1488: [Part 2] How to Beat the Competition by Steve Pavlina on Business Ownership

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[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_00]: This is Optimal Work Daily.

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: How to Beat the Competition.

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Part 2 by Steve Pavlina of stevepavlina.com

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Bookwriting Example.

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_00]: When I started writing my book

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Personal Development for Smart People,

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I decided there was no way I'd write a generic Me Too book.

[00:01:12] [SPEAKER_00]: For me, the easy problem would be to create a book

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: that was just a collection of advice about how to make improvements

[00:01:18] [SPEAKER_00]: in different areas of your life.

[00:01:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I quickly dismissed that option,

[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_00]: because lots of people can write such a book,

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: and already have.

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a centuries-old glut of such books.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I see no point in adding to the pre-existing clutter.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_00]: This just isn't a hard enough problem.

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_00]: So I decided to write a book that would be very, very challenging,

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: something I've never seen done before.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I set out to find the common pattern behind all successful personal growth efforts,

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_00]: to identify a complete set of core principles

[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_00]: that would be universally applicable.

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Other people have tried to write such books,

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00]: but they provide only partial solutions filled with gaping holes.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00]: To define what the set of principles would need to look like,

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I outlined several criteria,

[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_00]: all of which would have to be satisfied.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_00]: These principles have to be true for anyone, anywhere.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_00]: They must be timeless,

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_00]: meaning that they can still be expected to work a thousand years from now,

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_00]: and they'll still have worked a thousand years ago.

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_00]: They have to make logistical and intuitive sense.

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_00]: They must work both individually and collectively,

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_00]: so they're effective for any group of any size.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00]: They must work on the moon as well as Earth.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_00]: If I found myself alone on an alien world,

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd still use them.

[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_00]: They must be culturally independent.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: They must work equally well for all areas of life,

[00:02:33] [SPEAKER_00]: health, relationships, career, money, etc.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_00]: They must be collectively complete,

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_00]: so no critical element is missing.

[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And they must be simple, elegant, and beautiful.

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_00]: So basically, my goal was to define the hidden mathematics of personal development,

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_00]: the underlying structure beneath the surface chaos.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to discover the personal development equivalent of prime numbers.

[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00]: This is extremely difficult because it means the solution has to be fairly general and abstract,

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_00]: but it must also have abundant practical applications.

[00:03:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I researched many different concepts and frameworks that took a stab in this direction,

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_00]: but which always fell short of these criteria,

[00:03:13] [SPEAKER_00]: everything from Stephen Covey's Seven Habits to the Noble Truths of Buddhism.

[00:03:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I racked my brain again and again,

[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_00]: asking repeatedly,

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_00]: what is the underlying pattern?

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_00]: There were tiny clues everywhere,

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_00]: but the full picture remained a mystery.

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: The task seemed nearly impossible,

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and I had no guarantee there even was a solution.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I ended up rejecting an almost endless progression of partial solutions.

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_00]: It was frustrating to find a solution that looked good at first,

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: only to discover that it was full of holes.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_00]: It took me almost two and a half years,

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_00]: but I eventually found the solution I was looking for,

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_00]: and it's reducible to a mere seven words,

[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_00]: which inspired the first seven chapters of the book.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_00]: The other 80,000 words of the book are explanation, illustration, and application.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Virtually all of the book's value lies in understanding those seven core principles

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_00]: and how they interact with each other.

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Once I had the principles figured out,

[00:04:08] [SPEAKER_00]: writing the book was still challenging, but fairly straightforward.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_00]: The principles themselves are simple

[00:04:14] [SPEAKER_00]: and will appear almost obvious when you read them.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_00]: It's only when they're assembled in a certain way that the value becomes clear.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Once I figured out these principles,

[00:04:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I started seeing them everywhere.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Without exception, I can look at anyone's personal problems

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and describe them as a violation of one or more of these principles,

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_00]: and the principles automatically suggest a solution

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_00]: that is both logically and intuitively sensible.

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I can derive any other sound personal development concepts

[00:04:40] [SPEAKER_00]: directly from these principles,

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_00]: including all of Covey's seven habits

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: and the core elements of the world's major religions.

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_00]: These principles are the prime numbers of personal growth.

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Because I picked the right problem to tackle,

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: I've no doubt the book will have a significant impact on those who read it,

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and I expect it will endure for a very long time.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_00]: In my mind, that success has already occurred,

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_00]: even though the book is still many months from release.

[00:05:05] [SPEAKER_00]: This was by far the most difficult project I've ever attempted.

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Once the book comes out, I can basically keel over and die happy.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00]: It's hard to think of anything more satisfying than coming up

[00:05:17] [SPEAKER_00]: with an elegant solution to a really difficult problem.

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Two and a half years of hard work was a fair price to pay for this result.

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_00]: How do you beat the competition?

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_00]: You do the things that others don't, won't, or can't.

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Basically, you need to find a way to apply your particular strengths

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER_00]: to solve problems that are nearly impossible for most people to solve,

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: but which are easier, though still challenging, for you to solve.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: This requires developing an awareness of your strengths.

