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James Delaney in the series Taboo has fascinated many of us. So let’s look at what rules of success we can learn from him.

I love the many intricate strategies that were in play throughout the plot of Taboo.

As I looked back on the series, I noticed that James Delaney shows many qualities and habits that would help us all on our way to success.

And since we are all students for life and have room for improvement, we can do our best to learn from people like him, fictional or not.

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Inception

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Tommy Shelby Of Peaky Blinders

1. Never let them see your whole hand

James Delaney always got an ace in his back pocket. 

Whenever his enemies think they’ve got him, they are surprised by his move. 

Be it his knowledge about treaty negotiations or him creating a last will. 

Whatever move he makes or knowledge he has, he doesn’t share with anyone unless necessary for his plan. 

He works silently in the shadows so that people underestimate him. 

I hope you are not in danger of being murdered over a piece of land. Still, it can be very beneficial for you to keep your moves and plans silent. 

For example, I didn’t tell anyone about how I was starting a business and pursuing financial freedom for years. 

I silently worked every day on it, but I didn’t share my extraordinary plans with the people who were content with their ordinary lives. 

And fortunately, I didn’t! My business took quite a while to start producing any income. It would have frustrated and embarrassed me immensely if people had kept asking how it was going. 

But without anyone knowing, it was just me and the doubts I had to work with. And then one day, I was just like, ‘guess what? I’ve been working on it for years.‘ 

So, always carefully consider when and whom you tell things that are important to you in any shape or form. 

2. Be unpredictable; let them think you are mad

“People who do not know me soon come to understand that I do not have any sense.”

– James Delaney

James Delaney carefully crafts his image of madness and takes full advantage.

If people think you are mad and unpredictable, they will usually think twice about crossing your path or even trying to stab you in the back.

Of course, an image of unpredictableness is not ideal for a leader if he wants his team to trust him. But this kind of image directed outward of one’s inner circle can help keep unwanted people away.

3. Know how to convince people 

Sometimes Taboo feels like a series about James Delaney convincing people because he does a remarkable amount of convincing for such a short series.

He convinces Lorna, Zilpha, Atticus, Helga, and others to help him or do as he wishes.

To do so, he uses different tactics: bribes, threats, logic, and relentlessness.

In life, you will often find yourself needing other people’s help. For these situations, you need to master the art of convincing.

The most effective way is to give them something they want–sometimes even long before you ask anything of them.

4. No reward without risk

James needs the gun powder – urgently. 

So he has to take a very high risk to produce it, a risk no sane person would take, except if the reward is worth the risk. 

Generally, success won’t require you to actually risk your life. However, there are always risks involved, big or small ones. 

Starting a blog, Podcasts or YouTube channel risks you putting in money and time without getting any money out of it. You may be ridiculed by others, and you won’t succeed. 

Starting to pursue a college degree contains the risk of realizing you don’t actually want that degree a few years into it. 

Every opportunity for success has at least some form of inherent risk. 

How much weight that risk has lies in your hands, though. 

For some people, spending money and time on a business that won’t succeed is not worth it. But, for others, it’s not even a risk since the experiences and skills they will gain make up for the effort, money, and time put into it. 

So even though you can’t forgo the risks included on the journey to success, you can decide how to look at them. 

5. Understand peoples intentions

James doesn’t fool himself into thinking that people will grant him favors just out of the kindness of their hearts.

No, everyone has their own agenda in mind, especially during difficult times like those in Taboo.

Instead of fretting over people’s selfishness, you should take it to your advantage. Offer them what they want, and they will work for you.

For example, if you want to be interviewed on someone’s podcast, try to provide value by regularly engaging with them on their social media pages.

Also, if you know the underlying intention behind people’s actions, you can anticipate their moves, which can sometimes save you from costly mistakes.

6. Study your enemies methods 

James Delaney can fight the East India Company party because he knows exactly how they think and act. 

He has once been a student studying to hold a position in this Company, and that knowledge aids him very well now. 

