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What if something you consider totally ludicrous is considered totally normal somewhere else.
And what if something you consider totally normal is considered totally ludicrous somewhere else?
Yes, you're exactly right.
That's the world we live in today.
Sometimes a little perspective helps...
And sometimes the ones who are considered crazy might actually be normal.
And the ones who are considered normal might actually be crazy.
It works both ways.
Always...
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A bestselling book doesn't need a bestselling cover designer or a bestselling editor.
What it really needs is a bestselling writer.
Without a bestselling writer all the other stuff is pretty much useless.
Just like a great company doesn't need great guidelines.
What it really needs are great people and great leaders.
If you need guidelines to control your people, you probably hired the wrong people anyway.
It's easy to get lost in all the fluff out there.
It’s easy to get lost in all the stuff that doesn't really matter that much and forget about the stuff that really matters.
Because the stuff that doesn't matter is easy to do.
And the stuff that really matters is hard to do.
Hiring an editor is relatively easy.
Hiring someone to design a cover is relatively easy.
Writing down a bunch of guidelines is easy.
It's all fake progress...
On the other hand, becoming a bestselling writer is really hard.
Just like hiring the best people out there is really hard.
Just like becoming a good human being is really hard.
But at the end of the day that's what really matters...
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I was terrified of solving math word problems when I was in 6th grade.
As soon as I saw one of them I felt like my IQ immediately dropped by at least 30 points.
I never managed to solve any of them.
I was refusing to think.
Because I wasn't good at it yet.
It was something unusual.
Something my brain wasn't used to.
Something uncomfortable.
Something that forced me to think slowly.
Instead of thinking fast...
So next time instead of thinking that you’re stupid or not smart enough, maybe you’re just refusing to think.
Refusing to think slowly.
Instead of thinking fast…
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The best time to start from scratch is to get started before you have to start from scratch...
I love to wait for things to just happen.
I love putting things off.
I was even putting off writing this for a couple of days.
I even started writing this yesterday and then for whatever reason I just stopped.
So just the other day I was reading on Facebook about someone talking about starting all over again. From scratch.
And of course I thought I could write about it.
Why?
I don't know.
But probably because I don't know a lot about starting from scratch.
So I was wondering what I’d do if I found myself in a situation where I wanted or had to start from scratch again.
What would I do..?
Now over the years I’ve done a little bit of reinvention.
But I never really had to start totally from scratch.
After all, you’re never really starting totally from scratch.
You're still the exact same person you were before.
Just a little different.
But you still have all the skills you've learned.
All the experiences you've made.
The good ones and the bad ones.
All the memories you've made.
The good ones and the bad ones.
So essentially you'll still be the person you are right now.
Maybe you'll do something else.
Maybe you'll learn something new.
Maybe you upgrade your set of values.
Maybe you become a better person.
Maybe you somehow turn the bad experiences into some weird lessons life wanted to teach you.
Or maybe there are no lessons. No one really knows...
But the things that define you are still there.
They will always be there.
No matter what you're doing, where you live or what your goals are.
So I think, at the end of the day we never really have to start totally from scratch again.
Even if we move to a new location.
Or do something totally new.
Of course if you’re just coming out of jail or something like that it's a whole different story.
But essentially we’re still the exact same person
And I think that's whats holding most of us back from reinventing ourselves.
From starting from scratch again.
Because we think that everything will change.
But at the end of the day not a lot will actually change.
You don't have to give up your identity.
Essentially it's still all the same...
So here's what I’d do if I was thinking about or was forced to reinvent myself...
# BEING FORCED
The best time to reinvent yourself is when you don't have to reinvent yourself.
Before you have to reinvent yourself.
Before you're forced to start all over again.
Because it takes time.
Reinvention takes time.
And it doesn't happen overnight.
And whenever you do something because you have to, it's usually already too late.
Or you don't give it all you got.
Or it'll be a lot harder because you have a lot more pressure.
Financial pressure.
Emotional pressure.
Physical pressure.
And spiritual pressure.
So reinvent yourself before you have to reinvent yourself.
Yes, I’m talking to you.
And to myself.
Mostly to myself...
We usually know when it’s about to happen.
We know when that relationship is about to fall apart.
We know when that job is likely going to disappear.
We know when that run we've been on lately is about to end.
And if we don't know it, we usually feel it.
Or at least I usually know it. Or feel it.
I knew almost every single time when a relationship was about to end.
Sometimes I already knew it years before it actually really ended.
Sometimes even before it really started.
I always knew when a project was most likely going to fail.
But I kept waiting. I kept doing it. For way longer than I should have.
Every single time….
We try to ignore the clues.
As long as we can.
As well as we can…
# IGNORANCE
Ignorance is good.
I’m a very ignorant person.
I ignore almost everybody and everything.
But sometimes ignorance can be a bad thing.
Especially when you're trying to ignore yourself.
When you're trying to ignore what your gut is trying to tell you.
What your body is trying to tell you.
You can ignore a lot of people and a lot of things, but you should never ignore yourself….
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"It's never too late to be who you say you are!" I went from being an entrepreneur to being an employee... Then I went to being an author and blogger. And then back to being an entrepreneur and public speaker. And now I do all of it at the same time. All while living out of a carry-on backpack with just three outfits in it. At one point I've decided to I write a book about what I've learned. And today you can get a free copy of it. Click here to claim your copy now (it's free, for now)... |
# BACKWARDS
So how do you know when you should listen to your gut and when you shouldn't?
I don't know. I really don't know.
But here's what I try to do…
I do the grandpa test .
It's very simple…
Whenever I have difficult decisions to make I imagine my 80 year old self.
I imagine my 80 year old self reflecting about life.
Reflecting about the things I've done and the things I haven't done.
And whenever my 80 year old self tells me that this is something he now regrets not having explored more, I just do it.
No matter the consequences. No matter the risk...
Because the only person I want to please is my 80 year old self. And no one else...
# OVERNIGHT
There's no such thing as overnight reinvention.
Just like there's no such thing as overnight success.
Every single day you reinvent yourself just a tiny little bit.
And then the next day you reinvent a tiny little bit more. And then more. And then more.
Until you've reinvented yourself in a way that you never even thought possible.
But it takes time. A lot of time. It's hard. Really hard. And it doesn't work overnight.
You reinvent yourself one day at a time. One minute at a time.
Facebook wasn't built overnight.
Just like Google wasn't built overnight.
Just like Michael Jackson didn't learn how to sing overnight.
Just like Picasso didn't learn how to paint overnight.
As a matter of fact he painted thousands of pictures before anybody even knew who he was.
And even today there are just a few dozen pictures of him that we now talk about.
One stroke at a time.
One painting at a time.
So maybe on day one you sketch a little drawing for a postcard.
Then on the second day you add some colors to it.
Then you keep repeating the same thing over the next couple of days.
Then you go outside and give those postcards to people walking on the streets.
Then one day you try to figure out how to get those postcards on your computer.
Then on the weekend you try to figure out how to get those postcards onto a website.
And then every single day for the next year or so you create one beautifully handwritten postcard and put them on your website and share them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Every single day for the next 365 days. If that seems too much start with 7 days. And then 30 days.
And before you know it you've done 365 days.
That's what I did.
Two years ago I decided to write one blog post every day for the next 30 days.
And those 30 days have now turned into more than 750 days...
But now back to the initial story...
So once you've figured out how to get your beautifully handwritten postcards onto a website, you put a tiny link below each and every postcard where people can buy those postcards.
