SMARTCUTS

by Shane Snow
Focus: Business Careers

OVERVIEW
Smartcuts is about why some people can be as productive, effective, and successful as they decide to be and
how you can do it too and in these FlashNotes well highlight how a little experimentation and a lot of hard
work can make real and rapid success a reality for you as well.

BIG IDEAS + KEY INSIGHTS

#Professional success is no longer just a question of scaling one career ladder but of knowing
when to switch to another.
Is working hard and slowly making your way up the career ladder the best way to achieve success? Not really.
While it provides a clear, well-trodden path to follow, its slow and doesnt guarantee success.

It turns out that only half of the Presidents of the United States followed traditional political careers and served
on a national level, i.e., as a governor or senator, before becoming president.

Furthermore, more traditional politicians werent necessarily better prepared for office.

Take Andrew Johnson: before becoming president, he had a brilliant political career. But during his presidential
incumbency, Johnsons leadership qualities were so weak that today hes ranked as the second-worst president
in American history.

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Ultimately, our personal characteristics are what truly qualify us for a job not our experience. Voters, for
example, look for leadership qualities in a president; they dont care how many years someone has spent in
politics.

But if experience doesnt always count, how do people whether voters or recruiters decide if youre right for
the job? Well, most of us make snap judgments, usually unconsciously, based on professional affiliations, such as
past jobs, academic background and personal connections.

Credibility can even be established based on where the candidate used to work. This effect is called The Sinatra
Principle in reference to Frank Sinatras legendary song New York, New York, in which he sings: If I can make
it there, Ill make it anywhere. For example, a former New Yorker applying for a job in Waco, Texas will
probably seem more qualified than a more experienced local professional.

Slowly clambering up the career ladder is clearly not the only way to be successful. A far better way to advance
your career is to switch ladders that is, to exchange your current career for something more promising. So, if
you reach a stage on your current path that doesnt allow you to advance, just jump to another career that
provides you with more opportunities.

Even presidents have shown the efficacy of this type of sideways switching: Eisenhower, for example, toggled
between careers as a military officer and university president before he entered the White House.

#Mentorship can help you build a deeply satisfying career.

Although its a buzzword, mentorship is an elusive concept for most people. What is a mentor, exactly? And how
can a mentorship improve your career?

The term mentorship describes a relationship in which a mentor supports a mentee by passing on knowledge
and experience.

Having a mentor can give a huge boost to your career, but it doesnt work the way you might think. Mentorship
isnt about being dependent on someone: its about exchanging knowledge through a personal relationship.

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You might encounter formal mentoring programs through a job center or the HR department at your workplace.
Although this kind of arrangement will help you achieve your goals faster, only an informal and organically
grown mentorship will help you sustain true long-term success.

A more personal, long-term commitment relies on mutual trust and requires participants to be attuned to each
others needs. This leads to more deeply satisfying professional opportunities.

But for this relationship to work, you have to put a lot of trust in your mentor, especially when youre having a
hard time.

Just look at comedian and Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon: the first time he auditioned for Saturday Night Live
he didnt make the cut. But his mentor Randi Siegel encouraged him to keep trying. They focused on improving
Fallons skills and reputation, refusing all smaller gigs that didnt serve his ultimate goal of getting onto SNL.
Fallon spent months polishing on his stand-up act at comedy clubs in New York City. Eventually, he nailed his
second SNL audition and was cast in the show.

Of course, mentorship is a time-consuming process, so its not for everyone. But even if we dont have personal
mentors, we can all have role models, so we should seek out people we admire and try to figure out what made
their success possible.

#Fail better: Ask for criticism, learn from other peoples mistakes and embrace setbacks.

Weve all experienced failure before and its no fun. However, setbacks are all but inevitable on a journey to the
top, so we need to learn to use them to our advantage.

The first way to embrace failure is by deliberately looking for critiques to help you evaluate and improve your
performance. Compliments might feel good, but criticism will motivate you to do better.

Imagine someone constantly telling you that youre a phenomenal bowler. If you believe them, youll never step
up your game. But if someone tells you theres room for improvement, youll work harder to surpass your
current level.

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Still, criticism can sting. The key is to not take it personally. Doing so will only frustrate you and keep you from
focusing on the task at hand.

You can also inoculate yourself against really big, shattering failures by experimenting and embracing small
setbacks.

Before going for something big, you can test your endeavor on a small scale to figure out what works. This way,
youll know what to expect when performing in the big leagues and significantly lower your risk of big losses.

For example, viral content website Upworthy tests different article headlines to see how theyre received by a
small group of users before passing them along to a bigger audience. Certain headlines dont resonate with the
test audience, but those small failures ultimately give Upworthy more information about how to engage its users
on a larger scale.

Our own failures clearly provide excellent learning opportunities but theres also a lot we can learn from other
peoples mistakes.

So when a surgeon sees a colleague make an incision in the wrong place, shell be extra careful not to repeat the
mistake when its her turn to perform the same task.

This is the paradox of failure: seeing others fail makes us more likely to succeed.

Of course, everyone makes mistakes, but if you follow the advice above, you can turn them to your advantage.

