My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings

The host of CBC Radio’s Under the Influence, Terry O’Reilly, uncovers the surprising power of screwing up

The Incredible Hulk was originally supposed to be grey, but a printing glitch led to the superhero’s iconic green colour. NHL hall-of-famer Serge Savard’s hockey career nearly ended prematurely, not because of an injury, but because of an oversight. And the invention of a beloved treat, the Popsicle, began with a simple mistake.

In his fascinating and meticulously researched new book, Terry O’Reilly recounts how some of the biggest breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake. Some people’s “mistakes” led to dramatic life changes—losing their jobs, their companies and often their credibility—only for them to discover new opportunities on the other shore. Other people’s mistakes seemed minor, almost insignificant—and yet they unexpectedly resulted in a famous brand, a legendary band or a groundbreaking work of art. And in a few instances, a mistake actually saved lives.

The fear of failing often holds us back. My Best Mistake will change the way you think about screwing up. It will encourage you to accept mistakes and embrace the obstacles that may arise from these errors, leading you to unexpected breakthroughs and silver linings of your own.

1138787016
My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings

The host of CBC Radio’s Under the Influence, Terry O’Reilly, uncovers the surprising power of screwing up

The Incredible Hulk was originally supposed to be grey, but a printing glitch led to the superhero’s iconic green colour. NHL hall-of-famer Serge Savard’s hockey career nearly ended prematurely, not because of an injury, but because of an oversight. And the invention of a beloved treat, the Popsicle, began with a simple mistake.

In his fascinating and meticulously researched new book, Terry O’Reilly recounts how some of the biggest breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake. Some people’s “mistakes” led to dramatic life changes—losing their jobs, their companies and often their credibility—only for them to discover new opportunities on the other shore. Other people’s mistakes seemed minor, almost insignificant—and yet they unexpectedly resulted in a famous brand, a legendary band or a groundbreaking work of art. And in a few instances, a mistake actually saved lives.

The fear of failing often holds us back. My Best Mistake will change the way you think about screwing up. It will encourage you to accept mistakes and embrace the obstacles that may arise from these errors, leading you to unexpected breakthroughs and silver linings of your own.

11.99 In Stock
My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings

My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings

by Terry O'Reilly
My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings

My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings

by Terry O'Reilly

eBook

$11.99 

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Overview

The host of CBC Radio’s Under the Influence, Terry O’Reilly, uncovers the surprising power of screwing up

The Incredible Hulk was originally supposed to be grey, but a printing glitch led to the superhero’s iconic green colour. NHL hall-of-famer Serge Savard’s hockey career nearly ended prematurely, not because of an injury, but because of an oversight. And the invention of a beloved treat, the Popsicle, began with a simple mistake.

In his fascinating and meticulously researched new book, Terry O’Reilly recounts how some of the biggest breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake. Some people’s “mistakes” led to dramatic life changes—losing their jobs, their companies and often their credibility—only for them to discover new opportunities on the other shore. Other people’s mistakes seemed minor, almost insignificant—and yet they unexpectedly resulted in a famous brand, a legendary band or a groundbreaking work of art. And in a few instances, a mistake actually saved lives.

The fear of failing often holds us back. My Best Mistake will change the way you think about screwing up. It will encourage you to accept mistakes and embrace the obstacles that may arise from these errors, leading you to unexpected breakthroughs and silver linings of your own.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781443459471
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Publication date: 10/26/2021
Sold by: HARPERCOLLINS
Format: eBook
Pages: 304
File size: 12 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

TERRY O’REILLY, the winner of hundreds of international advertising awards, is an in-demand speaker and the bestselling author of The Age of Persuasion, This I Know, and My Best Mistake, finalist for the National Business Book Award. His highly awarded radio programs O’Reilly on Advertising, The Age of Persuasion, and Under the Influence have been broadcast on CBC Radio since 2005, and his podcast has been downloaded over 40 million times. Terry O’Reilly lives outside of Huntsville, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Jaws: You're Gonna Need a Better Shark 5

2 Scotty Bowman: The First Cut Is the Deepest 11

3 Ski-Doo®: How Do You Spell Success? 22

4 Brian Williams: The Unofficial Spokesperson of the Second Chance Club 31

5 Billy Joel: They Sit at the Bar and Put Bread in My Jar 49

6 Steve Madden: The Shoe of Wall Street 61

7 Swanson's TV Dinners: The Problem with Leftovers 72

8 Bill Maher: The Problem with Being Politically Incorrect on Politically Incorrect 76

9 The Dixie Chicks: On Getting Dixie-Chicked 87

10 Seth MacFarlane: The Gate Is Now Closed 105

11 Steve Jobs: The Second Bite of the Apple 113

12 Kellogg's Corn Flakes: Supressing Your Desires since 1896 143

13 Rob Lowe: Sex, Lies and Videotape 147

14 The Who: Who Are You? 162

15 Ellen DeGeneres: When a Door Shuts, a Closet Opens 171

16 The Incredible Hulk: Fifty Shades of Grey 186

17 Anthony Carter: Turning Up the Heat in Miami 192

18 Popsicles: Air Conditioning on a Stick 197

19 Sam Phillips: Rocket 'n' Roll 201

20 Kathleen King: Watching the Cookie Crumble 206

21 Fiberglas Pink: How a Successful Product Dyed 218

22 Mario Puzo: An Offer Everyone Can Refuse 224

23 The Old Farmer's Almanac: White Day in July 233

24 Atul Gawande: Planes, Pains and Operating Tables 237

Afterword: Embrace the Obstacle 247

Acknowledgements 251

Sources 255

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