Leading the Pyramid

In a study done at Stanford University among top achievers, they concluded that skills is not the main factor of their success. It is about 14% - 22% of success factor is based on skills. The main contributing factor is attitude, because if someone with good attitude, skills is no longer an issue because they will overcome it by themselves if it is necessary in getting the job done. 

Leading the Pyramid

What makes successful people have the drive in their life? What makes them persevere? What makes them doing things beyond what money can pay?

                                                           Diagram taken from: The Hero's Way Manual by Directive Communication

We can divide the pyramid into three categories. Skills, Attitude and Self-Actualization.

1. Skills
At the bottom of the pyramid is actually skills. At this level, people have skills but they trade their skills with money. Most of the time, either they provide single service such as plumber, barber or operator, or people who are working in a company as an operator, clerk or salesman, they trade their skills with money. Either they are paid by the job done, or they are paid per hour. What happened was if they were to do more than what has been agreed, they will claim more money. Such as over-time or some extra out-of-scope job. The key thing is, they trade skills for money and normally they are operating at an individual level.

Steve Vai's advice on How to Become Successful

Steve Vai is one of my master idol in playing guitar. For those who know me during my Uni time, I am so much crazy about Vai. Why I like Steve compared to others such as Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen or John Petrucci? Owh... maybe about his Green Brained is more compatible with my Green Processor and the melody match. To me, his music has a story-line behind it and he is a great story teller. Not the technical part of playing the music or how structured the music should be.

Steve talks about Success

It's like the Law of Attraction - like-attract-like - Steve is now talking about success. He really sounds like a success guru motivating people to become successful - in his area. This video shows his advice on how you can become successful. Not only you can apply in playing guitar, but also in your life.

"Because the only thing that holding you back is the way you're thinking"

- Steve Vai

The summary of the video:

With the background song 'Whispering a Prayer', there are 5 things that I identified lessons that we can share together:

1. Identify What You Really Want - Like any successful people, Steve started with "We need to identify what it is that we really want! Because what ever it is we really want, that's gonna come out!" "Because that what you gonna do the best!" Do what you enjoy to do and you'll be doing the best!

What makes Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Different?

Jobs and Gates when they were young

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are the 2 tycoon that have revolutionize the computer industry and change the world. There were so many debates made by people saying that which one is better. And if you were the Mac hardcore user, you will think that Jobs is better. While on the other hand, if you were hardcore Windows especially programmer or a corporate IT guy, you might vote for Bill Gates. After all, what I learn in Directive Communication - there is no such thing as Fair because it is very subjective. (I am also biased because I think Steve is way supercool!)

But what I am going to discuss today is not about who is better (or cooler). Both of them were the best in a different way, but what makes them different? Both really did well in evolving computer industry, and both of them did it in a different way. What makes them different?