#Leveraging platforms can help you work and learn more effectively.

Can you imagine how much more time-consuming it was to do math before the invention of a calculator?

This simple device is a perfect example of a platform, or an instrument that simplifies your job. In this case, the
calculator makes it easier and faster to solve complicated equations.

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Thanks to such time-saving platforms, we dont have to devote as much time to repetitive, mechanical tasks, and
can instead focus on more demanding endeavors like innovation, conceptual understanding and creative
problem-solving. This helps foster lateral thinking, a problem-solving approach that produces especially
unconventional and innovative ideas.

Case in point: Ruby on Rails, a programming language, was developed to automate repetitive tasks and arbitrary
decisions that most languages demand of the programmers, allowing them to focus instead on developing more
complex, novel features.

Whats more, these platforms dont only make room for creative thinking, they can also be used to teach it. This
approach is called constructionism, an educational theory that says we learn better when we can make or
manipulate objects ourselves.

A child can, for instance, learn a lot about underlying mathematical principles just by playing around with a
calculator.

Another example is Daisy the Dinosaur, an iPad app that teaches kids basic programming skills. Kids can
intuitively grasp the logic of coding (and see how it works in practice) without having to learn all the complex
underpinning first.

Unfortunately, most schools and universities still teach students to do repetitive tasks themselves instead of
showing them how to use platforms that let them focus on more important tasks.

Finland is one country where the educational establishment has taken to platforms. The main focus in its schools
has shifted towards teaching students how to use tools and solve problems creatively. As a result, the entire
school system has improved dramatically.

#Dont rely on experience alone: pave a path to success by experimenting with new approaches.

Have you ever wondered how small, unknown companies sometimes manage to outgrow rival business leaders?

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These upstarts are probably proficient in two related skills: pattern recognition and pattern hunting.

Pattern recognition is about understanding underlying principles and repetitive developments based on
experience and practice. For example, when a surfer whos surfing his favorite spot recognizes a promising
surfing wave, hes practicing pattern recognition, as hes seen the wave form many times before.

On the other hand, pattern hunting is about deliberately analyzing and searching for new patterns. So if another
surfer comes along who doesnt know the waves at that spot, he can still observe the waves and try to find
patterns in them.

Although both skills are valuable, pattern hunting can outperform pattern recognition. Thats because if we only
rely on our past experience, we are less sensitive to changes in patterns.

Consider the surfer: if he knows the ocean well, then he probably expects it to behave a certain way all the time.
Therefore, he might not notice changes from day to day, which the new arrival can leverage to catch better
waves.

So from a business standpoint, pattern hunting is essential for a company that wants to find promising new
opportunities. Unfortunately, experimenting with new patterns and venturing into the unknown arent standard
practices at most established companies.

These large corporations are often so focused on the traditional way of doing business that they fail to notice
major new trends.

This can have disastrous results. In the 1990s, for example, Kodak lost almost $30 billion of its market
capitalization when it ignored the emerging digital photography trend.

To combat this conservative streak, Google has implemented the 20% Doctrine which instructs its employees to
spend 20 percent of their work time developing new ideas. The hope is that this system will ensure that Google
stays a leader in innovation.

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#Mass communication can spread your message but you still have to offer something
meaningful for it to catch on.

Have you ever been at a party with a friend who seems to know everyone?

Like popular friends at a party, superconnectors the influential people and technical devices that transmit
mass communication help us spread our ideas and meet more people on a mass scale.

Superconnectors have played an important role at various points throughout history. Take Fidel Castro, who
was able to win the support of Cuban citizens by broadcasting his message over a radio transmitter i.e., a
superconnector. Before that, the citizens had very little information about the revolution that had just taken
place.

In fact, mass media is one of the most powerful superconnectors in the world. Before radio and television were
invented, most newspapers had a very small circulation. Consequently, there were very few national and
international businesses. But once the media developed on a massive scale, businesses could advertise on a
much grander scale, selling to customers all over their country and the rest of the world.

Using mass media in this fashion will get your message out there, but it wont automatically help you build a
relationship with other people. To do that, you need to network.

Most of us are familiar with classic networking. This process entails making friends with influential people and
using their credibility to your advantage. Lets call the people who do this takers.

But theres another, more valuable, kind of networking based on exchange. This form of networking is for people
who are givers, as it requires offering something meaningful (like mentorship) to others as a way of establishing
reciprocal, long-term relationships.

The latter kind of networking is a powerful tool for creating sustainable success because, ultimately, recognizing
other peoples needs and offering them something meaningful will help foster deeper loyalty and trust.

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#Once you have momentum, stay motivated and keep moving forward.

Imagine youve decided to go running each morning. After a week, you oversleep one morning. The next day, you
have a cold and dont get out of bed. Pretty soon, your big plans to run every day are kaput. What happened? You
had all this momentum

Well, momentum is fleeting, so we have to take advantage of it while it lasts. That requires a lot of hard work
before, during and after momentum strikes.

For example, beauty blogger Michelle Phan recorded and uploaded hundreds of make-up tutorials to her
YouTube channel. After that, she started researching how she could get them onto the YouTube homepage and
make her videos go viral.

