Wrapping Up: Key Insights from Vitally Important, Rarely Taught Series
Vitally Important, Rarely Taught
Welcome to the final installment of our series, "Vitally Important, Rarely Taught." Throughout this series, we have explored crucial life skills that we use every day but have rarely been thoroughly explained to us.
I began with a simple idea and an uncertain plan. However, I committed to writing one article every Saturday for the next 20 weeks, come rain or shine. Below, I've summarized each post into easy-to-remember, actionable points and provided hyperlinks to each article.
Having accomplished this goal, I've once again realized the power of starting small and working consistently. I guarantee you can achieve this too. Just get started and make a promise to yourself.
Concentration - Superpower #1 -
We are what we practice. We practice distraction, that’s why we are so good at it.
What if we take one thing at a time, give it our unwavering focus and every time our awareness drifts away, we lovingly bring it back.
By integrating this practice into everything we do throughout the day and making it a part of our life we can surely improve our concentration.
I highly encourage revisiting this most popular post.
Learning How to learn - Superpower #2
Be a Learning machine.
I have explained the 4-step Feynman Technique of learning here.
The most effective way to learn is by explaining it to someone. By reflecting on how well you can explain a concept, you gain insights into your level of understanding and helps you make improvements.
The ability to clearly express a concept is a strong indicator of one’s knowledge.
Listening - Superpower #3
The difference between hearing and listening is attention; being present.
The most helpful thing you can do for someone seeking advice is to listen, because it shows them that they are important.
Being a good listener—someone who pays attention, asks questions, and doesn't rush to talk strengthens relationships.
The four elements of good listening are explained here.
Will Power - Superpower #4
In this post, I used the analogy of an artillery gun to understand what will-power is.
Our ‘will’ is guided by our pre-natal and post-natal habits. It is easy to do what one wants to do but it is hard to do what one needs to do.
Just as muscles grow stronger with exercise and practice, so does will power. It’s development follows the same principles as our gym routine. More here.
Reading, Writing & Thinking Daily - Superpower #5
This is one of my favourite posts. I have realized that this trio can transform our lives and help us achieve mastery. These three are the food and exercise for our brain.
It's difficult to capture the essence of this post in just a few sentences. Please read it here when you get a chance.
Negotiations
I started the series with this post and therefore you can understand how crucial this skill is in both personal and professional settings.
There are four parts of effective negotiations - doing our homework, understanding and utilizing BATNA, effective communication and striving for a win-win outcome.
Negotiation isn't a tug of war; it's like dancing with an unfamiliar partner. Success hinges on adapting quickly to their moves and encouraging them to do the same. Achieving harmony often requires both parties to step back at times.
Sales
Everything in sales stems from ‘caring for people’ and ‘building trust’. Therefore, sales is a mindset. Be Curious about others. Ask questions to understand them. Humans crave to be understood.
Be nice. Help people. Solve their problems. Genuinely care about them. People buy from people that they know, like, and trust.
Compounding
Here I’ve highlighted the “power of small”. It’s easy to imagine that sudden leaps are how we make our impact. But making small, consistent improvements can be more effective in achieving our goals.
The story of British Cycling Team and the Magic of 1% is truly inspiring. It’s hard to believe that a series of tiny improvements can accumulate into such remarkable results.
Failures
This is the only post where I used my old video to explain a concept. I also shared my personal story of how failing in my lumber export business turned out to be a blessing.
Failures can paralyze us. But quickly getting back on our feet and taking lots of action is the key to success. Here are a few steps that one can apply:
Acknowledge - Accept the failure and avoid denial.
Analyze - Be objective and do the 5 why’s analysis. Don’t blame others.
Seek Feedback - Doc Rivers said, “Average players want to be left alone. Good players want to be coached. Great players want to be told the truth.”
Course correct - Apply the learning.
Cages with Open Doors
I borrowed the title of this post from George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars Series.
I didn’t provide answers in this post and encouraged you to ask some good questions.
The story of the young elephant calf aptly illustrates how we may also be tethered to beliefs that limit us.
It’s quite possible that the comfort of the cage is preventing us from taking on new adventures.
The Three Life-Defining Decisions
These are:
The work we do
The person we marry
The company we keep
Be deliberate.
How Money Works
This article received mixed reactions from my readers due to its level of detail. I spent hours writing this piece.
I dived deep into the Earn → Spend → Save → Invest cycle, a crucial topic that remains a work in progress.
I have built a detailed framework to understand “Money” and how to achieve financial freedom.
The topic of behavioural finance is particularly interesting.
No Formula, No Free Lunch and No rescue Boat
We are all unique individuals shaped by our distinct experiences and perspectives. We understand the world differently.
That’s why, what works for one may not necessarily apply to you.
Similarly, while you may be able to get a few ideas from my experiences, it's essential to tailor them to your own circumstances and beliefs.
In short, we have to “Figure things out on our own”.
San-Maria’s Startup Story
This is a two-part story about Santiago and Maria, two immigrants in America. It recounts their journey from humble beginnings to business success.
I integrated essential principles of starting a business into their narrative, emphasizing the importance of understanding the C-P-S formula.
For those of you who want to start a business, this story provides valuable insights into taking the first steps.
How to Find a Job
For those looking for a job, here are the four steps. Knowing what you want is crucial.
Know what you want and acquire necessary skills and experience for that position.
Make new professional connections and learn from them.
Learn to sell yourself. But be authentic.
Apply extensively. Surpassing all others in quantity and effort.
A Game Of Cards
I highly recommend you to watch Randy Pausch’s Last lecture, from where I drew inspiration for this post. He said, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
We can choose our attitude towards this game of life. Every morning, we have the free will to decide what to do with our set of cards.
Embracing Authenticity
In this post we explored a simple question - “why do we pretend in life?” And how can we live more authentically?
Discovering answers to these questions is a personal journey, unique to each individual; we must explore it independently, uncovering our own truths along the way
Storytelling
I am currently refining this highly important post. Storytelling is a crucial skill; while everyone expects us to excel at it, few teach us 'how'.
The Campbell model covers the essentials of crafting good fiction. Currently, I am exploring how to use these basics to narrate our day-to-day ideas more effectively.
You might enjoy reading my true story of the ups and downs I experienced as a young 22-year-old.
I hope you enjoyed this series. Thanks for reading!
I have a question for you: We all know what needs to be done, yet we fail time and again to do those simple things. Why?
Lastly, I’d like you to share your thoughts by taking the poll below. Your opinion matters to me!