Runnin' Down a Dream

How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love

By: Bill Gurley

Narrated by: Bill Gurley

Life is a use-it-or-lose-it proposition. Shouldn’t you spend it doing something you love? This book will teach you how to find your dream job and avoid a career you’ll regret—from a leading venture capitalist, based on his viral college talk.

“Fantastic. A variety of useful insights and examples that converge into one story that underlies remarkable success in nearly any field: The relentless hunger to learn about the thing you love.”—James Clear, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Atomic Habits

For many young people, the path to success feels like a conveyor belt—onto the next test, the next application, the next college—without ever stopping to ask what do I actually want to do with my life? Parents know the pressure can be overwhelming, yet the system pushes everyone forward anyway.

After college Bill Gurley landed a job at a famous tech company. It should have been a dream come true—but he was surprisingly bored. So, Gurley leapt into the unknown, eventually finding his place in the world of venture capital, the beginning of a remarkable investing career.

It turns out, Gurley’s happy ending is rare. Nearly six in ten people would do things differently if they could start over. This is the trap of “career regret.” So how can we avoid it? What can we learn from people at the top of their fields who love what they do? The culmination of Gurley’s decade-long project to unpack the components of success, Runnin’ Down a Dream identifies six principles to flourish in your chosen career:

1. Chase your curiosity
2. Hone your craft
3. Develop mentors in your field
4. Embrace your peers
5. Go where the action is
6. Always give back

These timeless principles add up to a playbook not just for success, but a purpose-filled life. Written in Gurley’s straight-talk voice and revealing the captivating stories of industry titans like talent agent Lorrie Bartlett, restaurateur Danny Meyer, and sports executive Sam Hinkie, Runnin’ Down a Dream will inspire a new generation to find their place in the world, while offering a much-needed rebuttal to the idea that hustle and happiness are incompatible.

*Includes a downloadable PDF with a list of Bill's recommended reading

strikes a chord in own life

I liked all the content. Very well illustrated with real life stories. I wish I read this 40 years ago.

Thought-provoking…practical…amazing

Could not recommend this book more highly. The concepts, insights, encouragements, lessons, etc all packaged in an interesting and practical set of steps make this mandatory reading for anyone looking for a meaningful career and life. In other words, everyone. And no better way than to hear all of this in Bill’s voice.

Very practical advice

I have listened to hundreds of hours of podcasts and books. This is one of the greats. Bill Gurley does an excellent job here of showing how a career, despite taking a non-obvious path, can end up in a wonderful place, and he highlights specific things we can do to get there. Thank you for taking the time to be an advisor to those of us starting out in our careers!

Great book for anyone who wants to start a great new chapter in their life - my new chapter? A Super Successful Retirement!

The book is very relatable and speaks to all age groups. I bought the book as a high school graduation present for my Godson. Using true stories of real people makes the book compelling. Listening to Bill Gurley, it feels like he’s a mentor ready to share with you hus wisdom.

Exactly what a new founder needed.

For me this was spot on. I’ve been looking for direction in my new business and as a new founder pivoting my career this was a great guide for helping me decide to keep going and not look back. I love the storytelling the story examples along with the principles was a great mix of motivation, entertainment, and how to act and steps to make.