It’s not just your enemies’ methods you should study. In fact, I don’t suppose many of us have real enemies. 

However, you do have competition in whatever you do. Your competition can be that A-student, your colleague who got the promotion, or the more successful business in your niche. 

Whenever you find yourself confronted with someone in your field, it is worth studying their methods. 

If they’re better than you, you can gain insight on how to improve your own strategy. 

If you’re more successful than them, you can learn what not to do. 

So get out your Sherlock Holmes magnifier and start analyzing. 

7. Learn from other cultures 

During his time in Africa, James Delaney has learned and grown a lot. He learned about their rituals and language and how to tolerate more pain than most people.

Always walk through life with an open mind. You can learn something from everyone, no matter how weird or illogical they may seem.

This includes broadening your horizon toward other cultures.

I still find it startling how separate the western and eastern cultures are in such a seemingly connected world.

Thankfully, more and more people are discovering the treasures found in eastern media, music, and traditions.

Ask yourself, have you been closing your eyes toward those cultures?

Why not take a chance and dip your toe into it? You might be surprised what you find.

8. Use their ignorance against them 

Because they are blatantly ignorant of cultures they consider inferior, the East India Company and the Londoner society get all freaked out when James paints his face with red powder or murmurs in a different language.

Of course, he is playing that card very intentionally and, as mentioned earlier, benefits greatly from it.

Instead of being frustrated by people’s ignorance, try to use it to your advantage.

Try to gauge in which direction their thoughts are going, and when it’s in your favor, don’t contradict them. Instead, let them think about what they want.

Of course, if this person is important to you, you should probably point out their mistake and lovingly inform them of the truth.

9. Be willing to do the dirty work

James Delaney is more than ready to do the dirty work to get what he wants.

With that, he differentiates himself massively from many people that complain about why they’re not successful.

Ultimately, you don’t want to be the person doing the dirty work anymore. But unless you are at that point already, get your sh#t together and do what’s necessary!

Stop complaining and whining; that’s only robbing you of time better spent working towards your goals.

10. What others think of you doesn’t define you

As mentioned extensively, the Londoner society thinks James Delany is a crazy beast.

All sorts of whispers are exchanged about his crazy father, his insane mother, and how James lost his civilized humanity in Africa.

James Delaney doesn’t let that bother him, though.

He knows better than anyone who he is. He also knows better than those people who his mother and his father were.

James doesn’t let other people’s opinions of him hold him back.

He is unapologetically himself and succeeds through his unconventional ways.

11. Money brings the good as well as the bad

Most people either think that money would solve all their problems and create happiness or imagine it as the root of all evil.

Very few people have realized that money is neither black nor white.

It has its good parts as well as its bad.

More money means more freedom but also more responsibility.

You can hire others for your cause with money, but they also start demanding things because you’re wealthier.

With the money, you can make mighty friends and perilous enemies.
And the more money you have, the more people you can help or condemn.

In life, everything is in balance; everything good has something bad accompanying it.

Truly aligned and successful people are aware of that, making them ever so grateful.

Grateful that the good outways the bad in the best moments and thankful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even in the darkest ones.

Well, what do you think?

Do you have any additional rules of success from James Delaney to add?

What was your favorite rule of success on this list?

Let me know! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time, Felicity Seeker!

You might be surprised to hear that there are quite a few rules of success to learn from Shadowhunters between all the fighting and heartbreak.

Yes, there is a lot of badass fighting with swords, arrows, whips, and magic. Also, yes, there is a ton of get-togethers, breakups, and makeups. 

However, Shadowhunters is also a great show/book(s) to witness many different types of success. 

There is Alec Lightwood, who is an incredibly young yet extraordinarily ambitious and capable head of the New York Institute. 

There is Magnus Bane, a centuries-old high warlock who not only survived many wars but also remained a compassionate and capable protector of all kinds of people. 

There are Isabelle Lightwood, Jace Herondale, Clary Fray, Raphael, Simon, Luke, Meliorn, and Catarina – all of them successful in their own right. 

