Sometimes when you read something so simple yet so obvious, you wonder why you didn’t figure it out earlier. Taken straight from Rules for Aging by Roger Rosenblatt, Male and Female Compatibility Rules:
Just like Occam’s razor says, the simplest answer is usually the correct one. Now if only we’d take these to heart, we might have a few less problems in the world — or at least a few less nights sleeping on the couch.
Nobody spends time plotting your demise;
nobody cares that you didn’t dress nicely today; and
nobody gives a second thought to what you just did.
The truth is: nobody is thinking about you.
They are just thinking of themselves — just like you.
Now that’s out the way, we can finally get on with our lives.
Charlie Munger’s two things NEVER to do:
The first point can be restated as never have a victim mentality. This is important to NEVER do because once you’re a victim, you no longer have control and that’s scary and depressing. More importantly, incredibly counter-productive. I’ve read that there was a holocaust prisoner who was about to be sent to the gas chamber but was in high spirits. When asked how he could be so joyful, he replied that his mood was the one thing he had control of. If he isn’t a victim, then NO ONE is a victim.
The second point is about envy. As Charlie says, it’s the only one of the seven deadly sins you can’t have fun with. Not only do you not have fun, it also leads to unhappiness and sorry. And who wants that?
A funny thing happen when you listen to wise people: Your life gets better.
“The best way to get what you want is to deserve what you want.”
– Charlie Munger
How could it be otherwise? We talk about living in a fair world, well this is the closest we’re getting to fair. If you want something, then the best way to get it is to simply deserve it.
The caveat here is that no one said getting what you want would be easy. In fact, many times it’s hard. Very hard. But that doesn’t mean the world isn’t fair. It just means the world is hard. And to this point, Charlie has another one of his classic Mungerisms: assiduity, meaning to sit on your ass until you get it done.
Simple, clear, concise. Charlie Munger, a man after my own heart.
“When I was growing up, my parents used to say to me: ‘finish your dinner – people in China are starving.’ I, by contrast, find myself wanting to say to my daughters: ‘Finish your homework – people in China and India are starving for your job.”
– Thomas Friedman
A scary thought: billions of people are after YOUR job, right now. Studying 12+ hours a day, so they can do YOUR job, cheaper and faster. Cheap electronics and clothing aren’t the only products of globalization.
Think the guy next to you is your competition, or maybe even the guys who went to the “good” schools? Think again. There are hundreds of millions of people competing with you. Statistically, it’s almost certain someone can do your job better and probably cheaper than you. Hope you’re figuring out how to provide more value because your current qualifications are already obsolete.