Derek Documents

Rating: 9/10 This hefty book gives scientific background into the art of persuasion using real-life examples. Filled with fascinating case studies, running the gamut from supermarkets to Hitler and Manson, I recommend it to anyone interested in psychology or persuasion. I personally view it as one of the most important books I have ever read in terms of affecting change in my own thinking. My Notes Six Facts Professional Persuaders Have Learned About Modern Propaganda: 

I think this is an important question that is not given enough thought. When it comes down to it, I'm under the impression that most people would answer this "I could die." Many of our daily actions are fear-fueled in an attempt to avoid death. But is this the worst that can happen? Spoiler alert: We're all going to die. [Now, in the coming decades this may not be the case, but let's work under the assumption that we are.] So, if dying is a natural human function, is it really the worst thing that could happen? I no longer believe so. I think the worst thing that can happen is never truly knowing one's self. There's a substantial amount of data from people interviewed at the end of their lives saying their biggest regrets were from things they didn't do, not things they had done and wished they hadn't. Based on this, I'd encourage everyone to take more risks--as long as it's something you want to do. Dance with the fear. Conquer i...

"You have to be odd to be number one." Now more than ever is the time to be weird. Be yourself. Be happy to not fit in with the crowd. Think of the word successful . Now, who is the first person who comes to your mind? Is this successful person normal ? How 'bout the second successful person who comes to mind? Chances are, if you thought of success in terms of fortune or fame, these people were anything but normal. One, two, three generations ago normal was okay. A person could get a job, work for that company his or her whole life, with dependable promotions and raises, and retire with a nice pension. Those days are DEAD. The system is still set up to teach us that this "be a cog" industry is still alive and well. Why? I think it's for two reasons 1) The educational-industry is a bloated bureaucracy and, like all bloated bureaucracy, it moves slower than tortoises fornicating. 2) Money, of course! You think those getting rich peddling this lie wan...

Make crappy omelettes, crappy birdhouses, crappy stories, crappy drawings, crappy anything. Then repeat. And repeat. And repeat again and again until you get good. Picasso didn't make a masterpiece the first time he picked up a paintbrush. Stephen King didn't write a bestseller the first time he spun a yarn. Persistence and consistency are the keys to victory. Be happy for all the missteps you get to learn from along the way. I am. I know most of my blog posts are crap, but it's teaching me to be consistent and sharpening my writing skills. So go make some crap.

This adage applies to numerous things: the food one eats, the information one consumes, the music one listens to. It all matters and contributes to the output one consumes. Increase the caliber of your input, increase the quality of your output.

Rating: 7/10 Getting Past No  is wonderfully written; Ury's prose flows like a river. It's clear he took great pains to make his sentences as straight-forward as possible. That said, I think there could have been some more actionable suggestions (admittedly, if I had not read Secrets of Power Negotiating , I most likely would not have had this note, and would have rated this book higher than a 7). My Notes "Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret."

The value of asking more and better questions should not be taken lightly. Perhaps Tony Robbins's most profound quote is, "The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your questions." This from a man steeped in profundity. So how does one improve her or his quality of questions? Simple. Ask a lot of them. As with many things in life, repetition is the father of learning. Become curious. Give yourself permission to fail and don't be afraid to appear ignorant--be afraid to remain ignorant by remaining silent. Acquire a taste and thirst for knowledge. Curiosity leads to information which leads to knowledge. If you become actively engaged and curious in your environment, you will be able to provide much more value to those around you, which will ultimately benefit you. Any questions?

I don't think this idea is patentable, and, even if it were, I currently do not have the resources to do so. Furthermore, were I able to secure a patent, I'm confident that this idea would get bogged down in the bloated behemoth that is the US Postal Service for years. So, I'm sharing it here, with you, Considerate Reader. My idea is to put a vending machine that dispenses stamps inside every Post Office. If the Post Office had stamp vending machines, it would be a win-win for a variety of reasons. First, it would increase efficiency. I posit that some significant portion of people who wait in line at the Post Office simply want a stamp or stamps. Stamp machines would help unclog the dreadful lines, better utilizing the time of both the employees and the customers. Next, it would allow the USPS to increase their margins on stamps. I would gladly pay an extra 11 cents--thus raising the price to 60 cents, roughly a 20% increase--to not have to wait behind several people o...

Chapter 31 of the Tao Te Ching : Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them. Therefore followers of Tao never use them. The wise prefer the left. Soldiers prefer the right. Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not tools of the wise. They use them only when there is no choice. Peace and quiet are dear to their hearts, And victory no cause for rejoicing. If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing; If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself. On happy occasions precedence is given to the left, On sad occasions to the right. In the army the general stands on the left, The commander-in-chief on the right. This means that war is conducted like a funeral. When many people are killed, They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow. That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.

