Gordon Haber

Successful people will usually be working instead of mountain climbing. Photo: _T604

Many people have asked me how I got so successful.

“Gordon,” they say. “How did you get so much of the success?”

The first thing I tell them is that behind every good man there is a good woman with a better job.

The second thing I tell them is that success is less about what you do than what you don‘t do. So here’s a list of things that I never do, especially not on Monday mornings when I have deadlines and I shouldn’t be dicking around on my blog.

1. On Monday morning, I never look up more successful people on the Internet and send them tiny psychic daggers of hate.
2. On Monday morning, you will never catch me obsessing over vintage guitars, especially not a National Triolian from 1930.
3. On Monday morning, you will not find me eating last night’s leftover vanilla pudding.
4. On Monday morning, I never have to take an hour to wade through the ridiculous number of tasks that I have been putting off while looking at guitars online, excuse me I mean not looking at guitars online.
5. On Monday morning, you will not find me perusing inspirational Twitter hashtags and shaking my head in contempt at those urging me to “stretch my limits” and “chase my dreams,” because I am disturbed by how Americans believe that everything can be solved by working harder, as opposed to accepting that everyone, successful or not, would be much more at ease if they simply allowed themselves to be who they are in the moment, whether it be happy or miserable or excited or sad.
6. – 10. On Monday morning, I do not allow myself to do half-assed work and I finish everything that I started.