And of course, on the other side, there are Valentine Morningstar, Camille Belcourt, Lilith, Asmodeus, and the Seelie Queen, whose success stems from them all having their own interest at heart exclusively and mastering manipulation and deceit. 

So as you can see, there are many perfect examples of successful people that we can draw some rules of success from. 

Of course, I don’t focus on the latter group as their ‘rules for success’ are toxic and ill-founded. 

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Inception

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Tommy Shelby Of Peaky Blinders

Now, let’s get into it! 

1. Never stop improving yourself

One of the most notable rules of success from Shadowhunters is their never-ending strive for mastery. 

There are many scenes in which Alec, Jace, Izzy, and Clary train their fighting skills alone and with each other. 

Even Magnus, a century-old warlock, is visibly still learning and increasing his powers. 

One widespread trait between successful people is that they don’t sit and relax on their success. 

They celebrate it for sure, but they don’t fool themselves into thinking that just because they succeeded once, they will succeed again without the effort put into it. 

No, they keep honing their already existing skills and learn new ones on top of that. 

You should do the same! The great thing about our informational age is that you have endless possibilities to improve yourself. 

You can use books, podcasts, youtube videos, online courses, masterclasses, seminars, coaches, mentors, college courses, and internships. 

If you strive for improvement, there is almost no way to be stopped from achieving just that. 

Read also: 55 Things That Happen During Your Personal Development Journey

2. Make compromises if the parties are too different

In Shadowhunters, vitally different parties collied more than once. Most noticeably in the Downworld Council, which Alec organized to improve the relationship between the Downworlders and the Shadowhunters. 

Bad history, lost trust, misunderstandings, and different values collided and made the collaboration a work in progress. 

Unless one party is decidedly more powerful and has no qualms about forcing their will on others, compromises have to be made in situations like these to come to any moderately satisfying result. 

In life, we will always be confronted with situations like these. Admittedly, these confrontations will most likely not be as intense as the Downworlder Council on the brink of war. 

Whatever shape and form they take, you should learn to compromise and find common ground instead of proudly and blindly insisting on your point of view. 

Aggressive tactics like these may bring short term results but make any long term goals increasingly tricky. 

3. Don’t spread yourself too thin – You can’t save everyone

Alec Lightwood is a born protector. He is a big brother and the head of the institute. There have always been big expectations placed upon his shoulders. 

No wonder that he quickly spreads himself too thin, trying to put out hundreds of fires at once. 

As someone striving for an extraordinary life, you most likely desire to change people’s lives for the better. 

You see all the suffering that is still happing in our much-improved world, and you itch to do something about it. 

However, you can’t go and tackle all problems at once. 

If you want to be successful in helping people, you have to focus your efforts. 

Don’t try to do everything at once. Do one thing after the other. Spread the workload with other people who desire the same thing as you. 

Don’t spread yourself too thin, or else everything you do is doomed to fail. 

4. Give people a second chance

The lightwood siblings’ relationship with their mother has been more than strained over the years. 

However, they all recognize that people can change when Maryse Lightwood does her best to prove it to them. 

They could have quickly abandoned her along with most of the Shadowhunter community. 

Instead, they gave her this second chance and won back not only a loved mother but also a powerful ally who has their backs. 

You shouldn’t let yourself be walked over and keep toxic people in your life just to please them. 

However, sometimes it is also worth giving people a second chance. You can approach the topic carefully and at your own pace. 

You need to decide for yourself when which action needs to be applied. 

In the end, your intuition will know the answer. 

5. Be unapologetically you

All of our Shadowhunter heroes have been forced to conform to specific standards and urged to fit into the box. 

But being the strong and successful people they are, they gave society the middle finger and proceeded to be unapologetically themselves. 

Izzy Lightwood doesn’t give a f#ck what people think about her clothing choice or flirtiness. 

Alec Lightwood learned to proudly stand for his sexual orientation and the handsome warlock at his side. 

