Success 101

The only major success most people will ever know is biological: Procreation, digestion, consumption and the experience of the senses - but they manange to screw up even that. There are very good reasons people do so poorly. Mainly, they are fully absorbed in the minutae of their own lives. They fail to see that being necessary, fulfilling needs and serving others is the key to adding value to ones self and to ones wealth. Instead, people flatter themselves, pursue self-centered goals and try to control others to match some Platonic idea about how life should be. Basically, they swim against the current of success.

Very occasionally, someone comes along that breaks all the rules and becomes a huge success doing everything strangely and egocentrically. So instead of looking at the thousands that succeed following the procedure of service, they all follow the rare exception that does the impossible. How many kids want to be Jimi Hendrix? You can't count that high. What are their chances? Zero.

Any carpenter knows that to make a clean cut you often need sacrificial wood. Wood that is ruined to service the beauty of another, better piece of wood. In life you often need to sacrifice years so that other years will be better. But people will sacrifice little. Every day, week and month goes towards appetite fulfillment and the attempted control of others. Even when they are supoosed to be sacrificing: at school; at work and at home - it's half hearted.

Picasso and Doritos both feed an appetite.
Art is not a hobby if other people are very interested in what you are doing. If they are not interested, then it's a hobby.

Seek the fruits of success and you go bankrupt. Seek the path of success and, at the very least, you live on the path.
Success by sheer determination only works in the criminal world.
Your needs and frustrations are everyone else's.

You can only improve on someone already dedicated to self-improvement.
You can only inspire someone already looking for inspiration.

It is foolish to lament the poverty of soul in others when feeding that poverty can enrich you.

It is foolish to lament the exploitation of others because most exploitation is mutual.

Public school teaches you to learn very little over an extremely long period of time. In success 101, you need to learn very much in an extremely short period of time.

A person's good advice is limited to their areas of great success.
Any other advice should be discarded and deleted from memory.

An extravert shouldn't feel badly at failing at an intorvert contest and vice versa.

There are always those smarter than you. Beware the head of the mob more than the mob.

A very good poison is the opinion of a bitterly disappointed person.

Your friends do not want you to succeed. Strangers do.

If someone cannot afford your skills. Sell them a course.

Time is short and work to be done great. While others bemoan even the mention of work, scale the walls and swim the oceans as a matter of routine.

It is strange how people dislike the idea of work, when they themselves are the product of an unimaginably complex empire of never-resting, self-sacrificing cells.

Never be afraid to call something an error or defective. When something isn't running well you have to call it something.

Reality is as bewitching as fantasy. But people prefer fantasy. So live in reality and sell fantasy.

Entrepreneurs are a class to themselves. Artist, dreamer, inventor, engineer and salesperson - all in one. They are the thumb by which the fingers function. And they don't care that the fingers wear the diamond.

Those dedicated to self-improvement always end with a prize - even if that prize is wisdom.
Those intent on improving their weakness can only get wisdom - and that wisdom is to work on your strengths.