Rating: 9/10 This is the best book  I have ever read on communication; I wish it had been the course book for my communications classes in college. I think this provides tremendous value (at $5, it's a steal) to readers, despite being almost a century old, and I highly recommend it. My Notes Developing Confidence:

This may very well be the best company tagline of all time. Why? Because this simple three word, three syllable phrase has millions of applications. You want to be a writer? Write. You want to be a painter? Paint. All one needs to do in order to do something is to simply do it. You don't need validation from any external party; Van Gogh didn't sell a single painting during his lifetime, and now his works are priceless masterpieces. Public opinion does not equal truth--it's just that, an opinion. So don't wait for permission, take action. Action is the only path to accomplishment. Just do it.

Rating: 9/10 This book is perfect for what it sets out to do: guide the reader on a path to be a better salesperson. Sales skills extend much further than just selling a product; these principles have applications for many, many different areas of life. My Notes Why customers buy : 1. I like my sales rep. 2. I understand what I am buying. 3. I perceive a difference in the person and the company that I am buying from. 4. I perceive value in the product. 5. I believe my sales rep. 6. I have confidence in my sales rep. 7. I trust my sales rep. 8. I am comfortable with my sales rep. 9. I feel that there is a fit of my needs and his/her product or service. 10. The price seems fair. 11. I perceive that this product or service will increase my productivity. 12. I perceive that this product or service will increase my profit. 12.5. I perceive that my salesperson is trying to help me build my business in order to earn his. My salesperson is a valuable resource to me. *Ins...

I feel the chapter from Tao Te Ching  I read today is not only brilliant, but ties in nicely with yesterday's post. So, here it is: Yield and overcome; Bend and be straight; Empty and be full; Wear out and be new: Have little and gain; Have much and be confused. Therefore the wise embrace the one And set an example to all. Not putting on display, They shine forth. Not justifying themselves, They are distinguished. Not boasting, They receive recognition. Not bragging, They never falter. They do not quarrel, So no one quarrels with them. Therefore the ancients say, "Yield and overcome." Is that an empty saying? Be truly whole, And all things will come to you. If one is able to apply this, I believe one will have a much happier life.

In each moment, as beings with free will, we have the choice to choose Love or Fear. I'm of the opinion that every human emotion and action boils down to these two. You hate something because deep down, at your core, you fear it--or secretly, perhaps even to you, you love it. You give to others and contribute to society out of love. Numerous metaphysics experts and mystics believe love is at the center of everything, that it's our true nature. But every ying must have its yang. Love is open and non-judgmental. Fear is exclusive and gives everything a value relative to other things. Love is patient and acts with deliberate purpose. Fear is anxious and irrationally lashes out. Love is harmony. Fear is jealousy. Love is the soul. Fear is the ego. Choose Love.

Today I feel compelled to share exercises and my notes from Tony Robbins's audiobook, Hour of Power . After this are a handful of beliefs about money to add to your self-talk. First, make a list of why no money hurts. In other words, what would you do if your supply of money was endless. My list looks like this: -Travel -Proper nutrition -Creating a city that sustains and fulfills my family and friends -Living where I want -Helping my mom's, aunt's, and uncle's health -Fixing up my mom's house -Creating an alternative private school -Having a personal home gym -Creating businesses -Having nice clothing I'm sharing my examples for illustration purposes. By no means are these the "right" or "good" lists. Next, list what money means to you. Success Corruption Influence Freedom Sway Crime Waste Gravity Fat Afterwards go back and mark whether each thing is a positive or negative (i.e. my list would be +,-,+,+,+,-,-,+,-...

Pareto's principle, also known as the 80-20 Rule, is a powerful phenomena. It's named after an Italian economist who noticed that 80% of land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. He expounded on this by observing peapods in his garden; 20% of the pods contained over 80% of the peas. In a nutshell, the Pareto principle states: 80% [or more] of the effects come from 20% of the causes. That's a powerful concept. Assuming this principle has universal application, and I believe it very well may, the ramifications of this are enormous. Looking to increase productivity? Which 20% of your actions yield 80%+ of your production? You can also attack the problem conversely: Which 20% of your actions account for 80% of lost time? (Hint: checking your News Feed for the sixth time in two hours, knowing full well it'll be populated by the same crap it was last time you looked.) The applications of this principle are numerous. I intend to make this much more prominent in my...

Rating: 10/10 This book is recommended by prominent thought leaders, such as Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Ferris. The text is simple, easy-to-read, and informative. I certainly will be re-reading this book on a regular basis, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone in any line of business. My Notes