 | Work hard to give yourself lots of options and opportunities |
| Always finish what you start, is an adage that many people try to follow. And it's a good one in a lot of ways. But it probably focusses too much on the importance of the entire process towards achieving a goal. Generally, it's the earlier part that's most important, in my view. |
| Bring on the bad news |
| A common problem for people who are unsuccessful is that they slavishly avoid bad news. If such news has to be received, they prefer to put it off as long as possible. Often, they prefer to dodge it altogether. |
| Operate in the real world |
| I grew up in a somewhat academic family. Many of my parent's friend are academics, and I've spent a lot of time socialising with such people. My own career has been mostly in the business world. What strikes me is how different their world-view of how things operate is to what I've experienced. |
| The world's best investment |
| Many people don't think of it consciously, but much of our lives are spent deciding how to invest our resources. Families decide whether to move into a bigger house, or save their money and stay in the current one. Young women decide which man they should bet their reproductive potential on. Workers ponder what they should do with their holidays. And so on. |
| Much of success is about knowing how to anticipate problems |
| When I was in my teens, my friends and I were addicted to arcade games. This is a pretty typical obsession with boys. I spent lots of my pocket-money on such games and even managed to win some of them. |
| Make good attributes part of your identity |
| We all have a picture of who we are inside our heads. Sure, you might be an accountant who lives in Miami, but it extends much further than this. |
| The future is the only thing you can hope to influence, so focus on that |
| We are all, in many ways, walking containers of memories. Good memories, bad memories, uplifting ones and tragic ones. Our pasts shape us into the people we are. |
| Too much self-belief can be expensive |
| We are often told about how important self-belief is. We're told to be optimistic, think positive and view ourselves as born special and unique. This is all well and good, but at times it can also be damaging. Too much self-belief can actually limit your potential. |
| Get addicted to learning new things |
| When I was eleven years old I received a book on how to juggle which came with three juggling balls. It sat on my shelf for a couple of years before one day I picked it up and began trying to keep three balls in the air using only my two hands. This wasn't easy and it took me a while to get right, but after some practice I could do it. |
| A key secret of effectiveness |
| What is effectiveness exactly? It's a special term that can sell a million books, and make or break a commercial enterprise. It's a key difference between the average and the successful in this life. And the main secret of it is as simple as it is powerful. |
| Don't settle for the first thing that falls into your lap |
| We're all dissatisfied with our lives to some extent. Whether it's in our relationships, career, health or living standard, everyone wishes somehow that things could be a bit better. Despite this basic truth, there's no doubt that some people are more satisfied with their lot than others. |
| Do lots of small, cheap experiments |
| I once met a guy who'd built a successful website that he'd made a lot of money from. It's always interesting to talk to people who've done well, so I asked him what his secret was. |
| Don't get too hung up on any one particular outcome |
| One mistake I often see in those who are frustrated with their lives is that they focus too heavily on one particular outcome. A classic example of this is the guy who's worked at the same company for 10 years and been passed over for promotion the last 5. |
| Be adaptable in a changing world |
| When I look and listen to the people around me, I get the impression that many of them are terribly afraid of change. You can see it in the way they cling desperately to a job they hate, keep friends who are obviously bad for them, and stay in abusive relationships. |
| Understand social proof |
| There are all sorts of ways to persuade people of things. You can use rational argument, flashy gimmicks or emotional pulls. One of the most powerful is the use of social proof. |
| Test yourself out on the real world |
| Each of us lives in two different places. The real world in which our bodies are firmly anchored, and a shadow-world of fantasies, rules-of-thumb and strategies that flows in the space between our ears. |
| Focus on the opportunities of the future, not the tragedies of the past |
| Life isn't always easy. I'm sure I don't have to convince you of that. We all face tragedies and make mistakes. That's just part of existing on this planet. |
| Know when to be cold and calculating |
| When I was in my twenties, I got quite interested in going to pool halls with my friends. Generally, in such places there'd be more people wanting to play pool than there were tables to accommodate them. Under such circumstances, it often became necessary to play strangers for control of a table. |
| How to improve your imagination and creativity |
| There are all sorts of strategies that are talked about for improving your imagination. Free-form flowing, lateral thinking and "thinking outside the box" whatever the heck that means. |
| Take the time to learn lots of useful tricks |
| When a magician makes an elephant disappear on stage before our eyes, we all know it's not real magic. We also know he wasn't born knowing how to do that. Instead, we understand that he's spent years honing his skills in order to trick us. |