EL PASO, Texas, Jan. 10, 2025 — Is insecurity a positive or a negative trait? The answer: It’s both. While fear-based toxic insecurity can undo even the brightest leaders, one’s strongest position comes from leaning into what serial entrepreneur James M. Sweeney calls “creative insecurity.”
“This is the mindset of all who run contrary to the crowd and create what has never existed before,” Sweeney said. “It means getting comfortable with discomfort, propelling an off-balance state into forward motion and mitigating risk.”
In his highly anticipated new book, Creative Insecurity: Lean Into the Unknown and Unleash Your Inner Misfit (with co-author Rhonda Lauritzen), Sweeney reveals a treasure trove of practical wisdom gleaned from launching 14 successful healthcare companies that saved or extended millions of lives and eventually generated $30 billion in exit value. All of this from a man who admits he “felt like a square peg in a round hole until I started my first company.”
Aiming to inspire restless, would-be entrepreneurs; those who feel stifled by corporate bureaucracy; and creatives who feel insecure, Sweeney shows readers how to reframe their anxiety and uncertainty into motivation and excitement, and how to view their differences as superpowers for innovation.
Key principles he covers in his book include:
• Failing your way to success.
• Succeeding with the “no-quit gene.”
• Knowing what and when to quit. “Don’t marry a mistake.”
• Conducting a “premortem” for any new venture or project.
• Differentiating yourself as a monopoly of one.
• Defaulting to the “you point of view.”
• Recognizing that being first is more important than being right. Know when to “be a cheetah.”
• Going after the most prestigious target in an industry. “The bell cow effect.”
• Empowering your team so they are more excited on Monday morning than on Friday night.
• And much, much more.
Sweeney’s actionable insights, compelling examples and timeless wisdom will help those with an unquenched creative spark free their mindsets, lean into the unknown and ultimately achieve the full measure of their potential.
“One of the most powerful phrases you can learn in your career (and life) is, ‘Tell me more,’” Sweeney added. “If you want to have vision, see what other people miss and mitigate risk, practice saying this. You will be amazed at what you learn.”
About the Author: James M. Sweeney
A serial entrepreneur who started 14 healthcare companies with original ideas, none of which have failed. He has raised $2 billion in capital and generated more than $30 billion in exit value. His companies have saved or extended the lives of millions of people.
He has been acknowledged as the founder of the multi-billion-dollar home infusion therapy industry, having founded Caremark, the industry pioneer and leader. Today, he mentors startup founders and other professionals in the art of “failing your way to success.”
Co-author Rhonda Lauritzen is a professional biographer with multiple published books and is a regular speaker at international conferences. She has an MBA from the University of Utah, served as CEO of her family’s business and as a state college VP. She founded Evalogue.Life in 2016.
For more information, please visit , or connect with James Sweeney on LinkedIn (James M. Sweeney), Facebook (James M. Sweeney), Instagram, or YouTube
See all options for getting the book here:
Amazon
Publisher: Post Hill Press Release Date: December 10, 2024 ISBN-13: 979-8888455395
Available from Amazon.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
