Smart Advice from Dilbert

Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, has made a good living by understanding human psychology from an engineers’ perspective in a work paradigm. In How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, he explains that goals are for losers, passion is bullshit, and mediocre skills can make you valuable. Hmmmmm….

This is a great book and not what I was expecting. Below are some of the tips that will enable you to achieve your wildest dreams:

If you build it, your dreams will come. This means that you need to focus on being the best you. This includes spending time on your fitness, eating right, pursing your career and spending quality time with good friends and family. Discipline is the strongest form of self-love. It is ignoring current pleasures for bigger rewards to come. It is loving yourself enough to give your self everything you’ve ever wanted.

Withholding praise is wrong. Most people are starved for a kind word. Understand the power of honest praise (as opposed to bullshit and flattery). If you see an act that you like or admire, praise the person for their effort.

The ability to change your mind. This is a critical life skill. Listen to people and be open. We all lack understanding of some things and at times (heaven forbid) may even be wrong. Be open to new ideas and information. Also, people are predisposed to liking attractive people and the less you say the better impression you’ll make. Smile more.

Systems are better than goals. Goal-oriented people mostly fail. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you will constantly think that you are not at your goal until you reach it. If you fall short, you’re still a failure. The only way to reach your goal is to lose 20 pounds. It’s a state of near-perpetual failure.

What you really want is a system that increases your odds of success. Even if that system only improves the odds a little it adds up over a long life. In organizations, this means, for example, you should care more about the process by which you make decisions than analysis. It also means that you should focus on building a system that evolves, improves, and survives ego. Systems increase the odds of getting lucky. Or, if you want to put it another way, they reduce stupidity. Goal seekers optimize, whereas systems thinkers simplify.

Everyone is a basket case on the inside.

Practice business writing.  Use as few words as possible and go directly to the point. It makes you appear more intelligent.

State what you will accomplish out loud and regularly. Affirmations may help.

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big is worth a read.