Business Book Review: Choose Possibility by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy
Cassidy invites you to reassess your view of risk. Reducing it to smaller steps — and repeating until you reach your goals or discover unforeseen possibilities.
My Rating: ★★★★
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Marina Books
Released: 2021
Key Takeaways for Personal Branding
Choose Possibility is a behind-the-scenes look into Sukhinder Singh Cassidy’s story as one of Silicon Valley’s female tech executives. She has been a CEO and entrepreneur and has grown two of the world’s most iconic brands in big tech - Amazon and Google (where she rose to be one of the most senior executives). Cassidy has experienced success and has experienced failure. She shares how both have mattered and can for you too.
Choose Possibility aims to debunk the problematical myth that risk-taking is usually a monumental leap. Instead, it argues that risk-taking is a continuous humble process. And your probability of success will increase with the repetition of this approach.
Ditch the Hero’s Journey
Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey is often used to perpetuate the myth of a big leap. But, according to Campbell, heroes take big and small risks along their journey. Cassidy proposes to ditch the Hero’s Journey mindset. Instead, saying to put yourself out there just a little bit at a time - lots of times. This helps build your risk-taking muscle.
Pipelining in Parallel
Cassidy reminds you to diversify your risk. It’s what you likely do in your finance portfolio. This includes investing in higher and lower-risk asset classes. By taking multiple risks, you maximise your opportunities and lower your overall risk, compared to putting all your eggs in one basket. Cassidy calls this strategy ‘parallel pipelining’.
Parallel pipelining also invites serendipity to play by opening up new unforeseen possibilities. Cassidy describes her job searches as being a result of ‘constantly putting bait in the water’.
Who Before What When Taking a Risk
With so much of a sensationalised focus on networking, Cassidy’s point of view is a refreshing one.
When it comes to generating opportunities, she reminds you that Management Professor David Burkus says “Your old friends are better than your new friends”. Because your old friends are always going to be more invested in you than those you meet at networking events:
"But for all the pressure we put on ourselves to make cocktail connections, our greatest chance of finding an exciting new career opportunity comes from our own deepest professional connections.”
Favourite Quotes
Stop imagining making one large and dangerous choice and instead, simply put yourself into motion.
To take smarter risks, overvalue the “people factor” in your choices.
There really is only one obstacle to a career that blossoms over the long term, and it isn’t failure. It’s inaction.
I’ve come to realize that it isn’t what we achieve that makes us powerful. It’s our ability to keep taking risks, creating impact, and adapting as we go.
The most powerful people are those who help power flow to others.
Cassidy delivers what feels like a very personal look at the reality of a typical ‘success story’. Choosing the risk of vulnerability, she shares the lows that come with the highs. Choose Possibility is a chance to reassess your view of risk. Making it less monumental and more manageable.
Choose Possibility by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy: Available on Amazon.
