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This is a story I first heard from Jamie Kraft, Managing Director at the UF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. This story details what I consider to be one of the clearest reasons why the vast majority of people will not reach their goals in life.
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Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the bananas. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all the monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result – again all the monkeys are sprayed with cold water. This continues until pretty soon whenever another monkey tries to climb the stairs all the other monkeys will try to prevent it from doing so.

Now put away the cold water. Remove one of the monkeys from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey will see the banana and will attempt to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt, and attack, he knows that if he climbs the stairs he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth and then a fifth one. Every time a new monkey goes to the stairs it is attacked. The monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all of the original monkeys none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the bananas. Why not? Because as far as they know that’s the way we’ve always done it around here. We call this TTWWADI.
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This brings up the important question you need to ask yourself: What are you doing because you are expected to? This can be anything from your study habits to the way you exercise. Chances are you learned it from someone, who learned it from someone else…who learned it from yet another person. Innovation has ceased a long time ago and you have been left with an unimproved method or way of doing things.

Here is my challenge to you:

1. Spend one day writing down every important action you take
2. Sit down at the end of the day and analyze why you did certain things and who taught you to do them that way
3. Ask yourself if there is potentially a better way to do something
4. Think! Take at least 30 minutes to just sit by yourself and explore the different alternatives and limitless possibilities
5. Enjoy your newfound effectiveness and happiness

For a deeper reflection ask yourself where your current scholastic or career path is leading you. Are you heading down that path because you chose it as the optimal path to happiness? Or did you pick it because you are blindly following in the footsteps of someone else? Do not let society dictate your actions.

As Steve Jobs said, “Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world….are usually the ones that do.”

If Will Smith were to decide to stop acting, he could quickly find a job as a Success Guru. After listening to the video below I am convinced he knows the secret to success in life and has clearly used it to reach extraordinary heights. It is one of the most enlightening videos around from one of the least likely sources, or so I thought. Below are some of my favorite quotes from the video and then the video in its entirety.

On Being Realistic:

“Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity. Why would you be realistic? I’m going to do it. It’s already done. The second I decide it’s done, it’s already done. Now I just have to wait for all of you to see.”

“It’s unrealistic to walk in a room, flip the switch, and watch the lights come on. Fortunately, Edison didn’t think so.”

On Work Ethic:

“I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. You may be more talented than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be better looking than me. But if we get on a treadmill together, you are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.”

On Talent vs Skill:

“I’ve never really viewed myself as particularly talented. I’ve viewed myself as slightly above average in talent. And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy’s sleeping? I’m working. While the other guy’s eatin’? I’m working. While the other guy’s making love, I mean, I’m making love, too. But I’m working really hard at it.”

On Having a Plan B:

“There is no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A.”

On Doing the Impossible

One summer, his dad tore down a brick wall in the front of his business and told 12-year-old Will and his 9-year-old brother to rebuild it, a job they said was impossible. It took them a year and a half, but they did it.

“And he said, ‘Now, don’t you ever tell me there’s somethin’ that you can’t do.’ And walked right through that door, went inside. And me and my brother stood here and looked. And said, ‘Daddy crazy as hell, ain’t he?’” Smith recalls, laughing.

The wall is still there, and so is the lesson he learned from building it. “I just put my head down and lay the first brick,” Smith explains.

On the Universe:

“Make a choice. Just decide what it’s going to be, who you’re going to be, how you’re going to do it. Just DECIDE! And then from that point the universe is going to get out of your way.”

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41% of people check their email before they do anything else in the morning. This can be attributed to the task dominant lifestyle we tend to lead. In a strange way, we look for new tasks we need to perform without considering the fact that there are plenty of important tasks left undone. This leads to increased stress as our pile of work grows the second we wake up. This habit sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you do this every day (as most do), then you are setting that tone for the rest of your life.

Here is a simple plan to get off this habit:

1. Gather your inspirational resources

iPhone and iTouch users – Download the Solace and Courage Iphone App by Ajnaware. For those of you who are not familiar with this app, I consider it to be one of the best applications out there and easily the most inspirational.

