Section I
Introduction
To add to the irony, I‘ve thought about writing this book for years. I thought I was quite decisive, but now I‘m not sure. I did 17 different things to put off writing the book so I‘d feel better in the moment, only to feel frustrated as I got further behind and closer to the deadline. In the end, I used the tricks that can be found in Chapter 34back on myself, as some kind of sado-masochistic pleasure-pain paradox. If you‘re reading this book, it worked. - P1
(전략) but the journey of battling with my ‘inner bas-tard‘* (officialterminology) is the same. I guess I just know how to put it backin its box from time to time now. - P2
In addition to making decisions quickly and confidently, they also change decisions, if and when needed to, slowly, Hillnoted. On the flip side, ‘Those who reach decisions promptlyand definitely know what they want, and generally get it... - P3
I You are not a procrastinator, but...
‘I‘m a procrastinator‘, you may say to yourself. Maybe even in public? - P4
There‘s no need to take on the ‘identity‘ of ‘being‘ a procrastinator, because actually that‘s a lie. The reality for every single one of us is that we are very decisive in areas where we are confident and experienced. - P4
But that doesn‘t identify and render you ‘indecisive‘. You wouldn‘t want a teacher to label your child ‘stupid‘ just because they don‘t like science, so don‘t do the same to yourself. - P5
Every human being possesses and expresses every human trait. As such you are not ‘unmotivated‘ or ‘lazy‘ either. You simply ‘do‘ these traits when you are not engaged, interested, thingsget hard or the task at hand simply isn‘t important enough to you. - P5
Start Now sound bite
You are not a procrastinator, but you do it sometimes. Don‘t labely ourself; model the best parts of yourself. If you are decisive in one area, you can be so in any area. Simply build decision muscle by drawing on past decisive successes. - P5
2 What are indecisiveness &procrastination?
Have you ever had the overwhelming urge to do something completely and utterly random and useless in the name of avoiding important things? - P6
Before you judge me, we all have our own versions of this. Some will be habitual, and some will be one-off-random. Maybe you‘ll need a spontaneous haircut? - P6
But it can be more serious. At least in this instance you are doing something to procrastinate away from. The sly one that creeps up on you from behind is the urge to ‘get every thingready‘ before you start. - P7
Indecisiveness and procrastination come in many hidden forms. Perhaps you simply have a hard time making general decisions? Or harder ones? You might make a decision but thenendlessly question it after wards, never fully backing yourself oryour decision. - P7
Start Now sound bite
Procrastination and indecisiveness are normal human traits that serve to help us avoid fear, pain and threatening situations. They conserve our energy for more important tasks. Do not label your-self a procrastinator - there is nothing wrong with you. Just beaware that all the little excuses and menial tasks you‘re doing area mechanism for self-protection. - P8
6 Your work is not your worth
The main reason I failed commercially as an artist, wasbecause I was scared to show (and sell) my work. It‘s quite hard to sell work that isn‘t viewed, but I‘d convince myself to keep painting in the faint hope that someone would knock on my door and buy all my art and save me from myself. - P18
I had created enough art, and I knew I needed agents, galleries and media to get my work seen and bought. So why did I avoid this and fill my house with new pieces of art that weren‘t selling just as much as my existing portfolio? Because I was unconsciously protecting myself-worth. - P18
I couldn‘t even be in the same room as someone viewing my paintings, in case they didn‘t like them. I was so sensitive that, unless they gushed over my work, I assumed they hated it but didn‘t want to tell me. - P18
You are not your work, just like I was not my art. - P19
I was so hard on myself. I was my harshest critic of all, butI couldn‘t see it. I was so protective of my self-worth thatI avoided doing anything that could damage it, including basic socializing - P19
Start Now sound bite
Have a clear wall of defence between you and your work. The world can judge your work, but that does not define who you are. You are capable of decisiveness, clarity and greatness. - P19
Section 4
To do, or not to do?
