Just a quick comment on the people who're hating on the Rules of Success Bob Parsons has put up and on GoDaddy<p>* If one of the things he recommends turns out be of great value to you.<p>Then does it really matter whether or not he objectifies women or does a hard sell?<p><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i>*<p>It seems that we as geeks tend to love people who pretend to be all goody-goody like Google and open source people but if someone has the balls to be politically incorrect then it automatically means that the strategy they are using must be bullshit.<p>He shot an elephant != His advice is not good.<p><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i><p>Here's a little story about 'When you're ready to quit you're closer than you think.<p>One of my sites got closed down by a hosting company. Some stupid reason. I was thinking about closing down the other site hosted by that hosting company too - Didn't, Stuck with it and that site has ended up making me $440K over the last two years.<p>At the moment when it seemed most hopeless i.e. the bigger site is just nuked and what's the point in sticking with the fledgling site -> sticking with it ended up being a great decision.<p>That's just one example.<p>Perhaps rather than applying your ethics and morals filter it might help to consider his advice on its own (i.e. separate from the person). Does it stand up - are there examples in your own life that prove that?<p><i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i>*<p>A Colombian Cocaine Warlord might figure out the same strategic magic that Jack Welch does (perhaps something like - If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete).<p>It's still great strategy.
Summary of Godaddy founder Bob Parsons' 10 Rules for Success:<p>1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.<p>2. Never give up.<p>3. When you’re ready to quit, you’re closer than you think.<p>4. Always be moving forward.<p>5. Be quick to decide.<p>6. Measure everything of significance.<p>7. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.<p>8. Never expect life to be fair.<p>9. Don’t take yourself too seriously.<p>10. There’s always a reason to smile.
I agree, this list doesn't sound all that insightful. But it did make me want to look him up on Wikipedia, and I found his history to be interesting: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Parsons" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Parsons</a><p>He started out as a self-taught programmer in his late-20s and he founded his first business when he was 37. Also find it interesting that he came from a really humble background, along with a strong military background too. Reminds me of "the anatomy of determination".
I am with you all about all the negative reasons why not to like GoDaddy and Bob Parsons. Just looking at the guy and his macho-posters I really do not feel like I would even want to hold a 5-minute conversation with him. It reeks of BS.
That said, I do have (or force myself to have) a lot of respect for the guy. Earning money is not easy. Building and maintaining your company is not easy. Establishing a brand is not easy. Being a billionaire is... whoa. I do think we have a lot to learn from him, despite the fact that we may not like him.
Even if it is the Wallstreet Journal, you better directly visit the source: <a href="http://www.bobparsons.me/bp_16_rules.php?ci=21428" rel="nofollow">http://www.bobparsons.me/bp_16_rules.php?ci=21428</a><p>WSJ picked 10 of those 16 rules to make a fancy "top 10 list". Bah!
I'm surprised. A lot of this is good advice.<p>Always stay out of your comfort zone. Never give up. Never stop improving. Measure everything of significance.<p>It's not a quick fix or a cure all, but I think it's helpful to internalize whichever of these points resonates with you and actively apply it in your life. You have to execute and that's the hard part.
It is actually depressing to think that you can encapsulate success on ten easy steps/rules. Advise like this makes it seem like I'm being sold snake oil.
What bothers me — far more than the banality of Bob's rules for success — is the WSJ's use of two spaces after a full stop. Do these guys think they're publishing with a typewriter?