uniqueness of the Sillicon Valley-based experience of the author Ann Hiatt, and the book's direct style make it unparalleled! It urges us to bet on ourselves; what else could be more inspiring than that! In an nutshell, it is an "Amaz(on)ing" book!

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d give this a four star as a memoir and a two star as a business book. I had specific expectations when I bought it: I was looking for something that reveals how real people deal with professional struggle and engage their grit and resilience; my intention being that I wanted to find a book I could recommend to people at work who are actively developing these traits within their teams, and something to complement Angela Duckworth’s book on grit…but this doesn’t meet that expectation. However, it could be better for someone seeking ways to expand beyond a support role into more of a leadership role; that was probably a miss on my part when I first picked it up.

Having said that, the author has had a very interesting career and it’s interesting to get a glimpse inside the executive offices of Amazon and Google.

[Roman Shaternik · Rating 3 out of 5]

По первым главам сложилось мнение что это записки секретарши. Барышня которая прокатилась на известности Безоса, Марисы Майер и Эрика Шмидта. Сама не эксперт ни в продукте, ни в технологии, ни в менеджменте. В лучшем случае - администратор / проджект. Не понятно что сделала сама, и почему считает что может чему-то научить… А практические советы скорее всего будут применимы только в огромных компаниях где есть такая штука как карьерная лестница. Но некую пользу от книги, всё же, можно получить. К примеру, неплохо рассказано о синдроме самозванца, о том что за столом никогда нет свободных мест и его нужно себе создать, о том что не стоит ждать что тебя заметят и повысят (так не бывает), об открытости к новому и необходимости брать инициативу на себя. А ещё есть несколько занятных баек про известных людей и компании - к примеру про дверные столы в Амазоне.

[Natália · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, it's a good book. She has very hands on approach and describe actions that anyone can take (prepare, build your network, etc).
One element that made me give it a lower rating was that she say we should "work smarter, not harder" but her examples always talks about the long hours she had to put on and lost weekends in order to keep up with her goals. We see a generation burning out faster and faster and Ann's advice seem to just reiterate this posture of overwork to achieve your goals.

[Francisco Galán · Rating 1 out of 5]

Insufferable book. The author just talks endlessly about her and pretends that she's giving you useful advice. Most of it is trivial stuff or things you knew already. It doesn't even include additional research to back her claims.

Don't waste your time. Other books, such as The Startup of You by Reid Hoffman, are a million times better and have actually valuable career advice.

[Megan Vick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should have been a blog post. People who have never read a self-improvement book or worked on themselves may find value here, but in the sea of non-fiction/self-development books, this falls short on new ideas or universally actionable tips.

[Lou Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Read

I learned so much about Amazon, Jeff Bezos, Google, Marissa Mayer and Eric Schmidt. And of course, about the amazing life story of Ann Hiatt. I admire the clean crisp writing style and especially the uplifting, self-empowering message.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don’t feel like this book was necessarily applicable in 2021 but i enjoyed hearing about Hiatt’s business journey.

read my full review here: http://writethroughthenight.com/2022/...

[Stef R · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books oozes white privilege and seemingly written by a capitalist, FAANG groupie. I’ve watched her talks and I’m sure that wasn’t her intention, but oufff, lots of eye rolling moments. A few interesting notes but nothing revolutionary.

[Injil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betting on yourself starts with serving others.

Ann Hiatt's Bet on Yourself has a rare combination of being both incredibly inspirational and refreshingly honest. She chronicles her career working directly with some of the most influential business leaders of the century, including Jeff Bezos, Marissa Mayer, and Eric Schmidt, describing what it truly takes to have impact on that level.

Hiatt continually comes back to the notion that humility was the foundation of the trust she needed to do great work. Whether it was accepting criticism on her effectiveness despite already working 100+ hour weeks or handling tasks that were far below her “paygrade” to make sure everything ran smoothly, she turned an initial discomfort with being in those spaces into a superpower that amplified her impact.

The book’s message is especially relevant for early career professionals navigating that transition from college to the workplace. The mindset shift from assessing what a job can offer you to how you can creatively utilize that job to get closer to your own goals leads to a better outcome for the employee and the employer.

Bet on Yourself is a phenomenal book that rethinks what it means to have agency in the workplace. Highly recommend for anyone looking for ways outside the box to add value at work.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really glad I bet on this book. While it really should have been marketed as a memoir, the recommendations and insights Ann presented were incredibly useful and it was rewarding to hear her life/business learnings and think about how they can be applied (or already have been applied?) to my own experiences. I continue to notice one important, consistent theme as I read these books by these inspirational leaders... humility, humility, humility. Hubris is the downfall of longterm success. HELP people. Humble yourself and be willing to take on tasks that will help others and help your business, no matter how small. Being a team player doesn't mean leaning into hierarchy - it means being on the ground with the rest of the team.

