Strong opinions, loosely held!

When I have some spare time, I like to contemplate a few things that I'm still trying to grasp a better understanding of.

1. Storytelling is the most powerful skillset to have. Stories are more powerful than statistics. This is because people tend to find whatever is easiest to relate to their personal experiences to be the most believable. It's not logic that convinces individuals, but rather clarity, storytelling, and appealing to self-interest.
2. One approach to building the muscle to focus or prioritize is to ask yourself, "Will I still care about this in a year?" If the answer is no, then there's no need to focus on it.
3. I also wonder if hard work is still the most important and rare quality to possess. The single biggest thing that separates people is the consistent ability to show up and do the work.
4. There is always something you can do to improve your current position.
5. One of the most effective ways to outshine your competition is by empathizing with your customers a little more!
6. When it comes to hiring, it's best to start at "no" and work your way to "yes," rather than the other way around.
7. The most valuable personal finance asset is not needing to impress anyone.
8. Criticism cannot be ignored unless praise is also discounted.
9. Every five to seven years we tend to forget that recessions occur every five to seven years. In a bull market, we tend to disgrace from our investment principles of a balanced portfolio.
10. We often underestimate the importance of control. Taking a break can be fun, even in the recession time, while being laid off is miserable, even in the bull scenario.
11. If your views on other things can be predicted from your views on one thing, you need to be very careful - It is easy to manipulate you.
12. Many people strive for perfection when they have a deep passion for something.
13. If someone admits they made a mistake, have the grace to let it go. Holding it over them ensures they won't be quick to admit they were wrong in the future.
14. Nothing breaks your relationship and career like being needy!
15. Build a reading habit: 25 pages a day. That's it. Just commit to that, and then do it.
16. It's wise to avoid making foolish choices before striving for excellence.
17. I have worked with very few outliers. I have noticed that their expectations for themselves and others are exceptionally high. They don't settle for mediocre work, and neither allows you. Accepting subpar results from yourself will only lead to average work from others. If you take on average projects, you won't have the time or resources to tackle exceptional ones. It's important to raise the bar in order to achieve outstanding results.
18. Your kids won't remember the books you bought, but will remember the stories you told! Spend time with them.
19. As we age, we tend to have less of a desire for prolonged conversations. We begin to classify those around us into two groups: those with whom we can engage in lengthy discussions about anything and everything (a very select few), and others with whom we engage in small talk or avoid conversation altogether.