What's Inside
From the moment we're old enough to dream, we're handed a script: follow the rules, wait your turn, and maybe, someday, opportunity will knock. But what if the system is wrong?
Rewrite Your Script
The system isn't designed to help you thrive; it's designed to keep you in place—waiting for permission, waiting for approval, waiting for a chance that may never come.
Take Control
Success isn't about luck, connections, or waiting for the right moment—it's about taking control and creating your own opportunities.
Build Your Own Path
This book is for any young professional ready to accelerate their career, aspiring entrepreneur determined to build their own path, or anyone stuck in a 9-to-5 grind who knows they're meant for more.
Noah Kagan
Author of Million Dollar Weekend
"Jay has done a phenomenal job weaving together these stories and strategies into a clear, actionable roadmap."
Key Lessons
Drawing from real-world examples of people who didn't wait for permission to succeed.
How I landed a dream internship at 16 by cold emailing a startup CEO, without a resume, a title, or any business doing it (Page 1)
How Arnold Schwarzenegger made himself immune to distractions by asking one brutally honest question every morning (Page 17)
The secret to how Kobe Bryant progressed faster than all of his peers, and how you can apply it to any skill (Page 25)
The jazz musician who crushed six semesters of college into five weeks, and the lesson that can save you years of slow progress (Page 31)
The three-question test that reveals your obsession, and why most people ignore the one thing they were built to pursue (Page 36)
The networking strategy Ben Franklin and MrBeast used centuries apart, and how you can use it to grow your circle today (Page 41)
Mozart's savage response to a 21-year-old beginner, and the real reason most people never build anything worth remembering (Page 50)
The single mental framework Jeff Bezos used to walk away from a Wall Street career and launch something that changed everything (Page 57)
The boldest way to ask for what you want without sounding desperate, pushy, or salesy (Page 77)
How sharing unfinished work online helped me build a following, land dream clients, and grow my agency from scratch (Page 97)
Meet the Author
Jay Yang
Jay Yang believes you don't need permission to create your own opportunities.
At 16, he cold-emailed Tyler Denk, CEO of beehiiv, with a list of ideas on how he could help. That email turned into an internship where he built beehiiv 101—a course that has helped hundreds of users unlock the platform's potential.
At 17, he sent Noah Kagan, founder of AppSumo, a 19-page pitch deck breaking down gaps in his social media and email marketing—and how to fix them. That landed him a role as Head of Content, where he led social media campaigns, including the one that made Million Dollar Weekend a New York Times bestseller.
Today, Jay continues to help entrepreneurs scale their brands, grow their audiences, and market their products more effectively.
Foreword by Noah Kagan, Author of Million Dollar Weekend
Special Offers
Unlock exclusive bonuses when you purchase multiple copies.
Free Online Course
Purchase 2 or more copies and get access to my exclusive online course "The Permissionless Approach" where I break down the exact steps to stand out, create opportunities, and land your dream job.
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Perfect for teachers, coaches, and organizations. Purchase 25 or more copies and get a private workshop or 1:1 coaching session with me to implement the book's principles for your specific context.
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