Rework

Change the Way You Work Forever • by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

About This Mind Map

This mind map captures the bold, unconventional business wisdom from Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the founders of Basecamp (now 37signals). Rework challenges nearly everything you’ve been taught about business — from the cult of growth to the worship of workaholism, from the necessity of meetings to the importance of formal planning.

Written in short, punchy chapters that read like manifestos, Rework argues that less is more, constraints are advantages, and the best plan is to start working. Whether you’re starting a business or running one, this mind map distills the book’s counterintuitive advice into an accessible format that you can return to again and again.

What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan. — Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
REWORK
Change the way you work forever
THE NEW REALITY
Chapter 1
First: The New Reality
The world has changed. Anyone can start a business now. You just need an idea, a touch of confidence, and a push to get started.
TAKEDOWNS
Chapter 2
Takedowns
Dismantling the myths of the business world — why the real world is irrelevant, failure is overrated, planning is guessing, and growth for its own sake is pointless.
GO
Chapter 3
Go
How to actually start something — embrace constraints, make a dent in the universe, draw a line in the sand, and ship your product.
PROGRESS
Chapter 4
Progress
Build half a product rather than a half-assed product. Know when to quit, avoid meetings, and focus on what truly matters.
PRODUCTIVITY
Chapter 5
Productivity
Real productivity means doing less but better — avoid illusions of agreement, embrace good enough, find quick wins, and protect your alone time.
COMPETITORS
Chapter 6
Competitors
Stop obsessing over the competition. Don't copy, decommoditize your product, pick a fight, and underdo rather than outdo your competition.
EVOLUTION
Chapter 7
Evolution
How products and companies grow — say no by default, let customers outgrow you, and don't confuse enthusiasm with priority.
PROMOTION
Chapter 8
Promotion
Marketing through teaching, building an audience, welcoming obscurity, and understanding that marketing is not a department — it's everything you do.
HIRING
Chapter 9
Hiring
Do it yourself first, hire when it hurts, strangers at a cocktail party, and why resumes are ridiculous.
DAMAGE CONTROL
Chapter 10
Damage Control
Own your bad news, speed changes everything, and how to genuinely say you're sorry when things go wrong.
CULTURE
Chapter 11
Culture
You don't create a culture — it happens. Decisions are temporary, they're not thirteen, send people home at 5, and skip the rockstars.
WRAPPING UP
Chapter 12
Conclusion
The call to action — inspiration is perishable, so act now. Stop talking and start working.

Core Stoic Principles