Finally, one of her videos appeared on the YouTube homepage. She had achieved her goal! Game over? Not at all.
Once she did that, she used the momentum to keep moving forward.

To satisfy all the new fans that had followed her YouTube channel, she invested in a more sophisticated camera.
Pretty soon, she was the second-most-watched woman on YouTube and the official video make-up artist for
Lancme.

Momentum is an extremely valuable tool for achieving success, and there are different ways to take advantage of
it. You can follow Phans example and use your momentum to move forward on a single venture, but you dont
have to stick to the script you can also invest it in something completely different, like a new business or
career.

Thats what astronaut Alan Shepard the first American in space did when he retired from his space travels.
Not wanting to rest on his laurels, he launched a new career as a businessman, using his fame to his advantage.

As a contrast, consider Shepards fellow moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, who turned to alcoholism because he couldnt
cope with the end of his career. He lost his momentum.

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#Simplicity makes for better innovations and boosts productivity.

Most people today think that more is better.

But when it comes to innovation, the opposite is true: to truly innovate, we need to cut away the fat, not add
bells and whistles. Innovation is rarely about creating something completely new or something bigger and
better. Most often, its about doing something differently.

This is the principle behind disruptive innovation, which tends to use simplification to eliminate costs. Email, for
example, is a simple and cost-effective alternative to snail mail that has disrupted the operations of postal
services around the world.

To create this kind of innovation, its useful to think small: looking for underlying problems in common,
everyday processes.

Consider Jane Chen, who wanted to design an affordable neonatal incubator so it could be used in impoverished
areas to save newborns lives. After doing some research, Chen learned that warmth is the most important factor
for infant survival, so she developed a special sleeping bag that came with a heating pad that cost only $25. The
result? Chens invention saved tens of thousands of babies lives in just a few years.

Whats more, simplicity isnt just good for designing products, it can also be applied to our own lives to increase
productivity.

To understand how this works, we need some insight into human psychology: studies show that patience and
creativity are exhaustible resources. If we waste them on small tasks and decisions throughout the day, we wont
have the bandwidth lef to tackle big tasks later on. That way we can save our creative energy and willpower for
more important endeavors.

#Dream big to motivate yourself and convince others to believe in you.

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What defines a truly groundbreaking innovation? Quite simply, it shatters basic assumptions about the way the
world works and presents something radically different than what came before.

So if you want to pursue a big, innovative idea, you have to start with a perspective thats geared towards this
mentality. Try 10x Thinking, or coming up with a way to make something ten times better than it already is, not
just a little better. Heres an analogy: if normal thinking tries to get a horse to go faster, 10x Thinking invents an
automobile.

10x Thinking might seem grandiose, but research shows that we can only reach our peak potential when we aim
big. Those big ideas may be harder to realize, but well encounter fewer competitors going for those same
dreams. Having big ambitions will also motivate us to strive harder.

But of course, you cant realize your big dreams alone, you also have convince others to support you.

To get peoples attention, you could organize a big, over-the-top demonstration. Red Bull, for example, once
arranged a freefall from a massive height as a marketing stunt.

Although stunts like these generate attention, remember that your ideas must have substance if you want to
achieve sustainable success.

That was Lady Gagas recipe for success. Her outrageous costumes and music videos were all brilliant marketing
and earned her lots of attention, but she also made great music and behaved authentically, which allowed her to
build a massive and dedicated fan base.

So if youre hoping to monetize your innovation, theres another very important reason going big will help
secure other peoples support: its hard to convince someone to invest in your venture if the potential outcome
results in only a small increase in value. Its much easier to get support if youre aiming to provide something
thats 10x better for a large amount of people.

Ultimately, as long as you believe in yourself, others will too.

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#FINAL NOTES
The key message in this book:
Some people achieve rapid success by bucking conventional norms and taking a non-traditional path. This sense
of experimentation helps produce groundbreaking ideas, but innovation alone wont produce long-term success
if it isnt accompanied by hard work and focus.

Actionable insights:
- If your career ladder is blocked, switch to another one.
- If youve reached a point in your career where you cant foresee opportunities for development and
advancement, dont just wait around for someone to retire. Look for tangential careers or positions in another
industry or company where you can advance. Think about the ways the skills you use in your current job might
be applicable in another. If you work in sales for an advertising agency, you could look for sales positions at
other companies.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

SHANE SNOW - Author, Smartcuts

DEAN BOKHARI
Founder, FlashNotes Book Summaries
Host, The Meaningful Show [listen on iTunes]

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Dean Bokhari believes that everyone deserves to live an optimal lifestyle. He believes we can change the world
by doing meaningful work that serves the greater good.
Dean teaches people and organizations how to inspire + empower people in a positive way. He is the
founder of MeaningfulHQ, a consulting firm in Orange County, CA. With a bold mission to change the
world through Leadership - Dean and the Meaningful crew are teaching leaders how they can move the
world forward and move their organizations forward - at the same time.
He speaks five languages and holds a B.S. in Political Communication from Virginia Commonwealth
University, where he also studied Philosophy. He currently resides in Orange County, CA with his wife,
Amna.

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