Think the secret to being successful is never speaking up against your boss & working hard all your life? Well, if you want to live life on your own terms, it turns out breaking the rules can take you a lot further.
1. You can learn from everyone When we work in an organized structure it can feel comfortable & safe because that’s how society says we should do it. It means the boss has a reclining chair with a private office, while everyone else struggles to work in an open plan distraction zone - on your right, someone is always sneezing & another coworker keeps offering biscuits!
It might sound unlikely but pirates had a much better way of doing things and as a result were highly successful.
Blackbeard made sure his crew were involved in the management of the ship. In fact, pirate ships were so democratic that crew members had a say in where they should sail, who to rob & were able to elect their own captain.
Consider the views of everyone including those in lower ranking positions to keep productive.
2. Think you know something? You worked hard in school & spent years building a career. You’ve put in your 10,000 hours, which means you’re an expert according to Malcolm Gladwell. However, the truth is believing you’re an expert works against you.
Feeling like an expert gives you a closed-minded outlook and ultimately holds us back. Think about learning the Japanese word for apple. First, you have to think of the word in English and then convert it to Japanese. If you clear your mind first you only need to learn it in Japanese, which halves the workload.
Unfortunately, power only makes things worse. The more confident you feel, the greater the ego, which also holds us back. In fact when someone powerful believes their authority is being questioned they feel they’re being threatened so they exclude the opinions of others...or shout them down. That leads to a narrow perspective and issues down the line!
Even if you think you know something, keep an open mind as it'll help you learn.
3. Stay curious Babies. They take one look at a phone and suddenly they’re swiping and trying to make calls...something that took you a whole lot longer to figure out. Why can’t we learn that fast?! Well, the first rule of learning quicker is to work on your baby brain.
The first thing about a baby is they approach things with a blank canvas and a completely open mind. When we ask ourselves “what could I do?” instead of “what should I do?” that helps to keep our mind open so we consider fresh ways of looking at a problem. At which point we’re free to come up with a creative solution.
It can be great learning by watching YouTube, listening to a podcast or reading but those are passive activities. You learn most effectively by being involved, so take notes and ask yourself questions to really lock knowledge in. Babies find learning fun, so it’s something they want to participate in.
Learning’s easier when you make it fun, stay curious & get involved.
4. Stereotypes Everyone loves a stereotype. Not only is it how our minds work but it’s also a lot of fun. Is it true that all French people cycle around wearing a stripey top with sausages around their necks? Well, probably not all of them! Strangely some big learnings about stereotypes have come out of wartime.
During World Wars I & II men were sent to fight for their countries. Women filled the job void. Research has shown that businesses with the most diverse staff outperform their competitors and ones with women leaders do even better. When the wars ended men returned to reclaim their roles. But why?
Women are considered to be homemakers, sensitive & gentle, whereas men are considered strong, competitive & independent. But these are stereotypes. Clearly business and society both thrive when we increase diversity.
These rules of diversity apply to any category. When countries open up their borders to travel & immigration they find their society & business thrives. Diversity leads to better outcomes.
Stereotypes are fun & easy to remember but can hold us back from a better life.
5. Showing your best self can alienate you When we’re dressed up heading to an important meeting we want to project the best version of ourselves. We try to appear polished, strong & confident, so definitely no clothing labels poking out or spinach in the teeth. However, creating a polished exterior like that ends up alienating people.
Showing our emotions & vulnerabilities makes people admire us more, not less. If we hide who we really are we end up feeling more stressed, have a lower sense of wellbeing and are more likely to suffer from burnout. In any case who doesn’t prefer someone who appears real but happy, right?
Don’t be afraid to show your vulnerable side. Instead of people thinking you’re weak, they’ll warm to you more.
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