一本反直觉的成功学书
完整的书摘在此：https://acacess.substack.com/p/weekly-book-club-000
与其叫 The Motivation Myth， 不如叫 The Success Myth。
Myth 1 成功并不是一蹴而就的，而是慢慢积攒的
当人们谈论成功的时候，往往只看到最终的结果，而忽略前面的点滴过程。比如我们在谈论 NBA 总冠军的时候，我们只看到最后的荣耀，往往忽略了，之所以拿到了前面的过程：之所以能拿到总冠军，是因为前面拿到了季后赛的分区冠军；之所以能拿季后赛分区冠军，是因为前面常规赛打得好才能进季后赛；前面常规赛打得好，是因为每一场比赛都都得到认真对待。所以冠军只是最终的结果，而前面的点点滴滴才是关键。
基于此，当我们在努力的时候，能不能实现最终的目标可能没那么重要，重要的是，我们需要关注前进过程中的点滴进步，只有这些点点滴滴都做对了，我们才有可能获得最终的成功。
所以我们可以参考当年英国自行车国家队连续获得佳绩的策略 — 1% 策略。在此之前，英国国家队的成绩不甚理想，新上任的主教练采取的策略是在若干地方都提高 1% ，当时并没有多少人相信他。因为仅仅这 1% 并不足以让英国队脱胎换骨。然后最后的结果证明，这个策略非常凑效。道理非常简单，我们不能把 1% 当作一个加法来看，如果这样的话，确实效果不显著；但是我们换个角度来看，如果把 1% 当作乘法来看，这就相当于复利了，那么最终的效果也就可以了解了。
Success is a process. Success is repeatable and predictable. Success has less to do with hoping and praying and strategizing than with diligently doing (after a little strategizing, sure): doing the right things, the right way, over and over and over
The “1 percent advantage” works incredibly well for one simple reason: Small improvements add up to a major overall improvement.
The 1 percent advantage focuses on breaking down all the component parts of a pursuit and then making a marginal but meaningful improvement to each one of those parts.
Myth 2 成功与动机相辅相成，形成一个闭环
当我们谈论成功与动机的时候，总是以为成功是结果，动机是促进剂；但其实成功是过程，而动机则是结果。每当我们取得些许成功，我们变得更加自信，也就有了继续努力的动机。所以每一次成功，都是下一次成功的动机，两者相辅相成，越多的成功就有越多的动机。
这倒是提醒我们，需要注意努力工程中的点滴进步，把这些进步转化成下一次成功的助力剂。就好像跑马拉松的时候，很多人的策略是盯着下一个电线杆，每跑过一个电线杆，就告诉自己成功了一小步，下一步也就没那么难了。这样，不但跑起来没那么痛苦，而且跑得更加自信。所以当我们有一个很长远的目标是，不妨先把这个大目标拆解成若干个小目标，每实现一个小目标就告诉自己做得不错，而且走在正确的方向上，最终会达成那个长远目标。
> Actually, motivation is a result. Motivation is the pride you take in work you have already done—which fuels your willingness to do even more.
> Motivation is something you get, from yourself, automatically, from feeling good about achieving small successes.
> Success → Motivation → More Success → More Motivation creates an awesomely virtuous cycle, so why not gain some immediate successes that will motivate you to knock off even bigger goals?
Myth 3 自己才是最大的敌人
在努力的过程中，我们经常会自我怀疑，自我否定，而这些其实是我们成功道路上最大的敌人。
比如我们经常觉得自己拖延，做事情不够快，但很多人都会拖延。比如我们觉得其他人成功都可能是一蹴而就的 ，但其实每一个人的成功都是从很低的起点开始的。就像你我一样，每个人都会有前面的这些自我怀疑自我否定。
所以我们可以坦然面对这些：每个人都会拖延，我们不一定非要变成不拖延，而可以比别人少拖延一点；每个人都从很低的地方开始努力，所以我们不必担心自己势单力薄，而是努力变强一点点；每个人都会自我怀疑，自我否定，所以我们可以少怀疑自己一点，少否定一点。如果我们能够改变这些一点点，我们就可能比别人离成功更近一点。这也恰好符合上面那条迷思。
> Two essential truths: None of us receives enough positive feedback. Each of us is our own worst critic.
> The only thing holding you back is you—and your willingness to try. Try something. Try anything. And trust that you’re smart enough to decide whether it is right—or how you can make it right—for you.
> Everyone procrastinates.
> Everyone starts at the bottom. Everyone starts out insecure and hesitant and uncertain.
> If you have doubts or fears, you’re not alone. Everyone else has, or had, the same fears.
> If you’re feeling low, put your head down and focus on your process.
Myth 4 选择过多并不是好事，反而可能阻碍你的成功
当我们有很多选择的时候，可能反而会阻碍我们前进。比如我们同时设定了多个目标，既要达成 A，又要达成 B，还有 C、D 等等。又或者我们同时有几条途径/几种工具可以通往成功的那一端。这些选项往往让我们耗费精力在选择上，而忽略了目标。
又或者我们有很重要的目标需要达成，但是一些琐碎的选择会耗费大量精力。比如以前上班的时候，大家一起下楼吃午饭经常会很纠结，今天到底吃啥？恨不得写个随机函数来决定吃啥。诸如此类的不重要选择反而会耗费我们的精力，让我们无法在重要选择上专注。解决方式也简单，比如 Jobs 买了大量的同款服饰，每天就不需要在穿衣上纠结了。我们也可以采取类似的策略，将这些不重要的选择压缩到一起，这样就不需要再反复了。
> Choices present a huge obstacle to meeting our objectives.
> Choices are a problem, because choices force you to decide what you want to do.
> The key is to take as many decisions off the board as you can the night before, because that will allow you to conserve tomorrow’s mental energy for making the decisions that really matter.
If you feel like you’re constantly struggling to make decisions, take a step back. Think about your goals; your goals will help you make decisions.
> Remember, every time you say yes, you take time away from doing what you do best.
> Save the decision making for the things that are genuinely important.
Myth 5 如何成功？
虽然书中没有具体提如何成功，但是散落在各处的只言片语还是可以拼凑出一个完整的策略：
1. 将远大的目标分解成若干子目标；
2. 每完成一个子目标就是一次激励，为下一个目标积攒信心；
3. 如果没有完成子目标也没关系，至少我们知道这个方法可能有问题，我们需要优化这一方法；
4. 定期回顾这些子目标，增强信息，优化策略；
5. 慢慢建立这样的习惯，惯性会慢慢推着我们前进。
There is only one recipe for gaining motivation: success.
The key is to enjoy the feeling of success that comes from improving in some small way... and then rinse and repeat, over and over again.
When you create a routine, embrace that routine, and see the results of that routine, you stop negotiating with yourself.
Setting a clear and specific target for each day’s effort automatically supports feedback: Either you did what you planned to do (great!) or you didn’t (boo!).
Look at the process you created and determine what changes you need to make to your current daily routine so you can reliably work that process.
Instead of giving up, fix whatever schedule problems have arisen. There is always a way.
Strength is hard to build the first time, but regaining strength lost is much easier
The key to learning is to make small, smart changes, evaluate the results, discard what doesn’t work, and further refine what does work.
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