1. The blind man lit a lantern

A blind man visited a relative's house. After dark, his relative kindly lit a lantern for him and said, "It's late and the road is dark. , you can bring a lantern and go home!" The blind man said angrily: "You know that I am blind, but you still give me a lantern to light the way, aren't you laughing at me?" His relative said: "You are guilty of limited thinking. Wrong. You are walking on the road, and many people are walking on the road. If you hold a lantern, others can see you and won't hit you. "The blind man thought, yes!

Story. The first section of the book warns us that limited thinking is thinking from your own perspective, and overall thinking is when you put yourself into the entire environment to consider. If you think about the problem systematically, you will find that your behavior will interact with others.

2. Columbus's eggs

After Columbus discovered America, many people thought that Columbus just happened to see it, and anyone else could do it as long as he was lucky. So, at a grand banquet, a noble asked him: "Mr. Columbus, we all know that America is there. You just happened to go up there first! If we had gone there, we would have discovered it."

Faced with the accusation, Columbus remained calm. He had an idea, picked up an egg on the table, and said to everyone: "Gentlemen and ladies, who of you can stand the egg on the table? Excuse me. Which of you can do it?"

Everyone was eager to try, but failed one by one. Columbus smiled slightly, picked up the egg, knocked it gently on the table, and left the egg standing there. Columbus then said: "Yes, it's that simple. It is indeed not difficult to discover America, it is as easy as setting up this egg. But, everyone, before I set it up, which of you has done it?"

Innovation is essentially a welcoming attitude toward new ideas, new angles, and new changes. It is also expressed as a new perspective on problems. Many times, people will say, is this considered innovation? It turns out that I know it too! Innovation is so simple. The key lies in whether you dare to think and whether you are willing to do it.

3. Frog phenomenon

Someone has done an experiment and put a frog into a pot of hot water. When the frog encounters drastic changes, it will jump out immediately and react very quickly. quick. But put the frog into cold water and slowly heat the water, and you will find that the frog will swim around comfortably in the water at first. The temperature of the water in the pot was slowly rising, and it didn't notice it, still feeling warm and content. Once the temperature rises by 70 to 80 degrees, it feels threatened and wants to jump out, but it is too late. Because its legs didn't work, it couldn't jump anymore, and it had to be boiled to death. This is the story of the boiled frog.

First, changes in the general environment can determine our success or failure. Changes in the general environment are sometimes invisible. We must always pay attention, learn more, be more alert, and welcome changes before it is too late. Second, an environment that is too comfortable is the most dangerous moment. A very accustomed lifestyle may be your most dangerous lifestyle. Continuously innovate, break old patterns, and believe that there is room for improvement in everything. Third, to be able to detect small changes in trends, you must "stop" and think from different angles, and learning is the best way to discover changes.

4. The fate of the wall-builders

Three workers are building a wall.

Someone came over and asked: "What are you doing?"

The first person said angrily: "Don't you see? Build a wall."

No. The two men looked up and smiled and said, "We are building a tall building."

The third man hummed a song while working, his smile was bright and happy: "We are building a new city. ”

Ten years later, the first person was building a wall on another construction site; the second person was sitting in the office drawing drawings and became an engineer; and the third person was the boss of the first two people. .

The ordinary work you are doing is actually the beginning of a big business. Being aware of this means whether you can accomplish a big business.

5. Nails

There was a boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails. And told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. On the first day, the boy hammered 37 nails. Slowly, the number of nails driven each day decreased, and he found it easier to control his temper than to drive those nails. Then, one day, the boy no longer lost his patience and lost his temper. He told his father about it. The father added that from now on, whenever he could control his temper, he would pull out a nail. Days passed, and finally the boy told his father that he had finally pulled out all the nails.

The father held his hand, came to the backyard and said, "You did a great job, my good boy, but look at the holes in those fences. These fences will never be the same again. . The words you say when you are angry leave scars like these nails. No matter how many times you say you are sorry, the wound will always be there. People can’t bear it.”

Eternal harm is often caused by unresolved stalemates between people. If we can all start from ourselves and start treating others with tolerance, I believe you will receive many unexpected results. Opening a window for others means allowing yourself to see a more complete sky.

6. Buying cigarettes

A went to buy cigarettes. The cigarettes cost 29 yuan, but he had no matches. He told the clerk:. "I'd like to give you a box of matches by the way." The clerk didn't give them.

B went to buy cigarettes, which cost 29 yuan. He didn’t have any matches either, so he told the clerk, “It’s a dime cheaper.” Finally, he used the dime to buy a box of matches.

This is the simplest psychological marginal effect. The first type: The shop owner thinks that he has made money on one product but not on the other. The feeling of making money index is 1. Second type: The shop owner thinks that both products are profitable, and the profit index is 2. Of course, the psychological tendency is the second. Similarly, this kind of psychology is also reflected in the buy-one-get-one-free gimmick. Customers think that they can earn something without paying for it. In fact, it is all caused by the psychological marginal effect.

