Derek Sivers
book cover

Hell Yeah or No

what’s worth doing

Useful wisdom. Simple profound mental models to guide your decisions.

Overwhelmed? If you feel anything less than “hell yeah!” about something, say no. We say yes too often. By saying no to almost everything, you leave space and time in your life to throw yourself completely into the few things that matter most.

After Derek Sivers’ “hell yeah or no” rule was adopted by podcasters, bloggers, and investors, he compiled related ideas into this useful, profound, and surprising book around the themes of what’s worth doing, fixing faulty thinking, and making things happen. Examples:

The first 15,000 early buyers of ‘Hell Yeah or No’ have posted hundreds of 5-star reviews at sive.rs/n — but it is now being released to a wider audience.

$15 : ebook, audiobook, and all digital formats forever
(epub, mobi, pdf, mp3, html, etc. No DRM.)
$19 : paper book includes all digital formats
(really just $4 for the paper, so only $4 for each additional copy)
Print length: 132 pages
Publication date: 2020-07-12
Kindle ISBN: 978-1-98-857508-7
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-98-857506-3
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-98-857511-7
Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-98-857599-5

Listen to the audiobook:

Highlights:





Editorial Reviews

“Derek Sivers is one of my favorite humans, and I call him often for advice. Think of him as a philosopher-king programmer, master teacher, and merry prankster. I might need to do a second volume of my next book 100% dedicated to the knowledge bombs of Derek Sivers. So much good stuff. Hard to cut.”
— Tim Ferriss, author, 4-Hour Workweek

“A deceivingly small book packed with endless wisdom. Each chapter is a life lesson. These stories help me keep the most useful mental models fully usable every day.”
— Frank Corrigan, economist

“I can’t say enough about this book. Pound for pound, it has the most useful and insightful information of anything I’ve read in the last few years. Derek Sivers is a true philosopher of our time.”
— Chris Perry

“This book was one of the best surprises I’ve had in a while. You don’t think you’ll really learn something completely new after reading many other great thinkers. Hell Yeah or No is now one of those books I recommend for people I really care about.”
— Romulo Gomes Nunes, entrepeneur

“I quote these vignettes in board meetings, meditation sessions, and to children. These short chapters are easily to relate to across all walks of life. The simplicity makes them so profound. I bought several of these books to share with friends. I didn’t buy enough.”
— Austin Moss, Sweetwater Sound

“When unsure about what to do, I open my copy of this book then close it having found the answer. We all possess an internal navigation system that knows the best way forward, but life has a way of burying that system in a heap of fear, habits, and uncertainty. Think of this book as a super-tool to help you clear the debris and rediscover what you already know. Highly recommend!”
— Manny Vallarino, musician

“The power in this little book is hard to overstate. Life is about making decisions. If you learn the framework for making decisions as outlined in this book, you can have a happy life and the career you desire.”
— Ellen Twomey, founder of You Are TechY

“There are two books I would take with me on a desert island: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (written 180AD) and Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers (written 2020AD). There have been billions of books between these two book-ends, but these two direct your mind on a better, less worrisome path.”
— Lars Christensen, manager, marketer, designer, toolmaker

“Lovely, easy to apply patterns of wisdom that anyone can benefit from exposure to. This book is on my shortlist of books I re-read every quarter, and I’ve gifted it 9 times to friends, family and co-workers. The world would be a better place if everyone read this book, truly.”
— Jason Schmitz

“A philosophy book with practical elements, written in a gentle and kind tone. I particularly enjoy Derek’s concise writing style. There isn’t one extraneous word in this book. The brevity means that I’m more likely to refer to this book for ideas or alternative perspectives, than a meatier tome.”
— Úna Ní Fhlannagáin, award-winning Irish harpist

“This is one of the most useful books I have ever stumbled upon! Through stories and great questions, Derek provides a framework for thinking through life’s real problems. I often find myself listening to the audiobook when I’m struggling with an problem and inevitably, Derek has a question that reframes it, sheds new light on it and often a solution follows.”
— Brett Shikaze, lawyer

“Philosophy books can be incredibly cerebral and often inaccessible. This book somehow maintains the pithy wisdom and sweet juices of complex ideas, while keeping them brief, memorable, and shareable. The brevity of each micro-chapter makes it easy to digest, and the density of the ideas make them quite filling. I have updated aspects of my life because of some of the radical thoughts I found in this book. The entries are like perfectly polished little stones. There’s something very satisfying about reading content that is smart, where the author has opted to eschew all fluff.”
— Richie Trucke, musician


hardcover Hell Yeah or No paperback Hell Yeah or No

Contents:

$15 : ebook, audiobook, and all digital formats forever
(epub, mobi, pdf, mp3, html, etc. No DRM.)
$19 : paper book includes all digital formats
(really just $4 for the paper, so only $4 for each additional copy)

Reviews: