Fast Company Daily Three hacks to improve your odds of success
Dec 16, 2025
Discover strategies to enhance your chance of success! Learn how compound probabilities can hinder your big goals and why thinking negatively might actually be a smart move. Uncover the power of persistence—more attempts can lead to greater success. Plus, find out why tackling the most uncommon challenges first can save you time and effort. It's all about shifting your mindset to improve your outcomes!
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Compound Probabilities Hide True Risk
- Many complex goals multiply small probabilities so overall success is much lower than expected.
- Recognizing compounded odds reframes common failures as predictable, not unlucky.
Actively Plan For What Could Go Wrong
- Think negative by deliberately identifying threats and preventing bad outcomes.
- Prepare concretely rather than relying on positive thinking to improve your odds.
Preparation Won Me An Early Promotion
- The speaker described growing a beard, handing out a bound plan, and reading books to fit in during an interview.
- Those actions convinced the CEO they were the most prepared candidate and landed the role.