Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money

Thou Shall Prosper Second Edition: Ten Commandments for Making Money......Page 3
Contents......Page 5
Foreword......Page 7
Introduction to the New Edition......Page 11
YOU DO WANT MORE MONEY, DON’T YOU?......Page 13
THE RECIPE......Page 14
FOUR FALSE THEORIES ABOUT JEWISH BUSINESS SUCCESS......Page 16
THE TRUE EXPLANATION FOR JEWISH SUCCESS IN BUSINESS AND MONEY MATTERS......Page 20
KNOWING HOW THE WORLD REALLY WORKS......Page 21
SUCCESS REQUIRES LEARNING AND PRACTICE......Page 24
WHAT MADE ME WRITE THIS BOOK......Page 25
The First Commandment: Believe in the Dignity and Morality of Business......Page 29
FEEL VIRTUOUS, GROW WEALTHY......Page 30
MONEY IS HOLY, AND HOLIDAYS ARE LINKED TO MONEY......Page 34
JEWS BECAME BANKERS TO HELP OTHERS, NOT AS A LAST RESORT......Page 35
GOLD IS GOOD: GOD SAID SO......Page 38
“CHARITY IS GOOD; BUSINESS IS SELFISH”—A POPULAR MISCONCEPTION......Page 41
YOU CAN’T EARN AN HONEST LIVING WITHOUT PLEASING OTHERS......Page 43
HOW WE ARE ALL PERSUADED THAT BUSINESS IS EVIL......Page 45
HOW WE ARE TAUGHT THAT BUSINESS IS BAD, FROM EARLY EDUCATION......Page 46
MOVIES AND TELEVISION CONSPIRE TO MAKE YOU POOR......Page 47
WE CAN’T HELP BELIEVING SOME OF WHAT PEOPLE TELL US......Page 51
MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT BUSINESS IS INHERENTLY BAD......Page 53
POPULAR CULTURE SUPPORTS IMMORAL “LOVE”: MONEY IS BAD, BUT SEX IS GOOD?......Page 55
HUMANS ARE NOT JUST “SMART ANIMALS”......Page 58
EVEN BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS THEMSELVES HAVE GIVEN UP THE FIGHT......Page 61
HOW STARBUCKS DOES GOOD WORKS—EVERY DAY......Page 62
MOST PEOPLE WORK “IN BUSINESS”—AND THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!......Page 64
The Second Commandment: Extend the Network of Your Connectedness to Many People......Page 67
HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS? LEARN FROM YOUR PARENTS......Page 68
STAY CONNECTED TO OTHERS: YOU’LL BE HAPPIER AND LIVE LONGER......Page 70
FRIENDSHIPS LEAD TO WEALTH, RATHER THAN THE REVERSE......Page 71
FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE MANY FRIENDS......Page 73
FORGE FRIENDSHIPS BY CREATING ONGOING OBLIGATIONS......Page 76
MURDER AND THE CITY—HOW ONLY CROWDS OF PEOPLE CAN CREATE WEALTH......Page 78
IMPROVING CONNECTIONS ENHANCES WEALTH CREATION......Page 81
HELPING OTHERS IMPROVE THEIR LIVES HELPS YOU IMPROVE YOUR OWN LIFE......Page 83
DON’T BE A “WAGE SLAVE”—BE IN BUSINESS FOR YOURSELF......Page 84
BE PROUD OF AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU DO......Page 87
CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS CAREFULLY......Page 88
SERVICE DOESN’T MEAN SERVILITY......Page 91
LOVING OTHERS, NOT JUST YOURSELF......Page 93
TO LEARN HOW TO SERVE, LEARN HOW TO BE SERVED......Page 95
THE POWER OF PREDICTABILITY IN MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS......Page 96
The Third Commandment: Get to Know Yourself......Page 101
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS SKILLS IN EVERY PROFESSION......Page 103
WHY YOU ARE SO IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING YOUR OWN SUCCESS......Page 104
HELPING YOUR WISE IMPULSE DOMINATE YOUR SELF-DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE......Page 107
LISTEN TO YOUR CONSCIENCE......Page 111
TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE......Page 114
UNDERSTAND WHAT REALLY MOTIVATES PEOPLE......Page 115
RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL CHARACTERISTICS AND NEEDS......Page 118
BALANCING ALL FOUR MOTIVATORS TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SUCCESS IN ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE......Page 126
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES......Page 131
The Fourth Commandment: Do Not Pursue Perfection......Page 139
DON’T BLAME “BUSINESS” BECAUSE OF A FEW UNETHICAL BUSINESSPEOPLE......Page 141
WHY IS BUSINESS EXCORIATED WHEN OTHER PROFESSIONS ARE EXCUSED?......Page 142
THE “ROBBER BARONS” WEREN’T EVIL: THEY CREATED GOOD, TOO......Page 145
WHEN YOU TAKE LUXURIES FOR GRANTED, THINGS MUST BE PRETTY GOOD......Page 148
HOW “ETHICAL CAPITALISM” DIFFERS FROM ORDINARY, EVERYDAY CAPITALISM......Page 149
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY THAT ETHICAL CAPITALISM WORKS......Page 151
THE FOUR FAMOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST BUSINESS......Page 153
INSTEAD OF PERFECTION—THE NEXT BEST THING......Page 174
THE CIVILIZING EFFECT OF BUSINESS......Page 178
