"We simply have to ask, “Where can I improve? Is there a person or tool that bridges a gap between what I don’t know, don’t do well, don’t have time for, or don’t like to do?”"
"In many ways, we’re only limited by the company we keep or who we study. If we become more self-aware and socially friendly, it’s much easier to select compatible friends, employees, or partners. With a little luck or practice, peer intelligence might even rub off, not merely fill our gaps."
"THE SOONER WE FOCUS on strongest abilities, including our best learning style, the sooner we can leverage someone else’s skills or intelligence."
"The relentless pursuit of knowledge, especially about ourselves and others, is critical to personal and professional growth."
"The secret is to learn best practices from those who have been there, done that, and preferably done that exceptionally well."
"To be the best, study extraordinary people."
"Mastery of Basic Abilities always started with plenty of what ifs and why nots? Most of us can do that. From there, his success was driven as much by creative routines as any born-genius. Simply stated, da Vinci was a master of journals, discussion, and experimentation (roots of entrepreneurial thinking)."
"If da Vinci teaches us nothing else, it’s that genius is as much about routines as any talent we’re born with. Wanna think like da Vinci? Scribble more!"
"Whatever you do, break routines and get your innovative groove on — you just might become 20% happier and 20% more successful!"
"Upon close inspection, we discover that genius is at least dependent upon passion, practice, and purpose as much as any lucky draw of the gene pool."
"The primary lesson is that anyone can achieve a degree of genius if they’re willing to do the work — to practice with passion and purpose."
"If we want something badly enough, practice requires passion and purpose."
"Fail -> Learn -> Try again. These were the principles of Thomas Edison, one of the greatest inventors in history."
"Life is sometimes unfair. The world doesn’t owe us favors. Intelligence, privilege, and opportunity are not proxies for success. Persistence rules the day."
"Through good times and bad, I think most of us learn our greatest lessons through adversity; including the right plans and people to include on our path."
"From financial setbacks, business hiccups, or family tragedy, adversity will be a test of character and time for courage. It will be a time to build new skills and relationships. It may even be a time to renew purpose. As the cliche goes, “Never miss the opportunity in a crisis.”
Contributed by Cliff Michaels
What
Successful People Didn't Learn in School
