Saturday Success: positive reference points, skills & 25 paradoxes you must know
Making life & money work for you.
Welcome back to the Saturday Success Series email!
This week we have:
Master Yourself: Positive reference points
Master Your Money: Build skills
And of course…
The Weekly Special: 25 Paradoxes of Life You Absolutely Must Know
The goal here is maximum value, so let’s get to it.
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Master Yourself
A positive reference point (PRP) is, typically, a person who is a good role model in a specific category.
I’ll share some personal examples.
Betty White: PRP for age
Betty was doing shit right up until she died, just shy of 100.
She had a positive outlook and wasn’t letting age slow her down.
That’s a solid goal model. Work and be active right up until I drop.
Richard Branson: PRP for success
Richard has been successful in almost every arena of business. Travel, telecommunications, banking, health, etc. Dude doesn’t stop.
He thinks of ideas and figures out how to get them done. He doesn’t consider why they won’t work.
Try, tweak, try more. Err on the side of dreaming big.
Warren Buffett: PRP for money
Warren is patient and wise.
He reads lot.
He lives modestly.
He thinks a lot.
Doesn’t take big risks.
I can appreciate all of this and it lines up with my values.
Tom Brady: PRP for health
Tom is dedicated to his health more than anyone else on the planet, probably.
He understands everything is built off good health.
We can’t enjoy our successes if we’re sick.
Figure out some of your Positive Reference Points. For your relationships, for business, for investing. The list goes on and on.
Their habits can help you create your own.
Master Your Money
Build skills
Skills are what builds additional income. Whether it’s via promotion at work or building new side hustles.
You’re never done learning or adding to your skillset.
This year I worked on UX design and project management certificate courses.
Next up, conversion rates and landing pages. I follow a 30 for 30 plan.
And my 9–5 is sales so I read at least one new sales book every month to keep up and learn new tactics.
Weekly Special
25 Paradoxes of Life You Absolutely Must Know
Paradox 1: Persuasion Paradox
People who argue rarely persuade others. People who are most convincing don’t argue; instead, they watch, listen, and ask questions.
Never, ever, ever argue. It’s a complete waste of time.
Paradox 2: Effort Paradox
Effortless performances are frequently the result of a lot of hard work. To put it another way, a lot of effort is put into making things appear effortless.
Small things become big things as they are iterated over time. It’s not just basic; it’s loaded. Stacking habits throughout your day is one way to do this.
Paradox 3: Choice Paradox
The more options you have, the more difficult it is to make a decision. When you do make a decision, you’re also less satisfied.
Whether you recognize it or not, opportunity cost rears its ugly head. Try to limit your choices.
Paradox 4: Wisdom Paradox
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” Albert Einstein is credited with coining the phrase “theory of relativity.”
As you understand more, you become more aware of the vast unknown. This should be empowering rather than terrifying. Accept your lack of knowledge. Accept lifelong learning as a way of life.
Paradox 5: Growth Paradox
Growth takes far longer than you believe to arrive, and then it occurs much more quickly than you imagine. Growth occurs slowly at first, then swiftly.
When you recognize this, you begin to change your ways. You understand that consistent discipline is the key.
Paradox 6: Productivity Paradox
According to Parkinson’s Law, work expands to occupy the time available for completion. When you have a set number of hours to work, you will find unproductive ways to fill them.
As a result, you end yourself working more hours and accomplishing less. Instead, work like an athlete. How do they work? They sprint, rest, and repeat.
Paradox 7: Speed Paradox
Slow down if you want to move quickly. Slowing down allows you to take your time and think about what you’re doing.
You’ll be able to concentrate better, gather more energy, and employ your resources more effectively. It allows you to concentrate on leverage and ROI rather than effort alone.
Paradox 8: Positivity/Death Paradox
As you get older and closer to death, you really do become happier. You don’t have time for frills, so you spend more time doing the things that make you happy.
To properly live your life, you must first understand your death. It’s not meant to be depressing; rather, it’s meant to clarify, illuminate, and inspire. Death is an unavoidable reality. Live your life to the fullest.
Paradox 9: Money Paradox
To make money, you must first lose money. Every successful investor and builder has a story about how a devastating loss in their career taught them crucial lessons.
