Month: June 2016

Charles Duhigg has done it again, this time with his new book, Smarter Faster Better. It’s already a New York Times Best seller.

The author talks to researchers who mine data from a recruiting firm looking for clues about the personalities and work habits of exceedingly productive people.

Data show that the most productive people know how to focus. They constantly try to develop new skills and meet with new people. They throw out ideas at meetings and eagerly solicit help from colleagues. Constant conversation helps them figure out how to focus their attention where it is needed.

At the core of Smarter Faster Better are eight key concepts, from motivation and goal setting, to focus and decision making, they explain why some people get so much done.

Duhigg also draws on the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics. He studies the experiences of CEOs, educational reformers, four-star generals and occupations where individuals have to make decisions.

He finds that the most productive people and organizations view the world and their choices in profoundly different ways. The ability to draw on personal knowledge and transfer it to a new setting is one of the strategies that drove the team behind Frozen.

An early screening flops and movie creators aren’t sure how to fix it. But they try to find ways to connect their own experiences with the lines of Anna and Elsa, the two sisters at the center of the film. These insights help make the music and the film successful.

“Every choice we make in life is an experiment,” Duhigg writes. He applies relentless curiosity, deep reporting and rich storytelling to explain how we can get smarter, faster and better.

Everyone is quick to offer advice to the new graduate. And everyone has a personal definition of success.

The truth is there are no specific steps that assure success in life. There is hard work, perseverance, staying focused and looking for opportunities. But there will be no knock on the door to let you know an opportunity awaits.

Amid the joy of graduation and the strain of deciding what to do next, here are a few words of advice for you from people who have been there.

* “Life has no remote, get up and change it yourself.” By Mark Cooper
* “Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” By Erma Bombeck
* “Just remember, you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.” By Arnold Schwarzenegger.
* “You will never have more energy, enthusiasm, hair, or brain cells than you have today.” By Tom and Ray Magliozzi.
* “Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they’re open.” By Thomas Dewar.
* “God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas, but for scars.” By Elbert Hubbard.
* “If you’re picking your best friend based on what kind of clothes she wears or how popular she is, chances are you aren’t going to stay in touch after graduation.” By Renee Olstead.
* “So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you’re on the right track.” By Ed Helms.
* “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” By Will Rogers.
* “If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of payments.” By Earl Wilson.

Congratulations, graduates. Have a good time and a wonderful life.