33 pages 1 hour read

Chip Heath, Dan Heath

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2006

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Important Quotes

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“Many of us struggle with how to communicate ideas effectively, how to get our ideas to make a difference.”


(Introduction, Page 5)

The main goal of the book is to help readers understand how to make their ideas more relevant to their target audience. People often have brilliant ideas but cannot communicate them effectively. The purpose of Made to Stick is to identify the components that make ideas attractive.

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“Given the importance of making ideas stick, it’s surprising how little attention is paid to the subject.”


(Introduction, Page 9)

There is relatively little research done on how ideas gain traction. Most of the existing literature focuses on teaching people how to deliver a message or how to target the right audience, neither of which explores what makes certain ideas stick.

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“We wanted to take apart sticky ideas—both natural and created—and figure out what made them stick.”


(Introduction, Page 12)

The authors have already discussed why certain ideas resonate with people. By dissecting sticky ideas, they have individually compiled over the years in their individual careers, they hope to find the core components of what makes them so long-lasting.