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?