Or a link where people can order a customized handmade postcard for birthdays, for weddings, for celebrations or whatever.
You go one day at a time.
One postcard at a time…
# LEARNING
The problem when you're starting totally from scratch is that you basically have to unlearn everything you've learned so far.
You mostly gotta unlearn that you know what you’re talking about.
That you know what you're doing.
You've gotta be willing to go from expert to beginner.
You've gotta be willing to eat dirt.
You've gotta be willing to get down on your knees and do the really hard work.
But even more importantly you've gotta be willing to learn new things.
A ton of things.
More things than you ever thought possible.
Hundreds of micro skills that you never even knew existed.
Are you ready to do this?
Are you?
# MONEY
I think one of the biggest reasons why reinvention or starting from scratch never really works out in the end is that we underestimate how much time it will take.
And because it will take a lot of time we will almost always reach a point where our bank accounts are sucked totally dry.
And when that happens the only thing to do is to go back to what you've done before to make a living and to make ends meet.
Because that’s what you’re good at. That's what people are willing to pay you for. That’s how you’re able to pay the bills.
That’s why I think that one of the most important things when reinventing yourself or starting from scratch is to have enough money in the bank.
Or else you'd have to go back to the things you've done before. The things you wanted to run away from. Sooner rather than later.
Or maybe it's just me. I don't know...
When I quit my job a couple of years ago I didn't have anything going for me.
I didn't know anything about anything. I was so clueless I didn't even know how to setup my own blog.
All of this FTP stuff, transferring files, domain registration and all of this was just way too complicated for me.
I just wanted to write. And get better at writing. Without all of this other stuff. Without all of these barriers.
So I just went ahead and signed up for a service called Typepad. I didn’t have any clue what I was doing.
So I just signed up for a service that someone used who seemed successful back in the days.
I started using it because I saw Seth Godin was using it and it looked very simple….
That's how clueless I was. The only tangible skill I had when I was getting started was writing. Not a very rare skill. Especially considering the fact that I wasn't particulary good at it...
So the only thing I really had when I was getting started was the willingness to learn new skills and some money in the bank.
Not a hell lot but enough money to cover my expenses for the next one or two years if I lived a very minimalist lifestyle. Which I did. Which I still try do by the way.
So where did all that money even come from?
I had saved up for times like these. I never really knew what I saved all of my income for.
I basically saved that money so I didn't have to save money when I didn't have money to save…
You know, for times where I wanted, no where I needed to buy myself some freedom to figure out how I could reinvent myself. Money to buy myself some freedom to learn new things and skills.
And I really needed that money. Because life is expensive. And it took way longer than I ever thought possible until I made about enough to cover my monthly expenses with money I made out there on my own..
But it’s not just money in the bank you need when you want to or have to reinvent yourself. It's also emotional stability. You need enough good emotions in the bank...
Reinvention or starting anything totally from scratch needs emotional stability and strength. And physical strength. And spiritual strength.
Simply because change is hard. Really, really hard. And going for change when you're weak is never a good idea.
Whatever you do, try to only go for change when you’re strong.
And not when you're weak.
Try to go for change before you have to go for a change.
Try to look for a new job before you need a new job.
Try to save money before you need money.
Try to reinvent yourself before you're forced to reinvent yourself…
Go for change when you’re strong.
Financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically…
# INSIDE OUT
Change never happens from the outside.
Changing your job, your location, finding new friends or a new boyfriend will only work for a while.
Until that feeling of excitement wears off and you get back to reality.
Change happens from within. It goes inside out. It rarely goes outside in.
So if you keep all your bad habits, if you keep eating crappy food, if you keep getting not enough sleep, if you keep hanging out with people who don't lift you up, if you keep doing what you've been doing before, nothing will ever change.
It'll turn into the exact same thing it was before.
Just a different background.
That's why you've gotta work on the foundation first.
Because without that foundation your house will just crash and burn.
Sooner or later.
If all you're doing is just painting the walls of a run down house without paying attention to the inside of your house, without renovating and dedicating time to the inside of your house, then you're still going to have the exact same run down house.
Just with a different color on the outside...
You've gotta get rid of all the dirt, all that garbage and all of that baggage that's deep down inside of you first before you paint those walls...
# FAILURE
Reinvention and starting from scratch has nothing to do with failure.
As a matter of fact, failing to reinvent yourself every once in a while that’s what’s most likely going to lead to failure.
Reinvention isn't failure.
It's a necessity.
Even more so today than ever before.
So maybe one day when I’m forced to reinvent myself because I didn't listen to my own advice and didn't reinvent myself before I had to reinvent myself, I'll hopefully come back to this piece, read it and will hopefully get something out of it.
I hope you did...
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There's not a lot of good things about failure.
Other than the fact that you've failed.
So what's good about that?
Well, now you can basically do whatever you want.
Because once you've failed, all that pressure is gone.
The pressure of always having to succeed.
The pressure of having to be perfect.
The pressure of never failing.
All of a sudden it's all gone.
And none of it matters anymore.
Tomorrow is going to be a great day.
Why?
Because tomorrow is a new day...
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… beat yourself up.
For not having done the things you wanted to do.
For having done the things you didn't want to do.
Because it's the beating yourself up part that will ultimately hold you back from doing.
It's not the doing that does most of the harm.
Or the not doing.
It's usually the beating yourself up part that follows afterwards that does most of the harm…
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The only way to be a writer is to write.
The only way to be a singer is to sing.
The only way to be an artist is to create art.
The only way to be a musician is to make music.
The only way to be a comedian is to make people laugh.
Merely reading about it, talking about it or knowing a lot about it doesn't make you anything.
All it does is that it makes you someone who read about it, talked about it and knows about it.
But that's already about it.
And a lot of people can read about it, talk about it and know a lot about it.
But not a lot of people are able to go from reading about it, talking about it and knowing a lot about it to actually doing it.
And that makes all the difference.
And that's how to be...
By doing.
And only by doing.
So get going...
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Where there's no slack, no wasting time, no play, no laughter, no fun and no joy, there's no creativity...
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The only reason I write is because I’m selfish.
I feel like writing helps me to deal with a lot of the things going on in my head and the world around me.
So even though I publish almost all of my stuff online, I’m probably the one it helps the most. I don’t even know where I’d be at if I didn’t write.
I’d probably be feeling stuck somewhere in a cubicle...
Writing in public has helped me to deal with a ton of stuff.
Did it make me a better person?
I don't know. Maybe.
Do I make a lot of money with my blog?
No, not at all.
As a matter of fact I don’t make any money with my blog at all.
Not even with all of the books I’ve published over the past couple of years.
I probably make less than $100 with all of my books on Amazon combined.
I stopped trying to make money with my writing and my books a long time ago...
So why do I keep writing?
Good question…
And I’ve thought about it a lot recently.
Especially because I didn't put in the time and energy I wish I could have put in.
And consequently a lot of my stuff wasn’t really that great.
So why do I even keep writing then?
Because if I stopped it would be like a part deep down inside of me would die. But there are a ton of other reasons why I keep writing. And why I will (hopefully) keep writing for as long as I can.
I made this list mostly for myself. As some sort of reminder. Just like I write most of my stuff for myself. But you’re more than welcome to keep reading...
# FAILURE
I’ve now written and published one blog post every day for more than two years. I’m not saying this to brag about it. Because there’s nothing to brag about. Most of the 730+ articles I wrote weren’t really that great.
