Adopt the hypnotist’s view that humans are rationalizers who make decisions for irrational reasons and then explain them after the fact. Assume people are irrational 90% of the time, and adjust your approach to be more effective, as systems built on the assumption of rationality often fail.
Combine complementary skills from different domains (e.g., business and art) to create a unique and powerful advantage that makes you stand out and handle diverse challenges.
Actively solicit feedback from your customers or audience and be willing to fundamentally change your product or service based on consistent input to meet their expressed desires.
Expose yourself to the general ideas and mental models from various disciplines (e.g., economics, psychology, history, science) to broaden your perspective and avoid ’loser think.’ You don’t need to be an expert, just hear the concepts once.
When making decisions, disregard any money or effort already expended (sunk costs), as that resource is gone. Base your choices solely on the present variables and future outcomes.
In interviews, prioritize conveying your intended message and being interesting over strictly answering every question. Avoid making statements that could be easily misinterpreted.
Understand that criticism is an inherent and unavoidable part of public success or notoriety. Choose to accept it as part of the overall ‘package’ of benefits and drawbacks, rather than complaining about it.
Distinguish between criticism based on actual statements and criticism based on misunderstandings. Practice responding to critics wittily for audience entertainment or to correct the record, using these interactions to refine your future responses.
When critics misinterpret your views, challenge them by asking, ‘State one thing you believe on this topic that you think I do not believe.’ This prompts them to clarify their understanding and often reveals their initial misinterpretation.
When trying to persuade someone, first agree with them as much as possible without lying (pacing). Then, introduce your disagreements in the form of questions rather than statements, allowing them to discover flaws in their own thinking.
To reduce someone’s certainty in their opinion, especially if based on expert consensus, point out historical instances where experts or majorities were confidently wrong, introducing the idea that consensus doesn’t always equal correctness.
Keep a personal record of times you were grossly wrong about something you were certain was right. This practice helps build humility and an open mind, making you more receptive to being wrong in the future.
For creative endeavors like writing humor, draw inspiration from your personal experiences. This makes the work more relatable and authentic to others who have had similar experiences.
When evaluating situations or performance, compare them to realistic alternatives or similar circumstances, rather than an imagined perfect state or an incomparable ideal.
Recognize that the person offering the ‘simplest explanation’ is often the least informed. Remind yourself that your own ‘simple’ explanation might not be universally simple or correct.
If you have a long-held ambition, persist despite rejections and setbacks. Re-evaluate your approach and raise your sights if a credible person sees potential in your efforts.