5 min read ⌚ 

The Surprising Truth About Success (And Why Some People Never Learn from Mistakes)

Finding the perfect job straight out of college is anything but easy.

We summarize the key elements, that will lift your spirits even if the odds are against you.

Who Should Read “Black Box Thinking”? And Why?

Black Box Thinking is an indispensable asset in today’s fluctuating environment. If you cannot adapt, you’ll probably be crushed by others.

With this in mind, we target those frightened individuals, and try to boost their creativity and give them support in times of crisis.

About Matthew Syed

Matthew Syed is a respected British journalist, a writer, and broadcaster, who managed to win three Men’s Singles Championships at Table Tennis.

He has been a valuable member of New York Times since 1999.

“Black Box Thinking Summary”

Don’t let us start on failures and their destructive force. Usually, these temporary defeats carry a strong message, which is often overwhelming.

Failing your mid-term or trying in vain to gain someone’s attention is devastating. However, not everything is so miserable, if you find the core of the problem.

Even though we all fear being stranded on a sinking ship, there’s something you can do, regardless of how hopeless the situation may seem at first glance.

All starts from early childhood – remember when you were a kid. Did you willingly admit every mistake that you made, or you tried to hide them? We don’t need to remind you that, kids have a hard time understanding the adult world.

In general, denying their involvement in any kind of “bad” activity is out of reflex.

So, thinking that they are doing it on purpose – is not the case. Even with overwhelming evidence, kids’ mindset is designed to contradict your “verdict.” Before you start being too judgemental, ask yourself – Are we – adults any different?

Not even a little bit! In general, people hate being guilty of something, and we’ll do pretty much everything to pass the blame onto someone else.

As much as we hate making mistakes, nothing can outmatch the notion of rejecting liability for the issue that just occurred.

Whether we are aware of this or not, it’s our way of life – for the most people. Finding the strength to acknowledge your involvement in some misunderstanding is something special. In truth, such attitude will always put you on the top, and help you grow both personally and professionally.

Failure is linked to shame, and we often take life too personally. Instead, you should perceive such unpleasant occurrences as a clear indicator that a change is vital.

Miscalculations are only natural, and you should not make it so hard on yourself. If you sense that things are not going as you intended, stop for a second and adjust your strategy.

When an opportunity presents itself, you must be equipped with eagerness and expertise to fix the error.

If you are whining and refusing to take full responsibility for your work, you won’t be able to eliminate the potential threats coming from that mistake.

Keep your work well-organized and understand that being grown-up consists of mental strength, and the courage to be at the center of happenings when things go wrong.

Every company would love to have an executive who doesn’t shy away from challenges and delegating – even when the world is turned upside down.

Imagine being a part of a community that is continuously advocating for openness, and condemns an irrational behavior. It’s a privilege having such a “player” in your squad, so don’t become a drama queen and start enforcing your new rules within the organization or at home.

The thinking patterns can lift you up or keep you down. Underachievers have low self-esteem, and they are avoiding challenges.

They hate being in charge of a critical operation puts themselves in a position to beg for a piece of that delicious cake. Successful people take their slice by themselves; they don’t expect any approvals or public recognition.

The world, guided by advanced technology is frightening. So, many people embrace defensive stance and struggle to adapt. But, consider this example: For centuries people have used leaches to treat various diseases.

They thought that sucking the blood is a proven method for getting rid of all the sickness. Unfortunately, it only caused further problems. Despite these effects, medieval doctors continued the treatment, which resulted in more deaths.

For instance, you think you got what it takes to implement change in your organization right?

However, your skills to deal with the power of uncertainty are proving to be insufficient. The superiors are looking for the culprit of this unsuccessful operation. Would you step-up and explain yourself?

This is a million dollar answer, that’s for sure.

Key Lessons from “Black Box Thinking”

1.      Stubbornness can be deadly
2.      Temporary setbacks mustn’t crush you
3.      Life provides you with lessons

Stubbornness can be deadly

The doctors witnessed death, and yet they didn’t acknowledge the ineffectiveness of their treatment and continued with the “slaughter.”

As you can see, not much has changed since then. The game is different, but the rules remained untouched.

Temporary setbacks mustn’t crush you

Failure is perhaps the most annoying thing that can happen to anyone. However, lots of people found inspiration in such unpleasant conditions and came out as winners at the end.

The ability to seek new solution separated them from the rest you and grand them victory.

Life provides you with lessons

Throughout history, intelligent people have spread wisdom by declaring that there’s no such thing as mistakes only lessons.

What made us arrogant and hard to handle? – Establish a positive mindset, and understand that you cannot avoid slip-ups.

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“Black Box Thinking” Quotes

Our Critical Review

The first thought that goes through your mind when reading a book as entertaining and informative as this one is – I have to try this.

We hope you’ll receive the same excitement as we did.

Emir Zecovic

Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.