How to fail at almost everything and still win

 

I recently read ‘’How to fail at almost everything and still win big’’ by Scott Adams. There are many things that the author talks about but I would like to highlight 3 things that stuck to me. They are:

1.      Systems > Goals

2.      The power of risk and failure

3.      Energy is everything

 

Systems > Goals

Everyone has a goal that they are trying to achieve. Given it’s the New Year, everyone has big New Year resolutions that they want to achieve. However, most of us won’t accomplish our goals, not because we are not willing but because it’s not part of our life. What I mean is the new things that we aspire to do, like lose weight, are not things we do daily on a subconscious. It’s not a habit where we eat and exercise on a regular basis. So instead of goal setting, we should instead, shift our focus on achieving a goal and implement a system that achieves that goal as a side effect. For example, when someone says that they want to lose 10 kg of weight and they lose that weight, that’s the end of that task. The problems with goals are that they are short term and even if you achieve them, there is a high chance you will revert back to the way you were before embarking on accomplishing that goal. On the flip side, when you have a system in place, goals are a hinderance as they obstruct from the big picture. When you have a system where you eat healthy and exercise daily, you will lose the 10 kg and more as a result. Once the system is in place, it becomes a habit and you don’t even think about it. Just like when you wake up in the morning and pee without a thought to it, eating health and exercising will be the same. This idea alone changed the way I thought about what I want to achieve and shifted my view to that of implementing systems that would serve me in the long run instead of short-term goal setting. And systems don’t only have to apply to fitness, they can also be used in finances, work etc. For instance, you can have a system where your money is automatically saved and investment each time you are paid. This eliminates the chance of you defaulting on your savings and investments as willpower can only take you so far. A system eliminates the chances of you failing to save and investment and will serve you in the long run in terms of freedom and financial gain.

The power of risk and failure

Most people that I have interacted with fall into two groups; risk, fail and learn or cautious, safe and stagnate. The author states the importance of taking risks while you still can whether it be starting a business or leaving your job to pursue something else. Scott says we shouldn’t be afraid of failure as it is through failure that we are able to learn and grow as a person. Scott has failed in starting successful business over 30 times as he highlights his failures in his books. But each time he failed; he gained a valuable skill that would serve him in his next venture. Playing it safe especially when you are in your youth is wasting your life. If you are not bold enough to embark on a venture because you are afraid of failing then you will not have lived life. As JK Rowling says, “Some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default”

Energy is the fuel to great work

To be honest, I had not thought about energy as a contributor to success till I read the book. The author says that most of successful ventures is driven by our moods and when we are happy, we are more likely to put in the work than when we are sad or depressed. A big contributor to our moods is our energy more specifically, what we eat and exercise. If you are eating foods that take a toll on your digestive and you become sleepy, your productivity will be on the decline. Conversely, if you eat foods that rich in nutrients, you will find that you’re more alert and even have more energy than before you ate. If you have great energy, you will be in a great mood and do great work. For instance, a while back I used to eat breakfast in the morning and I would feel very sluggish in the morning. At that time, I used to greatly believe that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. However, after doing some research, I found that breakfast wasn’t necessary and even lunch. What was important was you eat your food when you’re hungry and don’t force feed yourself because of eating beliefs passed down to you. So, I began eating in the evening when I felt hungry and during the mornings, I was very alert and productive despite not eating. I realized the human body is way smarter at regulating its energy demands and if you fight your body’s natural working state, you end up losing. This case is for me and not for everyone. What works for me won’t work for you so I advise you monitor what foods you take and how you feel afterwards. If you eat certain foods and you end up feeling sluggish, then it’s high time that you change what you eat.

To even have more energy, exercise is recommended. There are many benefits to exercise but the best in the author’s opinion is the energy boosting effect it gives. When you exercise regularly, you become more fit, build up your stamina and have great energy afterwards. Also, your brain becomes clear and you can better and at times, come up with solutions to problems that were bothering you. I could go on and on about the benefits of the exercise, but you get the picture. And exercise doesn’t have to be lifting weights and cardio. Even a simple walk is enough. Anything that keeps you active can be regarded as exercise. Provided you do it daily as part of your life i.e. it’s a system, the benefits will serve you in the long run

 Thank you for reading this far. These are some of the tidbits that I found important when reading but there are many of them in the book.  I recommend reading it if you have the time. Other than that, if you have any suggestions on what books I should read next or on any topic that you want me to discuss, please note them down in the comment section. See you next time!