You can either commune with James Altucher’s insights, but one thing you have to admit: when reading his book Choose Yourself! (or his blog), one feels like getting the right stimuli, even I could say getting superhuman powers, to become a Superman or a Wonder Woman, ready to save the world.
No wonder why he has so many followers/readers on his blog. He instills the energy one needs to set fears aside and get to work, in other words, to Choose Yourself! Never a message can be delivered with a great force if the messenger doesn’t talk by experience and from the heart. The author of Choose Yourself! masters that one.
Be out into the world, exploring, inventing and manifesting. Build your own platform.
Sometimes shame makes us to remain apart, wandering in the darkness, like a dirty diamond hidden on the mud. However, when we allow ourselves to show who we truly are, we do what a friend of mine always shouts: A brillar! And when we shine, we are going out there in a world full of opportunities, ideas, and we materialize them. And one can do so with what Seth Godin calls TRIBES: A human social unit, founded on shared ideas and values. Tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make a big change.
Have faith and confidence in yourself, keep your fear aside.
We’ve all been rejected from one to a million times in our lives. I’ve been down that road. And the fear of rejection paralizes us. When you free yourself from fears (which are nothing else than a product of the schizophrenia of the mind), you feel free. Free to do whatever you want, free to Choose Yourself!
Define success by your own terms. Always ask yourself, what can I improve? Who else can I talk to? Where else can I look ?
I believe those questions only can come up out of a curious person’s mouth. A person who doesn’t settle, but is always sniffing, eavesdropping, searching in order to learn.
Success is a very particular concept. Arianna Huffington, author of On Becoming Fearless…in Love, Work, and Life shares her wisdom at SmithCollege’s 135th commencement ceremony by saying: At the moment, our society’s notion of success is largely composed of two parts: money and power. In fact, success, money and power have practically become synonymous. But it’s time for a third metric, beyond money and power—one founded on well-being, wisdom, our ability to wonder, and to give back.
Become an artist-entrepreneur.
Till now an artist made their work. Period.
From now on, it’s not enough to be a creative artist. An artist has to make art, deliver it, and sell it. And nobody can do it better than oneself.
Build a positive base: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
James Altucher calls it The Daily Practice. When I read this on his blog, it reminded me the book Awaken the Giant Within, whose author is the well-known American life coach, Tony Robbins. In his book, that I read in 2007, Tony Robbins talks about taking immediate control of 5 spheres of your life: Mental, Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Timing destiny.
According to the author of Choose Yourself!, the Daily Practice consists of:
Physical body (exercise and eat well); Emotional body (surround yourself with positive people); Mental body (tire your mind up with ideas); Spiritual body (Be still, not time traveling).
Only do things you enjoy.
There’s this old belief that one has to separate ‘real’ work from dreams. Then, we ought to reject the latter. I never get tired of hearing Dr. Wayne Dyer’s words reciting Henry David Thoreau’s quote:
When one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Be around like-minded people.
There are people that really drags you. Wait. Even worse. They really suck all your energy. I believe they really project their fears and drag you with their misery. On the contrary, a positive person elevates your soul, and you know that because after meeting them, you feel powerful like Wonder Woman.
Be an expert.
Be not only an expert, but the best. The author of The Dip says that being the best in the world really matters, that’s why Seth Godin considers three situations in which to know when to quit and when to stick.
Come up with ideas, sell those ideas, fail and bounce back. Repeat.
The author of Choose Yourself! calls it ‘The idea machine.’ It consists of forcing ourselves to come up with at least 10 ideas every day. Some of these ideas will fail, but one or two can become the goose that laid the golden egg. Who knows.
Become the source.
Some years ago, I learned that you can either be a beggar or be the source. I wrote I say Who, What, and Where!
You, Choose Yourself!