DARE TO SUCCEED --- HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN THE GAME OF LIFE
by Mark Burnett. Hyperion, 2001
 INTRODUCTION --- The "American Dream" of Mark Burnertt, the creator and producer of the two highly successful TV series, "Survivor" and "Eco-Challenge" (p1-13)

    Success requires hard work. But it is also about passion, knowledge, self-awareness, and ample doses of courage. Successful people enjoy talking about their success, especially to people genuinely interested in learning from their experience.

    You can learn the ways of the business world by continually asking successful people question after question about how they got to where they are, what mistakes they made along the way, and how they conduct their business.

    You can use these and many other insights to climb the "ladder of success." Refuse to accept the word "NO." (p3-4)

    SEVEN PRINCIPLES that govern a successful person's life, such as Mark Burnett's

      [1] Only results count

      [2] Have the courage to fail

      [3] Choose teammates wisely

      [4] Perseverance produces character

      [5] Be right or be wrong, but make a decision

      [6] Set achievable goals

      [7] Try to go above, beyond, and then further! (p5)

1) ONLY RESULTS COUNT (p15-36)

    [1] Perception means more than reality --- how to turn a "no" into a "yes." (p21-31)

      A great strategy is to turn a "NO" into a "YES!"

        (1) No never means no! It needs to be looked at as merely an objection to overcome.

        (2) Next it is crucially important to learn how to read people

        (2) Customers buy from people they are most comfortable with, people they consider to be their friends. You can adjust your personality to mirror your customer's and thus win their confidence and broker sales. Different personalities respond to different sales techniques. They can be broken down into four groups: (p26-27)

          (1) Analytical

          (2) Emotional

          (3) Passive

          (4) Motivated

      [2] Know the results of each day before it begins (p31-36)

        You can predict results through behavior and should plan your day accordingly. At the start of every day, you can ask yourself what you plan to accomplish before the day is done. Therefore, nothing is left to chance! (p31)

        You need to ACT successful to BE successful! A controlled confidence both inspires others to follow you and gives you a feeling of invincibility that is often needed when things get very tough. (p31-32)

        One way you can remain confident is by believing that your outcome will always be favorable! You can consider your daily business goals already accomplished even as you set them! By knowing the outcome of your day 's efforts, you can work more efficiently, think more sharply, and be more intuitive. Most of all, you can follow through tenaciously until your plan becomes a reality. Success is about results, not intentions! (p32)

        The temptation when the path to success gets too bumpy is to leap back into the "comfort zone." But don't do that! Keep pushing forward, always forward. The comfort zone is the land of dreams and wishes. Success is the land of results, where all those dreams come true! (p36)

    2) HAVE THE COURAGE TO FAIL --- "If you are not failing, you are not taking enough risks!" (p38-74)

      [1] Take risks and dream big (p39-53)

      [2] Keep cool, even when things are most dire (p54-60)

      [3] Never quit (p60-74)

        (1) FOCUS --- It is possible to do a million tasks and accomplish them all! But doing one task expertly is far tougher. You can force yourself to make hard choices about what you want to do and what you need to do! When you make a choice, move forward immediately, putting all your energy and focus into what you are doing! (p71)

        (2) PERSEVERANCE --- It is easy to quit. There is suffering in perseverance. But there is also joy! Life is full of struggles. Instead of expecting life to be easy, expect life to challenge you! (p71-72)

        (3) HUMILITY --- People respond better, and more productively, to a humble person than an arrogant one! (p72-73)

    3) CHOOSE TEAMMATES WISELY --- Every great undertaking is marked by the need for proper teammates! (p75-107)

      [1] Beer and pizza (p80-88)

      [2] Know your teammates' limitations (p89-99)

      [2] Be aware of how you communicate (p99-107)

    4) PERSEVERANCE PRODUCES CHARACTER --- And character produces hope (p109-133)

      [1] Do not make excuses! (p111-117)

      [2] Be a samurai (p117-122)

      [3] Be true to your dreams --- Do not sell out! (p122-133)

    5) BE RIGHT OR BE WRONG --- But make a decision! (p135-163)

      For success to happen, decisions to act must be made. For those afraid of making decisions, fearful the sky will fall on them or they will lose their job or whatever other reason a person can give for not taking control of their life, remember that by passively choosing not to decide, you have still made a choice! (p138)

      It is better to make an empowering action-oriented decision than to decide to passively let life control you. So be right or wrong, but make a decision! (p138)

        [1] Go with your gut! (p139-147)

        [2] Know yourself! (p147-155)

        [3] Trust yourself --- even if it means looking stupid! (p155-163)

      Sometimes in life, everyone will act like you are out of step. It's okay to believe it for a while. But you must learn when you are the one in step, driven by the beat of the drummer in hour head, and everyone else is off! Then push forward, always forward! (p156)

      As you become more successful and receive more public attention, you might notice that people around you may succumb to the "emperor's new clothes" syndrome --- telling you exactly what you want to hear instead of what they really think! You need people around you who will tell you the TRUTH!(p162)

      Decision-making is a tough task. How you live life and how you achieve your goals depends upon it. So be right or be wrong --- but DON'T BE AFRAID to make a decision! (p163)

    6) SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS --- Every individual is responsible for their own success! (p165-192)

      You either work for it or you don't. You either take ownershp of the process of success or you don't.

      So when you set goals, it is vital to chase a dream --- GOALS ARE NOTHING if not "dreams in action" that you believe are deservedly yours.

      Make your goals a dream that you believe you can handle when achieved. Make it a dream you cannot live without! Only you know what you want. Design a route map of how to get you there. And, most important, set a series of achievable goals leading to your dream.

      By setting realistic, attainable goals you will avoid frustration, achieve small, empowering victories on your way to a larger dream, and gain momentum as each small success is realized. Some people call that "being on a roll." Well, the roll is merely the fact that with each small success you feel more confident.

      As a result, you look and act more confident. This is important, for you must get other people to help you on your long journey to your ultimate dream. Sunny, positive people are far more likely to be offered assistance than dour, grumbling individuals! (p165-166)

        [1] Sometimes the unexpected can be a very good thing (p187-174)

        [2] Little vistories (p174-185)

        [3] Adversity begets strength (p185-189)

        [4] Set the bar higher (p190-192)

      The world is vast and full of opportunity! Never settle! Embrace achievement but not for too long before "raising the bar" --- the measure you use to evaluate your own personal success --- higher and asking more of yourself. Then move forward, always forward!

      Sit down! Plot the next big goal on your horizon! Strategize how you will make it happen. Then begin the process of eagerly bounding from bed in the morning to tackle that new dream! (p192)

    7) ABOVE, BEYOND AND FURTHER --- Next is a journey into space! (p193-202)

    EPILOGUE --- The "wrap," in production terms, means the completion of filming. And so it is with this book. We have come to the end. (p203-208)

    AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY --- Mark Burnett is an Emmy-winning producer and founder of the ECO-CHALLENGE, a series of extreme sports events that has aired on MTV, ESPN, Discover Channel, and the USA Network. His CBS series, "Survivor," is one of the most popular TV history.

    In addition to producing, Burnett is an avid extreme sportsman who also speaks frequently on leadership and team-building for corporations worldwide.

    Burnett is a former member of the famed British Army Parachute Regiment, certified skydiver, and white-water guide. He now lives in Los Angeles.
    Go to: Character Issue at Work
    Go to: Success Issue at Work
    Go to: Teamwork Issue at Work
    Go to Leadership Control Essay
    Go to Home Page Index
    Go to Interactive Index