We are almost always Learning new things to do. But, there are times when we should learn what not to do. As simple a concept as it is, it’s really something that can change your perception about things and life in general. It’s a thinking pattern that can be applied in every aspect of your life.

Doing a lot of things doesn’t necessarily mean progress. Doing just a few things and being good at them means progress.  It could apply to career, hobbies or any other passions you might have. One of the greatest examples was Steve Jobs. Upon his return to Apple he eliminated all the unnecessary products and focused solely on a handful of products. We all know what happened after that; Apple rose from the ashes and established a niche market in more than just the personal computer industry.

Another great example comes from my personal experience. I had a job where — employees were mistreated; highly under-paid, under-appreciated; unethical behavior was regular routine to win contracts; people manipulated each other, Blah, blah and blah. I can keep on going but that’s not what this post is about. Anyway, the business owners were very successful people but were one of the unhappiest people I had seen in my life. They had everything but nothing. They were always cautious and believed they were the center of the world and everyone was after them.  It just taught me how simple it would be to just surround myself with the thoughts that are necessary and add value. It’s not that I was planning on doing all those wrong things, but having gone through the experience made me an even stronger believer in how my happiness is directly tied to my behavior. On the career side of it, I learned how not to treat human capital especially the ones that make a difference.

Learning what not to do gives you your own logic, your own thought pattern and you no longer have to rely on the norm or other people’s logic. That in itself is very powerful and motivating. It’s an aspect of minimalism – getting rid of the unnecessary. You will have your own perspective on things and act accordingly, whatever the situation might demand. It’s not easy; it’s just simple. 

Try learning what not to do in any and every aspect of your life and share your experiences!

Once I learned about learning what not to do, I had a feeling that I can’t be the only one. And, when I googled ‘learning what not to do’, I came across a couple of good articles. Like Zach Galifianakis said in ‘The Campaign’, “It’s worth a Google”.