Failure Principles: a Syllabus

Thousands of books and articles are written on success principles.   Thousands of video gurus spread the word on the principles of success.   Why, then, are so many feeling unsuccessful in key areas of their life?   Success is real, and the principles that lead to success and prosperity are real.

Success leaves clues.  So does failure.   Let’s explore failure, and see if we can lay out a syllabus of key principles on how to fail: in business, in your careers, in college, in relationships, in leaderships, in health.  This Blog is especially written for Millennials, but it warrants attention by all of us I think.   Myself included…

  1. Spread gossip and rumor, without checking at all to see if the information you received is authentic.

2.   Speak as negatively as you can about other people–especially those you are jealous of.  Be hyper-critical of anyone who is different from you.

3.  Give yourself an unlimited forum of communication, and simultaneously block others from expressing themselves.

4.  Be ruled by your emotions at all times.   Allow as little rationality in as possible.   Go with your emotions and especially let the negative reactions and emotions govern your choices and behavior.

5.  Be the victim.   No matter what happens to you, and is done to you, take NO responsibility for any of it.   Point the finger of blame at someone else, and make sure they pay for hurting you.

6.  Deny any wrong doing on your part.   After all, you are a victim, right?

7. Go heavily into debt, in order to keep up with the Joneses, especially all your peers who are mounting college debt to the point it is now $1.5 trillion.

8.  Think inside the box at all times.   Do not, under any circumstances break out of the mold. Do not make waves.

9.  Be devoted to mediocrity.   After all, there should not be exceptional people or nations.   That would cause people to feel bad about themselves, if they won’t expend the effort to match the exceptional.

10.  Lower all standards so everyone feels comfortable.   After all, being stretched, nervous, or challenged must be a sign you are being victimized.

11. Take as many psychiatric medications as you can to handle your anxiety, depression, and psychotic tendencies.

12.  Lobby and vote for legal marijuana everywhere.   It is at best an ambition killer, so it should level the playing field for all of those who are ahead of you.   Make sure they play on a lower field.

13.  Do not learn to do budgeting or financial planning.   Spend everything you make.

14.  Miss as few “happy hours” as possible.

15.  Never break out of the pack, and the corollary is true as well.  Belittle anyone of your friends who does.

16.  Perpetuate the myth that the rich did not earn their wealth, and therefore it will be OK to take from them to help you.

17.  Be sexually promiscuous.

18.  Take no responsibility for your sexual promiscuity and its consequences.  When someone challenges you to take responsibility, say you can’t because it will effect your mental health.

19.  Be unfaithful in all relationships.

20.  Clock in on time, if possible.   But, don’t sweat being tardy for appointments, classes, or work.   If called out for it, accuse the person in authority of bias against you.   Shift the attention to them.

21.  Do what is expected of you, but no more.

22.  If someone “offends” you, never listen to them again.   You may even consider attacking them.

23.  Never set goals.   If you do, and you miss the goal, shrink back, lick your wounds, and don’t set that goal again.

24.  When you fail, refuse to learn anything from it.

25.  Keep your calendar on your phone.

26.  If you disagree with a law, break it.   And hold no one else accountable either for the laws they break.

27. Say mean things about your spouse, either to their face or behind their back

28.  Harbor resentment and think mean things about your spouse. Or your boss.

29.  Denigrate law enforcement.

30.  Avoid spiritual activities that challenge you.

31.  Do not share.

32.  Change majors, jobs, spouses etc. at the slightest hint of “hitting a wall” or running into a challenge.   If the going gets tough, say, “why bother?”

33.  Never learn to prioritize according to importance and value.

34.  Keep your eyes on yourself at all times.   And force all others to keep their eyes on you too.  Do not take your eyes off of yourself to put them on other people.  And never learn to say you are sorry.

35.  Be of as little service as possible.  If you can, force people to serve you.

36.  Do not uplift people. Leave that for some one else to do.

37.  Be a fault-finder, not a good-finder.

38.  Need to be admired.

39.  Seek the approval at all times of your peers.

40.  Never seek guidance from someone farther ahead of you in life.

41.  And last, be a taker, not a giver.  Remember at all times that all life revolves around you and your emotional reactions.

Sometimes we learn things better from the reverse perspective–if we are willing to look.

2 thoughts on “Failure Principles: a Syllabus

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *