Bill Gurley

Published by: Crown Currency
Release Date: February 24, 2026
Pages: 272
ISBN13: 978-0593799666
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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 truly 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: the antidote to career regret. From developing “obsessive” curiosity to mastering the art of peer networks, these timeless principles add up to a playbook not just for success, but for 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.