ORIGINALS EXP

"Part of the fun of Grant's book is that he redeems behaviors we typically regard with puritan disdain. . . . Thought-provoking."
-The New York Times Book Review

"Fresh research, counter-intuitive insights, lively writing, practical calls to action . . . Grant has a deserved reputation as an original thinker."
-The Financial Times

"Grant's latest looks set to join the required reading lists of many companies across America."
-Wired.com

"[Grant] examines what successful non-conformists . . . have in common, all in an effort to help the rest of us learn how to do things like bust myths, speak truth to power, and avoid groupthink without getting sidelined."
-The Washington Post

"Adam Grant is a serious social scientist, master storyteller and infectious optimist. . . . Originals is filled with fresh insights on a broad array of topics that are important to our personal and professional lives. Mr. Grant has an uncanny ability to infuse a familiar topic with deeper meaning and leave the reader feeling hopeful and a little exhilarated."
-The New York Times DealBook

"This extraordinary, wildly entertaining book sheds new light on the Age of Disruption. What does it take to make a meaningful difference? And how can you apply this insight to your own life? By debunking myths of success stories, challenging long-held beliefs of process, and finding commonality among those who are agents of profound change, Adam Grant gives us a powerful new perspective on not just our place in the world, but our potential to shake it up entirely."
-JJ Abrams, director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, co-creator and executive producer of Lost, and cofounder of Bad Robot

"After launching hundreds of businesses-from airlines to trains, music to mobile, and now a spaceline-my biggest challenges and successes have come from convincing other people to see the world differently. Originals reveals how that can be done and will help you inspire creativity and change."
-Sir Richard Branson, founder of The Virgin Group

"Originals is a fascinating, eye-opening read that will help you not just recognize your own unique gifts, but find the strength to challenge conventional wisdom to bring them to life. Using surprising studies and riveting stories, Adam Grant brilliantly shows us how to champion new ideas, bust persistent myths that hold us back and change not only our lives, but our world."
-Arianna Huffington, cofounder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, and author of Thrive

"It can sometimes seem as if one must learn everything old before one can try anything new. Adam Grant does a masterful job showing that is not the case; we are lucky to have him as a guide."
-Peter Thiel, cofounder of PayPal and Palantir, and author of Zero to One

"An urgent must read, a seminal work that will surprise you on every single page. Adam Grant has reset our expectations for what it means to be creative and what's required to make a difference. Share it with someone you care about."
-Seth Godin, author of Linchpin

Praise for Give and Take

"As brilliant as it is wise, this is not just a book-it's a new and shining worldview. Adam Grant is one of the great social scientists of our time, and Give and Take is brimming with life-changing insights."
-Susan Cain, author of Quiet

"Give and Take is a truly exhilarating book-the rare work that will shatter your assumptions about how the world works and keep your brain firing for weeks after you've turned the last page."
-Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human

"I love Give and Take, which shows that givers get ahead and nice guys don't finish last."
-Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive and president of the Huffington Post Media Group

"Now shaking up the business world: science that may change the way the world does business."
-Willie Geist, Today show

"Adam Grant's Give and Take is an excellent book. Hard work, luck, and talent are important, but giving makes t

Foreword Adam Grant is the perfect person to write Originals because he is one. He is a brilliant researcher who passionately pursues the science of what motivates people, busting myths and revealing truths. He is an informed optimist who offers insights and advice about how anyone-at home, at work, in the community-can make the world a better place. He is a dedicated friend who inspires me to believe in myself and has helped me understand how I can advocate effectively for my ideas. Adam is one of the most important influences in my life. Through the pages of this magnificent book, he will enlighten, inspire, and support you as well. MYTH BUSTER Conventional wisdom holds that some people are innately creative, while most have few original thoughts. Some people are born to be leaders, and the rest are followers. Some people can have real impact, but the majority can't. In Originals Adam shatters all of these assumptions. He demonstrates that any of us can enhance our creativity. He reveals how we can identify ideas that are truly original and predict which ones will work. He tells us when to trust our gut and when to rely on others. He shows how we can become better parents by nurturing originality in our children and better managers by fostering diversity of thought instead of conformity. In these pages, I learned that great creators don't necessarily have the deepest expertise but rather seek out the broadest perspectives. I saw how success is not usually attained by being ahead of everyone else but by waiting patiently for the right time to act. And to my utter shock, I learned that procrastinating can be good. Anyone who has ever worked with me knows how much I hate leaving things to the last minute, how I always think that anything that can be done should be done right away. Mark Zuckerberg, along with many others, will be pleased if I can let go of the relentless pressure I feel to finish everything early-and, as Adam points out, it might just help me and my teams achieve better results. INFORMED OPTIMIST Every day, we all encounter things we love and things that need to change. The former give us joy. The latter fuel our desire to make the world different-ideally better than the way we found it. But trying to change deep-seated beliefs and behaviors is daunting. We accept the status quo because effecting real change seems impossible. Still, we dare to ask: Can one individual make a difference? And, in our bravest moments: Could that one individual be me? Adam's answer is a resounding yes. This book proves that any one of us can champion ideas that improve the world around us. FRIEND I met Adam just as his first book, Give and Take, was generating buzz in Silicon Valley. I read it and immediately started quoting it to anyone who would listen. Adam was not only a talented researcher but also a gifted teacher and storyteller who was able to explain complicated ideas simply and clearly. Then my husband invited Adam to speak to his team at work and brought him over for dinner. Adam was every bit as extraordinary in person as he was on paper. His knowledge was encyclopedic and his energy was contagious. He and I started talking about how his research could inform the debate on gender and began working together. We have done so ever since, conducting research and writing a series of op-eds about women and work. LeanIn.Org has benefited immensely from his rigorous analysis and commitment to equality. Once a year, Facebook brings its global teams together, and in 2015 I invited Adam to give a keynote speech. Everyone was blown away by his wisdom and humor. Months later, the teams are still talking about his insights and putting his advice into action. Along the way, Adam and I became friends. When tragedy hit and I lost my husband suddenly, Adam stepped up and stepped in as only a true friend would. He approached the worst time of my life as he approaches everything, combining his