Non iPhone or iTouch users – Print quotes from either Third Minds or another website with inspirational quotes. On a side note, we promise to keep updating our quotes section!

2. Read at least 3 quotes on either the app or the paper the second you wake up. Then pause for exactly one minute and think about them.

If you follow this habit I guarantee you will find yourself leading happier days and sleeping better. What has been your experience doing this? Any other tips you use to start the day off successfully?

Excellent story taken from 4 Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss.
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An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

“How long did it take you to catch them?” The American asked.

“Only a little while.” The Mexican replied.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” The American then asked.

“I have enough to support my family’s immediate needs.” The Mexican said.

“But,” The American then asked, “What do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”

“Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But senor, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

“But what then, senor?”

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions, senor? Then what?”

The American said slowly, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos…”
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Stop and think for a second. Which path are you taking?

Our goal in life should be to let others know how smart we really are, right? We spend our time taking tests, applying for awards, and interviewing all in an attempt to justify our skill set. But how do we define “smart”? It appears we have arrived at this definition: A core competency in a narrow area. This area consists of individuals far more knowledgeable than us and our aim becomes to seek and interact with these individuals. The focus on this specific area creates a habit of socializing with like-minded individuals while ignoring others with diverse skill sets.

Here is the Success Secret: Every single person is smarter than you in at least one regard (if you’re like me than probably more).

The intense focus on our one area of interest needs to be toned down. To escape this end, I propose a 5 day challenge. Each day in the challenge spend 10-15 minutes with a person you have always overlooked. Dig out that area where they surpass you and just listen. At the end of those 5 days you will find yourself a more complete individual in areas that never even occurred to you. That’s intelligence!

How did this go for you? What were those 5 encounters like?

I’ve been in college almost four years now and I can count the number of great Powerpoint presentations I’ve seen on one hand. It seems to me that this communication medium has become the established method without true justification. The reason is simple enough – it’s just too easy to make a mediocre one. It seems presenters have stopped using Powerpoint for the effect but have begun to use it as a way to remind them of their upcoming lines. Here are some of my steadfast rules:

1. Never use a theme from Powerpoint. The use of one shows a complete lack of effort. Instead, learn how to use a Master slide and create your own simple design. Never let your theme distract from the presentation.
2. Minimize your use of text on a slide. Seth Godin’s rule is no more than 6 words a slide. It will keep your focus on the fact that the presentation is meant to reinforce your point, not make it.
3. Do not put too many images on a slide. The viewer will spend more time looking at all the different pictures than listening to you.
4. On the image note, try not to copy and paste random pictures from Google. Most of the time they look unprofessional and you are better off going with stock photos.
5. Finally, never use transitions or animations. Those were fun in 8th grade so leave them there.

For more tips on creating a powerpoint presentation check out the Career Resources section for a guide by Seth Godin, the New York Times bestselling author.

Academic Earth

An Ivy League education is viewed as the opportunity to learn from the top professors in the world. While this is true, many have not realized the effect the internet has had on knowledge. It is no longer monopolized through top schools and the barriers to learning are being torn down. Academic Earth, conceived by Richard Ludlow while at Yale, is one of those sites. It boasts an impressive list of schools (Berkeley, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford U Michigan, UCLA, Yale) that offer entire courses in various subjects through the website. Now that you have no more excuses about your lack of opportunities, go learn! Academic Earth

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

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Ever wondered where the hit motivational movie “The Secret” got its ideas from? The Strangest Secret, a short story by Earl Nightingale, proposed a startling claim and was just as popular as the new hit movie about half a century ago. The story claims to have stumbled upon a secret that has been the root cause of every successful man since the beginning of time. It is something that every great genius discovers and uses to his advantage. Its basic premise is that a man’s life is nothing but the sum of his thoughts. In even simpler terms, it can be summed up in one sentence: You are what you think about. It won a Gold Record in 1956 and is the only recorded message to win that award.

The video can be seen below the jump and it is worth listening to in its entirety at least once every month.

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