The Incisal Edge

I was listening to Bob Burg, the co-author of this little book speaking the other day and it took me back to when I first read it. I had been persuaded that what I needed to succeed was to work hard and faster than everyone else. It went against the grain but if everyone else said that’s what I should do who was I to question them. Thankfully I was soon disabused by Bob Burg & John David Mann who wrote this parable of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success, he is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder he works, the further away his goals seem.

During the book the authors outline their five laws of “Stratospheric Success” which are:

The Law of Value

Your real worth is defined by how much more value you give than how much you get paid. Before thinking about profits, first ask yourself, does this serve others? A great business delivers unbelievable value; when you you focus on giving value as a way of life, the money will naturally follow.

The Law of Compensation

Your income is decided by the number of people you serve and how well you serve them. The bigger your impact, the more money you’ll actually earn.

The Law of Influence

Your influence is defined by how often and how much you focus on others’ interests first. The best way to build strong relationships is to focus 100% on helping the other person, without keeping track of how much others owe you or how much they gain. When you add value to others freely, people are naturally attracted to you, like you and want you to succeed, and you essentially build an army of personal ambassadors.

The Law of Authenticity

The biggest and most valuable gift you can offer is yourself. Every human being craves genuine connections and relationships. Hence, the best gift you can offer someone is your authenticity, simply by being yourself rather than pretending to be someone else. No amount of manipulation skills or techniques can be as effective or valuable as your authenticity and sincerity.

The Law of Receptivity

To give effectively, you must be open to receive. Giving and receiving are 2 sides of the same coin. There can be no act of giving without a concurrent act of receiving, just like how you cannot exhale without inhaling. Practice  receiving–the next time someone pays you a compliment, simply accept it graciously by saying “thank you” with a smile.

I am not suggesting that there is only one book that will change your ideas and improve your life but the change will come from little books of wisdom like this.

Available HERE

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