How to Get Ahead of 99% of People (Starting Today) 

The successful contrarian move here was to make a successful contrarian video about being a successful contrarian. How contrarian!

Quote of the year: "Extreme success is not gonna make you happy. It amplifies who you already are and how you already feel."

The whole point of wealth for me is freedom. My magic number in my mind is 5 million needed at 65 to not worry about anything. Am i better off investing a good portion of my income into stocks or saving my earnings to achieve this goal?

The fact that nobody talks about the forbidden book 'Derp Money'

Hard work does not equal wealth" took me 50 yrs to understand that

One thing to remember: Money. A lot of the so-called "geniuses" we worship today were born into wealth, and to a degree, were able to fail upwards. Also, a lot of people in history who we know today, truly lived as mavericks and went against the flow, and were deeply insightful and/or talented. But they died "failures" because the rest of society weren't ready to embrace those ideas at the time.

"Why do I want to become more successful than 99% of people?" Thank you, Mark. After watching this videos, I don't want to be more successful than 99% I only want to improve myself better, and be more successful than myself yesterday, and today.

One lesson I've learnt from billionaires is to always put your money to work, and diversifying your investments. I'm planning to invest about $30k of my savings in stocks this year, and I hope I make profits.

This is GOLD. No one is coming to save, bitter truth. Do away with procrastination. If you take your life seriously, you will see a permanent improvement. I started and learnt consistency at 26, wasn't easy to inspire myself guys, but today I have over $3 million in my retirement savings at 40. Milestone for me. When I needed guidance, I asked for it.

"Why do I want to become more successful than 99% of people?" I love this idea. It really emphasizes the importance of being intentional. What are the costs and benefits of getting ahead of 99% of people and what does it even mean to be ahead of 99% of people. It's really something to think about. Thanks for sharing this video!

It’s no secret, but you are one of the very best personalities in media. Perfect mix of intelligent articulation and irreverent humour.

The other 99% is also gonna be watching this video.

I know that there are a million people like me writing you, but I just wanted to thank you for everything you do. If I'm seeing change in myself and in life for the better, it is largely due to your books and the ideas you express so simply and directly. It's like having the cheat codes for life... Thank you so much for existing and cheers from Italy, Mark!

I got ahead of 99.9% of people by being willing to be born to parents who are in the top 0.1%, and spared no expense on me while growing up and on my trust fund and nepotism. Like the man says, you have to be willing to do what other people aren't to get ahead.

At 42, I've come to realize that money is a tool. I’ve worked so hard over the years to realize that if you don’t make money work for you, you can’t experience true freedom. I’m glad I found that out although it was later in life, but that marked the turning point in my finances.

Success depends on the actions or steps you take to achieve it. Building wealth involves developing good habits like regularly putting money away in intervals for solid investments. Financial management is a crucial topic that most tend to shy away from, and ends up haunting them in the near future.., I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life!!

"Success amplifies who you already are and how you already feel..." this is really a revelation for me 😮

you're so clean and so open not afraid to say the wrong thing and not afraid to look un-serious or cocky. a quality that many bloggers lack. super duper very useful channel that doesn't suck

As a guy who has a good relation with his father Only one thing makes you better than others is "Taking action, everyone is talented, but only some of them embrace their talent, a telent without hard work is like fragrance without air." -my father

This makes so much sense and it helped me understand that I am on the right track. Both my mom and brother think my goal/idea is way too "IMPOSSIBLE" and it is multiple of those so called "IMPOSSIBLE" ideas all in one

It’s astounding that I finished this guy’s first book yesterday & now he’s in my recommended

11:07 Couldn't have said it better - "extreme success should not be the point , you should be motivated to pursue your correct contrarian idea ,because it's so important you can't imagine doing otherwise"

“Extreme success only improves the relationships that didn’t need to be improved in the first place.” Damn.. that hit hard.

Understanding personal finances and investing will most likely lead to greater financial independence. By being knowledgeable about money and investing, individuals can make informed decisions about how to save, spend, and invest their money. A trader made over $350k in this recession influenced market

Mark, I think it's also important to note that the reason you were confident in your contrarian idea was because you'd regularly put in the work (in the form of blogs). This emphasizes that contrarian ideas come from experience and not out of the blue.

You’re my favorite life advice guy. I was going to send you an email saying we were destined to be together, and then fly to wherever you live and invite you to coffee, but I’m just not feeling that ambitious today. 😂🤣😂

One piece of advice or yours that I constantly remind myself of (and that I can look back and say has been accurate in regards to all of my successes/wins thus far) is that "Hard work is only useful if you've found an area where you have an advantage"

This is actually really one of the best videos about "success". You got a great presentation of information.

Best freaking video out there on “success” hands down!! Huge fan of this message!!

