The Criminally-Minded Approach for Achieving Goals
Written by Al at 7P
You’re faced against the establishment and all the rules are against you. Those rules are there for a reason - to protect the haves and to keep out the have-nots, and you’re one of the have-nots.
To succeed in such situations, sometimes you have to break the rules. If you’re willing to do what it takes to win, do it right. You’ll need the criminal’s mindset if you want to pull this off. Here are the guidelines for using the criminally-minded approach. However if you get caught, better not rat me out!
- Be prepared to break the rules: These are the conventional rules, the ones where the have’s created to help them get bigger while also making it harder for the up-and-comers like you. They’re afraid of you because you’re better than them and their only advantage is having a head start. However, you’re also smarter than them so those rules won’t stop you. In order to break those rules though, you have to first be willing to break them.
- Believe that you will get away with the act: Have the vision and confidence that you will succeed. If you look suspicious or lose your cool, you’ll be busted.
- Gather the right crew: You’ll need the right partners in crime to pull the heist. No one can do this job alone, so make sure you get like-minded people who can give you the help you need.
- Case the joint: Exploit weaknesses in the system. Every system has a weakness, and success is a matter of finding this weakness and understanding how to exploit it.
- Have a meticulous plan: Put on your mastermind hat. Be particularly attentive to details, because you may not have a second chance. You got valuable knowledge after casing the joint, so don’t let it go to waste by leaving things to chance.
- Always have a Plan B: Even the best laid plan can go awry due to unexpected events. Have a Plan B, and make sure it’s good enough that it would actually work if it’s used!
- Feel the rush: Get a sense of thrill and adventure for committing the crime. Use the excitement to heighten your senses and to be alert.
- If needed, bust out the big guns: Remember, the have’s do not want you to succeed and may have security systems to take you down. Pull no punches - if things are going down, don’t be afraid to use your heavy ammo. For inspiration, think Scarface:
image credits: aturkus
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Mike | Residual Income Online
Chris Edgar
Very interesting applying the criminal mindset to success.
I like.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post: How to Make a Better Future for Yourself
Hi Al,
What a pleasant read, with a lot of truths. I especially like the fact we should always have a plan b, (and c,d,e,,,). Never should we put all of our eggs into one basket.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post: Self Promotion - From The Archives
Hi Al - This is brilliant. Breaking the rules is really important. And as you said “haves will try to bring you down” but if you’re original and exploit their weaknesses, you’ll beat them.
When Richard Branson first set up Virgin Atlantic - BA tried to stop him from succeeding. I guess he did a lot of the things you described and he didn’t let them push him down.
I’ve gone through periods in my life where I follow the rules meticulously then suddenly I abandon them and doing whatever the f*ck I feel like.
Usually the latter happens when someone tries to powertrip me or tell me I can’t do something. Unwarranted authority brings out the Goth-teen in me and I start playing, figuring out how I can work the system to my advantage, all the while acting as sweet and honest as Rose from the Golden Girls.
(Uh-oh, did I just give away a secret?
)
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post: Are You a Pooh-Bear? Full Text Answers
The criminally-minded approach for achieving goals.” What a great concept! Feeling the rush and believing that you will get away with the act get my heart rate up
Davina’s last blog post: Does Misery Really Love Company?
I really like this take on goal setting, Al.
Being prepared to break the rules… Definitely.
If we don’t feel brave enough to actually break them, even bending them slightly could be just that factor to achieve something out of the ordinary. No goals ever get reached by playing it safe.
And having a masterplan is very useful. Prepare yourself for the crime, and you’re much better to pull it off…
Not that I’ve ever pulled off a heist, I quickly add
@Bamboo: Cool - now go out there and commit a crime!
@Barbara: Thanks! I tried to write this post with tongue in cheek, but I do believe some of this stuff too.
@Cath: Richard Branson is my hero! I believe if we only obeyed the rules and not try to challenge them, there will be no progress.
@Alex: Aha, I think you just busted yourself! So your technique is to play innocent. Very devious, indeed.