Most of them were mediocre at best. And some of them don’t even deserve to be called articles or blog posts. Some of them consisted of less than ten words. While others consisted of more than 4000 words.
But it doesn't matter. And I don’t really care about it anymore. Because writing and publishing one piece every single day helped me to deal with a disease that a lot of us have…
Perfectionism… and the fear of failure...
Writing and publishing one piece a day is incredibly hard. It really is. I struggle with it almost every single day.
And there were many days where I just didn’t have the time and energy to put out great stuff. But because I made this deal with myself to put out one piece a day, no matter what it takes, I had to ship it.
And even though the results were sometimes not as I would have loved them to be, I had to ship it. And that's what it all boils down to at the end of the day...
It all boils down to showing up, even when you don't feel like showing up. Even when you feel like hiding.
Here's the thing…
Everybody can show up on their good days. But almost no one shows up on their bad days.
And to me, that's what makes all the difference.
Because it's never your good days that will either make or break you, it's almost always your bad days that will either make or break you…
# GIVING UP
I’ve given up so many times, I can't even remember. Dozens of relationships, ideas, businesses, careers and on and on and on.
Whenever I break the chain, whenever I stop doing something just once, it’s almost guaranteed that I’ll stop it all together over the next couple of weeks. Sometimes months.
That’s why I keep writing, even though I sometimes feel like it doesn’t get me anywhere, that I don’t really improve that much and that I’m wasting my time.
Because if I stopped, I don’t even know what else I’d have that keeps me sane in a world that’s seemingly getting more and more insane every single day...
# EXPERIMENTS
Every single thing I write is a micro experiment. To see what works and what doesn't. To challenge myself. Every single day. To see whether or not I can still pull it off. To wrestle with my demons that want me to do what’s safe. That want to keep me small. And hidden under the blanket of anonymity where no one can see me…
# COMPLEXITY
The world we live in seems to be getting more and more complex every single day. Technology gets more and more complex. Life gets more and more complex. People get more and more complex. Situations get more and more complex.
But at the end of the day it’s all simple. Most of the things in life are simple. But because of the millions of layers of complexity and B.S. presented to us every single day it seems to be getting more and more complex. When the truth is that it’s not…
Writing helps me to cut through all the B.S. To get to the core of things. It helps me to take away all the complexity from things that aren’t really that complex after all. Writing helps me to better understand the way the world works, to come up with theories that make my life easier instead of more complicated.
Whether these theories are valid doesn't really matter. At least not to me. What matters to me is to make my life easier and to take away all of the complexity so I can spend more time on the things that give me and hopefully also other people some joy, hope and maybe even happiness...
# HABIT
I’m not a big habit guy. As a matter of fact I’m really bad with habits. And I don’t believe in all of this get up before 6am in the morning to become more successful stuff. I think this is all B.S. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another.
What works for me doesn't necessarily work for you. As a matter of fact many of the things I do might even harm you instead of helping you. Just like my habit of only taking a shower after I went for a run might not be a good idea for anybody else except me. And yes, I don’t go for a run every single day. Now go figure...
# STUPID
It’s a fine line between stupidity and genius. They are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that most of the time it’s too early for an idea to be considered good.
So it’ll be considered stupid. Because most people still believe in the old way. But stupid paves the road to good. Sometimes even to genius...
Not getting it right is part of the process of getting it right.
Now what does that have to do with writing?
Nothing.
And everything...
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# IDENTITY
Whenever we meet someone new we usually introduce ourselves by telling people what our business cards say. We tell people what we do. Most of the time our job is our identity. Even though our jobs never really say what we really do, what we really stand for or who we really are. They’re just masks hiding our true identity. Who we really are deep down inside.
Whenever I meet someone new, I don't really understand what they're doing. Because what does an account manager really do? What does a project manager really do? What does a risk manager really do? What does a community manager really do? How does a day of someone like that even look like?
Do you just call people all day long to check in or what do you REALLY do? Do you go to meetings all day coordinating things or what do you do? I don’t get it. But that’s ok. Maybe I’m just stupid. Or curious. Or both…
I don't have a job. I didn't have a job for almost five years now. So I can't really tell people what my job is. Because I have none…
So every time I meet new people it gets weird. because I do so many different things. And sometimes I even tell people that I just don't have a job.
But deep down I feel like I’m a writer. Whatever a writer really is. Or does. Even though I sometimes feel like it doesn't get me anywhere…
# LEARNING
Writing helps me to learn a lot. Mostly about myself. It helps me to uncover the hidden truth that’s hidden deep down inside of me. The truth we all carry deep down inside of us.
That truth that’s so hard to uncover. That truth that's hidden under hundreds of masks.
And sometimes, but only sometimes when I write I feel like I can touch that truth that’s hidden deep down inside of me. Even if it's just for a tiny moment. Because that moment is what this is all about.
You know, that rare moment when you hear someone sing a song with all of their heart, with all of their pain, all of their joy and all of their emotions that are usually hidden deep down inside of them.
Those are the moments that truly make me feel alive...
# HONESTY
Writing helps me to be more honest. First and foremost with myself. And being honest with myself helps me to also be honest with other people. I think. I hope. But I don’t really know. I’m just trying to be honest here...
# REALITY
It’s easy to ignore reality. To ignore the things that are going on around us. It’s easy to just turn on your phone, scroll your brains out and keep yourself busy doing useless things that don’t add any value to anything. Things that help you to ignore the truth. The truth that’s out there. The truth about the way things are going. And the way things are going to be. And how you can do your part to make this world just a tiny little bit better...
# CREATION
One of the things that I always felt was missing in my life was to create something tangible. I didn't learn any craft or craftsmanship and I never really learned how to produce anything tangible.
So everything I ever did was totally intangible. I could never really see what I was creating. That's why I always felt like something was missing in my life. I wanted to create stuff. Something that lasts. Even if it's just for a few seconds. Maybe a smile. Maybe a tear. Maybe a few nice words.
And writing seems to fill that void. It satisfies my desire to create something tangible. Something that might be useful. Something that people might be able to use. Something that changes people’s lives. No matter how big or small.
I can see it. Feel it. Touch it. Smell it. Breathe it. Live it...
# PURPOSE
Writing gives my life purpose. Even if no one reads my stuff I’ll still feel good about myself because I created something. Something that might or might not make this world a better place. And just the thought that something that I’ve created could spark a thought, an idea, a change, a smile or whatever is just phenomenal and something that I don’t want to miss in my life ever again….
# BREAK
Writing is like meditation for me. It helps me to sit still and take a few moments in a busy or hectic day. It’s a break from all the noise out there. So I can grab that moment, hold it tight and turn it into a signal. For whom? Mostly for myself… and everybody else who needs a signal… or just a break from a hectic day...
# JOY
Writing makes me happy. It’s something I look forward to every single day. But it’s also painful. Very, very painful…
# PAIN
The more I procrastinate, the less I look forward to writing.
Just like everything in life. Just like life itself…
The more you deprive yourself of the things that make you happy, the more miserable you’ll feel deep down inside….
The only reason I write is because I’m selfish.
I feel like writing helps me to deal with a lot of the things going on in my head and the world around me.
So even though I publish almost all of my stuff online, I’m probably the one it helps the most. I don’t even know where I’d be at if I didn’t write.
I’d probably be feeling stuck somewhere in a cubicle...
Writing in public has helped me to deal with a ton of stuff.
Did it make me a better person?
I don't know. Maybe.
Do I make a lot of money with my blog?
No, not at all.
