To jump right into the action and not waste any time, here are the ten laws Dan Sullivan presents to us and encourages us to “digest,” to a greater or lesser extent:

1. Make Your Future Bigger than Your Past – Learn to benefit from every experience you’ve had, whether it was good or not-so-good. Embrace the future with open arms and take advantage of everything it has to offer.

2. Let Your Learning Be Greater than Your Experience – No matter how knowledgeable you are, there’s always more to learn. Don’t consider yourself so experienced that you can no longer absorb new information. Just as there’s no true stagnation, only evolution and regression, we risk regressing if we stop learning. So, when you hear a topic you think you know a lot about, listen carefully… there’s always something more to learn!

3. Make Your Contribution Greater than the Reward – When we do something, let’s stop thinking, “What’s in it for me?” True, this is sometimes difficult, but the less we focus on the reward, the faster it tends to come to us. An employee who works harder without obsessing over rewards is likely to be promoted sooner, and a teacher who helps a student selflessly is often appreciated and loved by more students.

4. Let Your Performance Be Greater than the Applause – We love applause. It’s a fact! But if we only perform for the applause, we risk missing out on the joy of creating something or giving the audience something spectacular. Even if we’ve done the show many times, let’s approach it each time as if it’s the first!

5. Let Your Gratitude Be Greater than Your Success – As we develop as individuals, we start to understand that everything we achieve is thanks to the help of many others. We live, work, and collaborate among people. If you think your success is solely your doing, you have a problem. The simple fact that intelligent people invented computers and smart devices is the reason you can read this article right now! We need to learn to thank those around us who help us grow.

6. Make Your Joy Greater than the Effort – You may have heard the saying, “Success requires hard work.” Many people think “it has to be tough to succeed.” But what if we saw things differently and found joy in everything? Joy in learning from failure, joy in handling a challenging client who makes us stronger. It’s an interesting concept, one I’m starting to appreciate and understand. This doesn’t mean we won’t need to put in effort, but let’s approach it joyfully; things may feel easier that way!

7. Let Your Cooperation Be Greater than Your Status – This teaches us to collaborate with others. Dan advises us not to feel ashamed when we work with others or worry that these relationships diminish our status. On the contrary, those who build strong relationships gain long-term benefits and respect from others. After all, there’s strength in numbers, right?

8. Let Your Confidence Be Greater than Your Comfort – When we want to do something, we often have to leave our comfort zone. Maybe things are nice and cozy where you are, with enough money and benefits to live an okay life. But do you want to truly live or just be comfortable? To have a chance at success, you need the confidence to try new adventures, which might bring hidden treasures your way.

9. Make Your Purpose Bigger than Money – This couldn’t be truer! Yes, it’s hard to think beyond money when you haven’t eaten in 48 hours. However, once we’ve secured our basic needs, we should look beyond money (which is only a tool for doing things, for ourselves or others). How do you want to be seen and remembered by your friends? In your community? In the world?

10. Let Your Questions Be Greater than Your Answers – This ties in with point 2. The more we know, the more we realize how little we truly understand. The author urges us to be like a child, never hesitating to ask question after question. When our questions stop, it means we see ourselves as all-knowing, and that’s when we begin our personal decline.

It’s a beautiful, easy-to-read book, compared to others, with good advice to follow. And since it’s relatively short (110-120 pages), it makes for a fun weekend read!