It is sometimes necessary to pay to learn. Put your money where your mouth is. Money that is afraid of losing money does not produce money.
Paradox 10: News Paradox
You become less knowledgeable as you absorb more news. With more data comes a larger noise-to-signal ratio, which means you’ll know less about what’s really going on.
Wish to learn more about the world? Turn off the television
Paradox 11: Icarus Paradox
Icarus created wings, but when he flew too close to the sun, they melted and he died. What makes you successful could also be your undoing.
An incumbent succeeds in one area, but their overconfidence blinds them to impending disruption. Be cautious.
Paradox 12: Failure Paradox
To succeed more, you must fail more. Our most formative experiences are frequently the result of our most abysmal failures.
Don’t be afraid of failure; instead, learn to fail smartly and quickly. Pressure is a privilege, it creates diamonds.
Paradox 13: Tony Robbins Paradox
The willingness to recognize you have no competitive advantage can be the ultimate competitive advantage when it comes to investing.
High-quality decision-making is bred by strong self-awareness. Self-confidence bred by fools yields nothing useful. Be aware of yourself and act accordingly.
Paradox 14: Shrinking Paradox
Sometimes you have to shrink in order to grow. Growth is never a straight path. It may feel like a step back to lose weight, but it is necessary for long-term progress.
It’s a recipe for long-term success if you take one step back and two steps ahead.
Paradox 15: Say No Paradox
Take on fewer tasks and get more done. Taking on everything that comes your way will not lead to success. It stems from a laser-like focus on the most important tasks.
Say yes to the things that matter and no to the things that don’t. Take care of your time as if it were a precious treasure.
Paradox 16: Availability Paradox
The more readily available something is, the less likely you are to desire it. The scarcity bias is quite prominent in humans.
We automatically think that scarce things are valued and numerous things are not. This isn’t the case at all.
Paradox 17: Talking Paradox
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Epictetus. Start by talking less and listening more if you want your words and ideas to be heard. Your words will have more impact.
To be heard more, speak less.
Paradox 18: Connectedness Paradox
There is a trade-off between being more connected and being less connected. We’re always online, bombarded with notifications and dopamine boosts. However, even if we are more connected, we feel less attached.
Put the phone down. Take a moment to look someone in the eyes. Have a conversation. Take a deep breath.
Paradox 19: Relationship Paradox
You’re more likely to attract a high quality partner if you don’t need anyone else.
People are drawn to those who are self-sufficient and don’t require assistance to live.
Paradox 20: Taleb Surgeon Paradox
Looking the part isn’t always the best indicator of ability. The one who doesn’t look the part has had to overcome a lot more than the one from central casting to get to this point.
If you have to pick, go with the one that doesn’t look the part.
Paradox 21: Looking Paradox
It’s possible that you’ll have to give up looking in order to find what you’re looking for. Have you ever observed that you rarely find what you’re looking for?
Stop looking; you might just find what you’re looking for. It can be applied to love, business, investing, or life in general.
Paradox 22: Constant Change Paradox
“When you are finished changing, you are finished.” Benjamin Franklin. Change is the only constant in life.
Reality is entropic. It’s the one thing you can always rely on, the sole constant in your life. Embrace it — be adaptable and dynamic.
Paradox 23: Control Paradox
Less control as more control is exerted. As children, partners, or parents, we’ve all witnessed or experienced this. Those who are the most in charge typically have the least control.
Humans are hardwired for independence, and any attempt to change that will be met with opposition.
Paradox 24: Fear Paradox
The thing we are most afraid of is typically the thing we need to accomplish the most. When we postpone facing our fears, we limit our ability to develop and live.
Make it a habit to approach your anxieties. Then take the risk and see what happens. You could just find growth on the other side.
Paradox 25: Resistance Paradox
“Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” Eckhart Tolle. If you find yourself in an unpleasant circumstance, don’t fight or resist it.
Accept what you don’t like instead of opposing it, and then take steps to improve it. Fighting doesn’t help or change anything, and it doesn’t liberate you from the thing you’re resisting; it just entangles you and makes things worse.
Thanks for reading! If you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it. See you next Saturday!
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