9 principles of graceful success – Part 4

by | Jun 13, 2013 | Entrepreneurship, Mindset, Self Discovey

Miyamoto Musashi, principle 4Circa 1645, famed samurai Miyamoto Musashi wrote The Book of Five Rings, a text on kenjutsu and the martial arts in general. Within that book, he wrote of nine principles one can practice and embody to achieve the success that comes with grace and excellence. This is the fourth post in a series where I interpret each one with the lens of a creative entrepreneur.

Today’s principle is:

Be knowledgeable in a variety of occupations

I touched upon this in my last post. To be effective in business, you not only need to be good at what you do, you need to be knowledgeable about what others do, as well. This has several benefits:

  • You’ll know when someone is good at what they do … or they’re just blowing smoke up your butt
  • You’ll know how to find the help you need in areas that aren’t your brilliance
  • You’ll be able to hire better employees and give them better feedback for improvement

The more well-rounded you are, the stronger position you will be in. It will help you make better business and life decisions. It will help you stand in your power and own your awesome.

Here are some things you can do to nurture knowledge in a variety of occupations:

  • Be well-read. Read good books about what other people do. You don’t have to read how-to books, memoirs and biographies are a good substitute and much more entertaining when you’re not trying to learn how to do something, but just get a feel for it.
  • Attend speaker series and mini-workshops. One-hour to one-day seminars often give you a bird’s eye view of a topic. This is an excellent way to get your feet wet in something without overwhelming you with information you don’t need.
  • Talk to people about what they do. People love to talk about themselves. Cultivate an genuine curiosity in what other people do and let them share their passion for their area of expertise.

commentNow Its Your Turn:
How do you nurture your knowledge in a variety of occupations? Can you recommend some good books, articles or other resources? What suggestions do you have to help others expand their appreciation for what others do for a living? Please contribute your wisdom in a comment below.

Did you miss the first three posts in this series? You can read them here:

  • Part 1: Do not harbor sinister designs.
  • Part 2: Diligently pursue the Path of Two-Swords-as-One
  • Part 3: Cultivate a wide range of interests in the arts

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