As a matter of fact I don’t make any money with my blog at all.
Not even with all of the books I’ve published over the past couple of years.
I probably make less than $100 with all of my books on Amazon combined.
I stopped trying to make money with my writing and my books a long time ago...
So why do I keep writing?
Good question…
And I’ve thought about it a lot recently.
Especially because I didn't put in the time and energy I wish I could have put in.
And consequently a lot of my stuff wasn’t really that great.
So why do I even keep writing then?
Because if I stopped it would be like a part deep down inside of me would die. But there are a ton of other reasons why I keep writing. And why I will (hopefully) keep writing for as long as I can.
I made this list mostly for myself. As some sort of reminder. Just like I write most of my stuff for myself. But you’re more than welcome to keep reading...
[Related: 121 Unusual Tips To Being A Better Writer]
# FAILURE
I’ve now written and published one blog post every day for more than two years. I’m not saying this to brag about it. Because there’s nothing to brag about. Most of the 730+ articles I wrote weren’t really that great.
Most of them were mediocre at best. And some of them don’t even deserve to be called articles or blog posts. Some of them consisted of less than ten words. While others consisted of more than 4000 words.
But it doesn't matter. And I don’t really care about it anymore. Because writing and publishing one piece every single day helped me to deal with a disease that a lot of us have…
Perfectionism… and the fear of failure...
Writing and publishing one piece a day is incredibly hard. It really is. I struggle with it almost every single day.
And there were many days where I just didn’t have the time and energy to put out great stuff. But because I made this deal with myself to put out one piece a day, no matter what it takes, I had to ship it.
And even though the results were sometimes not as I would have loved them to be, I had to ship it. And that's what it all boils down to at the end of the day...
It all boils down to showing up, even when you don't feel like showing up. Even when you feel like hiding.
Here's the thing…
Everybody can show up on their good days. But almost no one shows up on their bad days.
And to me, that's what makes all the difference.
Because it's never your good days that will either make or break you, it's almost always your bad days that will either make or break you…
# GIVING UP
I’ve given up so many times, I can't even remember. Dozens of relationships, ideas, businesses, careers and on and on and on.
Whenever I break the chain, whenever I stop doing something just once, it’s almost guaranteed that I’ll stop it all together over the next couple of weeks. Sometimes months.
That’s why I keep writing, even though I sometimes feel like it doesn’t get me anywhere, that I don’t really improve that much and that I’m wasting my time.
Because if I stopped, I don’t even know what else I’d have that keeps me sane in a world that’s seemingly getting more and more insane every single day...
# EXPERIMENTS
Every single thing I write is a micro experiment. To see what works and what doesn't. To challenge myself. Every single day. To see whether or not I can still pull it off. To wrestle with my demons that want me to do what’s safe. That want to keep me small. And hidden under the blanket of anonymity where no one can see me…
# COMPLEXITY
The world we live in seems to be getting more and more complex every single day. Technology gets more and more complex. Life gets more and more complex. People get more and more complex. Situations get more and more complex.
But at the end of the day it’s all simple. Most of the things in life are simple. But because of the millions of layers of complexity and B.S. presented to us every single day it seems to be getting more and more complex. When the truth is that it’s not…
Writing helps me to cut through all the B.S. To get to the core of things. It helps me to take away all the complexity from things that aren’t really that complex after all. Writing helps me to better understand the way the world works, to come up with theories that make my life easier instead of more complicated.
Whether these theories are valid doesn't really matter. At least not to me. What matters to me is to make my life easier and to take away all of the complexity so I can spend more time on the things that give me and hopefully also other people some joy, hope and maybe even happiness...
# HABIT
I’m not a big habit guy. As a matter of fact I’m really bad with habits. And I don’t believe in all of this get up before 6am in the morning to become more successful stuff. I think this is all B.S. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another.
What works for me doesn't necessarily work for you. As a matter of fact many of the things I do might even harm you instead of helping you. Just like my habit of only taking a shower after I went for a run might not be a good idea for anybody else except me. And yes, I don’t go for a run every single day. Now go figure...
# STUPID
It’s a fine line between stupidity and genius. They are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that most of the time it’s too early for an idea to be considered good.
So it’ll be considered stupid. Because most people still believe in the old way. But stupid paves the road to good. Sometimes even to genius...
Not getting it right is part of the process of getting it right.
Now what does that have to do with writing?
Nothing.
And everything...
# IDENTITY
Whenever we meet someone new we usually introduce ourselves by telling people what our business cards say. We tell people what we do. Most of the time our job is our identity. Even though our jobs never really say what we really do, what we really stand for or who we really are. They’re just masks hiding our true identity. Who we really are deep down inside.
Whenever I meet someone new, I don't really understand what they're doing. Because what does an account manager really do? What does a project manager really do? What does a risk manager really do? What does a community manager really do? How does a day of someone like that even look like?
Do you just call people all day long to check in or what do you REALLY do? Do you go to meetings all day coordinating things or what do you do? I don’t get it. But that’s ok. Maybe I’m just stupid. Or curious. Or both…
I don't have a job. I didn't have a job for almost five years now. So I can't really tell people what my job is. Because I have none…
So every time I meet new people it gets weird. because I do so many different things. And sometimes I even tell people that I just don't have a job.
But deep down I feel like I’m a writer. Whatever a writer really is. Or does. Even though I sometimes feel like it doesn't get me anywhere…
# LEARNING
Writing helps me to learn a lot. Mostly about myself. It helps me to uncover the hidden truth that’s hidden deep down inside of me. The truth we all carry deep down inside of us.
That truth that’s so hard to uncover. That truth that's hidden under hundreds of masks.
And sometimes, but only sometimes when I write I feel like I can touch that truth that’s hidden deep down inside of me. Even if it's just for a tiny moment. Because that moment is what this is all about.
You know, that rare moment when you hear someone sing a song with all of their heart, with all of their pain, all of their joy and all of their emotions that are usually hidden deep down inside of them.
Those are the moments that truly make me feel alive...
# HONESTY
Writing helps me to be more honest. First and foremost with myself. And being honest with myself helps me to also be honest with other people. I think. I hope. But I don’t really know. I’m just trying to be honest here...
# REALITY
It’s easy to ignore reality. To ignore the things that are going on around us. It’s easy to just turn on your phone, scroll your brains out and keep yourself busy doing useless things that don’t add any value to anything. Things that help you to ignore the truth. The truth that’s out there. The truth about the way things are going. And the way things are going to be. And how you can do your part to make this world just a tiny little bit better...
# CREATION
One of the things that I always felt was missing in my life was to create something tangible. I didn't learn any craft or craftsmanship and I never really learned how to produce anything tangible.
So everything I ever did was totally intangible. I could never really see what I was creating. That's why I always felt like something was missing in my life. I wanted to create stuff. Something that lasts. Even if it's just for a few seconds. Maybe a smile. Maybe a tear. Maybe a few nice words.
And writing seems to fill that void. It satisfies my desire to create something tangible. Something that might be useful. Something that people might be able to use. Something that changes people’s lives. No matter how big or small.
I can see it. Feel it. Touch it. Smell it. Breathe it. Live it...
# PURPOSE
Writing gives my life purpose. Even if no one reads my stuff I’ll still feel good about myself because I created something. Something that might or might not make this world a better place. And just the thought that something that I’ve created could spark a thought, an idea, a change, a smile or whatever is just phenomenal and something that I don’t want to miss in my life ever again….
