James Altucher: a Manual for those wishing to radically change the sphere of activity

Programmer, investor and entrepreneur James Altucher running for several startups, published on TechCrunch very simple, useful and honest manual for those who want to radically change the scope of activities, but do not know where to start.

Here's the deal: I was at zero few times, came back to life several times, did it again and again. I started a new career. People who knew me then, don't know me by now. And so on.

Several times I started a career from scratch. Sometimes because my interests are varied. Sometimes because all bridges have been burned without a trace, and sometimes because I desperately needed the money. And sometimes because I hated everyone at my old work, or they hated me.

There are other ways to re-invent myself, so treat my words with a grain of salt. This is what worked in my case. I've seen how it works approximately for hundreds of other people. At the interview, the letters that I wrote over the last 20 years. You can try — or not.

1. Change never ends Every day you open yourself up again. You are always moving. But every day decide where to move: forward or backward.

2. Start with a clean slate All your past shortcuts — only vanity. You were a doctor? A graduate of the ivy League? Owned by millions? You had a family? Nobody cares. You have lost everything. You are zero. Don't try to say that you are something more.

3. You need a coach Otherwise you will sink. Someone needs to show you how to move and breathe. But don't worry about finding a mentor (see below).

4. Three types of mentors Direct. Someone ahead of you who will show you how he achieved it. What do you mean "this"? Wait. By the way, mentors are not like that hero Jackie Chan in the movie "the Karate kid". Most mentors will hate you.

Indirect. Books. Movies. You can get 90% of the teachings out of books and other materials. 200-500 books are equal to a good mentor. When people ask me, "What a good book is worth reading?", I don't know what to tell them. There are 200-500 good books that are worth reading. I would have turned to inspirational books. In whatever you believe, strengthen your beliefs daily reading.

A mentor can be anything. If you're a nobody and want to reinvent themselves, everything you see can be a metaphor for your desires and goals. The wood you see, with roots, inaccessible to the eye, and groundwater on which it fed — a metaphor for programming, if you link the separate points together. And all that you see, will "connect the dots".

5. Don't worry if you don't want to drags You care about your health. Start with him. Do small steps. You don't need passion to succeed. Do your job with love and success will become a natural symptom.



6. The time required to re-creating myself: 5 years Here is a description of those 5 years.

First year: you are floundering and reading everything and just starting to do something.

Second year: you know who you need to speak and maintain a working relationship. You are doing something every day. You finally understand what a map looks like your own game "Monopoly".

Third year: you are good enough to start making money. But for now, perhaps not enough to make a living.

Fourth year: you provide.

Fifth year: you knock together as.

Sometimes I have stumbled into frustration in the first four years. I asked myself: "why is this still not happened?" put my fist through the wall and broke his arm. That's okay, just keep going. Or stop and select a new field of activity. It doesn't matter. Someday you will die — and then the change could be really difficult.

7. If you do it too fast or too slow, it means that something goes wrong. A good example is Google.

8. It is not the money But the money is a good measure. When people say "It's not for the money", they need to be confident that they have some other unit of measurement. "How about you just do what you love?". There will be many days when you will not like what you are doing. If you do it out of pure love, it will take much more than five years. Happiness is a positive reaction your brain. In some days you will be unhappy. Your brain is only a tool, it does not define who you are.

9. When you can say "I do X" when X becomes your new profession? Today

10. When can I start doing X? Today. If you want to paint, buy a canvas and paint today, start buying 500 books one at a time and painting. If you want to write, do the following three things:

— read

— write

— take your favorite author and type it the best story word by word. Ask yourself why he wrote each word. Let him be your mentor today.

If you want to open a business, try to come up with an idea for a business. Re-creating yourself starts today. Every day.

11. When I earn the money? Through the year you invest in this business 5000-7000 hours. It's good enough to get you in the top 200–300 in the world in any specialty. Getting into the top 200 almost always will provide you with a livelihood. By the third year you will understand how to earn money. The fourth will be able to increase turnover and provide for themselves. Some on this and stop.



12. By the fifth year you will get in the top 30–50, so I can do состояние13. How to determine what is mine? Any area in which you are able to read 500 books. Go to the bookstore and find it. If after three months you will get bored again, go to the bookstore. To get rid of illusions — OK, that's the point of defeat. Success is better than losing, but the most important lessons we are given lesion. Very important: don't rush it. During his interesting life and you can many times to change himself. And many times will fail. It is also fun. These attempts will turn your life into a book of short stories, not a textbook. Some people want their life was a textbook. My book of short stories, good or bad. So changes are happening every day.

14. The decisions you make today will be in your biography tomorrow Take interesting solutions, and you will have an interesting biography.

15. The decisions you make today will become part of your биологии16. What if I like something exotic? Biblical archaeology or war XI century? Repeat the above steps, and by the fifth year, you will be able to razbogatel. We don't know how. No need to search for the end of the road, when you are making only the first steps.

17. What if my family wants me to become an accountant? How much of your life you promised to give your family? Ten? Life? Then wait for the next life. You choose.

Choose freedom over family. Freedom, not prejudice. Freedom, not government. Freedom, not the satisfaction of foreign requests. Then you will satisfy your.