So far the best "motivational" type of video! It's just true and really pure gold. It feels like all of these "morning routines" and "gym at 5 am" are coming from not having an understanding of how to deal with their life, so we try to show how successful we are, covering under those things. Don't get me wrong, I 100% realize that these are important. Sport, therapy, healthy eating - it does the best for our stability and inner health. But they should be things that support us and not the main point of focus

i loved your personality in your writing, and i love your personality even more in video format. great video, mark

Honestly, one of the simplest and best videos I have watched so far on this. Always good to keep it simple.

The hardest part about achieving extreme success isn't the work, anyone can put in the work. It's being a correct contrarian. It's the willingness to question widely-held assumptions. It's the ability to look at alternatives or opportunities that most people can't be bothered with. It's the ability to adopt unpopular beliefs and then stick to them when people start making fun of you.

I love this line 'it's the ability to adopt unpopular beliefs and then stick to them when people start making fun of you' 💛. Well said.

Thank you, Mark. You helped me going to through suicidal time in 2019 and made me training a lot. Now i can pull up 30 times thanks to you. You was my start and i think who was "fault" of making someone great thing is the first person who you need to thank

I love your contrarian video, your humor, and your energy Mark! I went from feeling lost and depressed to enlightened and slightly better after watching this video.

You are in fact, the embodiment of what you said. You are doing exactly that, being a life advice guy while giving advice that the other 99% aren't giving.

This video really felt like a deep cleanser for all those videos about execution and monk mode. It’s so refreshing to listen to this new type of advice. I would recommend working out, meditating and all of that for a dopamine detox and that’s it, not as the main focus of your success. I can’t believe how obvious this was and we didn’t even know. Like ofc! Only meditating and going for walks won’t make you the next Steve Jobs!

2:25-3:26 was something I always knew in the back of my head but you put it so nicely, clear and to the point. I loved that bit of the video. I have all 3 and I'm going for it. Thank you.

Lessons: 1. Be willing to do what most people are not: To get ahead of 99% of people, you need to be willing to do something that 99% of people are not willing to do. This means going against the norm and being a contrarian. 2. Have a contrarian idea: Most people go with the flow and agree with popular opinions. To achieve extreme success, you need to have a contrarian idea, something that challenges widely-held assumptions and beliefs. 3. Be correct about your idea: It's not enough to have a contrarian idea; you need to be correct about it. Most contrarian ideas will be wrong, so being right is a difficult but crucial aspect of achieving success. 4. Execute massively: Execution is important, but it is not the sole determinant of success. While it is necessary to put in the work, execution alone is not sufficient. It's the combination of having a correct contrarian idea and executing on it that leads to extreme success. 4. Question widely-held assumptions: Success often comes from questioning widely-accepted beliefs and exploring alternative opportunities that others might overlook. It requires adopting unpopular beliefs and sticking to them even in the face of criticism. 5. Focus on impactful decisions: Extreme success is not the result of numerous small actions or productivity hacks. It often boils down to a few key decisions or ideas that have a significant impact. Identifying and executing on these impactful decisions is crucial. 6. Downsides of extreme success: The downsides of achieving extreme success. Being a contrarian can lead to isolation and disapproval from others. It challenges the notion that extreme success brings validation and approval, as it often invites criticism and skepticism.

I rarely find RU-vid videos that provide new and useful information these days but man oh man, you have no idea how badly I needed to hear this.

Mark Manson is a legendary contrarian explaining how correct and meaningful contrarianism brings success in a meaningful contrarian video. Thanks Mark!

This is a great video. I was in the military and was a cop for a while before I left and started a real estate business with ZERO business experience or education. I earn high 6 figures and wake up at 9 and start work around 11 but by god are my 4 hour work days efficient and extremely productive. I outsource all the monotonous tasks and just focus on dollar productive activities.

"Success will only amplify who you already are." My biggest takeaway from this. I feel once I achieve an enormous amount of financial gains, then I could only be happy. Thank you for teaching me otherwise, Mark. I need to be OK and happy with where I am right now. And as I keep striving for my goals and things I'm curious about and be genuinely joyful, I hope success will amplify that.

Retiring soon and 520k worth of my positions are depleted. I am still making my employers match but I don’t want to sell since I missed out on the big sell off and wouldn’t want to wait on the sidelines, just confused as to what to continue doing apart from keep putting money in but I begin to think about the sunk cost fallacy and maybe I should consult with a licensed professional with valid ideas.

Thanks @IAmMarkManson, that was some good Monday Morning Manna. I needed it. Blessings.

This saves so much time of keep watching all those videos about how to be productive blablabla stuff! Thanks, Bro.

I really appreciate your blunt, yet wise honesty about this subject and your willingness to share it in a high protein, no BS manner. The ability to divorce oneself from the toxic sway of public opinion is the first requisite condition of any meaningful achievement. Thanks for being you, my man!

