7 Counter-Intuitive Paradoxes that Will Change the Way You Think

Think different, act different, be different. Here are 7 counter-intuitive paradoxes that will change the way you think.

#1. Growth is Slow then Sudden

Growth is never linear. Growth is always exponential, meaning it starts off slowly and accelerates at a pace you can’t even comprehend. You don’t get smart linearly; you stumble around and suddenly wake up one day feeling a more intelligent person.
The same goes for weight loss, relationships or anything you can think of. Top tip for you: Start looking at things differently.

#2. Persuasion Doesn’t Come Through Arguing

The most persuasive people don’t argue incessantly to convince others of their point of view. They observe other people, they listen intently, and then they go in for ‘the kill’ by taking decisive action based on what they have observed.

Persuasion comes through building a track record of ‘correct action’. Stop talking; start listening… and doing.

#3. Simplicity is Sophistication

Sophistication doesn’t come from ‘adding more’; it comes from doing a handful of things exceptionally well. Don’t add more to your product because you want to be viewed as having a complex, well-developed product. Learn what’s necessary and what isn’t, then remove the unnecessary parts (kudos to Apple for embodying this!). Don’t make a good argument by trying to argue ‘everything’; pick one point and argue it better than anyone else.

That is the ultimate form of sophistication.

#4. Sometimes You Have to Go Backward to Move Forward

If you’ve ever plateaued in a skill or in your career, sometimes the only way to keep moving forward is to take a few steps backward. Go and learn a new skill. Become an amateur again. Build your foundation up so you have more leverage to move forward. Sometimes you need to spend time building a bigger engine.

#5. The More You Read, the More Misinformed You May Become

Our mammalian brains aren’t wired to process infinite amounts of knowledge. Although wide reading is to be encouraged, you need to counterbalance reading with methods of ‘filtering’. How do you know if what you read is true?

Your only reference point is the real world. So read but verify your facts in the University of Real Life.

#6. Your Successes May Lead You to Your Downfall

Hubris? Overconfidence? These are qualities of people who are so enthralled in their own success that they fail to see someone else full the rug from underneath them. What made you successful yesterday may not always make you successful tomorrow.

Stay young. Stay hungry. Stay thirsty. Above all, accept that you don’t know it all.

#7. Not All ‘Help’ Helps

We naively think that the more help someone gets, the better off they will be. Wrong. Help is great to some extent, but too much help creates overdependence and stifles growth.
Learn when you shouldn’t help someone.