2: What Would I Do?¶

AFW 5.2 | Michael's 52 Epiphanies | #1: The 17 Secrets and What We Expect of You

This Epiphany is closely related to Epiphany #50: Stand by Your Standards. AFW M.1.50

"The truth tellers have no competition." -Nick Murray

"Just tell the plain unvarnished truth, and let the chips fall where they may." -Nick Murray

Read the section "Do What's Right" on Our Investment Philosophy. AFW S.2.1

Read Ryan Holiday's Daily Stoic lesson DSM 05-11 - GUILT IS WORSE THAN JAIL PDF

Putting yourself in their shoes, or commonly called "The Golden Rule", is both the best decision-making tool and simultaneously the best sales technique.

The Best Decision-Making Tool¶

The best technique for helping you make a decision is asking yourself, "What would I do/want from this outcome if I was the subject of this decision?"

Not sure which product to recommend? Or which pricing method to employ? How/when to follow-up with your prospect/client? How "hard" or "soft" to close/pursue your prospect?

Simple: if I was the client, but I know what I know now, what would I do?

Do this and you'll always do what's right.

The Best Persuasion Technique¶

“If you don’t believe in what you’re offering, no one else will either.” -Tom Hopkins

“Don’t sell anything you wouldn’t buy yourself.” ―Charlie Munger

“Ethics in business means “don’t sell anything you wouldn’t buy.”” ―Naval Ravikant

Read Nick's This Time Isn’t Different - #25 - Part 2.7 - Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve PDF

This principle is closely related to Epiphany #46 - The Messenger is the Message.

The best way to convince someone to do something, is by doing the same thing yourself - or at least you would do the same being their situation. However, this only works if your prospect trusts you. If they do, then the simple fact that you are recommending it is reason enough for them to do it (assuming it is, in fact, would you would do as well).

"I'm recommending you do the exactly what Ayla and I are doing."

Summum Bonum¶

"Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn't matter. Cold or warm. Tired or well-rested. Despised or honored. Dying… or busy with other assignments." -Marcus Aurelius

“Do what's right.” ―Art Williams

Summum Bonum (soo͝m′əm bō′nəm) is an expression from Cicero, Rome’s greatest orator. In Latin, it means “the highest good.”

And what is the highest good? To the Stoics, the answer is virtue. If we act virtuously, they believed, everything else important could follow: happiness, success, meaning, reputation, honor, love. The Stoics didn’t claim this path was easy, or that it would always be recognized or appreciated by those closest to us, only that it was essential. And that the alternative — taking the easy route or the shortcut, even if unethical or immoral — was considered only by cowards and fools.

We live in a world awash with corruption, with selfishness, with cruelty and pain. We need virtue more than ever. We need heroes. We need those who stand up for the common good — no matter the circumstances.