“Anthony helped me see things I couldn’t see on my own.”

“When we first met, I was feeling stuck in life and frustrated in my career. I wasn't aware I was seeking a deeper truth as I was fighting existing external circumstances. Your presence and listening were a gift in and of itself, but in reflection of my own words you saw that deeper truth and gifted it back to me. Because the interaction had such an impact on me, at the right time, from there I got really quiet and explored my internal world without telling myself the same old stories. Your book helped reinforce the work I was already doing in my own life, and your generous, empathetic presence was the mile marker that made me feel like I wasn't alone in the world”

Jessica Holsapple · Founder / CEO · Coaching / advisory feedback

“Anthony has a mix I haven’t found elsewhere: he’s direct without being a jerk, and he’s honest without turning it into a therapy session. If you want clarity on leadership, priorities, or technical direction, he’s the guy. Talking to him is like a firmware update for your leadership brain. Slightly uncomfortable. Immediately better.”

Andy Frey · Software executive and entrepreneur · Coaching / advisory feedback

“Working with Anthony gave me a practical mindset shift: clarity first, then action. I got better at navigating organizational dynamics, articulating what I was driving, and stepping into leadership responsibilities with less second-guessing. He has a direct way of cutting through noise and getting to what matters. That clarity changed how I showed up at work.”

Heather Perry · CFO · Coaching / advisory feedback

“Anthony’s work is a reminder that craft is a spiritual and practical discipline. His writing and music both point to the same message: choose a path, commit to it, and let the work change you. He is one of the most actualized people I’ve ever met. His work has this rare mix of discipline, honesty, and creative edge, and it shows up in everything he makes.”

Steve Ball · Retired principal at Microsoft, musician, producer · Coaching / advisory feedback

“Thanks so much for your consulting work with me the other night. It was the kick in the butt I needed.”

Danny Gregory · CEO, Sketchbook Skool · Email

“Working with Anthony was unlike anything I expected. In a short amount of time, he helped me see things I couldn’t see on my own. So much of what I’ve been wrestling with over the past few years suddenly started making sense. He didn’t just give advice. He reflected my own thinking back to me in a way that made it impossible to ignore what I already knew but wasn’t acting on. I walked away feeling lighter, clearer, and more focused on what I need to do next. This wasn’t a typical conversation. It pushed me in the right ways, and it helped me get to a place I didn’t know how to reach on my own.”

Rod Hancock · CEO, Consultant, Speaker · Email

“I think the poetry is lovely and could stand the test of time. I’m happy to say I already lead an unreasonable life, but it can always be more unreasonable. Thanks to your book, I decided to take on a massive project with a crushing deadline.”

Sara Lapsley · Entrepreneur · Twitter DM

“Reading this made me feel like you opened this current chapter of my life and put it in book form. Seeing you give a name for something I was already doing felt like looking at my life on the page.”

Jay Clarke · Software Developer · Twitter DM

“"I wrote this in a day" isn't the feel of the book. This is a "I reflected on a lifetime of experience and in one day of alchemy I distilled those reflections into actionable lessons." I loved it and recommend learning from Anthony if you are aiming for personal greatness.”

Tom Kinsfather · LinkedIn

“It is indeed an incredible read and there's no need to apologize for that - I would like to apologize to all the people who will waste their time doing things OTHER THAN reading this book. Their loss!”

Allen Plunkett · CEO and philanthropist · LinkedIn

“This is a sweeeeet little book to have. 20 years of experience beautifully written into truths that sound 200 years old.”

Chris Bogen · PhD, CISSP, Cybersecurity Professional · LinkedIn

“This book is so good, I just ordered a copy. And I already have it. The ULTIMATE coffee table book - just leave it there and watch the magic.”

Jeremy Cioara · CEO and Entrepreneur · LinkedIn

“Awesome work that I HIGHLY recommend!”

Torrey Dawley · LinkedIn

“A book that is to be read every now and then. It gives a reminder to lead towards the promised land every time a page is read. Glad to have a copy of it.”

Om Mani Pokharel · LinkedIn

“I devoured this book! I feel like it is going to be a true classic along the lines of 4 agreements, etc. if it gets the right exposure.”

Keely O'Connor · LinkedIn

“One of the best books I’ve ever read in my entire life. A true manual on becoming a maestro. If you’re someone with a burning desire to become the best of the best, I highly recommend reading this one.”

Monique Pryce · AI Media Entrepreneur · Email

“Anthony Garone gets things done. So can you. His book distills over 2,000 years of wisdom into a concentrated brew that can be read in an hour. This mini book outlines the strategies and philosophies that have served Garone (and many others) so well in terms of accomplishment. So what are you waiting for?”

David Ashcraft · Email

“As far as I’m concerned, this is the best content I have read this year (and I read a lot). It’s packed with so much value. […] This is better or matches the feeling when I was reading the Almanack of Naval Ravikant.”

Ali Mehdi Mukadam · Investor · Email

“An excellent little book that's packed full of wisdom. Fantastic work, Anthony.”

Andrew Gould · Twitter

“This book made me uncomfortable in the best way, because it challenged me in the gap between what I know I’m capable of and where I am.”

Paul Bullard · Twitter DM

“This is gold.”

Reader feedback

“In short: great piece of knowledge, which really resonated with me. Keep up the good work!”

