[SERIES] 7/7 Unpopular Belief: Be As Disloyal As Possible
Yes, we can all agree that loyalty is useful in personal relationships.But the rest of life is much more complicated.This is post 7 of the 7 Unpopular Beliefs Series.
Be As Disloyal As Possible!
Personal Loyalty
Yep. This is the part of being a human that has helped us survive for so long as a species.By trusting our neighbors, humans have been able to build societies that functioned and developed.Strangely, it doesn't always work the same for business or for building resources.
Opportunism helps us get to the next level.
By seeking and seizing opportunities, we can move forward faster.Being brand loyal doesn't help you if the brand suddenly changes leadership and goes in a new direction.Being loyal to a partner doesn't help you if your partner decides to sell off their shares.Being loyal to your previous statements or beliefs doesn't help you change your mind with new information.
Choose the plan with the most options.
This helps diversify your options so that you can choose based on the changing context of the world.As the backdrop changes, so will your decisions.
2 Minute Action
Staying in the theme of options, here are some action options for today:
- Tell your closest friends or your partner how grateful you are to have them in your life.
- Tell your employer that you're looking for more opportunities within the company and you'd like to know more about what it takes to get there.
- Reply to this post! What's something you believed as a child that you no longer believe, now?
[SERIES] 3/7 Unpopular Belief: Steal Other People's Stuff
Yep. Other successful people have developed tricks of the trade, but they've also stolen and borrowed from other successful people.This is Part 3 of the 7 Unpopular Beliefs Series.
Steal Other People's Stuff!
Imitate successful people.
Pick the traits and characteristics you admire and mimic them.Steal their strategies and tactics.Remember that your customer, audience, client, patient, or student will only benefit if YOU succeed!Here's the hardest part about this:
Discover how your opponent is smarter than you.
It's not hard in that it requires searching. It's hard because it requires humility.As Derek Sivers says: "Find wisdom in your opponents!"You already know everything from your side. Understand your opponent's side and you'll have much more context, and possibly tools with which to succeed.
2 Minute Action
Who is someone you admire and can call?Take 2 minutes to ask them about their methods/strategies.There are also a lot of books written by authors who just want to share. You are connected to a huge wealth of human knowledge.If you don't know where to find resources, email me or tweet at me. Tell me what you want to steal and I can help.
The Sneaky Thing That Is Distracting Most People
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, CNN, ABC, FOX, the podcast you listened in the car, the sci-fi book you read, etc. etc. etc.These are all media from which we consume "content."Many people really seem to like the content of truisms, idioms, platitudes, or just plain old "sayings."
The trouble with "sayings" is that without context, they don't mean anything.
This is a platitude.It's just like a horoscope.
It could apply to anyone at any point in their lives.
Without context, it's hard to say "that's not true."Without context, it's hard to know how to empathize with the idea and understand it.Without context, it's downright impossible to not be confused by outright contradictions!
Here are some examples of what I mean:
"Good things come to those who wait."and"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."Or how about:"Better late than never."and"The early bird gets the worm."
Do you get my point?
It's impossible to vet any of this as useful without knowing to what the statement is referring.It's fluff.It's filler.
It's a pointless distraction and most people are falling for it.
At the moment, we are living in the Information Age, where it's up to us to calibrate our "B.S. detectors."Keeping context in mind is a huge part of the battle.If you want to understand people, make an impact, or move in the direction of your dreams, you're going to need to bring context into view.
2 Minute Action
What is one information source you use daily?Today, as you go through your routine, consider where "information" on this medium is coming from.It only takes an extra second--not even two minutes--to ask yourself:"Is this true in other cases?""Would this always apply to other parts of my life?""When does this not apply?"