Author: Jodie

Step 37 Why restaurants fail

Hi Sophie,

This step is about why restaurants Fail – controlling all three of the classic factors of production.

Initially I wasn’t sure if I could relate to this one, but it turned out to be a really interesting way of looking at success in any area of life, and being able to assess if something has what it takes to succeed, or why something failed, and in doing so being able to see patterns that help us make better decisions in all areas of life, and to actually drive our decisions rather than just going where we’re expected to go or taking whatever comes up. Continue reading “Step 37 Why restaurants fail”

Step 67 Annihilating the Amygdala, and MPFC Mastery

Hi Sophie,

This step is about ‘Annihilating the Amygdala, and MPFC Mastery’. This one is sooo interesting.

He starts this out first by explaining that when he started these 67 steps, he hadn’t completed this last one yet, to illustrate a principle that the founder of Linkedin said – that if you’re not a little embarrassed of your first product, you waited too long to launch the business. Continue reading “Step 67 Annihilating the Amygdala, and MPFC Mastery”

Step 64 Forgetting who is in the room

Hi Sophie,

This step is about ‘forgetting who’s in the room’… avoiding this success ‘faux pas’.

The first principle here is that when it comes to getting the good life in all 4 areas of life, and achieving the kind of success that most people never get close to achieving or even aspire to, one of the main causes is that

we listen to ourselves and our own beliefs, and stop listening to and learning from experts or people with more wisdom and experience than we have.

Continue reading “Step 64 Forgetting who is in the room”

Step 54 Chess-like Assiduity

Hi Sophie,

This step is called ‘Chess-like Assiduity and armchair meditation’ – the real use for deep thinking.

He starts this one right out with a principle, from a Charlie Munger quote, that what it takes to be successful is ‘assiduity’- his definition being having your ass in a chair, to THINK. I had to look that word up – it had a few different definitions, but the synonyms were things like concentration, consciousness, consideration… in this case setting aside time for deep thinking, pondering, contemplating challenges… Continue reading “Step 54 Chess-like Assiduity”

Step 50 Mastering the wrong things and blue eye shadow numbnuts

Hi Sophie,

This step is about ‘mastering the wrong things’ – the how and why of self-reliance.

He starts right out with the principle that we MUST be self-reliant. Interesting.

I have always wanted to be self-reliant, but I never thought of it as something that we MUST do in order to have success in every area, but in the context of all of these steps, which are about taking responsibility for our decisions and the paths we take, I think I have a much clearer grasp on this… as in ‘if it’s meant to be, it’s up to me‘… self-reliance.

I never looked at it that way before. I do see that there can be negatives to trying to do everything ourselves, and that there’s some truth both to delegating and to doing things ourselves, but in this context it seems that even delegating well would be a form of self-reliance in that we’d be taking the responsibility of making sure something is being handled properly that we might not have the time or expertise to handle. Continue reading “Step 50 Mastering the wrong things and blue eye shadow numbnuts”

Step 7 Learned helplessness

Hi Sophie,

Wow, today’s step was so interesting, something I never considered at all but I completely see it – preconditioned helplessness. ‘Learned helplessness’-this is definitely a brand new concept to me… but I definitely see it, looking at all of the diet plans & health books since way back in history, looking at all of the millions of self- help books & programs, it does seem like we are all convinced that some outside help is necessary to achieve anything at all, myself included.

I also hadn’t thought about why on earth we’re so afraid to take a risk… I wonder if that same media bias that clouds over the long process involved to start something and doesn’t show the long process helps to perpetuate the fear of starting something. Continue reading “Step 7 Learned helplessness”

Step 6 Media bias

Hi Sophie,

Step 6 was very timely for me after our call today.  The main principle that I got out of it is ‘ slow is smooth and smooth is fast’, in a different set of words.

It really made me think though- I never considered the huge part that media bias plays in conveying that success comes pretty quickly without too much effort…that it  forms our internal timelines for success- money, fitness, etc. I can totally see it though, that we never see the process, because it’s not a good story.  I believe that also because of the media and TV in general, even if they showed the process people wouldn’t have the attention span to hang in there & watch it. Continue reading “Step 6 Media bias”

Step 51: Language

Hi Sophie,

This step is about ‘Wittgenstein’s Lion’, and how language and words MATTER – the power and effectiveness of Language. I think that very first thing is a principle – that language and words MATTER… it sounds so simple, but I’m sitting here thinking about that, amazed at how little importance most of us put on our words and our language. The world seems to be full of people who quickly and easily adopt an accent or a ‘slang’ that they think SOUNDS cool, so they can project themselves or their self image in a certain way… Continue reading “Step 51: Language”