Book Review – Linchpin by Seth Godin

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin is a very good book you can read in small bursts. He presents great ideas both large and small and is honest and very inspirational in the process. I was very happy to receive Linchpin as a gift, especially since I had somehow never read any of his books.

It is an easy read that ends up very good but not great. Seth is clearly a great thinker, and his ideas are what keep the reader moving through the pages.

Godin’s main thesis is that a “linchpin” is a creative and determined individual with the capacity to draw their own map in life, thereby becoming invaluable in what they do. Their passion to be the best at whatever they do makes them an artist, and they would do the work for free. The happy side-effect is that people who do that end up very well-compensated.

My biggest contention with the book was the way it was written. The many different little sections did not seem to have a strong overall organization. Towards the end, when discussing how to organize a large project, Godin explains that he writes his ideas down on note cards. This gives him the opportunity to organize those ideas and expound on them. One look at the book shows the reader that he practices what he preaches. The mini-sections that make up the book were surely once just note cards. How those smaller cards tied to each other what was what missing for me.

It would have made a more effective blog. Godin likely writes that way because he has a strong tech-based readership known for feed readers and short attention spans. Since it is a book, I do recommend buying it. The ideas presented are worth it and thinkers like Godin are people we should support.

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