Inside Strategic Coach with Dan Sullivan
Geometry for Staying Cool and Calm
Three Guidelines Explained
- Euclid and Geometry
- Euclid: Greek mathematician, Alexandria, Egypt, ~300 BC.
- Documented mathematical knowledge into a series of books.
- Fundamental rules of geometry: can't progress without understanding preceding rules.
- Modern application: mindset for operating in a 21st-century world.
Fundamental Rules
- Everything is made up
- All knowledge originates from someone’s idea.
- You can make up new things too; no permission needed.
- Nobody’s in charge
- Entrepreneurs excel at creating new things; bureaucrats usually don’t.
- Life's not fair
- New ideas benefit some and disadvantage others.
- Concepts of fairness (1000 years old) and equality (400 years old) are relatively recent.
Triangular Structure
- Triangles: strongest structure in the universe, each side and angle support the others.
- Putting the three rules together forms a strong foundation for staying cool and calm.
Rules and Authority
- People are not in charge; rules are
- Example: Umpires follow baseball rules; they didn’t create the game.
- Daily life involves following numerous unrecognized rules.
- Autonomous
- Greek word meaning self-law.
- Freedom comes from following rules.
Practical Applications
- Workplace Rules and Values
- Establish core company values or ground rules for teamwork and cooperation.
- Example: setting success criteria using tools like an impact filter.
- Language as Rules
- Proper use of language impacts opportunities available to an individual.
- Examples: correct usage of subject pronouns, less vs. fewer, infer vs. imply.
Social Conduct and Order
- Style Confidence
- Dressing appropriately translates to focusing on main tasks rather than appearance.
- Lawfulness in Cities
- Examples of well-ordered vs. lawless environments.
- Business impact from lack of enforcement (e.g., shoplifting in major cities).
Governance and Constitutions
- The U.S. Constitution as a rule-based system.
- Historical context and importance of rules in American governance.
- Debt ceiling crisis reflects how spending is regulated by constitutional rules.
Closing Remarks
- Rules for Credibility and Success
- Show up on time, do what you say, finish what you start, say please and thank you, be appropriate.
- Self-rules that avoid problems and open doors in professional and personal contexts.
Key Insights: The importance of rules in life and business, the idea that everything is made up, and the necessity of creating and adhering to rules for success. Emphasis on autonomy, language, style, and governance as practical examples.