And Magnus Bane has withstood centuries of racism, homophobia, cruelness, and fashion judgments and still remained his flamboyant and kind self. 

Don’t be one among many faceless people. Be unapologetically you! 

That’s what people will love so much about you. They will admire how fearlessly you allow people to see you vulnerable with your flaws on display. 

They will be able to relate to your quirks and weirdness. And at the end of the day, you being you will make them feel better about being themselves as well. 

That’s why reality shows are so successful. People love seeing the ugly behind the scenes, even if it is partly staged. 

Success comes easily to those who are being their unique and quirky self without any shame. 

6. The old way is not always the right way – Dare to change

We, humans, tend to cling to traditions because it is comfortable and seems safe. 

However, history has proven more than once that beyond traditions can wait a much better and more equal life for everyone involved. 

The Shadowhunter community is slowly learning this throughout the series and after it. 

Their prejudice against the downworlders is more than ill-founded and stands in the way of beneficial and loving interracial relationships. 

One of the most powerful rules of success is to dare to change. Dare to change your mindset, your worldview, your strategy, your routine, and your scenery. 

Dare to change everything that you’ve been stuck with for quite some time. 

You don’t even need to be unhappy about the thing to try and change it. Even things and routines you already are happy about could possibly keep you from discovering something even better! 

So why not do things differently for once? The worst that’ll happen is that you don’t like it and change back to what you’re used to until you have a better idea. 

The best that can happen is an unexpectedly massive success! 

7. Surround yourself with likeminded people who have your back

Alec can always rely on his siblings. They support him no matter what and only want the best for him while striving for the same big goal in life. 

Magnus has for centuries had his closest friends Catarina Loss and Ragnor Fell. They may live very different lives, but they have each other’s back and the same goals when it counts. 

Your life changes when you finally find your soulmates, the people that just get you, people that are on the same wavelength as you. 

Everything suddenly becomes easy. There is no awkward and always procrastinated meetup planning. 

There is no annoyance and cluelessness when finding a present for their birthday because you know exactly what they like. 

There is no holding back on talking about what lights your heart up because your inner circle loves seeing you shine like that and, a lot of the time, are equally excited about this topic. 

And most importantly, you are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. They will empower you in your hustle for an extraordinary life. And they will combine forces with you to help all of you reach that next level faster. 

You might not have found your Lightwood-siblings or your Catarina and Ragnor yet. 

But if you keep looking for them and improving yourself, you will meet them when you are ready. 

And they could be your most powerful asset for success. 

8. Take small steps each day 

Alec and Magnus want to revolutionize the relationship between downworlders and Shadowhunters. 

But just like Rome wasn’t built in one day, they slowly and gradually work towards that. 

Jim Kwik always says: Little by little, a little becomes a lot. 

I love this saying so much because it truly keeps your hopes and motivation alive while you do your daily tasks that will create your dream life a few years down the line. 

Don’t fall prey to the belief that it takes one ample and fortunate opportunity to create success. 

More often than not, success comes from the small daily habits repeated hundreds of times a year. 

I love that kind of success because it happens almost unnoticeable until one day you stop for a moment, look back, and realize just how far you’ve come. 

Comment down below the little daily tasks you are doing to reach the successful life of your dreams. 

9. Go the extra mile – Always strive to overdeliver

You can get through life by only doing what people expect you to do and not lifting a finger more. 

But that’s for ordinary people with small dreams and not for ambitious and kind-hearted Felicity Seekers like you. 

Over time people will always notice who does the bare minimum and who goes the extra mile. Naturally, they will gravitate towards the latter because they trust them more to have their best interests at heart. 

That’s why both Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are so highly regarded by all kinds of people. 

They not only care profoundly but do the actions that match this mindset. 

If you want to be successful in life, you should always ask yourself how to give just a little more. 

10. Don’t give up – Make the impossible happen

Everyone who has ever watched the Shadowhunter series or read the books that it’s based on knows that our heroes have done the seemingly impossible more than once. 

