Tickling the Trees...

> Hi Duane,

> Sorry I've gotten a bit behind in my posts
> on this thread.... Sometimes my mind gets so
> focused and I go off on all kinds of
> tangents in this forum.... :)

This board is very addictive! Good Job!

> Hmmm.... I guess, for me, the more knowledge
> I have, the more competent I feel....
> However, experience adds to that feeling of
> competence even more....

> I tend to do things the "long way"
> in a sense (but the "short way" in
> another sense) -- I immerse myself in
> studying it, looking for the
> "keys" to success in that area.
> Sometimes I seem to find these
> "keys" quickly, sometimes it takes
> longer....

I'm with you on this one. You look for the common denominators to success in different areas!

> I've found business (in general) to be a
> tricky area. For example, there are people
> who succeed in business, who clearly don't
> know precisely WHY they succeeded! When they
> try to repeat their success, they fail....
> There are many people who have written
> business books who have really only had one
> success, and who, when they have tried to
> repeat that success, have failed....

Yes! If they can duplicate successful results, or if anybody else using what they know can, then it is more Scientific and Objective.

> I got misled by these books in the
> beginning! A large number of books are
> written by people like this.... Their
> intentions in writing are good, but they
> haven't really understood the
> "keys" themselves, but it seems
> they just happened to get lucky....

> But then, there are those who have repeat
> successes, the "serial
> entrepreneurs." I figure these people
> are more likely to know what they are doing
> right!

Agreed! But some of these people have difficulty teaching/translating what they do. They are not teachers. Unless a person can learn to "SEE" the underlying PRINCIPLES, Too many people will just try to duplicate the successful persons actions without understanding "WHY" it works.

> Another group to study, I've realized
> recently, are *cultural* groups which have
> had a lot of business success. I recently
> bought the book "The Jewish
> Phenomenon" by Steven Silbiger --
> looking through it, it looks like a great
> book (but I haven't read it yet). There have
> been lots of Jewish successes in business
> (as well as in science and entertainment,
> for example), and it's good to learn why
> that is, so we can use the same approach
> too.

WOW! I have actually read that book, As well as more than half of the other books you have mentioned. Talk about the same wavelength!

The Jewish Phenomenon, is a very interesting read! I'm sure you will enjoy.

> I guess this is a long way of saying that
> I'm always studying, always trying to learn
> from other people's successes (and their
> mistakes), which I think helps me get a
> "short cut" to success, no matter
> what it is that I try to do. I'm a very
> intense researcher, and I believe in total
> immersion in the topic I'm focusing on.

As is noted by this very forum!

> Maybe this is so.... I guess I already feel
> I am competent in physics, for example. I've
> never really had much doubt about my own
> *potential* competence regarding almost
> anything.... I like to think of it as
> supreme confidence that I will *eventually*
> succeed (though some have told me that it
> sounds more like arrogance!).

Arrogance?? NOOH! Tell them that you "Trust" yourself and have "FAITH" in your ability to learn, apply and grow! (O.K, O.K that's what I tell people *G*)

> Yes, I'm interested in learning about this
> point of view too!

His viewpoint originate from the book Psychocybernetics. In which it states that if you want to change your self image,....Then...ACT AS IF.(fake it till you make it!)

> Thanks Duane.... I really enjoyed your post!
> :)

And I yours!

> - Dien