18. My mentor wants me to walk in his way. This is normal. Learn his way. Then make your way. With respect.

Fortunately, nobody puts you a gun to his head. Then you'd had to comply with the requirements until he lowered the gun.

19. My husband (wife) is worried — who will take care of our children? A man who changes himself, always finds some free time. Part of the change yourself is to find moments and to reshape them the way you would like to use them.

20. What if my friends deem me crazy? What kind of friends?

21. What if I want to be an astronaut? This is not the change itself. This particular profession. If you like space, there are many jobs. Richard Branson wanted to be an astronaut and created Virgin Galactic.

22. And if I like to drink and hang out with friends? Read this post again a year from now.

23. But if I'm busy? Cheating spouse or betray your partner? Read this post again in two or three years when you're broke, without a job and all will turn away from you.

24. But if I don't know how? Read again paragraph 2.

25. But if I have no diploma or from him no good? Read again paragraph 2.

26. But if I have to focus on paying the mortgage or other loan? Read again the paragraph 19.

27. Why do I always feel like an outsider? Albert Einstein was an outsider. None of the authority people wouldn't have hired him. Everyone feels like an impostor sometimes. The greatest creativity is born out of skepticism.



28. I can't read 500 books. Name one book you need to read for inspiration. Then you can just give up.

29. But if I'm too sick to change? The change will spur the production of useful substances in your body: serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin. Go ahead and, maybe you will not recover completely, but will be healthier. Do not use health as an excuse.

Finally, first rebuild your health. Sleep more. Eat better. Exercise. This is the key steps to change.

30. But if my partner is with me, and I still suzhus with him? Drop the lawsuit and never think about it. Half the problem was in you.

31. But if I put in jail? Well. Reread paragraph 2. In prison read more books.

32. But if I'm a timid person? Make the weakness your strength. Introverts are better able to listen and concentrate, they are able to evoke sympathy.

33. But if I can't wait five years? If after five years you expect to stay alive, you can start today.

34. How to establish contacts? Build concentric circles. You have to be in the middle. The next circle is friends and family. Then community online. Then the people you know through informal meetings and tea parties. Then conference participants and opinion leaders in their field. Then mentors. Then clients and those who make money. Start to Wade through these circles.

35. What if my ego begins to interfere with what I do? Six months or a year you will return to step 2.

36. What if I am passionate about two things at once? And I can't choose? Combine them and you will be the best in the world on this combination.

37. And if I'm so passionate about that I want to teach others what you learn yourself? Read lectures on YouTube. Start with the audience consisting of one person, and see if it is growing.

38. But if I want to earn money in your sleep? For the fourth year start to outsource what you're doing.

39. How to find mentors and experts? When you gain enough knowledge (after 100-200 books), write 10 ideas for 20 different potential mentors.

None of them will not answer. Write 10 more ideas for 20 new mentors. Repeat this every week.

Make a mailing list for anyone you have not responded. Repeat until someone responds. Write a blog about how something is studied. Build a community in which you can become an expert.



40. But if I can't come up with ideas? Then practise it. "Mental muscles" tend to atrophy. They need to be trained.

I find it hard to reach my toes, if I don't do this every day. It is necessary to do it every day for some time before it will be given to me easily. Do not expect that from the first day you will have good ideas.

41. What else to read? AFTER books you can read websites, forums, magazines. But most of it is garbage.

42. But if I do everything you say, but still nothing seems to work? Will. Just wait. Continue to change yourself every day.

Don't try to find the end of the road. You will not see it in the fog. But you can see the next step, and you realize that if you take it, you eventually reach the end of the road.

43. But if I start to feel depressed? Hour a day sitting in silence. You need to get back to nature.

If you think that sounds stupid, don't do it. Live on with your depression.

44. And if there is no time to sit in silence? Then sit in silence for two hours a day. It is not meditation. You just have to sit.

45. And if I get scared? Sleep 8-9 hours a night and never engage in gossip. Sleep is the first secret of good health. Not the only but the first. Some people write me that they need four hours of sleep or that their country of those who sleeps a lot, feel lazy. These people will be defeated and will die young.

As for gossip, our brains are biologically programmed to have 150 friends. And when you are dealing with one of the friends you can gossip about someone from the other 150. And if you don't have 150 friends then the brain wants to read magazines with gossip, while it does not seem that he has 150 friends.

Don't be as dumb as your brain.

46. And if I think I'm never going to work out? For 10 minutes daily practice of gratitude. Don't suppress your fear. Notice your anger.

But also allow yourself to be grateful for what you have. Anger never inspires, and gratitude — inspiring. Gratitude is the bridge between your world and a parallel universe where you live all creative ideas.

47. But if I constantly have to deal with some personal squabbles? Find other people to be around.

He changes himself, will always meet people who try to suppress. The brain is afraid of change — it may be unsafe. Biologically, the brain wants for you safety, and change is risk. So the brain will shove you people trying to stop you.

Learn to say "no."

48. And if I'm happy on your office job? Good luck.

49. Why should I trust you? You as many times suffered defeat. Don't trust me.

50. Will you be my mentor? Have you read this post. published

 

Source: theoryandpractice.ru