Be it being a gay Shadowhunter in a relationship with a High Warlock, creating new runes, going into Edom, or becoming the High Warlock of Alicante. 

There are endless examples in history where people thought something impossible before the dreamers and action takers made it happen. 

Making the impossible happen can take some time and requires resilience, but it is very much possible. 

So don’t give up, darling, if something seems impossible. If you keep feeling like this goal is meant for you, then you should never give up. 

11. Be loyal

There are too many egotistical and ruthless people that throw everyone in front of the train just to reach their goals. People are only collateral damage to them. 

Never lower yourself to the level of those people. They might reach success with this toxic tactic. 

However, it is an undeserved success that wouldn’t make you feel proud if you have even a shred of morals in you. 

You can succeed very well with fair play. Loyalty gets highly rewarded. 

We trust loyal people much quicker and to a more significant extent. We are more willing to buy their products, hire their services, or support them if they need help. 

Know where your loyalties lie and stand your ground for them!

I hope this gave you some ideas on what you can work on to reach your dream success. 

Are there any other rules of success you recognized in Shadowhunters? Comment them down below! 

Keep a lookout for the next set of success rules. What series/movie/fandom would you like to see? Tell me in the comments. 

Until next week

Sophie

What rules of success can we learn for our life and our career from the excellent movie Inception?

I love pulling life and success lessons out of every part of life. And I think it especially fun to pull them out of fictional storylines. 

Often times we take movies or series just for entertainment purpose. But once you actually look at it from an educational perspective, you’ll notice many hidden lessons inside. 

Don’t worry, I won’t go as deep into the interpretation of Inception as many of us were forced to do with school interpretations (I still remember how our teacher tried to tell us that the blue curtain in a scene is supposed to symbolize the sadness of the character -_-). 

This list aims to be a light and fun way to open you up to some new tips for success. 

Maybe this take will finally inspire you to get down and work on yourself versus the many times you just talked the walk. 

At the very least, however, I know this will be a fun read. So enjoy! 

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Tommy Shelby Of Peaky Blinders

1. Focus is everything 

Shaping a dream into your liking and forging your way through it takes a lot of focus. 

Dom, Arthur, Eames, Ariadne, and Yusuf from Inception know how to focus. Their job and, at times, their lives depend on it. 

They can’t afford to be distracted by random memories or images zipping through their heads. 

They need to focus on dreaming up what they want and need. 

Just like them, you will do well learning how to focus correctly. If you can ramp up your concentration for any given type of work, you will be more effective and achieve more in less time. 

Some critical elements of great focus are: 

• staying hydrated
• having a good quality of air to breathe in deeply 
• sleeping well
• 25min work sessions 
• moving your body in the breaks 
• learning to clear your mind by meditating 

2. Train your mind 

The dreamshare community knows that a trained mind is harder to invade. Its projections are more radical and will quickly get rid of unwelcome intruders. 

This is very symbolic of real life. 

You want to train your mind to keep out any intruders, which in our case would be limiting beliefs, judgment from others, traumatic events, and all the other harmful things that can make a catastrophic impact on your mindset. 

If your mind falls prey to doubts, negative self-talk, limiting beliefs, a lack of self-worth, insecurity, or anything on that spectrum, you will have difficulty building the success you want in life. 

The biggest obstacle towards our success is, more often than not, ourselves and not the outward circumstances surrounding us. 

Now, how do we train our mind against these success sucking intruders? 

First of all, you need to become aware of and change how you talk to yourself in your head. If you continuously tell yourself that you’re dumb, clumsy, and hopeless, you will easily believe everyone who confirms that for you. 

Start talking to yourself as if you were your best friend or even a child. You wouldn’t bully either of those two, so stop bullying yourself, as well! 

Another tactic is to start using positive affirmations daily. Basically, every time you find yourself worrying or anxious about something, tell yourself that everything will be ok. 

If you are afraid to be late, say – I am perfectly on time. I always arrive on time! 

If you are afraid about what other people will think about you, say – I am a natural people magnet. I fascinate everyone I come into contact with, and people love talking to me. 