[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00]: See my post from 2007 called Discover Your Strengths for more on that.

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_00]: The hard problems that you're best suited to tackle

[00:05:51] [SPEAKER_00]: will probably look very different than the ones I'm suited for,

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_00]: because we probably have different strengths and experiences.

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_00]: You can apply this tackle-the-hard-problems idea

[00:06:00] [SPEAKER_00]: to any area of your life, not just business.

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Look around you for tough problems that other people can't seem to solve,

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_00]: but which you think you have a decent shot at solving.

[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_00]: If you really put in a serious effort,

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00]: what problems could you solve in your workplace,

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_00]: your family, your social circle, your community, etc.?

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_00]: You may not like the words beat and competition.

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's okay, because you don't need to look at it that way.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_00]: In truth, you aren't really beating anyone.

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Everyone is free to tackle hard problems,

[00:06:29] [SPEAKER_00]: but relatively few will exercise that choice.

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So instead of beating the competition,

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_00]: you're really just leaving the competitive pool behind

[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_00]: and blazing your own trail.

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_00]: You're actually choosing not to compete at all.

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00]: When it comes to competition,

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_00]: if you're doing work that lots of other people could do just as well,

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_00]: you're making a strategic blunder.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Try to figure out what you're capable of doing

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_00]: that makes other people quit,

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_00]: even if you still find it challenging.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_00]: When other people start accusing you of becoming obsessed with an impossible problem,

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_00]: you know you're getting warm.

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_00]: What's good about competition?

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_00]: The benefit of competition is that it motivates us to identify our strengths

[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_00]: and put them to good use.

[00:07:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Even the cells in your body compete for resources when necessary,

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_00]: and those that prove their value get preferential treatment.

[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_00]: This is a fair system because it increases the whole body's fitness for survival.

[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Similarly, our economy tends to divert extra resources

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_00]: to those who prove they can provide significant value for the benefit of all.

[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Some see this as a reward for hard work.

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I see it as a way to encourage continued value production

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_00]: from those who are already productive.

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, an added benefit of tackling hard problems

[00:07:41] [SPEAKER_00]: is that they help you grow.

[00:07:42] [SPEAKER_00]: There's little to be gained from doing what's easy,

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_00]: and it's a safe bet someone else will handle the easy stuff anyway.

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: The real value lies in pursuing the thorny path,

[00:07:52] [SPEAKER_00]: the one that scares away the timid adventurers.

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: You just listened to part two of the post titled

[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_00]: How to Beat the Competition by Steve Pavlina of stevepavlina.com.

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_00]: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_00]: We're all marveled at how quickly kids learn

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_00]: and that sense of wonderment they have while doing it.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00]: But as adults, sometimes we lose that curiosity.

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, if there's something you've been wanting to learn,

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_00]: know that therapy can help you reconnect with your sense of wonder

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_00]: because your back-to-school era can come at any age.

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And make no mistake, therapy is for everyone.

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Whether or not you've been through significant trauma,

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_00]: therapy can be a great tool for setting boundaries,

[00:08:36] [SPEAKER_00]: learning new skills,

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: and ultimately becoming the best version of yourself.

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_00]: If you're thinking of starting therapy,

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_00]: give BetterHelp a try.

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_00]: It's entirely online,

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[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge.

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Rediscover your curiosity with BetterHelp.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Visit betterhelp.com slash workdaily today

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[00:09:03] [SPEAKER_00]: That's betterhelp,

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00]: H-E-L-P dot com slash workdaily.

[00:09:08] [SPEAKER_00]: And that concludes Steve's post from yesterday,

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_00]: and to tell you a little bit more about him,

[00:09:13] [SPEAKER_00]: he's a pretty fascinating guy.

[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Before he started blogging about personal growth back in 2004,

[00:09:19] [SPEAKER_00]: he ran his own computer game development company for 10 years,

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_00]: mostly focused on non-violent puzzle games.

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_00]: For five of those years,

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_00]: he wrote articles on the side

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_00]: to help other software and game developers,

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and readers kept requesting more articles

[00:09:33] [SPEAKER_00]: on a wide range of topics,

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_00]: which eventually motivated him to get into blogging.

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_00]: He retired from game development

[00:09:39] [SPEAKER_00]: when he realized he could create

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_00]: more positive ripples in the world

[00:09:42] [SPEAKER_00]: by shifting to personal development work.

[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_00]: He says he still enjoys programming

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_00]: and occasionally writing his own software tools

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_00]: to assist with personal growth experiments,

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_00]: and nowadays he does everything he can

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_00]: to support the growth of readers of his blog.

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_00]: So come check it out at stevepablina.com,

[00:09:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and you can find that linked in this episode's description

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_00]: at oldpodcast.com.

[00:10:04] [SPEAKER_00]: But that'll do it for this weekend.

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Hope you're having a great one,

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_00]: and I'll see you back here tomorrow as usual,

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: where your optimal life awaits.