Jorge Miranda · Twitter DM

“I just bought a copy of @atgarone new book and really looking forward to reading it ! He is a truly unique creative thinker who has a depth that will surprise you If you’re a high performer who feels misunderstood, buy this book!”

Capital Flows · Twitter

“It was inspiring and helpful. Pearson just launched a massive restructuring effort, and your insights will help me focus on what’s important and what I should master in the changing environment.”

Michael Aillon · Email

“I've just finished reading it - and I love it! So much food for thought, thank you.”

Dr. Julia Bramble · Twitter

“Anthony writes like a whole group of ancients.”

Costas Papaikonomou · CEO and Innovation Investor · Twitter

“The content resonates with a lot of things I’ve had in mind recently, and the timing is great as I started introducing my 6yo to Epictetus just a few days ago. I’m still pondering my next steps, but revisiting classics certainly cannot hurt.”

Rachel V · Twitter

“Wow, incredible work.”

Jack O'Connor · Twitter

“I was reading a book by @atgarone and a few phrases made me stop I had to reread them Let them simmer a bit Understand what he's saying”

Rainar Angelo · Twitter

“A kind but firm wake up call to anyone who has abdicated forging their own path to the safety of the groupthink, autopilot life, and solidarity and tools for anyone already charting that path on their own. Anthony doesn’t hide behind vague rhetoric, but rather leaves you with actionable steps throughout the book so you aren’t left with a short-lived high of what could be, but instead a plan for exactly what you’re going to do differently moving forward.”

Matt Conlon · Email

“I reflect a lot on the convo we had a few months go. Your skill seems to be in asking the questions that instantly cut through the layers of self-deception and excuses, rather than just listening or giving casual advice. And if you're making ppl cry then it's proof positive you're hitting them right where it hurts. Lotta "oh shit, that's true!" moments when chatting to you.”

Colin Beaney · Entrepreneur · Twitter

“I read "Reject the Reasonable Life" over the weekend, and really liked it. I loved the straightforward approach and writing style. I have always advocated for creativity first, going deeper, and an action-oriented, crowd-ignoring lifestyle. Probably one of the reasons we love Prog rock is that it's always focused on uniqueness, mastery, and ignoring the crowd. Also, I have attached an MP3 overview of the book. It appeared at the top of the book as a Gemini option for its creation. It is ~4 minutes long. I'm 67 and retired now; tailoring a version of these concepts and ideas for retired folks would be great and really resonate. It would need some different content and exercises. People are now retiring at much earlier ages, and many financial podcasters urge people to retire early. The same ideas hold, and retirement gives most folks a chance to reject the reasonable life and live in "rewirement." Great work! I'm going to read Get Good, Go Fast, Conquer! this week.”

Jeff Duchmann · Email

“Your book affirmed what I already knew but was ignoring. You taught me that if I want to succeed in my career, or anything for that matter, I need to be more serious about practice — good practice — and time management. You actually practiced what you preached and made this one precise, to the point, and completely packed with valuable content.”

Michael Stilwell · Email

“Cannot recommend Anthony Garone enough! He's been an incredible mentor and coach. Anthony has a talent for extracting what's holding you back and how to unlock real actionable clarity.”

Joel Cook · Senior AI Product Designer · LinkedIn

“I’ve gotten a lot of value from Anthony Garone’s advisory work, so I want to share it more openly. We recently did a Clarity session focused on my work. Not tactics. Not resume polish. The real issue was that I’d been waiting. Waiting for the next clearly defined role. Waiting for someone else to set the scope. Waiting for the moment when it would feel obvious. Meanwhile, I had a specific move sitting in front of me. I’d been considering carving out a sharper point of view and putting it into the world more deliberately. Being explicit about the kinds of problems I want to solve. But I kept telling myself it wasn’t fully formed. Not ready. Not complete. Anthony didn’t hand me a plan. He challenged the story underneath it. I’ve long told myself I’m at my best when someone hands me a big messy problem. Drop me into the middle. I’ll bring order. I’ll build. I’ll execute. That’s true. But it’s incomplete. What I wasn’t admitting is that I’d outsourced direction. I was operating well inside other people’s opportunities instead of defining my own. That framing was keeping me smaller than I realized. He pushed me to rewrite that story. To see that the same creativity and work ethic I use inside existing businesses can be applied to building one. To choose a direction before it’s obvious. To move before it’s comfortable. Once that shifted, the next steps got clearer. Define the lane. Stop waiting for a formal invitation. So I’ve started building my own product. It’s early. It’s real. I’ll share more as it moves toward launch. Anthony has also started a Substack. The writing carries the same clarity and directness I experienced in the session. If you’re doing solid work but suspect you’re letting circumstance set the pace, it’s worth reading.”

Michael DeSouza · Chief Product Officer · LinkedIn

“My session with Anthony helped me get clarity on what I want to build, not what I want to be hired into. He’s sharp, honest, and practical. You leave with a clearer direction and fewer excuses.”

Nicoleta Hajek · CEO & SVP Sales · LinkedIn

“I am a pretty private guy that operates in the background. Anthony is one of the rare individuals that profoundly impacts everyone lucky enough to know him. In a world full of charlatans, Anthony is the real deal. The gating issue won’t be can he help you; it is can you keep up!”

John Lott · CFO & Growth investor · LinkedIn

“A gut punch, but not hard enough to hurt.”

Sarah Rose · ADHD coach · Conversation transcript, 2026-06-09