If You Want To Be Successful

How many catchphrases like these have you seen in your life?

Here are three classics:

“Read at least 5 books per month if you want to be successful.” Tropes like these breed the notion that reading creates progress. Reading simply corrects action. Correct action creates progress.

“Outwork your competitors if you want to be successful.” Overworking and “hustle” breed the notion that hard work creates success. Farmers work harder and longer hours than chartered accountants, yet the former usually earns less than the latter.

“Learn how to sell anybody if you want to be successful.” Becoming an annoying salesperson breeds distrust in everybody, such that we go out of our way to avoid anyone who sounds like they want to “sell anybody”. We buy from those we trust, those who wouldn’t “sell anybody”.

Read to learn, work smart, help people achieve their goals. Or, “do the opposite of the catchphrases”.