# BREAK
Writing is like meditation for me. It helps me to sit still and take a few moments in a busy or hectic day. It’s a break from all the noise out there. So I can grab that moment, hold it tight and turn it into a signal. For whom? Mostly for myself… and everybody else who needs a signal… or just a break from a hectic day...
# JOY
Writing makes me happy. It’s something I look forward to every single day. But it’s also painful. Very, very painful…
# PAIN
The more I procrastinate, the less I look forward to writing.
Just like everything in life. Just like life itself…
The more you deprive yourself of the things that make you happy, the more miserable you’ll feel deep down inside….
[Related: 121 Unusual Tips To Being A Better Writer]
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There are basically three types of writers out there.
The ones who have an amazing imagination and can tell amazing stories.
The ones who experience fascinating stories and then write about these fascinating stories.
And then there’s the rest of us trying to achieve either one or both of the above and never really quite getting there…
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No one will read your stuff.
No one will listen to your podcast.
No one will watch your videos.
No one will buy your stuff.
And no one really cares about you and what you do.
Why?
Because that's just the way the Internet works.
It's some sort of natural filter that filters out all of the stuff that’ll be gone tomorrow anyway.
So people don't waste their time with stuff that won't be here anymore tomorrow.
That's why no one really cares about you and what you do.
Until they do.
Until they do...
So how long will it take until people will start to care?
I don't know.
No one really knows.
Because there's no map for it.
And no guidebook to follow.
But it usually takes a lot longer than most people are willing to give it all they got.
So why is that so?
Because that's just the way the Internet (and life) works.
...
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... is to do what you hate.
It's easy to lose perspective on this.
When all you see all day long are people who seem to be living the dream.
People who seem to go on nicer vacations than you.
People who seem to have a better job than you.
People who seem to have nicer things than you.
People who seem more successful than you.
People who are living the dream doing what they love.
Even though you know (or think) you’re smarter than them.
Better than them. Or more talented than them…
And maybe you’re right. Maybe you really are...
But the truth is that you need to prove it first.
And if you can't prove it, it probably means that you aren't as great as you think you are…
You've gotta prove it first. And if you don't want to prove it to, you should at least prove it to yourself.
Or else it doesn't really mean anything…
And the whole thing gets even more amplified by so called influencers, gurus and Instagram celebrities that are trying to sell you the dream.
The folks who are in the business of selling dreams. People who make a living selling dreams. Sometimes I'm also in the business of selling dreams.
What dreams?
Whatever the dream of the day is at the moment.
Just pick up that menu, take a look at what's on offer and I'm sure you'll also be able to find your dream on that menu.
Pick your dream of the day. It's all on the menu. It's all yours!
The overnight dream…
That successful entrepreneur? It's all yours!
That successful writer? It's all yours!
That successful artist? It's all yours!
That awesome career? It's all yours!
That billion dollars? Its all yours!
Just go through that menu and order it. And you'll get it delivered to your inbox in less than 24 hours…
But the truth is that nothing works overnight. Nothing…
Want to be a famous writer?
A successful entrepreneur?
A famous singer?
Alright…
Just go and sing in front of the shittiest crowd on the planet for a couple of years.
Take every gig you can possibly get your hands on.
Don't wait for that one magic show that will make you famous overnight.
Don't wait for people to magically find out about you.
Don't wait for that record label to call you.
Because they won’t...
The same applies to authors, entrepreneurs, artists, freelancers and pretty much everything else out there.
If you're not willing to get your hands dirty for a couple of years, it's probably not going to work out.
If you're not willing to write every single day for the next ten years, it's probably not going to work out.
If you're not willing to paint every single day for the next god knows how many years, it’s probably not going to work out.
You've gotta put yourself out there. Over and over again.
But not only this…
You also need to master hundreds of micro skills.
The things you’re most likely going to hate. I hated them. All of them. And I still do. I really do...
But I had to learn it the hard way that it doesn't really make any difference how good you are at what you do if you don't master all these micro skills. And they're getting more and more important every single day.
I’ve repeatedly talked about them in the past. You can read about them here.
Here’s the thing…
If you're not willing to write for an audience of one, you don't deserve to write for an audience of one million.
If you're not willing to play in front of a shitty audience, then you don't deserve to sing in front of a great audience.
Well, maybe you deserve it. Maybe you really do...
But the problem is that it won't happen just like that.
If you don't put in the work, you'll never get better at what you do.
And if you don’t get better at what you do, then nothing ever is going to happen.
No one will magically find out about you.
No one will pickup that phone and call you.
No one will read your stuff.
Or buy your stuff.
And the only way to get better at what you is to do it over and over again.
To experiment. To see what works and what doesn't. To figure out why it doesn't work when it doesn't work. To adjust. And to learn from your mistakes. Over and over again.
Because that's the only way to get better at what you do.
Quantity leads to quality...
But why do you even have to become better at what you do?
You don't have to.
But if you want to do what you love for a living you have to get better at what you do.
As a matter of fact you've gotta become one of the best out there... and don't forget about all these micro skills.
It's pretty simple...
We live in a time where everybody is competing with everybody.
Where everybody is essentially competing with the best of the best in their field. At any given time...
Because everybody out there has basically free access to the best of the best out there with the click of just a few buttons.
So the best of the best are your competitors.
And if you want to be able to do what you love for a living, then you'll be competing with the best of the best out there.
So you’ve gotta get better at what you do. A lot better. One of the best out there as a matter of fact.
Or else you won't be able to do what you love.
At least not for a living.
Like it or not, but that’s the secret to doing what you love without having to starve…
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You can either take your cut from something that would also have been created without you, or you can create something completely new that would never have been created without you.
Nothing wrong with both things...
But the good news for you (and me) is that most people are in the business of taking a cut from something that would also have been created without them.
And not a lot of people are in the business of creating something completely new that creates completely new value.
And it's always a good idea to belong to a group that's short in supply...
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It's almost never the things that we expect to go wrong, that go wrong.
It's almost always the things we didn't expect to go wrong, that go wrong.
The things we didn't think about.
The things we didn't plan for.
The things we didn't even know existed.
So how do you plan the unplanable?
How do you manage the unmanageable?
How do you predict the unpredictable?
The truth is, you just can't...
And the more you think you can, the less you actually can...
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Your only job as a leader is to give people the feeling of safety and stability.
That's the only way people will ever be able to be the best versions of themselves.
To do their best and most creative work. To thrive and outgrow themselves.
Worried employees are the worst employees...
Just like your only job as a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/etc is to make sure your better half feels safe.
That's the only way your better half will be able to be best version of themselves. To outgrow themselves and to really open up.
Relationships based on worries are the worst relationships...
How do I know?
I don't know.
The only thing I know is that whenever I screwed up I didn't follow these simple rules...
But why not wait for everybody else to follow these simple rules?
Because everybody else is busy waiting.
Waiting for what?
For things to somehow magically get better...
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The good news is that we live in a time where no matter what we want, the market will give us what we want.
The bad news is that no matter what we want, the market will give us what we want.
No matter what it takes...
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....is safety.
In love.
Business.
Relationships.
Friendships.
Your job.
And pretty much everything else out there.
If you don't feel safe at your job, you'll never be able to give it all you got.
You'll constantly be worried about whether or not you're still going to have your job tomorrow.
If your partner doesn't feel safe in your relationship they will never be able to give it all they got.
He or she will constantly be worried about whether or not you're still going to be around tomorrow.
Same with your business partners.
Your friends.
Your customers...
So how do you create that feeling of safety?
