Unexpected Education

Some of the best business lessons are counter-intuitive

- Howard Feldman

Buzzfeed is often credited for launching ‘The Twenty-Five things that All Successful People do Before Breakfast’ lists. Anyone born prior to the advent of the internet, however know that quick reference guides have been around since Moses (and God) decided that Commandments was more than we could handle.

Turns out it took a number of attempts to even get us to accept the limited number that was on offer. And once we did, it became clear that a good percentage of us had no intention of reading past number six.

Besides, today we prefer to be ‘encouraged’ rather than commanded.

Lists, however, are useful, and in keeping with current (and ancient) trends, I have noted five counter-intuitive lessons that I have learned on my entrepreneurial journey.

Don’t take yourself as seriously as you hope that others take you

We all have a need to be considered important, and to be taken seriously. The problem with this is that pushing this agenda, while not having the ability to laugh at ourselves, is likely the very thing that will prevent us from reaching this goal. The ability to look from the outside in and to note our own quirks and idiosyncrasies indicates that we know who we are, that we recognise our own ‘stuff’ and that others don’t need to feel responsible for verbalising it.

Tell your secrets