What will I learn about: why true intelligence is measured by your ability to foresee the long-term consequences of your actions, and learn how a future-oriented mindset turns workers into leaders?

Discover why true intelligence is measured by your ability to foresee the long-term consequences of your actions, and learn how a future-oriented mindset turns workers into leaders.

What will I learn about: the GOSPA model—Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Priorities, and Actions—to sharpen the deliberate, slow-thinking skills required for making crucial life choices?

Master the GOSPA model—Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Priorities, and Actions—to sharpen the deliberate, slow-thinking skills required for making crucial life choices.

What will I learn about: Learn to avoid business disasters by actively hypothesizing why a product might fail rather than just hoping it succeeds, forcing you to validate real market demand?

Learn to avoid business disasters by actively hypothesizing why a product might fail rather than just hoping it succeeds, forcing you to validate real market demand.

What will I learn about: Harness the life-changing power of physically writing down your goals on paper, a simple practice that provides absolute clarity and rapidly accelerates your success?

Harness the life-changing power of physically writing down your goals on paper, a simple practice that provides absolute clarity and rapidly accelerates your success.

What will I learn about: the critical difference between having good intentions and delivering actual outcomes, realizing that your ultimate success is weighed entirely by your deliberate actions?

Understand the critical difference between having good intentions and delivering actual outcomes, realizing that your ultimate success is weighed entirely by your deliberate actions.

Get Smart!

How to Think and Act Like the Most Successful and Highest-Paid People in Every Field

Brian Tracy

★ 4.2 / 5(2839 ratings)

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Categories:

Management & Leadership Psychology

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that a simple shift in how far ahead you look could be the single most important factor in your long-term success?
💡Have you ever wondered why your most successful decisions often come from 'slowing down' your brain instead of rushing to a conclusion?
💡What if you could re-program your mind to automatically see every challenge as a hidden opportunity for growth and profit?

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Key Takeaways from Get Smart!

✓Discover why true intelligence is measured by your ability to foresee the long-term consequences of your actions, and learn how a future-oriented mindset turns workers into leaders.
✓Master the GOSPA model—Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Priorities, and Actions—to sharpen the deliberate, slow-thinking skills required for making crucial life choices.
✓Learn to avoid business disasters by actively hypothesizing why a product might fail rather than just hoping it succeeds, forcing you to validate real market demand.
✓Harness the life-changing power of physically writing down your goals on paper, a simple practice that provides absolute clarity and rapidly accelerates your success.
✓Understand the critical difference between having good intentions and delivering actual outcomes, realizing that your ultimate success is weighed entirely by your deliberate actions.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Get Smart!

Mind Map

Get Smart!

Perspective & Brain Potential+

Long-Term Thinking+

Slow Thinking+

Business & Research+

Goal Setting+

Productivity at Work+

Flexible Thinking+

Creative Problem Solving+

The Wealthy Mindset+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10

According to the book, what is the primary lesson from the Buddhist anecdote of the six blind men and the elephant?

A. Blindness enhances other senses to compensate for a lack of vision.
B. We must broaden our perspectives to see the full picture rather than focusing on isolated parts.
C. Animals can be perceived differently depending on our emotional state.
D. Teamwork is essential to solve complex mathematical problems.

Question 2 of 10

What did Harvard professor Edward Banfield discover about the smartest and highest-earning people?

A. They have the highest recorded IQ scores in society.
B. They prioritize short-term gratification to stay highly motivated.
C. They possess a unique ability to think long-term and consider the future consequences of their actions.
D. They inherit the majority of their wealth and business connections from their families.

Question 3 of 10

How does the author suggest we handle important decisions to ensure the best outcome?

A. Trust our initial impulsive thoughts to ensure rapid execution.
B. Wait 72 hours and spend time in solitude to engage our slow-thinking brain.
C. Ask at least ten different colleagues for their opinions before acting.
D. Apply the 'Law of Three' immediately to force a quick resolution.

Question 4 of 10

In the context of long-term strategy, what does the 'S' in the GOSPA model stand for?

A. Systems
B. Synergy
C. Strategies
D. Solutions

Question 5 of 10

To avoid confirmation bias when testing a new product idea, how should an entrepreneur behave?

A. Like a cheerleader, promoting the product's greatness to everyone.
B. Like a scientist, creating a hypothesis and actively trying to disprove it.
C. Like an artist, focusing solely on the aesthetic appeal of the product.
D. Like a politician, surveying only those who already agree with the idea.

Question 6 of 10

What is the recommended way to write down a personal goal?

A. In the future tense, using negative phrasing (e.g., 'I will stop eating junk food').
B. In the past tense, as if it has already happened (e.g., 'I was a healthy eater').
C. In the present tense, using personal and positive phrasing (e.g., 'I am a healthy eater').
D. In the conditional tense, to account for variables (e.g., 'I might become a healthy eater').

Question 7 of 10

What is the core principle behind the 'Law of Three' in the workplace?

A. You should take three breaks a day to maximize your mental productivity.
B. Just three of your tasks will account for 90 percent of your overall results.
C. You need to consult three experts before making any major business decision.
D. Work should be divided into three equal phases: planning, execution, and review.

Question 8 of 10

What question is at the heart of 'zero-based thinking'?

A. 'How can I reduce my business overhead costs to zero?'
B. 'What is the absolute worst-case scenario if my current project fails?'
C. 'If I got the chance to do this from the beginning again, would I?'
D. 'How many competitors currently have zero market share in my industry?'

Question 9 of 10

How do 'mechanical thinkers' typically view success and failure?

A. They see success and failure as extremes with no room for anything in between.
B. They believe failure is just a necessary stepping stone to ultimate success.
C. They focus entirely on creative solutions rather than dwelling on the problems.
D. They actively seek out failure to learn new, innovative methods.

Question 10 of 10

According to the Law of Correspondence, how does one begin the process of becoming wealthy?

A. By saving exactly 50 percent of their income every single month.
B. By ensuring their internal outlook and perceptions reflect a wealthy, successful mindset.
C. By surrounding themselves exclusively with self-made billionaires.
D. By corresponding regularly with business mentors via email or letters.

Get Smart! — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — The first step to unlocking your brain’s potential is shifting your perspective.
32 — Combining long-term thinking with immediate action makes future goals achievable.
43 — To make better decisions, slow your thinking down.
54 — Success relies on thorough research and asking the right questions.
65 — In a chaotic, ever-changing world, written goals help you stay on track.
76 — Use your work time for important tasks, not procrastination or distractions.
87 — Success in today’s world requires a flexible mind that keeps learning.
98 — Avoid mechanical thinking by taking creative risks.
109 — Building wealth begins with thinking like a wealthy person.
1110 — Final summary

Get Smart! Summary & Overview

Get Smart! (2016) offers a variety of tips on how to tap into your unused brainpower and live a happier, more successful life. With a change in your perspective, and an outlook based on long-term positivity, you can discover how to get great results out of life and turn any challenge into an opportunity.

Who Should Listen to Get Smart!?

Autodidacts looking for a learning opportunity
Unhappy people hoping to improve their lives
Creative and ambitious people hoping to be more productive

About the Author: Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy is the best-selling author of over a dozen books on business, philosophy and economics, as well as the CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company that helps individuals and organizations improve their well-being. His other books include No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline and The Psychology of Selling.

Get Smart!

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Get Smart! — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Get Smart!

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Get Smart! — Full Chapter Overview

Get Smart! Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Get Smart!?

About the Author: Brian Tracy

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