The most successful people in the world understand life's inconsistencies, or paradoxes if you will, and use them to an advantage.

In many instances, seeing these oddities through a different lens allows you to exploit the tunnel vision of your competition. If you want to win at life, find more inconsistencies in other people's beliefs to zig while others zag.

Don't be surprised if some of the following inconsistencies contradict your current beliefs.

Advice

It's funny that we start here since we're offering advice, but all the guidance you seek is probably holding you back.

Let’s be honest. Most advice is well-intentioned but isn't very good.

The problem is that advice usually comes in the form of an uninformed opinion. Listen to people who have accomplished what you want to do. Ignore the noise of those who've never ventured into the area of your pursuit.

Wisdom

A​s a takeoff of the advice paradox, with wisdom, the more you learn, the less you know.

Einstein said it best, "The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know."

Lifelong learning is necessary for success, but too much early information may lead to more questions and keep from starting in the first place.

Opportunity

The more you take on, the less you'll accomplish.

You need to pick and choose your opportunities and attack the most valuable ones. Accepting every opportunity that arises prevents you from going all-in on the one that matters.

Learn to say no to almost everything and accept only the opportunities that you can respond with, "Hell, yes!"

S​peed

The most valuable components of a freight train are the brakes. Without them, speed is impossible without catastrophic results.

Life comes at you fast; build brakes into your life for navigating the curves.

Productivity

The more you work, the less you get done.

If you give yourself a week to finish a project; it will take a week. But, if you give yourself 24 hours to complete the same project, it will be done tomorrow.

Your work shouldn't be a marathon filled with busy work. It should be a combination of sprinting and resting for the most effective use of your time.

Failure

You need more failures to have greater success.

Don't fear failure. Seek it out and embrace it. Often your most extraordinary moments of growth stem directly from the lessons of failure.

F​ail smartly and quickly, and never repeat your mistakes.

Control

The more controlling you are, the less control you have.

Contrary to what you believe, you're not the only one that can do the job. Promote independence and allow others to help you. 

F​ear

What you fear the most is likely the thing you most need to do.

F​ear avoidance governs your growth and progress. Eat the frog by doing the scariest and most challenging task first every day.

Intelligence

Intelligence leads to more mistakes.

If you consider yourself wise; you're more likely to fall for scams and misinformation. You think you can outsmart the system and, in the process, outsmart yourself.

Growth

Growth is not a linear process.

Just as you need to invest money to make money, sometimes you must take a step back before taking two steps forward.

Long-term growth takes time, and losses always occur along the way.

Effort

It takes a lot of work to make something appear effortless.

When you see someone perform at the absolute top of their game, it's the result of tremendous effort, practice, and consistency over a long period.

Seeking

To find what you seek, stop looking.

Whether it's a romantic partner, a promotion, or just happiness, the harder you look for it, the less likely you are to find it.

Relax, and whatever you seek may find you.

Boredom

A​ mind at rest creates the best ideas.

Creativity usually strikes at moments of intense boredom. A busy mind is task-oriented, while a wandering mind has time for discovery.

Death

Remember that death is imminent in order to live a fulfilled life.

Accepting your time on earth as finite helps inspire the change necessary for a life of clarity and possibility.

You'll likely not know what day is your last. Make the best of every moment.

N​ow that you've seen so many of life's inconsistencies, what changes will you make?

Think differently. Act differently. Live differently.

Anther. Male wellness where it counts.