Rare Breed

A guide to success for the defiant, dangerous, and different.

What's It About?

Rare Breed takes up arms against conformity. It identifies seven traits that the authors argue define the people who actually move the needle — the ones who lead, inspire, and create. But here's what makes it interesting: in true Robert Greene fashion, Sunny and Ashleigh show both sides of the coin for each trait. Every strength has a shadow side when taken to its extreme.

This isn't a book full of practical tips and 10-step how-to guides. It provides the mindsets you need to do something out of the ordinary, and it tells stories about how great people — who started out as regular gals and blokes, just like you and me — used these mindsets to create something truly remarkable.

🎯 Why It's on BookLab

I was challenged by this book because I don't necessarily believe in all the traits the authors put forward. To me, being obsessive and a perfectionist is not always the best thing. I'm a more detached type of person, and I consider perfectionism to be "fear in fancy shoes."

But I also have to admit — these guys make really good points. And it's the stories that make this book shine. The way they illustrate each trait with real people and real events is what sets it apart from your average business book.

📖 The 7 Traits of a Rare Breed

Each trait gets its own breakdown — when it's an asset, when it becomes a weakness, and unforgettable stories of people who embodied it:

📝 Stories That Stuck With Me

The silent rebel who saved thousands

The Japanese Vice-consul Sugihara, who — in an act of silent rebellion — went against his generals' orders and saved thousands of Jews during World War II by issuing visas to them. A quiet, defiant act that cost him everything professionally and saved countless lives.

The audacious solution

Alexander the Great, when challenged to untie the infamous and impossible Gordian Knot — a knot no one had ever been able to undo — drew his sword and cut it in half with one single audacious blow. Then he went on to conquer most of the known world. Sometimes the answer isn't patience. It's a sword.

The obsessed sushi master

The sushi maker who lets his apprentices massage each octopus for 45 minutes before serving, to achieve the perfect tenderness for this notoriously tough meat. That's obsession in its purest, most beautiful form.

Audacity: asset vs. weakness

"When unshakable conviction in a crazy vision unlocks futures that didn't exist and inspires people to attempt the impossible."

That's audacity as an asset. But flip it:

"When egotism breeds a reckless disregard for reality and the inability to acknowledge one's shortcomings."

That's audacity as a weakness. This type of breakdown is done for each of the seven traits — and it's what gives the book real depth.

Learn more about the authors at motto.is.