SUMMARY - Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives by Tim Harford

* Our summary is short, simple and pragmatic. It allows you to have the essential ideas of a big book in less than 30 minutes.



*As you read this summary, you will learn that disorder, as disorganization, improvisation, confusion, ambiguity or imperfection, is much more beneficial than you think, and has positive effects at home, at work, in class and beyond.



*You will also learn that : creativity is often the result of constraints and chance; at work, the most heterogeneous teams are the most successful; it is less important whether your desk is tidy or not, whether you have decided to do it or not; disorder and confusion are very effective in beating your political, military or business opponents; wanting to measure and quantify everything is impossible and counterproductive in the face of the complexity of the 21st century.



*If Tim Harford is interested in disorder and what is related to it (imperfections, inconsistencies, ambiguities, improvisation), it is not because he sees it as a panacea, but rather because he finds that it is not celebrated enough. Indeed, this disorder is often at the root of many artistic, professional or personal successes, and many people are unaware of it.



*The author cites the example of the American pianist Keith Jarrett, who had to make up his mind to play, during a concert, an instrument that was not as intended. As the conditions were not optimal, the artist was initially reluctant to do so. However, under pressure from the organizer, he finally decided to do so. In the end, the performance proved to be memorable, and the resulting album, "The Köln Concert", broke all records, selling 3.5 million copies.



*Buy now the summary of this book for the modest price of a cup of coffee!