By doing the exact opposite.
By taking that risk.
By doing the things that everybody else is afraid of doing.
The things that might not work out.
The things that might be embarrassing.
The things that aren't safe...
By telling her that you love her.
By not waiting for things to happen.
By doing the difficult tasks and projects.
By taking over responsibility.
By making that first step.
Instead of waiting for everybody else.
Instead of outsourcing responsibility.
Instead of blaming everybody else.
That's how you get that safety.
In love.
Business.
Relationships.
And pretty much everywhere else...
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I had to shutdown pretty much all of my income streams.
Why?
Because if I didn’t I’d enter a different tax bracket and I’d have to pay a lot more taxes than I could possibly ever earn over the next couple of weeks. I'd even have lost a ton of money if I didn't...
Not only this, it would also have meant a hell lot more paperwork for me.
So I had to temporarily shutdown pretty much everything I have.
All of my online shops. All of my online courses. Everything...
So I had a couple of weeks to relax a bit.
That’s at least what I thought..
But after a day or two I already got bored and was looking for other things to do.
So I thought it might be fun to get back into stocks.
I bought stocks back in the days when I was a paperboy and we were getting close to the dot com bubble back in 2000.
I made a little bit of money back then. I wrote about it a couple of days ago.
But this time it all went wrong. I couldn't even open up a new bank account.
So I decided to figure out some of this crypto, blockchain and Bitcoin stuff that everybody was talking about.
So I spent days and days reading, researching and watching videos about this stuff.
All day and all night.
I wanted to understand it all.
And if you've been following me for a while now, you probably know that I'm all about doing.
So I took all that knowledge and turned it into experience.
I started investing in some cryptocurrencies.
I observed the market.
I bought some and I sold some.
I've bought low and I've sold high.
I've bought high and I've sold low.
I've tried to learn as much as I possibly could.
I wanted to understand the market and its dynamics.
Some things went pretty well and some didn't.
But overall I've learned more than I ever thought possible.
I've also made more money than I ever thought possible.
But that's not what this is all about.
At the end of the day it's all about understanding what you're actually investing in.
Because that's the only way to figure out who's got a shot at being the next Bitcoin and who are the scams.
That's why I've put together a free video series where I'll share everything with you that I've learned over the past couple of months...
I really wish something like this existed when I was getting started.
But there wasn't and there still isn't anything like this out there.
That's why I've decided to put it all together and give it away for free.
Yes, for free...
I'll show you everything I've learned over the past couple of months researching, reading, watching, observing and trading cryptocurrencies.
So you can make up your on mind and see whether this whole cryptocurrency thing is for you.
All you'd have to do is to click the link below and sign up to my Free Cryptocurrency Master Class.
Yann's Crypto Masterclass: Bitcoin, Crypto & Blockchain For Non Tech People
If you join you'll get four videos conveniently sent to your inbox.
I'll send out the first video within the next 24 hours.
So you'd better sign up right now while it's still fresh on your mind...
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Show up when everybody else is afraid of showing up.
Say something when everybody else is afraid of saying something.
Do what you say you're going to do.
Be who you say you are...
It sounds simple. But it isn't.
Because it takes balls.
It takes balls to be who you say you are.
It takes balls to do what you say you're going to do.
It's risky.
And it might not work out.
And it's very likely you're going to fail.
But in the long run it'll always pay off to be who you say you are...
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You can't be productive and efficient and at the same time expect to be creative and learn a ton of new things.
This just doesn't work.
Productivity and efficiency are basically the opposite of creativity and learning new things.
Productivity and efficiency are all about doing things you're already relatively good at as fast and as good as you can.
On the other hand creativity is messy and doesn't really follow any pattern or a given time frame.
If it happens it happens. Some days you might be able to create something while other days you won't.
The same holds true for learning something new.
Just like creativity, learning something new is messy, time consuming and very inefficient.
The exact opposite of productivity and efficiency.
So don't beat yourself up if you can't be both at the same time...
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If you think it's already too late, it's probably already too late.
If you think you're not good enough, you're probably not good enough.
If you think you're too old, you're probably too old.
If you think you're too young, you're probably too young.
If you think it's never going to work out, it's probably never going to work out.
Whatever you tell yourself over an over again will become your reality.
Simply because the stories you tell yourself will let you off the hook.
You won't put in the work you need to succeed because you'll either consciously or unconsciously tell yourself that it's not going to work out anyway.
You won't give it all you got.
And you'll only see the things that'll confirm the stories you tell yourself.
You'll only see the things that confirm your worldview.
That it's not going to work out.
That you're too old.
Too young.
That it's already too late.
And on and on and on.
Until the stories you tell yourself become your reality.
So instead of telling yourself all of these stories why not put in the work and see what happens?
Why not give it all you got?
Why not tell yourself that it's not too late?
Why not tell yourself that it could really work you if you just worked hard enough?
Why not tell yourself that you're not too old?
But whatever you do, don't just let those stories you tell yourself become your reality.
Don't just let those stories you use an excuse for not trying, for not putting in the work and for protecting you against failure become your reality...
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Learn how to get clients. That's the most important skill of them all...
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That TV you can't really afford doesn't just cost you a monthly salary.
Just like that phone you can't really afford doesn't just cost you half a monthly salary.
Just like that college education doesn't cost your parents just a one year or maybe even a two year salary.
Or that house...
It all actually costs a lot more.
It all costs the time you'd need to save up all that money.
And the amount you're able to save each and every month is usually only a tiny fraction of what you make each and every month.
So instead of costing you a monthly salary it can quickly turn into an entire year of savings.
Or ten years of savings. Or maybe even more...
Is it really worth all that trouble?
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I made around $20 a week. And I put almost all of it into stocks. I had no clue about stocks. Or money. Or anything related to it. All I did was to buy a few magazines and read about some of the stocks they recommended.
I had no clue what the companies I invested in even did. Or what I did. I was 15 years old. All I knew was that it was a hell lot of fun doubling and sometimes even tripling the $20 a week I made as a paperboy.
And then all of a sudden I stopped. Well, it actually wasn’t so sudden. I just got interested in other things. Mostly girls. And partying. And other stupid stuff. Even more stupid than stocks. So that was that…
I sold all of my stocks. And since then I never bought any stocks ever again. Now that I think about it, it might have been around the time of the Internet bubble back in 2000. But I had no clue what a bubble was. Or what the companies really did back then. Or what the Internet really meant.
All I knew was that it made horrible sounds when you tried to go online, that it was pretty expensive, that you could get these AOL CDs everywhere and that I was only allowed to go online for something like 30 minutes a day.
So I sold all of my stocks before the big crash. I didn't even know there was a crash. I bought low and sold high and pretty much never looked back again. Because I was busy chasing girls, finding cheap alcohol and figuring myself out. And to this day I hold exactly 0 stocks...
So a couple of months ago I was thinking about buying some stocks again.
Why?
Probably because I thought I‘m a genius and I’d be able to predict the future and use the Internet knowledge I gained over the past couple of years to quadruple my income. To never ever have to worry about anything ever again.
Needless to say I failed miserably…
I didn't even manage to open a new bank account. Well, I actually managed to do but the people at the bank screwed everything up. After more than a month of back and forth I was stuck with customer support telling me that they have no information about my account.
Even though I had proof that I successfully registered, signed up and even verified my identity. So that was that. No more stocks for me…
I was pissed at pretty much every bank out there for wasting my time and thought that I’d never want to deal with any of them ever again. And then I did what everybody would do who doesn’t have a clue about money…
I started playing around with something I had even less clue about than stocks. I started looking for other ways to gamble away all of my money.
