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CHAPTER 7Hard-hitting truths

Let’s dive a bit deeper into what it takes to live a big, meaningful life. Some of what we cover in this chapter may challenge you, or you may have resistance to really taking on board what I’m saying. Do your best to embrace it. Yes, it might be outside of your comfort zone, but trust me, I know what that feels like. I intimately know that initial feeling of fear, that lack of confidence, that thought: ‘Can I really do this?’ It’s totally fine to have that thought; what isn’t fine is to let that thought dictate your actions. You want to dictate your actions. You want to be in charge of your life.

Let’s start by looking at the kind of smarts you need to be successful. If you do nothing else but focus on these six principles, you’ll go a long way.

The smarts you need (and they’re not what you think)

I wasn’t an A student by any means, but I was determined to not be stupid. One of the many things that paralyse us in the pursuit of our goals is thinking that we’re not smart enough to achieve them. The self-doubt, the worry that we can’t compete and believing that others are smarter than us can be crippling. But remember: we’re all smart at what we’re smart at.

Steve Jobs said, ‘The world is full of people no smarter than you and I’. People usually think that being smart is about being clever, nerdy or really good at maths. It certainly can be those things, but being smart is about much more than that: it’s about the decision-making process. Don’t worry ...