The Code of the Extraordinary Mind Summary

The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed On Your Own Terms by Vishen Lakhiani — Book Summary

Outlines we have more systems for taking care of our physical bodies than we do to take care of our mind and spirit. We’ve created a society where it’s considered normal to wake up with feelings of stress, anxiety, fear, and worry.

A lot of what you may do is simply because people expect you to do these things, depending on where you grow up it may well determine if you go to university or practice a certain religion for example. Our beliefs about life, love, work, parenting, our bodies and our self-worth are often a result of our innate tendency to imitate the people and practices around us. The important thing this book tries to highlight is to make your own path, what it refers to as transcending the culturespace.

Mentions that people tend to underestimate what we can do in three years and overestimate what we can do in one year

Suggest Question rules by asking the following questions, what it refers to as the Brule test

Q1: Is it based on trust and hope in humanity?

Q2: Does it violate the Golden Rule?

Q3: Did I take it on from culture or religion?

Q4: Is it based on rational choice or contagion?

Q5: Does it serve my happiness? .

What You Think Is What You Get!

Our models of reality make us who we are, we can internalize consciousness engineering. Every time you pick up a book to read on personal growth, health or an autobiography of a great you can potentially look for model upgrades that you can utilise and new systems you can adopt.

If you practice consciousness engineering on a regular basis this has the potential to catapult you into becoming your best, most extraordinary selves.

Where appropriate change your beliefs. Mentions that the ‘I am not good enough’ often arises from childhood.

Mentions advice from Richard Branson to hire smart people, give them freedom, get out of their way, and continuously focus on the vision making sure the mission is driving the company.

Suggests having ‘set points’ which are metrics that you can objectively measure how your life is going in certain aspects. Examples include having a certain amount of money in your bank account or being able to do 50 press ups. The main point about these is if you slip with these then they prompt you to take action to achieve them again.

Extraordinary people intend to leave a mark on the world. Now, a word of warning. You need to make sure that your goals aren’t Brule based, by this simply made up from other people’s expectations or you might end up chasing something that feels meaningless once you acquire it.

Tips to increase happiness and live in ‘blissipline’

1. Practice gratitude, one way is to appreciate the reverse gap. Most focus on the forward gap, this is the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, if you’re chasing the forward gap, the chase will never end. Instead focus on the reverse gap to appreciate where you have come from to where you are now.

2. Practice Forgiveness

3. Practice Giving. Giving is a natural transition from gratitude.

The Dalai Lama at some stage was asked “How is it possible to be happy when seeing so much misery and tragedy every day?” The answer was actually a question but it was this: “But who can you help if you’re unhappy?”

Be present this helps you overcome the stresses you are dealing with.

Consider focusing on the rising and fall of your breath for ten seconds whenever you feel tense, rushed, or distracted. This simple breathing exercise allows you to become fully present in your life.

If you believe that you’re enough, that’s when you take action. That’s when you go out and try something new or apply for that job you really want. That’s when you ask for that raise. Because you’re enough. Even if you fail, you won’t take rejection personally because it’s not you — you are aware already that you ARE enough.

When you know you’re enough, you know you can then improve your methods and skills and your approaches and then try again.

There is the beautiful paradox: Knowing you are ENOUGH gives you the courage to do MORE, do BETTER, do your BEST.