@Davina: Yeah, it’s fun to break the rules!
@Scott: Agreed, playing it safe is what typically holds us back from making progress. It’s natural to want to avoid risk, but then there would be no rewards, either. I also believe you when you say you never pulled off a heist (allegedly).
I really enjoyed that, Al!
I think my version of it is to make up your own rules. I like to think many of us are doing things that have not been invented before! Now back to planning my next heist!
Robin’s last blog post: On Overcoming Obstacles
Al,
Wait, wait, wait. There are actual RULES for being a criminal? No WONDER why I’ve spent so many years behind bars! Dang. If only you’d written this when I was 14!
Great post.
Rita
My philosophy at work when something needs to be done, but is against the rules? Just do it, then apologize after the fact. I generally get scolded and praised all at the same time. Scolded because I broke the rules. Praised because what I did clearly needed to get done, and nobody else was willing to do it.
Urban Panther’s last blog post: Cut and run
Hey, I like pulling out the big guns! Great vid of Scarface.
We can also learn from the military. Intelligence is huge.
John Hoff - eVentureBiz’s last blog post: Securing Your WordPress Blog: Post 4 - Setting Up .htaccess
i like this list, it’s so true. all though i think the very smart criminals (like the ones on wall street
might be upset that you tore a page out of their bible.
this is cool. thanks.
Natural’s last blog post: Doggone, Grandma
That was excellent Al ( I hope thats your real name)
i like the way you think
this one is the most appealing
#6 # Always have a Plan B: Even the best laid plan can go awry due to unexpected events. Have a Plan B, and make sure it’s good enough that it would actually work if it’s used!
Sara’s last blog post: Successful Ways to Communicate with Your Teenager
Brilliant!
It’s very true that often, you can’t get anywhere if you always play by the rules.
Vered - MomGrind’s last blog post: Would You Eat Spicy Chocolate?
This is awesome Al! Case the joint, have a meticulous plan, and pull no punches. Just awesome! I would add that should wear the most expensive thing you own. You want to look good as you burst in, guns blaring
Marelisa’s last blog post: How to Create a Swipe File to Jump Start Your Creativity
I like the sound of this article…hmmm….readers can potentially become more dangerous after reading ti!! The tip I like best is #1 - be prepared to break rules. We must explore our boundaries and open ourselves up to unlimited thinking!
Evelyn Lim’s last blog post: 68 Seconds Of Pure Thought: Visualize In 4 Creative Ways
@Robin: Ah yes, the “make up your own rule” approach to breaking the rules. You’re one of the most dangerous types of criminals out there!
@Rita: You were a criminal since 14? A lifelong juvenile delinquent… a role model for us all
@Urban Panther: I had to laugh out loud because sometimes I have to resort to that too. Break the rules first and apologize later. Sometimes you can get away with it and not even apologize.
@John: Indeed! If we got the heavy artillery, we shouldn’t be afraid to use it.
@Natural: Yeah, in the business world these are the generally accepted rules and they don’t apologize for doing what they do. Those (crime) bosses set things up so that their success is easy. The rest of us should have some of that too.
@Sara: Hi - yes, that’s my real name
. I found out too many times that a Plan B needs to be good enough to actually work in order to be useful!
@Vered: Agreed! The laws were created by the “have’s” to keep out the “have not’s” so those rules were made to be broken.
@Mare: Ahh, I left out the best part of being a criminal! We gotta wear our mafia wear on. It’s good to be bad, isn’t it
.
@Evelyn: The most important point may indeed be #1. Once we believe we need to break the rules, we become dangerous!
Al,
I started as “look-out” when I was 9, but did my first “job” at 14. Why do you think I blog anonymously? The coppers have been looking fo me for 11 years now!
Seriously, the points you make are excellent. If you take the “criminal mindset” out of it, the rules you set are truly good “life rules.”
And thanks for the video - awesome!
Rita
Rita’s last blog post: Contest Time: Blogging for Prophet – a Quiz
Hi Rita - you’re not the criminal known as Shanizzle, are you?