You should also train your mind by consuming as much uplifting and empowering personal development content as possible. Make it part of your routine. Listen to a podcast during your commute to work or work out, switch your Netflix time for motivational youtube video time, and block out 10 minutes every morning to read a non-fiction book. 

Read also: Reading List For Personal Growth

There are endless opportunities. 

And lastly, you should hire a coach. You will never be able to detect limiting beliefs as quickly as a qualified mentor can. 

So take advantage of that and let them catapult you to heights of success you can’t even imagine! 

Read also: 9 Ways To Overcome Limiting Beliefs

3. Do the inner work and get rid of past traumas 

“That’s some subconscious you’ve got on you, Cobb! She’s a real charmer!” 

– Ariadne

Not only do you have to train your mind, but you should also – and this is significant as it will make no. 1 much easier – get rid of the blocks and past traumas that are still residing in your mind and body. 

Trauma can be a very simple thing, like having been disappointed once by someone you love. It doesn’t have to be something disturbing that could have been part of Game of Thrones. 

Because traumas can be caused by very mundane events, we all suffer from them. 

And I mean, literally everyone. 

Getting rid of trauma yourself is incredibly difficult. To do it the right way, you should find a mentor or coach that you trust and gently guide you through this inner work. 

The sooner you do this inner work, the longer you can benefit from it and reap the rewards. 

Don’t be like Dom, who’s still shadowed by his wife Mal in Inception. 

Get rid of your own shade as soon as possible. 

4. Learn how to earn people’s trust 

I don’t imagine you plan on stealing someone’s darkest inner secrets like our friends of Inception do. 

However, you do desire to receive something from others. This could be money for a product you’re selling, acceptance in the group, a connection, approval for what you did, or any kind of help. 

Whatever it is that you want from someone, you are already halfway there if you get them to trust you. 

A very effective way to earn someone’s trust is to be honest, raw, and vulnerable with them. 

In a twisted way, Cobb was also honest with Fisher when telling him that he was in a dream because people are trying to infiltrate his mind.

Obviously, he left out the part where he is the extractor, but the point is that being somewhat honest with the Mark earned Cobb his trust. 

5. Focus on what you’re good at 

Each team member of the Inception group has very specific expertise that they’re absolutely stellar at. 

Eames is the forger, Arthur the point man, Yusuf the chemist, Ariadne the architect, and Cobb the extractor. 

Every job in the dreamsharing community requires a group of these people. 

They are the best of the best at what they do, and because they work together, they can solely focus on what they are best at while others do the rest. 

You know the saying ‘Jack of all, master of none.‘ 

Of course, you should have some basic knowledge in a broad number of subjects. Also, there is no harm in learning from experts while they are at work. 

However, you are plainly wasting your time trying to be as good as an expert at his subject. 

Not only will you always fall short, but you will also waste time and money that could be spent on what you’re actually good at, and what get’s you ahead the most. 

So if you’re a business owner like me, this means you shouldn’t try to be a one-woman show forever. There comes the point when you’re earning enough of an income to outsource some tasks and free up your time. 

The same goes for our daily life. Maybe you hate shopping or cleaning, and therefore you’re very slow and ineffective at it. Consider swapping tasks with someone in the family, or if your bank account allows it, hire someone to do it for you. 

In the future, focus on what you’re best at! 

6. Make the world your oyster

The world is way too big to only take advantage of a small part of its opportunities. 

You need to start considering other countries and cultures in your endeavors. 

Why only invest in US stocks when there are rapidly growing markets elsewhere? 

Why only consume western media when there are an infinite amount of thrilling books, series, movies, and music in the east? 

Why start a German blog if you could reach more people in English? 

Why are you always looking for the same familiar food on vacation when you could experience entirely new and utterly mesmerizing flavors? 

The dreamsharing community is treating the world as their oyster. Whether it is Mombasa, Sydney, or LA, you can experience it all if you want to. 