I started looking at cryptocurrencies. And surprisingly I did do quite well. Just like back in the days. But that's for another time...
So if you think that I'm not credible to give you any financial or investment advice, you're absolutely right. And you should never listen to anything I say. Just like you should never listen to anyone else except yourself.
But even more importantly, don't ever take any financial or investment advice from a paperboy…
# I DON'T KNOW
Is probably the only investment advice you need to know. No one knows anything about anything.
I don't know a damn thing about anything. I don't know about stocks. Or cryptocurrencies. Or e-commerce or whatever. The only thing I know is the stuff I’ve seen with my own eyes because I’ve done it myself.
Here's a secret the banking and pretty much every other industry out there doesn't want you to know...
It's impossible to predict anything. No one can predict the future. No one really knows anything. It's all just guesses.
And everybody who tells you they are able to predict the future is basically lying to you. Everybody who guarantees you anything is basically trying to scam you.
I’ve told this story many times in the past but I’m going to tell it again…
Back in 2008 I had a course in college on futures and options. Some stuff on stocks. And one day one of these banker guys from Lehman Brothers gave a lecture.
He introduced us to all sorts of crazy graphs and stats and drew lines and lines on the whiteboard that no one really understood. I had no clue what he was talking about. And I'm sure he didn't really have a clue about it either. And about half an hour later after drawing graphs and graphs on the whiteboard he finished by saying this…
“And that's how we guarantee our customers a return of 10% on their investment.”
And a couple of months later Lehman Brothers went out of business, millions of jobs disappeared and trillions of dollars were basically flushed down the toilet. So that was that...
# EXPERTS
Don't ever listen to experts. Or your bank. Or financial advisers. Or anybody else who doesn't have a clue about anything. The problem is that no one really has a clue about what they're talking about. Even me. Especially me. Don't ever listen to me…
Here’s the thing…
If these so called experts are so good at what they do, if they’re able to predict the market and the future why aren't they millionaires or trillionaires themselves already? After all, they could easily follow their own advice and make it big. Really, really big…
So just the other day I was reading an article in a newspaper where a so called financial adviser who is managing billions of dollars was talking about cryptocurrencies. And he even said that he never even invested a single cent into any cryptocurrency.
All he did was to write down a number on a piece of paper where he would have invested just to see how high it would go. And those are the folks we listen to. Those are the so called experts. So that's that.
Past performance doesn't say anything about future performance..
[RELATED: Don't Invest In Bitcoin And Cryptocurrencies If You Haven't Watched This]
# IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE
It's always about people. Your business is about people. The stock market is about people. The economy is about people. Heck, the entire world is about people. And nothing else. It's about understanding people. Because everything you see, use or whatever is done, managed or created by people.
And whenever you put your time, resources or money into anything, be it as an investor, a trader or an employee, the only thing you really need to succeed is to understand people. If you have zero empathy, if you can't put yourself into other people's shoes, you're going to lose. In pretty much every field of life.
So whenever you make a decision to invest money, time, resources or whatever into something look at the people. That's the only thing that matters.
And if you invest in stocks or anything else, you've gotta look at people also. No matter if it’s real estate, the stock market or some of the current crypto craze. Knowing who is playing the game is almost more important than knowing what game you're actually even playing.
Because if you're playing against some of the world champions in that game, no matter what game, no matter whether you even know how to play that game, you're going to lose anyway. And you're almost always playing against the best of the best in the world. In any game...
Know the players sitting at your table before you even start playing the game. Because the smart players are always going to take the stupid player's money. And if you can't spot the stupid player at the table, it’s very likely that you're the stupid player…
# EMOTIONS
99% of market movements are essentially caused by emotions. And as we all know from interacting with friends, coworkers, boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, bosses and on and on and on, emotions are totally unpredictable. No one knows what will push people's buttons. That's why it's impossible to predict anything.
That's why the first thing to do whenever you invest time, money and resources into anything is to know your own temper. Your own emotions. What triggers them and what doesn't. Knowing yourself and the other players at the table is probably the single most important thing to know and to understand. In anything in life...
99% of the things going on n the world are about emotions. Either your own emotions or some other people's emotions. Don't get caught up in the drama…
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Yann Girard: "Do NOT invest in Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency before you haven't watched this..." You'll learn everything about Bitcoin, Altcoins, the Blockchain Technology and everything you need to know to start investing in cryptos. It will help you to find the big winners and avoid all the scams out there while navigating the current market madness. And you can get "Yann's Free Crypto Masterclass" for free today! CLICK HERE to access the videos now, (while it's still free!) |
# DON'T EVER GO ALL OUT
# SMART PEOPLE
Don't ever think you're smart. Because you probably aren't. And when I say you, I'm talking about myself. So instead of thinking you're smart by doing something that no one else is doing, try to look at what the really smart people are doing. The ones who are basically controlling the entire planet.
Look at the folks who invested in all of the super big stuff out there. It's very likely that their moves are going to be smarter than your moves. Well, it's almost guaranteed. Even if there's no guarantee that it's going to work out. There never is a guarantee for anything.
But if you can get some of the smartest people in the world to work for you for free, by taking a look at what they're doing, what they've invested in, then why would you go through all the trouble of figuring out all of this stuff yourself?
Just outsource the work to the Warren Buffett's of the world and invest in what they invested in...
And most of this information is publicly available and accessible for the entire world to see. You just gotta open your eyes...
# DIVERSIFY
But just like I said before, past performance doesn't say anything about future performance. That's why you should always diversify as much as you can. Have as many bets going as possible. No matter how big or small. Because you can never know what's going to be the next big thing. Don't ever put all of your time, energy, resources and money into one thing only. Be like an investor and spread your risk across multiple bets and be comfortable losing 9 out of 10 times....
# ONLY DO THINGS YOU CAN AFFORD
There are two types of people out there.
People who take risks and people who don't take risks.
People who don't take risks will never be able to change anything in their lives. Be it in love, business, relationships or whatever...
And then you have people who take risks. Unfortunately, most people take risks they can't afford.
Like quitting your job when you don't have any savings.
Or buying a house when it's very likely that it's going to take you 20+ years to pay back that mortgage.
Or buying that super expensive TV, that fancy laptop, those stocks or whatever you can't really afford.
Don't ever take any risks you can't afford…
Taking risks you can't afford will keep you up at night. And then those risks will rob your sleep, your happiness, your freedom and ultimately your whole life.
And it all starts with sleepless nights. Those sleepless nights will lead to a lack of sleep. And a lack of sleep leads to even more mistakes. Mistakes that are then going to lead to you having to take even bigger risks you can't really afford. Which again will lead to even more sleepless nights. And on and on and on.
In a nutshell…
Only take risks you can afford. And never take risks you can't afford.
It really is that simple. But not easy. Because we're all a bit greedy when the time is right. Or wrong...
But it's ok. You don't have to listen to me. You should never listen to me. Just get out there and see it with your own yes...
# NAYSAYERS
That relationship is not going to work out. That business is not going to work out. The market is going to crash. That idea is stupid. It’s a bubble. No one is ever going to read that book. No one even cares about you…
We all know these people. They are everywhere. They are spreading fear everywhere. And even though they might be right from time to time it doesn't mean they're going to be right all the time.
And again, the only way to figure out what works and what doesn't is to do it. To see it with your own eyes....