I did try to write some serious points but I was having some fun with it too. As for the video, I wanted to end things with a bang!
This is awesome! I like “Feel the rush.” Tapping into the fun parts of a job or project is probably the best motivation there is. And if we can make ourselves feel naughty in the process, all the better!
Sara at On Simplicity’s last blog post: Three Things You’d Save in an Emergency
I love the angle you’ve taken here, Al. Funny, but with lots of home truths here for bucking the system. I think the biggies are “Believe that you will get away with it” and always have more than one plan!
Kelly
@Sara: Well put! It doesn’t have to be all business - why not have fun along the way? Sometimes the rush is better than accomplishing the goal itself.
@Kelly: Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, it’s important to believe we’ll get away with the act. If not, we’re doomed to fail even before we begin. And it’s important to have a good plan with a backup as well, isn’t it? As they say, failure to plan is planning to fail.
AL -
Capone portrays the mindset of a criminal with intellect to make millions when this nation was in the worst depression ever. Your points hit the heart of how an intellect mind of a criminal works.
-Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.com’s last blog post: 10 Simple Habits to Help You Look Younger and Live Longer
Most criminals aren’t this smart. I like this quote from a fun film called Sneakers (1992):
Cosmo: There I was in prison. And one day I help a couple of older gentlemen make some free telephone calls. They turn out to be, let us say, good family men.
Martin Bishop: Organized crime?
Cosmo: Hah. Don’t kid yourself. It’s not that organized.
SpaceAgeSage’s last blog post: Having more experience doesn’t equal wisdom
@Shilpan: I guess that’s true, wasn’t it? Al Capone might be taking the example too literally, but I can’t argue with facts!
@SpaceAgeSage: I haven’t seen the movie, but sounds like one that might be fun to watch!
[…] at 7P Productions wins the award for Most Creative Post of the week for The Criminally Minded Approach for Achieving Goals. Love love love this […]
Al, you’ve reminded me to publish my Scarface post! Written months ago, now collecting dust in drafts. The whole advance blogging thing isn’t working so well for me.
Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post: Akashic Record Reading With Akemi Gaines, Part 2
[…] reading: The Criminally-Minded Approach for Achieving Goals by Al at 7P. Al reminded me that I had this draft post sitting around collecting dust since […]
Hi Hunter - yeah, definitely publish the Scarface post. Just the thought of such a post is funny, and I know you’d put a real interesting spin on it.
[NOTE: looks like you published it two minutes before I finished replying! Off to read it now…]
I have always considered myself a “criminal”. I do what the F*ck I want to do!! FREEDOM!!!
If it was good enough for the robber barons and the moonshiners, by George, it’s good enough for the downtrodden masses!
It’s not so much that we need to think like criminals as it is that we need to recognize and respect the creative genius of the criminally minded - and, as you wrote, adapt our creative genius to the ACTION plan.
Genius without action is like fireworks at noon - a big bang that nobody sees.
Cheers,
Mitch
@Ron: Number 1 - be prepared to break the rules. I think you got that covered!
@Mitch: Agreed, great ideas without action is in essence, nothing. I’ve never heard the fireworks at noon analogy before, but I like it!
Al, What a great post. The amusing thing is that what you have described is the way I make my living online.
Most of the rule following crowd think that being a black hat is immoral, criminal, or something worse. I don’t break any laws. I sure do break a lot of TOS’s and ‘webmaster guidelines’ though.
It’s a great life, isn’t it.
Dink’s last blog post: Lasting link love
I would replace #6, like this:
6. Be persistent.
You do not give up at the first hint of an obstacle or a failure. This is one of the most important traits, because persistence will always bring you success.
Always.
Every single time.
Hi DanGTD,
Being persistent is a great trait indeed. I wouldn’t replace having Plan B with being persistent though since I see them different. Having a Plan B is to be prepared for the unexpected. To me, being persistent would be getting busted, going to jail, and going back to finish the heist after serving time!
I agree one should always put an eye on his back. You never know who those frowning face at your back never wanting you to succeed.
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