Advice

Nobody has ever given me any life advice or wisdom. I wish someone had, so I could avoid many mistakes that I've made in life.

When my son was born I decided to start putting together a list of tips I could pass on to him at an age where he could understand them. Some of the items may be of use to others, while others may not resonate (you may even disagree with some), but I figured if it helps him, it might help someone else reading this.

The following is a working list in progress:

  1. Copy an existing, large, profitable business and niche it down to 1 specific thing. Develop, market, profit, sell to said large business.

  2. Copy any existing profitable business (something really focused) and make it better.

  3. Avoiding stupidity is easier than seeking brilliance.

  4. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.

  5. The world is incredibly complex, even the simplest things are not so simple.

  6. Take advantage of compounding effect. Compound investments, knowledge, relationships.

  7. Never judge a person, unless they mean harm.

  8. Hopping jobs is often the fastest way to get a pay increase.

  9. If you don’t like the rules, change the game. Everything is in your power. You are the captain of your ship, steer it as you please. Just don’t break laws in the process.

  10. You are your worst critic. Silence your critical self and you can accomplish what you set out to accomplish. Whatever doubts, fears or uncertainties you have, it’s all in your mind. Conquer that, and the rest will fall in place.

  11. Always save for the future. Put away some amount always, even if it seems insignificant. A little bit over time can add up to a lot.

  12. Don’t try to do it all on your own. Delegate, find people you can trust and have them do parts you don’t have the time for.

  13. Don’t let notifications /distractions ruin your life. Command your attention, turn off notifications, news, social media, they are all just distractions.

  14. Sleep at least 7 hours a day to live longer. Anything less than 7 hours will shorten your life. I have failed to do this, don’t make the same mistake.

  15. Sleep on it. When you have a hard problem ahead of you, a challenge you can’t fix or a work problem you can’t overcome, think about it hard before you fall asleep. When you wake up, you’ll have a solution. The human mind is a lot more capable are piecing things together in our sleep.

  16. Step away from computers often, go for long walks or exercise.

  17. Buy experiences, not things. Things fade, memories last a lifetime – until one gets Alzheimer’s that is.

  18. To influence, ask for help. People love it when you ask them for help – it makes them feel important. If you want to gain someone’s attention, ask for help.

  19. Ignore haters. Life is full of them, they are just not worth your very limited time on this planet.

  20. The best time to start is earlier, the 2nd best time is now. If you have something you want to accomplish, start on it RIGHT NOW. If the task is unsurmountable, take it one little step at a time.

  21. This is your life in years, don’t waste it on pointless things: (here I have an illustration of 90 squares, 1 being marked as birth and 90th as 90th birthday. The illustration is quite small and 90 years look very short when displayed in a vertical rectangle of 10 columns and 9 rows)

  22. To become a master, copy other masters. Only when you have reached their level, you can create something original.

  23. When it comes to seeking permission, tell, don’t ask. Asking puts you in a subservient position, where telling enlarges your stance.
    a. “I’m going on vacation next month” vs. “May I have vacation time next month?”
    b. “Here is my rate” vs. “How much can you pay?”

  24. Anchoring effect – when compared to something large or small, the desired option is easier to accept. For example, if you have a service that costs $40,000, mentioning $450,000 before bringing up the 40k will automatically make it feel less threatening in the person’s mind. It’s a lot easier to sell something that costs $20 when compared to $200, than when compared to $1. This goes for things outside of numbers. For example, when delivering bad news, you could couple it with good news to less then effect.

  25. Eliminate benign daily decisions. “Which shirt to wear?” Automate your decision process so you never have to waste energy on things that don’t matter.

  26. Schedule your time. Every minute of your life costs something. Think of wasted time as lost opportunity. Put important events on a calendar and stick to that schedule. If you find that you don’t have time for something, schedule it on the calendar and make yourself unavailable for other activities during that time – focus on that one task.

  27. Take extremely good care of your health. You will regret deeply if you don’t. Don’t eat bread, too many sweets or refined carbs / sugars – they literally cause cancer. Avoid bread, pasta, sweets, processed carbs (crackers, chips, cereal etc… ) whenever possible. Carbs cause inflammation, and the body is not designed to handle inflammation well.

  28. Your body is an organism, if you want it to thrive, you have to feed it well. Only ingest things that help your body (vegetables, fruits in moderation, omega-3 rich foods – fish, avocados, nuts).

  29. Move on quickly. Dwelling is absolutely pointless and only wastes more time.

  30. Always charge your worth. Never do anything for free unless you are volunteering your time for a good cause.

  31. Add value to everything – people’s life, your job, your business, your investment, your relationship. Adding value is a skill that must be practiced but pays dividends in the long run.

  32. When someone tells you something personal, listen. Really listen, don’t offer advice, just shut up and listen, they didn’t come for advice.

  33. Take advantage of professionals – get help when needed. Don’t be cheap.

  34. You get what you pay for – really. If it’s cheap, chances are its shit, but be weary of scammers & marketing bsers who disguise quality with price. Avoid branded products unless you feel they offer real quality over alternative. Luxury brands are almost never worth it and are a complete waste of money unless money is no longer an object in your life.


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