21 Principles of Success

These principles guide the path to success as observed and practiced by one who made their first million by age 27, including insights from interactions with highly successful people.

Introduction

Success can often be attributed to luck, grace of God, and timing.
Implementing certain principles can fast-track success and attract wealth.

Principle 1: Be Misunderstood

Close people may not support growth due to past failures.
Success requires periods of misunderstanding; not everyone will see your vision.
Weirdness often correlates with success as it involves doing things others wouldn't.

Principle 2: Ask Better Questions

Better questions lead to better clarity and decisions.
The 1-3-1 Rule: Identify a problem, evaluate options, and recommend a solution.
Questions focus the mind, guiding self and others.

Principle 3: Be Resourceful

Empower people with budgets to solve problems internally.
Example: Elon Musk funds Mars colonization via Starlink, showcasing extreme resourcefulness.
Challenge self-imposed limitations and seek alternative paths.

Principle 4: Give to Get

Helping others leads to personal achievement and fulfillment.
Law of reciprocity: The more you give, the more you receive.
Giving can manifest in time, resources, and opportunity.

Principle 5: Extreme Ownership

Control the controllables; focus on response to situations.
Accountability empowers and prevents external control.
Ownership means taking responsibility for one's position.

Principle 6: Learn, Do, Teach

Everyone should strive to reach their potential and share successes.
Teaching others what you've learned is a responsibility, not a choice.

Principle 7: Invest in Your Priorities

Dedicate time and resources toward goals.
Calendar and bank account should reflect what is important.

Principle 8: Ask for Bigger Problems

Bigger problems lead to bigger personal and professional growth.
Challenges prepare you for greater success.

Principle 9: Everything is a Blessing or a Lesson

Failures should be viewed as learning opportunities.
Use setbacks to guide future endeavors and growth.

Principle 10: Scare Yourself Every Day

Set goals that challenge and expand your abilities.
Courage builds through facing fears and uncertainty.

Principle 11: Be a River, Not a Reservoir

Share knowledge freely to attract opportunities and clients.
Marketing should serve and help more people than your product.

Principle 12: Praise in Public, Criticize in Private

Positive reinforcement in public; criticism in private to maintain team morale.

Principle 13: Understand the Four C's of Leverage

Content: Document and share knowledge.
Capital: Use money to accelerate growth.
Code: Automate processes for efficiency.
Collaboration: Build and leverage teams.

Principle 14: Buy Back Time

Use money to gain more time for valuable activities.
Delegate non-essential tasks to focus on high-value work.

Principle 15: The 10-80-10 Rule

Collaborate in the ideation phase, delegate execution, then refine as an editor.

Principle 16: The 10x Mindset

Think big to foster innovation and attract top talent.
Aim for exponential growth rather than linear.

Principle 17: Four Levels of Luck

Pure Luck: Random successes.
Grit Luck: Persistence creates opportunities.
Skilled Luck: Expertise attracts opportunities.
Prepared Luck: Best opportunities come when well-prepared.

Principle 18: Be Blissfully Dissatisfied

Appreciate current achievements while striving for more.
Balance gratitude with ambition.

Principle 19: Make it About Other People

Focus on serving others to activate personal and professional success.

Principle 20: Think in Decades, Not Days

Long-term commitment is key to achieving meaningful goals.
Focus on consistency and dedication over time.

Principle 21: There's No Place to Get To

Success is not a destination; focus on enjoying the journey.
Self-worth should not depend on external achievements.

These principles provide a roadmap to achieving lasting and meaningful success, focusing on self-improvement, helping others, and maintaining a growth mindset.

Guiding Principles for Lasting Success