I recently saw the video by Mark Manson: How to Get Ahead of 99% of People (Starting Today). It answered a question I always had in my mind. They say “Discipline is key to success” (doom-scrolling, over-sleeping, and lack of exercise aren’t making us rich, are they?), but is there a linear relationship between discipline and success? Will being more disciplined result in me becoming more successful? 🤔
Seems like the answer is no. Discipline helps but there is a limit to what it can be done with it. It can take you ahead of a lot of people, but if you want to get ahead of 99% of the people, it’s going to take something more.
Here is the video if you want to watch it, otherwise there is a TLDR below it:
TLDR – Contrarian Idea is Key to Massive Success
- Discipline is not sufficient to get ahead of 99.99% people of in the world. It might be sufficient to get ahead of 80% (a magic number that I pulled from thin air) of people.
- He uses himself as an example. He is successful but doesn’t wake up at 5 AM. But then again, you don’t have to wake up early to be disciplined.
- What you need is a contrarian idea: an idea that is against the normal trend.
- Example: Nicolaus Copernicus proposed Sun was at the center, not Earth. That was a contrarian idea back then.
- Example: Successful stock investors are contrarians since they manage to buy low and sell high. When they buy cheap stocks, those stocks are cheap because everyone is selling thinking the stock will fall. Meanwhile, they are buying it cause they believe the stock will rise.
- Example: SpaceX is trying to make rocket transport cheaper. Before SpaceX, it was assumed rockets couldn’t be re-used.
- Anybody can have a contrarian idea. The hard part is being right about it.
- Example: Some people believe the Earth is flat.
- Example: Any kind of conspiracy theory.
- Even when you are right, unless you put in the effort to pursue the idea, you won’t be able to reap the benefits it will provide.
- So hardwork is also key to success. So many keys! 🔑
Does that mean we can’t be successful without a contrarian idea?
No. You can still be successful, but probably not at the scale of being ahead of 99.99% of people in the world.
There are other ways to be massively successful, but none that are easy. For example, Messi’s success in Football doesn’t come from a contrarian idea. It comes from talent and discipline.
All massively successful people are disciplined, but not all disciplined people are massively successful.
“Discipline is key to success” still holds true since it makes it easier to pursue your goals, but if you want to be the cream of the crop in terms of success, developing a contrarian idea will give you a better chance.
Conclusion
If you ask me, maybe happiness is key to success. If you are happy, then you are successful. (Please don’t ask me what’s the key to be happy 🤣)