The Fifth Commandment: Lead Consistently and Constantly......Page 181
WHAT LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS NOT......Page 183
BE READY TO STEP INTO LEADERSHIP......Page 184
HOW JUDAISM DEFINES “LEADERSHIP”......Page 186
BECOMING A LEADER......Page 187
LEARN TO FOLLOW IF YOU WANT TO LEARN TO LEAD......Page 188
MAINTAIN A CLEAR VISION OF YOUR GOAL......Page 191
CONFRONTATION IS OFTEN NECESSARY......Page 193
LEADERSHIP REQUIRES MASTERY OF BOTH FAITH AND FACTS......Page 194
USING THE POWER OF PRAYER TO ENHANCE YOUR FAITH AND TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS......Page 198
MAINTAINING BALANCE......Page 200
USE BODY LANGUAGE TO LOOK LIKE A LEADER......Page 205
CONTROL YOUR PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS TO SHOW SELF-ASSURANCE......Page 207
LEARN TO GIVE PRESENTATIONS WITHOUT NOTES......Page 208
ADOPT A “MASK OF COMMAND”......Page 211
The Sixth Commandment: Constantly Change the Changeable While Steadfastly Clinging to the Unchangeable......Page 215
THE JEWISH STAR SHOWS HOW TO BALANCE CHANGE WITH A FIXED FRAME OF REFERENCE......Page 217
INNOVATION AND CHANGE ARE A NECESSARY EVOLUTION......Page 223
INCREMENTAL CHANGE IS EASIER TO ACCEPT......Page 226
MAKE CHANGES GRADUALLY WHENEVER POSSIBLE......Page 228
IN CONTRAST TO OTHER CULTURES, JUDAISM EMBRACES CHANGE......Page 231
INTEGRATING CHANGE AND THE UNCHANGEABLE INTO YOUR LIFE......Page 232
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE YOU MUST DEPEND ON THINGS THAT NEVER CHANGE......Page 234
SOME THINGS SHOULD NEVER CHANGE: PROFIT IS A CORE VALUE......Page 235
EVALUATING WHEN CHANGE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF NEW CIRCUMSTANCES......Page 237
CHANGE DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN CHANGE......Page 241
THE REALITY OF CHANGE IS DEPICTED MORE ACCURATELY BY A VIDEO THAN BY A SNAPSHOT......Page 242
The Seventh Commandment: Learn to Foretell the Future......Page 249
RECOGNIZE WHEN EXTERNAL EVENTS WILL AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS OR LIFE......Page 250
INTERPRET EVENTS WITHOUT EMOTION......Page 251
LEARN TO SEE CLUES IN THE PRESENT THAT FORESHADOW THE FUTURE......Page 254
LOOK BACKWARD TO SEE FORWARD......Page 256
KEEP IN MIND THE PATTERNS OF TIME......Page 258
HOW TO USE THE CYCLES OF LIFE TO DETERMINE OTHER TRENDS......Page 262
CONSECRATING TIME FOR FORECASTING......Page 266
HOW TO DERIVE THE MOST BENEFIT FROM YOUR QUIET FORECASTING TIME......Page 269
GOAL SETTING IS SEEING THE FUTURE......Page 272
The Eighth Commandment: Know Your Money......Page 279
WHAT IS MONEY?......Page 281
THE USE OF MONEY INVOLVES TRUST......Page 282
MONEY IS INTANGIBLE: IT DEPENDS ON REPUTATION......Page 285
A WIDESPREAD SYSTEM OF COMMON VALUES PRODUCES WEALTH......Page 286
VALUE: HOW MUCH SOMETHING IS WORTH......Page 290
TO CREATE VALUE, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND VALUE......Page 292
FINANCIAL RECORD KEEPING ON WHICH EVERYONE CAN AGREE......Page 295
HUMAN INTERACTION = WEALTH......Page 296
CALCULATING TOTAL VALUE OF GOODS IN THE TOTAL ECONOMY......Page 299
HOW JEWISH TRADITION ASSESSES THE VALUE OF POSSESSIONS......Page 301
JEWISH TRADITION ESPOUSES THE MOVEMENT OF MONEY......Page 303
The Ninth Commandment: Act Rich: Give Away 10 Percent of Your After-Tax Income......Page 307
WHY PEOPLE GIVE TO CHARITY—EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT RATIONAL......Page 309
JEWISH TRADITION TEACHES THAT CHARITABLE GIVING BENEFITS THE GIVER......Page 311
DON’T LIVE BEYOND YOUR MEANS; INSTEAD GIVE BEYOND YOUR MEANS......Page 312
GIVING MONEY AWAY MAKES MORE COME BACK TO YOU......Page 313
GIVE MONEY, NOT JUST TO DO GOOD BUT TO DO WELL......Page 315
BEING CHARITABLE MEANS MAKING NEW FRIENDS......Page 316
DONATING IS LIKE INVESTING: IT INCREASES WHAT COMES BACK TO YOU......Page 318
CHARITY FOCUSES YOU OUTSIDE YOURSELF......Page 320
FEEL VIRTUOUS FOR A VERY GOOD REASON......Page 322
FOR GOOD REASON, ADMIRE YOURSELF......Page 324
PEOPLE ARE CREATORS, NOT CONSUMERS, AND GIVERS, NOT TAKERS......Page 325
The Tenth Commandment: Never Retire......Page 329
RETIREMENT SHOULD NOT BE A GOAL......Page 330
“WE’RE GOOD UNTIL WE DIE”: LIFE STORIES OF PRODUCTIVE LONGEVITY......Page 332
THE KEY TO LONGEVITY IS CARING FOR OTHERS......Page 334
HEBREW DOESN’T EVEN RECOGNIZE THE CONCEPT OF “RETIREMENT”......Page 336
THE VERY IDEA OF RETIREMENT ERODES THE QUALITY OF PERSEVERANCE......Page 338
THE THREE LIES OF THE RETIREMENT MYTH......Page 340
THE REAL ROLE OF WORK......Page 347
Epilogue......Page 351
Notes......Page 355
Index......Page 364