Do this. Directives - Part 1 by Derek Sivers
I’ve recently completed reading Derek Siver’s book - Anything You Want (1 hour read, Goodreads link here), reflecting lessons learnt from his 10 years of experience in becoming a successful entrepreneur. Tim Ferris did a podcast (mp3, link, transcript) with Derek in Dec 2015 and it is one of my all time favorite podcasts, which touches a variety of topics including entrepreneurship, developing confidence, finding happiness, and saying no to millions.
I’ve long enjoyed his detailed notes from reading 200+ books but found new found respect when he tried to distill knowledge + wisdom he gained into a set of directives through his latest post. Thank you Derek!
Reproducing it as a cheatsheet for my easy reference:
How to be useful to others
1. Get famous. The more people you reach, the more useful you are. 2. Get rich. Getting rich is double-useful, you add value + spend it in useful ways 3. Share strong opinions. People will either adopt or aruge against you. 4. Be expensive. People will value it more and get more use of it.
How to get rich
1. Live where luck strikes. Be right in the middle of everything. 2. Say yes to everything. Nothing is too small. Do it all. Like lottery tickets. 3. Learn the multiplying skills. Skills that multiply the success of your main pursuit. 4. Pursue market value not personal value. Follow the money. It tells you where you’re most valuable. 5. Shamelessly imitate success. Get great at executing other people’s ideas as well as your own. 6. Be the owner, not just inventor. To get rich, be the owner. Own as close to 100% as possible. 7. Benefit from human nature. Just learn the game, then play it
How to thrive in an unknowable future
1. Prepare for the worst. Just prepare, then carry on appreciating the good times. 2. Expect disaster. Expect it all to disappear. 3. Own as little as possible. The less you own, the less you’re affected by disaster. 4. Choose opportunity, not loyalty. Have loyalty for only your most important human relationships. 5. Choose the plan with the most options. That lets you change your plans. 6. Avoid planning. Wait until the last moment to make each decision.
How to like people
1. Assume it’s their last day. Treat them accordingly. 2. Be who you’d be when alone. When in a crowd, be the same person you’d be when alone. 3. Assume men and women are the same. Counteract your tendency to exaggerate the differences. 4. Always make new friends. Let go of people that don’t welcome and encourage your change. 5. Avoid harming the relationship. It’s more effective than seeking the positive. 6. Act calm and kind. Regardless of how you feel. 7. Don’t try to change them. Don’t teach a lesson… unless they asked you to. 8. Find wisdom in your opponents. Engage those who think opposite of you. 9. Purge the vampires. Get rid of people that drain you.
What to do when you get successful
1. Change yes to “Hell yeah!” or no. Now say no to anything that makes you say anything less than “Hell yeah!” 2. Keep momentum. If you stop that forward motion you can never get it back.
How to stop being rich and happy
1. Prioritize lifestyle design. Make your immediate gratification the most important thing. 2. Chase that comparison moment. Do it! Be happy for a week. After, seek happiness from another new thing. 3. Buy, not rent. 4. Internalize your new status. 5. Be a connoisseur. 6. Get to know your possessions. 7. Acclimate to comfort.