7. Carefully curate connections

You’ve got to know the right people in life. Knowing just the right person can give you a once in a lifetime opportunity for success. 

I know that networking isn’t the most enjoyable way to spend your time. However, it is essential for success in life, so you should take advantage of it. 

The dreamsharing community of Inception is benefitting immensely from knowing the right kind of people for the job. 

Cobb knows Arthur, who knows where Eames is, who then introduces Yusuf, a truly unique chemist, to them. 

Try to curate connections like that. The easiest way to do so is to raise your value. 

If you become more valuable in this world, you are going to attract more high-quality people. And once you get the chance to meet them, all you have to do is leave a lasting positive impression. 

I am working on raising my value daily. I read books and listen to podcasts daily to improve myself. I also focus on my nutrition and work out to be at my best at all times. 

And I create content like this blog post for free to add some value to your day. 

It’s the little steps each day that will compound, so that in a few years you will be able to be in a position in which you can meet all kinds of successful people. 

What can you do today to raise your value? 

8. Have imagination

“If you’re going to perform inception, you need imagination.”

– Eames

Don’t be a stick in the mud. 

Most people just live life like it is modeled for them. Their parents, teachers, and society tell them, ‘look, that’s how you do it,’ and they go ahead and mindlessly follow those instructions.

You need the imagination to do what others will never do. You need the imagination to dream up an extraordinary life. 

Imagination also makes you more resourceful. 

You will find ways to provide value for others, even if the odds are seemingly against you. 

Our brain can’t tell the difference between vividly imagining an activity and actually experiencing it. 

So learn to use your imagination. 

9. Dream impossibly big

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”

– Eames

There are people like Arthur who don’t believe Inception is possible or who use an ordinary gun when they could literally manifest a mass destructive weapon. 

And then there are people like Eames and Dom, who dare to believe in the seemingly impossible. 

Having imagination is necessary, as mentioned before. But you will never honestly use it to its full extent if you keep telling yourself to be realistic. 

A realist’s life is painfully dull and predictable. They are the kind of people who’ve always said that it wouldn’t be possible right before the dreamers invented the next big thing. 

If history teaches us anything, it should be that we can never even imagine the fantastic things we can truly create. 

What reason is there to be a realist other than cowardly trying to avoid disappointment by playing small? 

If you want to be one of the few people who make a difference in this world, you have to be a dreamer with impossibly big dreams. 

10. Try the impossible 

Dreaming is excellent and all, but you can dream for your whole life without getting anywhere. 

No, the impossible is not only meant to be dreamed but also to be turned into the possible. 

Go out there and work on making the seemingly impossible happen.

Don’t just let them tell you Inception isn’t possible. Try it out for yourself! 

11. If It Doesn’t Work, Improve Your Strategy And Try Again

And if it doesn’t work after that first try? Well, then go back to the drawing board, improve your strategy, and try again. 

This wasn’t Cobbs or Eames’ first try at Inception, but it was the one that succeeded. 

The most significant success doesn’t happen on the first try. It takes patience and perseverance to get there. That’s what makes it so incredibly rewarding, and that’s why only a few get there. 

Be one of the few and keep dreaming and trying until the idea takes – until the success comes! 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this list of rules for success from Inception. 

I know I had fun writing it. I have recently discovered that there is a pretty big and high-quality fanfiction fandom out there for Inception, so I’ve spent lots of time with the topic. 

I’m curious, what rule did you like the most? Comment down below! 

Until next time! 

Sophie

Who doesn’t want to have raging success in life? Let’s learn from one of the best. Discover Tommy Shelby’s rules of success. 

Granted, I hope you don’t plan to kill or torture anyone to reach success like Tommy Shelby. 

However, even if you use different methods than the Peaky Blinders mastermind, you can still benefit from his rules of success. 

Let them inspire and motivate you on your own journey! 

1. Don’t let your upbringing hold you back from achieving great things

“I’m not a traitor to my class. I am just an extreme example of what a working man can achieve.”