This video MUST be shared and played in every university, every networking event, every business / life coaching session, and in every mindfullness meditation. It's pure gold. It made me go waaaaay back in time and realize how I got to where I am today. I appreciate your generosity Mark. Believe you me, not everyone's going to grasp the message within, because most ppl have to walk the path before knowing it, but it makes complete sense. Greetings from Mexico.

man I read your book and got a fresh perspective. Thanks for sharing ur ideas.

Imo tenacity & creativity are all powerful. Any really successful person i have known had this drive and urgency about them that was awe inspiring.

everytime i watch your videos, or read your newsletters, i get reminded why you're my favorite author and how much i love the idea of being 'real' rather than being just 'optimistic'.

You are hands down my favorite person to watch in the "self-help" sphere. I don't want to call it self-help and put you down into this box because you are not, however I'm saying that in a lack of better term. Your insights are always sincere and different from what we constantly hear here on RU-vid. The content of 90% of these people boils down to paraphrasing what's already there, while you differ from that a lot and I'd like to thank you in the behalf of everyone that you've helped already.

Probably the single greatest, most helpful 12min of this decade for me

Broo! you awoke a great feeling inside me! I realised im already doing all 3 of these things and have been for some time now! this video just furthers my convictions in my actions! thank you

Opened RU-vid and this was posted 52 seconds ago. Meant to be.

Mark, could you do a video on how to balance life? I don't wanna spend the rest of my days working 48 hrs a week and feeling like life passes me by, man.

Finally video with new ideas these days videos like this are so rare Thanks a lot and keep up 👏👏

honestly... among the thousands of thousands videos ive watched, this is my 2nd favourite. the first one being the egg. it gets straight to the point and quite literally fvcked with every single thing i believed in in a good way. and the best thing is that i didnt know he was the author of that book. i wanted to read it sooo much but i just couldnt get my hands on a physical copy

6:25 Oh! This is the “Subtle Art of Not Giving a F” guy?!?! That’s why I liked his videos!

Mark, this is imo probably your best video yet. Even as somebody with a background in philosophy and psychology who’s willing to dig into such material, I appreciate your ability to distill difficult ideas into something entertaining and more easily consumable for those that are less inclined to dig in. Importantly, your analysis and ability come to well-rounded conclusions that are of actual insight (unlike the vast majority of “information” found in any medium) is commendable. This particular video is certainly not among your most philosophically or psychologically dense, but I think you nailed it and I appreciated how you didn’t shy away from the question of whether or not it might actually be worth finding THAT level of success. It’s worth pondering, to be sure.

Yes. This is what I've already observed and been living for pretty much my entire life. It is cool that this video put it concisely into words though. Also, nice presentation; the comedic element added to it :)

Been doing it for more than a year and will keep going every day.

Hey Mark, we need more frequent videos like this from you! They are extremely informative, logical, and to the point, such an an eye opener. Keep them coming!

wow! I learnt a lot from this video and I also realized that being ahead of 99% people is not my ultimate goal. My ultimate goal is to be a better version of myself. I feel great seeing myself improve and improving is my ultimate goal. Thanks mark! realized this just now.

Although this video is pretty old and you'll probably won't see this, but I really love your advices and books. It doesn't "give me an answer", it points me the way. It tells me what steps I should take and the answer will eventually come

Just what i needed at this time(currently building something people think will fail), thanks mate.

You're one of the few proven successful people who're online teaching others about success. Thank you.

Mark Manson is the most amazing teacher you could have about any topic. It's fun, it's engaging, his ideas are meant to make you think, not just wait for someone to fix your damn problems, but mainly to look inward. You are one of the most impactful people in my life and I truly appreciate your work. Love you bro! Love the drug bits as well! :D

Awesome video and agree on most point. The only thing I would add, is that luck is also a key contributor. Luck in who raised you, mentors you had access to early in life, right place at the right time, etc.

That was some magic humor - the way through - thanks for making light of what is sometimes a difficult conversation.

"Extreme success only improves the relationships that didn't need to be improved in the first place." damn that's powerful

I'm very relieved to see that your desk looks like mine, cause people been telling me that mixing cocaine, red bull, booze and fast food while doing my school assignments isn't healthy...

I loved the concepts that you mentioned in this video, especially the shocking truths that some of the great successful people in the world had really bad habits. Thank you very much for sharing these interesting findings with us. 😍 🥇

Man, you're videos are both educational and hilarious. If I could, I would pay you for an hour of your time to get some direction about some of my ideas. Keep up the good content!

This is why I ask my clients what does the healthy, fulfilling life of your dreams look like? That vision isn't about comparing to others; it's about personal identity and desire

I recently inherited almost $500k. I REALLY need to make this money work for me, and not just disappear over time. I've been scrambling for somewhere to put the money, where I can make an effort to use the gains to pay bills so I can quit my job . All roads have pointed to the financial market of some sort which is a good idea buh where else should I put money besides the financial market? We have a 13% RPI rate so cash is tough.

