“If history has taught us anything it is that the world is an extremely unreliable critique.”
Two TEDTalks by Adam Grant Redefine Success and What it Means to be Original
There’s a lot here worth mentioning, but perhaps the greatest advice is, “Being original doesn’t mean being first. It means being different and better.”
Coupled with his next TEDTalk, “Are you a Giver or a Taker?”, the concept of being different and better takes on a whole new weight of responsibility. Being “better” doesn’t mean beating out the competition or winning, it can (and perhaps should) mean being more helpful.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Not all takers are narcissists. Some are just givers who got burnt one too many times.”
Protect the Givers from Burnout
Five Minute Favor:Find small ways to add large value to other people’s lives
Lincioni
Encourage Help-seeking
Givers must recognize that it’s okay to be a receive too
Get the Right People on the Bus
One taker can ruin the givers
One giver gets bombarded by the takers
“Agreeableness and disagreeableness is your outer vernier. How pleasant is it to interact with you? Whereas giving and taking are more of your inner motives. What are your values, your intentions for others?
“Disagreeable givers are the most undervalued people in our organizations because they are the ones that give us critical feedback that no one wants to hear but everyone needs to hear.”
"Success is not about winning a competition, its all about contribution . . . “the best way to succeed is to help other people succeed.”
Pronoia: the belief that other people are plotting your well being.
For more on . . .
-N- Stuff : Humanity : Adam Grant : TEDTalks