Success

"Derek says it's always good to end a paper with a quote. He says someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong." -American History X

Tonight's post is reflection on quotes from a different Derek, Derek Sivers, on the Tim Ferriss Show podcast. I listened to this follow-up episode twice today. Here's perhaps the biggest nuggets of gold in the short creative self-interview:

"If you want to be undeniably successful, you need to both master yourself and help others. Don't focus on the money or the fame. The real success is mastering your emotions and actions and actually helping lots of people."

And later, 

"Habits and skills for success:

1. Managing your state and your emotional reactions and actions. 

2. Knowing what people need in general, and what you need in particular.

3.People skills--how to see things from the other person's point of view, and how to communicate from [his or her] point of view.

4. Ability to focus, learn, practice, and apply what you learn.

If you can do those four things, you can do anything."

This advice from Sivers is, to me, twenty-four karat gold. Ask yourself daily if you can do these things and how you can work on at least two of these four--preferably all four--each day.