27 What is decisiveness?
To decide, or not to decide, that is the question. Maybe you should take more time to think about that before you make adecision? - P80
Decisiveness is the (leadership) trait that gives you:
1 ‘the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively‘ (Dictionary.com) 2 ‘the conclusive nature of an issue that has been settled or a result that has been produced‘ (Dictionary.com) 3 (the ability to) ‘draw heavily on past experiences to influence how it (the current decision) is implemented‘ (earlbreon.com) 4 ‘the spark that ignites action. The courageous facing ofissues, knowing that if they are not faced, problems will remain forever unanswered‘ (Wilferd A. Peterson) - P80
Anyone can be decisive, because all you need to do is say ‘yes‘ or ‘no‘ to something. And sometimes saying ‘wait‘ to something is acceptable, because deciding to wait or deciding to do nothing is still a decision. - P80
Your ever-improving skills in making good decisions are basedon how effectively you choose from the only four options of the anatomy of any decision:
1 Option A 2 Option B 3 Option A + B 4 Neither Option A nor B - P81
Start Now sound bite
Decisiveness is the (leadership) trait that gives you the ability tomake the right actions towards a desired outcome quickly andeffectively. It draws on past experience that can be built up and itis the courageous facing of issues, igniting action towards success. - P81
28 What NOT to do
There are two forms of what NOT to do: 1 Time wasting/unimportant tasks 2 Tasks that you leverage out to others - P82
1. Time wasting/unimportant tasks
Too much time on social media, long meetings, forum debates, getting sucked inby haters and trolls, pity-parties, selfies and foodies, small talk, arguments, having to be right, allowing interruptions, surfing online, checking email, low-value admin, tidying up and cleaning, checking the fridge (one of my undiagnosed OCD traits), TV or YouTube, micro-managing, and general avoidance andactive procrastination tasks should be avoided. You know what you should not be doing, so stop doing it. - P82
Most people say procrastinationis a bad thing, but procrastination is a great thing on low IGT tasks. Be lazy, unmotivated, bored and apathetic to all of these; avoid or outsource. - P82
. Beware of this self-delusion that your split personality will try to convince you of. It is a liar. You are getting nowhere, but boy does it take a long time to get there. - P83
2. Tasks that you leverage out to others
(중략) I Just as every master was once a disaster, so every big business owner, manager or successfully scaled person has the help of assistants, staff, carers, outsourcers, coaches andmentors. You can achieve this one of two ways:
i. YOU START OR MAKE PART OF THE DECISION
You trust them to make the smartestdecisions, within the initial parameters you set up at the start. - P83
ii. YOU LET THEM MAKE ALL THE DECISIONS
(중략) In order to successfully leverage out tasks in your ‘to do‘ list, you need to rethink and rename what a ‘to do‘ list even is. And so we move to the next chapter... - P84
Start Now sound bite
It can help knowing what you should be doing by knowing whatyou should NOT be doing. Minimize all low-value and time-wasting tasks, and conversely leverage out high-value tasks that others can do better than you, to get your task list down and your done list up. - P84
SECTION 5 Who‘s the easiest person to lie to...?
...(yourself) - P99
33 Latent resourcefulness
You are the easiest person to lie to. (중략) These are lies. And here‘s why: You and every other human being on this planet are infinitely resourceful and creative. Everything that we know and take forgranted in the material world was created by fellow man, froma single thought or idea. (중략) If one person can do that, any and every person can do that, in their areas of highest value and interest. No, you can‘t grow three extra feet by thinking it in your mind, but if it is humanly possible, you can do it too. - P100
Being creative is much easier than most people think. Everyhuman being is creative, not just the arty-creative types. - P101
Here are some ways to be more creative, from a previous hippy-anti-capitalist-rage-against-the-system artist (that was me):
1 Listen to and watch very creative people (speakers, comedians, artists, entrepreneurs, etc.) and model their behaviours, and... 2...read their books. Listen to their audio books and podcasts. Go on their seminars and get mentored bythem (where possible) 3 Isolate yourself from noise, media and negativity toallow ideas to come in - P101
11 Practise contrarianism, unconventional wisdom andleft-field thinking. New spins on existing norms. Uncommon sense. How can you think differently or laterally? 12 How can you look at the same problem in a different way? 13 How would your idol or someone successful and creative solve the problem? - P102
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You are infinitely creative and resourceful. For most people, itis latent within them, bursting to come out if only given thechance. Get a little uncomfortable and follow one or more of the15 points to being more creative, and all future solutions willcome to you with least effort. - P102
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