Changing a method can often produce unexpected results! Usually many things will have different results if they are done in a different way. On the road of life, it is important to improve your mental model and way of thinking.

7. Smart Boy

There was a little boy. One day his mother took him to the grocery store to buy things. When the boss saw this cute child, he opened a can of candy. , asking the little boy to get a handful of candies by himself. But the boy made no move. After several invitations, the boss personally grabbed a handful of candies and put them into his pocket. Back home, the mother curiously asked the little boy why he asked the boss to catch the candies instead of grabbing them by himself. The little boy's answer was wonderful: "Because my hands are smaller! And the boss's hands are bigger, so he must get them." You get a lot more than me!"

This is a smart child. He knows his own limitations, and more importantly, he also knows that others are better than him. Not only relying on your own strength for everything, but also learning to rely on others when appropriate is a kind of humility, and it is also a kind of wisdom.

8. The Art of Listening

The famous American host Linklater interviewed a child one day and asked him: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Child He answered innocently: "Well... I want to be the pilot of the plane!" Linklater then asked: "If one day, your plane flies over the Pacific Ocean and all the engines stall, what will you do?" The child thought about it. Thinking: "I will first tell the people sitting on the plane to fasten their seat belts, and then I will hang up my parachute and jump out." When the audience was staggering with laughter, Linklater continued to watch the child, wanting to see him Isn't he a smart guy? Unexpectedly, the next two lines made the child burst into tears. This made Linklater realize that the child's compassion was far beyond what words can describe.

So Linklater asked him: Why are you doing this?" The child's answer revealed the child's sincere thoughts: "I'm going to get fuel, and I have to come back!!!"

This is "The art of listening". First, don't listen half-heartedly. Second, don't project your own meaning onto what others say.

Two. Monk

There are two monks living in temples on two adjacent mountains. There is a stream between the two mountains. The two monks go down to the stream at the same time every day. Five years have passed since I slept. Suddenly one day, the monk on the mountain on the left did not go down to fetch water. The monk on the mountain on the right thought to himself: "He must have overslept." " He didn't take it seriously. Unexpectedly, the next day, the monk on the mountain on the left still didn't go down to fetch water, and the same on the third day. Until a month later, the monk on the mountain on the right thought: "My friend may be sick. . "So he climbed up the mountain on the left to visit his old friend. When he saw his old friend doing Tai Chi in front of the temple, he asked curiously: "You haven't gone down the mountain to carry water for a month. , can you not drink water?" The monk on the mountain on the left pointed to a well and said: "In the past five years, I have taken the time to dig this well after finishing my homework every day. Now that I have finally dug out the water, I no longer have to go down the mountain to fetch water, and I can have more time to practice my favorite Tai Chi. ”

We often forget to seize the time after get off work, dig a well of our own, and cultivate our own strength in another aspect. In this way, when we get older in the future, we will still have water to drink. And you can drink leisurely

10. Learn to give up

Two people met to go to the mountains to find beautiful stones. A carried a full basket, and B carried a basket. There is only one stone that he thinks is the most beautiful. A laughs at B: "Why did you only pick one?" B said: "Although there are many beautiful stones, I only choose the most beautiful one." "A smiled and said nothing. On the way down the mountain, A felt the burden getting heavier and heavier. In the end, he had to pick the worst stone from a basket and throw it away. When he went down the mountain, there was only one stone left in his basket. Stone!

There will be many things in life that are worth cherishing, and sometimes you should learn to give up.

11. Expand the diameter of your heart by 1 mm

There is a toothpaste factory with excellent products and exquisite packaging. It is loved by customers. Its turnover has increased for 10 consecutive years, with an annual growth rate of 10% to 20%. However, in the 11th year, the performance stagnated, and it continued to do so for the next two years. The company manager held a high-level meeting to discuss countermeasures. During the meeting, the company president promised that whoever can come up with a solution to the problem and increase the company's performance will be rewarded with a reward of 100,000 yuan. After reading the note, the president immediately signed a check for 100,000 yuan and gave it to the manager. The note said: Expand the current toothpaste opening by 1 mm. Consumers will squeeze out the same length of toothpaste every morning. , the opening is enlarged by 1 mm, each consumer uses 1 mm more toothpaste, and the daily consumption will be much more! In the 14th year, the company's turnover increased by 32%. >

In the face of changes in life, we are often accustomed to the past way of thinking. In fact, as long as you expand your mind by 1 millimeter, you will see that changes in life have a positive side, full of opportunities and challenges. .

12. Look down at the road

During the summer vacation that year, Xiaopang and his father went to see his grandparents. They had to walk thirty miles and climb a high road. After walking for more than two hours, still on the ridge, looking at the endless distance ahead, Xiaopang refused to take a step. His father ordered solemnly: "Don't look forward, look down at the road, and get off the ridge." It's here. "There was no other way, so Xiaopang had no choice but to follow sadly. But after that, Xiaopang no longer looked at the distant destination again and again. Instead, he looked down at the road under his feet, admiring the stones and rocks of different shapes along the road. Flowers and plants, before you know it, you have reached your grandparents’ house.