I enjoyed it so much by watching your videos. And it was valuable and unique enough for me to stick with the video till the end.❤

Manson you literally the only development contents creator, with whom my inner self is totally d'accord with

Key points from this video: 0:00 - If you want to be ahead of 99% of people in the world, you have to do what 99% of people aren't willing to do. 1:17 - To be successful, productivity hacks, morning routines, etc. don’t matter. 1:31 - Mark used to wake up late (11am), eat unhealthy, and waste time on his laptop (for 3 years), but still built a 6-figure business. 2:28 - To be successful, you have to: 1. have a contrarian (unpopular) idea 2. be correct about that idea 3. execute on it massively 3:27 - We tend to focus on #3 (execution/routines/etc.) because it’s easy to observe and replicate. 3:50 - Steve Job’s contrarian idea = One day, computers will be in every home and office. 4:47 - Warren Buffet ate unhealthy food. 5:15 - Kobe Bryant ate unhealthy food. 6:10 - At some point in the past airplanes, light bulbs, and computers were some people’s contrarian ideas. 9:00 - The downside of success: no one likes contrarians. 9:56 - Success is only meaningful if your contrarian idea is meaningful. 10:02 - Success only improves relationships that don't need to be improved. 10:19 - To be correctly contrarian, you have to be incorrectly contrarian a lot. 10:50 - Extreme success is not going to make you happy. 11:30 - You should ask yourself why you want to be more successful than 99% of people. Interesting take on success - or should I say "contrarian" take on success. Thanks, Mark! Sounds reasonable and logical, but I do wish we had some data/evidence beyond just Mark's personal anecdote and the few examples provided (Steve Job, Warren Buffett, etc.).

I usually watch these type of motivational videos late at night, so "start doing something today" will be a next to difficult task for me.

OMG, Mark, this is hands down THE BEST success video I have watched in ages! Not to mention all the honesty and the humour - THANKS! 🧡

I was feeling slack & bad about myself before listening to this lesson - now I'm feeling motivated by my life choices :) Thanks

Mate- that was a solid video!!! You actually edit really well mark! I definately think it’s easy to be in the 99% but you’re right sometimes you have to be brave!

This feels very validating. I live a stable & normal life, despite coming from a poor & volatile household. I think it is because I dared to pursue what I wanted despite being judged and ridiculed.

This video verified a book “ Zero to One” for me. I have read your book :subtle art and models 10s of times along with zero to one. Im pretty sure, at this rate: you will end up as a philosopher

Hands down the best success video on RU-vid, thanks man

A lot of great points. One clarification is that “monk mode” simply means being hyper focused. Or rather, not distracted by a million things. I think this is indeed an important element of success in anything: focus.

Thank you! I needed to hear this. This made me realize how much of my nature was about searching for contrarian ideas and how much the process of looking for these was actually meaningfull to me.

Success isn't what others see in you, but what you see in yourself.

I usually look up your videos for updates! Our government has no idea how people are suffering these days. I feel for people with disabilities not getting the help they deserve. Thank you mrs Amelia jason , imagine investing $12,000 and received $305,500.

Great advice Mark. Just wanted to say I'm fascinated that you seem to talk exactly as you write. Like word for word. It's quite unusual for most writers

Thanks Mark! Especially for the "success amplify who you are part. For quite a long time I've been going throughout "self improvement". Imade tidy schedule, did those good habits & other stuff, yet I didn't really feel like becoming a much greater person. Watching this, I realized the reason I didnt feel that way is my identity. I subconsciously brand myself as "someone who need self improvement". Turns out what I need is to execute massively my what I want to do, even if I am not regulated to "strict & tidy 24/7 daily habits"

I love ur no bs approach. Definitely more than engaging than most people talking about success today. 🙏

This could be one of the most important videos anyone could ever watch. Going through Subtle Art of Not Giving a F@ck for the 2nd time and I believe it’s actually saving my life.

I really appreciate you actually telling the truth and not treating me like an idiot haha, your video has inspired me to actually improve my life the only way i know how and educate me like a college professor would. Solid work!

I’ve watched thousands of hours of RU-vid and countless money videos, and for me personally this is the most significant one. I’ve been a contrarian all my life and it hasn’t been easy. I’m just now starting to accept this is not just a curse but also a gift.

Perhaps, one of the best videos on success I have ever watched ... truly contrarian to the demotivating 1-2-3 checklists, blueprint-type advice on success!

Jobs will pay your bills business will make you rich but investment makes and you keep you wealthy the future is inevitable, I pray everyone here becomes successful

Once again, you hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the refreshing video. I'll keep getting up at 5 am though because I enjoy the kind of silence I experience when everyone else is still asleep.