THE 100
ABSOLUTELY UNBREAKABLE LAWS OF BUSINESS SUCCESS
Books authored by Brian Tracy: Advanced Selling Strategies Effective Leadership The Gift of Self-Confidence The Great Big Book of Wisdom Little Silver Book of Prosperity Mastering Your Time Maximum Achievement The Peak Performance Woman Personal Achievement Success Is a Journey Successful Selling A Treasury of Personal Achievement Universal Laws of Success Book coathored by Brian Tracy: Speaking Secrets of the Masters
THE 100
ABSOLUTELY UNBREAKABLE LAWS OF BUSINESS SUCCESS
BRIAN TRACY
The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success
Copyright © 2000 by Brian Tracy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. 235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, California 94104-2916 Tel: (415) 288-0260, Fax: (415) 362-2512 www.bkconnection.com Ordering information for print editions Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the “Special Sales Department” at the Berrett-Koehler address above. Individual sales. Berrett-Koehler publications are available through most bookstores. They can also be ordered directly from Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 8647626; www.bkconnection.com Orders for college textbook/course adoption use. Please contact Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626. Orders by U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers. Please contact Ingram Publisher Services, Tel: (800) 509-4887; Fax: (800) 838-1149; E-mail: customer.service@ingram publisherservices.com; or visit www.ingrampublisherservices.com/Ordering for details about electronic ordering. Berrett-Koehler and the BK logo are registered trademarks of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. First Edition Hardcover print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-107-7 Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-126-8 PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-57675-794-9 2008-1 Copyediting and proofreading: PeopleSpeak Interior design and production: Marin Bookworks Cover design: Camille Woodbury Indexing: Leonard Rosenbaum
Dedication k
This book is dedicated to my son Michael Tracy. May these timeless truths guide and inspire you to the wonderful life in business that stretches before you.
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Table of Contents k
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv Introduction—Success Is Predictable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Chapter One—The Laws of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 1. The Law of Cause and Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 2. The Law of Belief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 3. The Law of Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 4. The Law of Attraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 5. The Law of Correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Chapter Two—The Laws of Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 6. The Law of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 7. The Law of Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 8. The Law of Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 9. The Law of Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 10. The Law of Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 11. The Law of Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 12. The Law of Applied Effort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 13. The Law of Overcompensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 14. The Law of Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 15. The Law of Forced Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 16. The Law of Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 17. The Law of Creativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 18. The Law of Flexibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 19. The Law of Persistence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
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THE 100 ABSOLUTELY UNBREAKABLE LAWS OF BUSINESS SUCCESS
Chapter Three—The Laws of Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 20. The Law of Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 21. The Law of Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 22. The Law of Customer Satisfaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 23. The Law of the Customer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 24. The Law of Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 25. The Law of Obsolescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 26. The Law of Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 27. The Law of Critical Success Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 28. The Law of the Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 29. The Law of Specialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 30. The Law of Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 31. The Law of Segmentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 32. The Law of Concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 33. The Law of Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Chapter Four—The Laws of Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 34. The Law of Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 35. The Law of Courage . . . . . . . . .