The only way to figure out whether she’s the one is to date her.
The only way to figure out whether that business is going to work out is to build it.
The only way to figure out whether it's a bubble is to take your money, invest a bit of it and see what happens.
The only way to learn how to surf is to get out there into the water and try to catch those waves...
You won't learn a damn thing about love, business, the economy, the stock market or the dynamics of cryptocurrencies by watching the news. Or by reading books. Or by listening to podcasts. Or by reading posts like this one right here.
The only way to learn anything about anything is to get out there, to do stuff, to see what works and what doesn't and to see the results with your own eyes…
# YOU CAN'T LOSE IF YOU MAKE A PROFIT
It's as simple as that. If you take money off the table, you won't be able to lose that money. Period...
# BUBBLES
Bubbles are everywhere. The entire world is a bubble. Crypto is a bubble. The housing market is a bubble. Money is a bubble. Gold is a bubble. Your salary is a bubble. Your friends are a bubble. Your entire life is a bubble. Everything is a bubble...
But just because it's a bubble doesn't mean you're not going to live your life, right?
And instead you just try to navigate that bubble. You just try to figure out what works and what doesn't. You just try to live your life in the best possible way you can.Trying to benefit as much as you can from those bubbles. And helping others to navigate those bubbles as much as you can…
Because bubbles come and go. And in every bubble there are people who are going to benefit a lot while others are going to suffer a lot. That's just the way it is.
But whatever you do, don't let others decide for you whether you're going to suffer or benefit from those bubbles. And instead, make up your own mind, get out there and try to learn as much as you can by doing, instead of listening to others…
[RELATED: Don't Invest In Cryptocurrencies If You Haven't Watched This]
# WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN
It's as simple as that. This rule applies to everything out there. In 100% of the cases. Just like the rule what goes down must come up also holds true. In 100% of the cases. It’s just a matter of whether you're able to afford the down time and wait long enough until it goes back up again…
# CRASH
There have been and there will always be a crash. Because just like I said what goes up must come down. And just like it goes down it will go up again. So be ready for that moment when things go down. Put as much money, time and resources on the side so that you can pick the cherries that will go down just because the entire market is panicking.
The time when things go down is the time when the real winners are going to be made.
99% of everything you see happening when the market is exploding are basically scams. And they're going to disappear and never come back again during that crash.
Every crash leads to losers and some winners. Winners that are going to win big. Really, really big. And losers that are going to completely disappear.
Google survived that last Internet crash. Apple survived that last crash. Amazon survived that crash. Heck, most of the biggest companies in Germany survived World War II and were leading in many fields for decades and decades...
So how can you find the ones that are going to win in the long run?
# DON’T BE LAZY
And do your own research. Figure out who’s also invested in that thing. If it’s some of the most successful people out there, you’re increasing the chances of hitting a winner. But whatever you do, don’t ever forget to diversify and spread your risk...
If you’re lazy and don't do your own research, you are always going to buy high when everybody else is buying, just because you're afraid of missing out. And you're going to sell low when everybody else is panicking.
Doing your own research before putting time, energy, resources and money into anything is the only way to ever buy low and sell high. Do your own research and only invest money, time and resources into something you're 100% comfortable holding if things go horribly wrong.
Because things will always go horribly wrong. This applies to pretty much everything in life. Love, relationships, business, investments and on and on and on.
Do the hard work BEFORE you commit to anything and not only when you're outside in the rain and your house is about to be blown away by a tornado...
# STEP BY STEP
Whenever you meet someone new you're not going to propose to them right away, are you?
Whenever you want to learn something new you’re not going to do it on stage in front of 10,000 people, are you?
Whenever you’re applying for a new job you're not going to apply for the job as the CEO if you never even worked in your life, are you?
Right. You aren't...
You go step by step. Every single time. You go from one thing to the next. And once you've figured out that one thing you go to the next thing.
This applies to pretty much everything.
Don't go all in if you have no clue about what you're doing...
If you can only afford to lose $1000 start with investing $10.
And then $10 more. And then $10 more. And on and on and on.
One step at a time...
# MORE TRADES
A lot of people give up right after that first trade went wrong. Or that first business. Or that first big love. Or once that job turns out to be not as great as you thought it was.
But the truth is that nothing will be perfect right away. You need many trades. Many shots. Many relationships. Many businesses. Many everything. At least I do. I don't know about you...
But whatever you do, make sure you never give up. Make sure you never stop trying. And don't ever regret. Don't regret that you sold at 100 when it went up to 300 a couple of days later. And instead buy in again as soon as you can. And if you miss it again, try again next time.
Go on as many dates as you possibly can. Work on as many different ideas as you can. Collect as many different experiences as you can. Live in as many different places as you can. Talk to as many different people as you can.
Never stop trying. And never give up. Because the only way to get better at something is to do it over and over again. To learn your lessons and do it better next time.
But make sure you never take a risk too big that you won't be able to handle anymore if things go wrong. Because things will always go wrong…
# FEAR
Works. In both ways. In good ways and in bad ways. Try to use your fear as rocket fuel.
Just like someone a lot smarter than me once said…
Only the paranoid survive...
But most importantly, don’t ever listen to a 15 year old paperboy like me.
And instead go out there, do your own research and then get the party started.
Go on as many dates as possible.
Work on as many ideas as you can.
Do as many trades as you can.
Get better at what you do.
That's the only way...
[RELATED: Don't Invest In Cryptocurrencies If You Haven't Watched This]
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Whenever you feel safe, whenever you do the thing that feels safe, it's likely that what you're really doing is the risky thing.
Because every time you feel safe, you'll get sloppy.
You stop paying attention to things you paid attention to before.
You ignore the risks. You stop spreading your risk.
By feeling safe you'll unknowingly expose yourself to more and more risk.
And the safer you feel, the more at risk you are.
Safe is risky...
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Attracts almost everybody.
And those "everybodies" will be attracted to hundreds if not thousands of other $1 deals.
So in the end no one will really value your $1 deal, read your $1 book, watch your $1 video or use your $1 product.
You'll end up nowhere. And nowhere is never a good place to be at...
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I was going to write her how I feel about her, but then I deleted it.
I was going to stand up and say something, but then I didn't.
I was going to tell him that I don't like it, but then I didn't.
I was going to tell her my honest opinion, but then I didn't..
I was finally going to do it, but then I didn't.
Here's the thing...
It's never the things you don't do that will get you where you want to be.
Deleting that text won't get you anywhere.
Not speaking up won't get you anywhere.
Remaining silent won't get you anywhere.
It's always the things you do that will get you where you want to be.
The scary stuff.
The hard stuff.
The dangerous stuff.
The stuff that might not work out.
Don't delete it...
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Being a really good friend is really hard.
Being a really good spouse/parent is really hard.
Being a really good employee/freelancer/entrepreneur is really hard.
Staying in shape is really hard.
Being a really good friend, a really good spouse, being really good at what you do and trying to stay in shape, all at the same time is basically almost impossible.
Because each and every thing of the above already needs a ton of work and almost super human like efforts.
Most people try to be really good at all of the above at the same time and they end up being mediocre at all of the above at the same time...
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Whenever you argue about the small things, whenever small things seem to be a little off, whenever the small things seem to be the problem it's usually the big things that are not quite right that are starting to peek through.
So don't try to focus too much on the small problems and instead try to find, understand and fix the underlying big problems that are peeking through.
Do it before the big problems are what you're talking about.
Because once you're starting to talk about the big problems it's usually already too late...
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