Traits to Succeed - Part 1

I'm starting a new section on the most important aspect of a human being - Personality. Why do some people know what to do to get on the right track, whereas some of the rest just keep screwing things up? Is it because of certain things people do? Or is it pure luck? In this new series, we will look into just that.

I am not going to start with the most important trait, yet. Today, we are going to look at one trait that is often being scorned upon - Salesmanship.

"Wtf? Salesmanship? I hate sales!!", that is the first thing that I am going to expect from most of you. Unfortunately, like it or not, this is one of the most important trait of entrepreneurs, CEOs and people who earn loads of money. No doubt, we associate salespeople with qualities like cheating, lowly job, area for the uneducated. But let's not forget that they are also the people who earns the best money with assets that are God-given, which are the brain and the mouth. Formal schooling is secondary.

What I really mean here is the selling of concepts and ideas. Everyone has ideas. Some keep to themselves, some love to present to others so that people can buy it, give feedback to improve it. Successful people make sales pitches to the right people, to borrow money, or to make use of their talent.

What we didn't realise is that we put this skill to use everyday, without you even knowing it yourself. As long as you have a working vocal cord, friends and talk to them, salesmanship is at work. For example, you remember that you ate a very nice plate of chicken rice some time ago and want to go back for that same plate of delicious chicken rice today for lunch, so you tell your friend how nice that plate of chicken rice is and that he should have it together with you later. He agrees and off you go, hand in hand, arm in arm, or whatever the way you like to walk.

So what have you just done? You tried to sell an idea to your friend and succeeded.

Can you persuade people to part with their money because of a good idea?

Coincidentally, good salesmen also have good social skills, which will be the trait that we discuss next.

Insurance and You - Part 1

Book Review

Think Like a Maths Genius
Arthur Benjamin and Michael Shermer

This, is a book of magic. Arthur Benjamin makes you rethink what you have learnt in elementary school, and that is totally inefficient. We used to learn addition and subtraction from the right to the left, but this genius here is telling us that left to right is the right way of doing! Other than that, he teaches us to break down digits for easier multiplication and even squaring.

The second half of the book introduces mnemonics as a way of remembering large numbers that enable you to handle 4-by-4 multiplication or 4-digit squares. Simply breathtaking.

Using the wonder of algebra, Benjamin also taught us afew tricks that will make you seem like you can read minds. Check out this book to impress the kids.

A must read for all with interest in maths.