// Book comparison
Abundance vs Can't Hurt Me
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of Abundance by Peter Diamandis, Steven Kotler and Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins.
Abundance
by Peter Diamandis, Steven Kotler
★ 4.8/5
Can't Hurt Me
by David Goggins
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| Abundance | Can't Hurt Me | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.8/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 400 | 364 |
| Reading time | ~10.0 h | ~9.1 h |
| Published | 2012 | 2018 |
| Author | Peter Diamandis, Steven Kotler | David Goggins |
| Category | Innovation & Technology | Personal Effectiveness |
| Publisher | Free Press | Lioncrest Publishing |
Choose Abundance if…
- → You're interested in innovation & technology.
Choose Can't Hurt Me if…
- → You're interested in personal effectiveness.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You prefer a shorter read (~9.1 hours).
- → You want the more recent perspective (2018).
Key takeaways — Abundance
- ✓ Utilize Incentive Prizes and Gamification to accelerate your organization's R&D, attracting the world's best non-traditional problem-solvers to your strategic challenges.
- ✓ Leverage Dematerialization, recognizing that technology allows you to provide high-value services (like cameras or GPS) at near-zero marginal cost by turning them into software.
- ✓ Focus your organizational mission on Solving Grand Challenges, aligning your firm's growth with the most urgent needs of the 'Rising Billion' for massive strategic impact.
Key takeaways — Can't Hurt Me
- ✓ Apply the 40% Rule to your strategic projects, recognizing that your organization has vast untapped reserves of potential that can be accessed through disciplined mental focus.
- ✓ Utilize the Accountability Mirror to conduct honest assessments of your leadership failures and skill gaps, ensuring that your professional growth is grounded in radical truth.
- ✓ Build a Calloused Mind by intentionally taking the 'hard path' in your daily decisions, creating the psychological resilience needed to lead effectively during extreme organizational crises.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, shorter read, start with Can't Hurt Me. If you specifically need personal effectiveness, Abundance is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is Abundance or Can't Hurt Me better? +
Can't Hurt Me has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.8/5), but "better" depends on your goal. Abundance focuses on innovation & technology, while Can't Hurt Me focuses on personal effectiveness. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, Abundance or Can't Hurt Me? +
Can't Hurt Me is shorter (364 pages, ~9.1 hours) compared to Abundance (400 pages, ~10.0 hours).
Should I read Abundance or Can't Hurt Me first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with Can't Hurt Me. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.