1 SENTENCE SUMMARY: Megan McArdle’s “The Up Side of Down” provides an insightful and relatable look at how failure can be a powerful tool for learning and growth.
“Life is full of tough choices, but it’s better to make them than to let them be made for you.”
Quick Info

Category: Career
Publish Date: 2015-02-24
# Pages: 320
ISBN: 0143126369
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Table of Contents
Overview
The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well is the Key to Success, by Megan McArdle, is an eye-opening exploration of the benefits of embracing failure.
McArdle draws on her own experiences, as well as her research into the lives of people who have achieved success despite failure, to show how embracing failure and learning from it can be the key to success.
Through vivid examples and compelling evidence, McArdle demonstrates how understanding failure, and consciously choosing to fail in certain areas, can be a powerful tool to achieving success.
4 Key Lessons from The Up Side of Down by Megan McArdle
1. Embrace Failure
One of the most important lessons from The Up Side of Down is to embrace failure.
McArdle argues that failure can actually be an opportunity to learn and grow.
She highlights the importance of experimenting and taking risks, and not letting the fear of failure hold you back.
She emphasizes the importance of understanding that failure is part of the process of success, and that it should be seen as a learning opportunity rather than an end.
2. Find Your Passion
McArdle encourages readers to find their passion and pursue it relentlessly.
She emphasizes the importance of setting goals and of finding something worth striving for.
When readers identify something they’re passionate about, they’re more likely to make progress and achieve success.
3. Take Action
McArdle stresses the importance of taking action and making progress, instead of getting stuck in analysis paralysis.
She encourages readers to take action and make mistakes, as failure will often bring them closer to success.
She also encourages readers to take ownership of their progress and to take responsibility for their decisions.
4. Persevere
Finally, McArdle emphasizes the importance of perseverance.
She encourages readers to push past their comfort zone and to keep going even when things seem difficult or impossible.
She encourages readers to keep learning and improving, and to never give up on their dreams.
Who Should Read It
This book would be best suited for people interested in economics and public policy.
It would also be of interest to those interested in the causes and effects of economic downturns.
Additionally, anyone looking for ways to make the most of a challenging economic situation would find this book useful.
Where to Get It
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About Megan McArdle
Megan McArdle is an American author, journalist and blogger.
She is the author of the book The Up Side of Down which was published in 2014.
McArdle is a contributing editor at The Atlantic, and has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and Slate.
She is a regular commentator on economic and business issues on many news networks.
McArdle is currently a senior editor at The Daily Beast and the author of The Up Side of Down.
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Other Career Books you may Like:
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- Think Again by Adam Grant
- Tribe Of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
- What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles
- What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
Over to You
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Thanks a lot,
Simon

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