When you are moving towards a big goal, you might as well break it into countless small goals that are visible before you.

The reason is simple: a person who pays attention to the distance must first learn to pay attention to the present.

13. Immutable truth

One year, a professor at the famous Harvard University in the United States gave a test question to the freshmen: What is one plus one? The students laughed for a while and then thought: Even a three-year-old child can understand such a simple question. It seems that there must be other deep meanings in it. So 85% of the students did not give an answer, 5% of the students answered "three", and the remaining 10% of the students had a variety of answers.

So, the professor announced the final answer: "Two!" After the students looked at each other, the professor said meaningfully: "One plus one equals two. This is an unchanging truth. It cannot and cannot be It will change due to changes in external factors.”

In fact, many things in the world have a virtual appearance, it depends on how we treat them.

14. The Eyes of a Wise

The radio station invited a business wizard to be a guest host. Everyone wanted to hear him talk about the road to success. But he just smiled faintly and said: "Let's come up with a question to test everyone." "A gold mine was discovered somewhere, and people rushed to it. However, a big river blocked the only way. It was you, what would you do? ” Some people say “take a detour”, while others say “swim over”. The business wizard smiled and said nothing. Finally, he said: "Why do you have to go gold mining? Why can't you buy a boat and start operating it?" Everyone was stunned. The business wizard said: "In such a situation, even if the ferry passengers are left with only a pair of shorts, they will be willing to do so. Because there is a gold mine ahead!"

Do what others don't want to do, and be others. What you have never done is the way to success. Dilemma, in the eyes of wise men, often means a potential opportunity.

15. The monks divided the porridge

There were more monks and less porridge. Every time when the meal was served, the monks swarmed over and the already pitiful porridge was overturned. Everyone is hungry.

The monks recommended an elder to share the porridge, and the person who shared the porridge had the power. In order to share more porridge, some monks began to flatter each other. The porridge is divided into large portions and small portions.

The hungry monk suggested taking turns sharing the porridge. This is a good time. It's my turn to be half-dead at times, and others are starved to death at other times.

The abbot came back from Yunyou and decided that one of the monks should have full authority to divide the porridge, and there should be no difference between the others. However, he also stipulated that the person who divided the porridge should get the porridge last. From then on, the monks equally enjoyed the hot porridge.

This story tells us at least three truths: ① Everything must be regulated by systems and mechanisms; ② Systems must be constantly innovated and keep pace with the times; ③ Good mechanisms are not necessarily complicated, and complex mechanisms are not necessarily complicated. good.

16. Success

Bernard is a famous French writer and plays an important role in the history of French film and drama. Once, a French newspaper held a prize-winning quiz, which included this question: If the Louvre, the largest museum in France, caught fire and the situation was urgent and only one painting was allowed to be rescued, which one would you grab? The result? Of the thousands of answers the newspaper received, Bernard won the prize for the best answer to the question. His answer was: "I grab the painting closest to the exit."

The best goal for success is not the most valuable one, but the one most likely to be achieved.

17. The story of the bucket

In the past, people used wooden buckets to draw water from wells. One day, a man's bucket had some rotten boards, and he couldn't find suitable boards at the moment. He randomly found some wooden boards of different lengths and re-arranged the buckets. But when he fetched a bucket of water from the well, he found that the bucket contained less water than before. He was wondering what was going on. After inspection, he found that one of the newly replaced wooden boards was particularly short. The water in it was flowing out of that spot, and the wooden planks that grew out of it didn't work.

The efficiency of a system does not depend on the highest efficiency of an individual body in the system, but on its shortest point. Therefore, when we work on the system, we must pay special attention to those weak points (shortcomings).

18. Gift

A Buddha met someone who didn't like him during his journey.

For several days and a long journey, the man tried every means to slander him.

Finally, the Buddha turned around and asked the man: "If someone gives you a gift, but you refuse to accept it, then who does this gift belong to?"

The man replied : \"Belongs to the person who originally gave the gift.\"

Buddha smiled and said: \"That's right. If I don't accept your insults, then you are scolding yourself?\"

The man touched his nose and left.

As long as the mind is healthy, no matter what others think, it will not affect us. If we only care about what others think or say, we will lose our autonomy.

19. Monkey’s persistence

In Asia, there is a trap to catch monkeys. They hollow out coconuts, then tie them with ropes, attach them to trees or fix them on the ground. A small hole was left in the coconut, and some food was placed in the hole. The hole was just big enough for the monkey to put his bare hands in, but not to hold his fist out. So the monkey came after smelling the fragrance and put his hand in to grab the food. , of course, the clenched fist cannot shrink out of the hole. When the hunter comes, the monkey panics and cannot escape.

No one can catch the monkey. It is captured by its own persistence. It only needs to let go of its hand to retract it.

The desires in our hearts prevent us from letting go. The desires and attachments in our hearts keep us bound. The only thing we have to do is to open our hands and let go of the unnecessary attachments, so that we can be free and at ease. .