Docked one star for a couple of reasons. One, this is a memoir. It doesn't mean we can't learn from it, but it isn't a guide for betting on yourself - it's an example of how Ann Hiatt bet on herself and what she learned from that. Second, many of her experiences were due to either privilege or circumstance and would be impossible to replicate. But if you focus on her learnings from those experiences, then there is a lot of substance to take away as a reader.

[Rebecca]

I bought this book after a small session with Ann at SXSW and thought she was very insightful and deft with the questions from those of us around the table. I took pages of notes. I showed up at the book signing to purchase a copy and request a signature, and chatted with her more. Then I brought the book home and... I browsed the pages and found her positive and charming enthusiasm without the same wit and insight. Now, a year later, I promised myself I would finish before another SxSW went by. And yet, the tech industry has become so ugly that reading her stories has a new shadow in it -- the pure sense of what corporations and money and believing you are the best, non-pareil, will do to your sense of purpose and self-reflection. To Ann and in this book, these people are geniuses. They are "the best in the world." Whether or not that view has merit, to me they are privileged people who think they are geniuses, and that is both hideous and not something I'm looking to mirror.

[JuliAnn Gill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Misleading Title.
The book is not terrible. The writing is decent and there are some interesting stories. My issue is with the way it is titled and marketed. This book is not a how-to, business growth book. This book should be called "How I Bet on Myself: an autobiography of Ann Hiatt". It's just her stories, her experience.
I didn't know who she was and never would have chosen to read her life story.
Having said that, I believe you can learn something from every book. My main takeaways from this one were:
* Be willing to have goals and visions that scare you. Big dreams and hard work will take you further than you expect you can go
* Relationships are more critical then just completing the repetitive tasks. Don't neglect your relationships at work.
* Always say yes to an opportunity, especially if it makes you uncomfortable.

[Sandeep Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book for succeeding in corporate world
This is by far the best book I have read on making a great career in the corporate world. The book is well written and easy to follow. It contains practical STEPS on how to first, find yourself and then create a journey of measurable steps. Every step is a milestone in itself and by achieving these milestones consistently, we can reach the heights of our career the right way.

This book is special as I can see myself doing what's mentioned in the book unlike some other books that go way too far over the top that one can't even start.

I wish I had this book when I started my career ten years ago.

[Azjargal (Azaa) Gankhuyag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an uplifting story and perspective.
This book is for someone who is looking for some change and would like to hear someone else’s storyline to get experienced. Personally I really really enjoyed reading this book, it motivated me a lot.

The reason I gave 4 stars is that she didn’t provide something very interesting related to her own company. I’d love to know more about how she operates her companies and any other resources available for non Silicon Valley people or strong professional networkings .

[Cuong · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book, it was mentioned that the author hoped that readers would see themselves in the stories. I think she is successful in such aspect. Her stories and lessons learned reminded me much of failures, lack of confidence, self doubts, and self motivation at the start of my career path. I felt much relatable and thus got more encouraged after reading all the stories, and also, learned more for self development and thriving in work.

[Melissa Ripperger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars because as an Executive Assistant, it was chock full of invaluable insights and encouragement. I doubt I will ever have the same level of exposure in my professional circles as the author, but the takeaways from each experience she had translates across industries and experience levels. I felt very inspired and energized by Ann’s words and advice. I think every professional woman who wants to find the confidence to level up in her career should read this.

[Alex Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that I have read on career planning and development. Ann gives you succulent and tangible steps at the end of each chapter.

I love how Ann peppers her story throughout and does so with humility and honesty. It was refreshing to read not only about the success but the failures.

[Mellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an informative read. If you are an individual contributor in the workplace, or seeking to grow your skills and opportunities, this read will be most helpful. Ann provides realistic tips and strategies that are applicable to all fields.

[Maria Eretnova · Rating 3 out of 5]

While its a fascinating life of the author, there are very few actionable tips. Easy read but should not pretend to have the "implement" part. I bought it because if the title partially, as I wanted to strengthen self confidence but the book didn't really inspire me to "bet on myself".

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and thought the lessons inside were incredibly valuable. Additionally, it was interesting to learn about the founding of Amazon and some of the philosophies and mindsets of top CEOs.