– Tommy Shelby

There is nothing honorable keeping yourself small to please the society you grew up in. Tommy knows that and gives a f#ck about other peoples’ opinions concerning his outrageous dreams. 

He knows he is meant for more than working in a factory day in day out and barely making ends meet.  

Your upbringing doesn’t have to define your future if you don’t want it to. 

As soon as you realize that and take the first step towards a grander life, you’ve already gone further than most people ever will. 

You should also be aware that rising up in society doesn’t mean you have to hide your roots.

Tommy keeps his Gypsy roots alive. He’s even taught his son the language. 

So be proud of them and keep the parts of your upbringing that you want to keep because they make you happy and not because others tell you to. 

2. Take advantage of unexpected opportunities

“Fortune drops something valuable into your lap; you don’t just dump it on the bank of the cut.”

– Tommy Shelby

So many people nowadays struggle to adapt to unexpected changes. 

In their minds, they have this path of their life planned out almost to a T – go to school, finish school with a good GPA, (travel for a year), get into college/uni, finish the degree, get a job, get engaged, marry, buy a house. 

Then, when they suddenly stumble upon an opportunity (for example, a business course or mentor) that doesn’t align with their current path, they hurriedly ignore it and stay with what’s safe. 

Tommy certainly didn’t plan or even expect to find a ton of guns. But he’s done very well in squeezing all the benefits out of that opportunity. 

And to think a bit outside the box, an idea can also be an opportunity. 

In the introduction to her MasterClass.com course, Sara Blakely says that every person in their life has had a million-dollar idea. 

Why is it then that only a fraction of people realizes those ideas? 

Many factors play into that, with the most prominent one being a lack of belief in themselves and too many other limiting beliefs. 

However, whatever the underlying reason, it still comes down to people not taking advantage of the opportunity that their idea presents. 

If you have a crazy or even just a small business idea, don’t just write it off! Think about it for a while. Take it with you for weeks, months, or even years if necessary. 

Tommy Shelby always carefully measures his moves – turning down business ideas included. 

3. Be patient and well prepared

“When you plan something well, there’s no need to rush.”

– Tommy Shelby

One of the things that never fails to put me into disbelief is our 21st-century society’s impatience. 

Instant gratification is in; delayed gratification is out. 

Videos on demand, fast food, ubers, 24h service hotlines, and much more are catering towards a population that wants its needs met ideally the moment they arise. 

In their blind search for instant and easy gratification, they buy into get-rich-schemes and lose-weight-over-night-diets. 

And when they don’t see the results quick enough, they quit and dabble with something else. 

No wonder they say that most blogs die within the first 6 months!

Tommy Shelby knows how to play the long game. He understands that each tiny action is planting a seed that will grow if given enough time and care. 

And sure enough, as a reward for all his planning and patience, he is reaping the rewards in masses over the years. 

4. Your dreams won’t disappear, so you might as well pursue them

“You can change what you do, but you can’t change what you want.”

– Tommy Shelby

Few people seem to understand that your crazy dreams won’t go away merely by ignoring them for long enough. 

They believe their dreams are too far fetched and unrealistic. So instead, they settle with an ordinary life that is reasonably predictable. 

They are so scared of getting disappointed or failing that they don’t even try pursuing their dreams. 

Don’t fall prey to the what-if-syndrome! 

If you never pursue your dreams, you will always ask yourself what could have been. 

Read also: 15 Ways To Live A Life You Won´t Regret

Tommy Shelby understands that you should go after it instead of pretending to be ok without it if you want something. 

That’s why he is one of the few people who elevated their lifestyle dramatically. 

5. Dress to infuse respect

Tommy Shelby is one finely dressed man. 

He’s been that way from season 1 when he didn’t have enough money to waste it on expensive suits, all up to him being in politics wearing the most delicate pieces on the market. 

This shows, dressing to impress doesn’t have to be reserved for rich people. Nowadays, much less so, with many affordable stores like SheIn.com and Zaful.com selling gorgeous items. 

The way you dress can open many doors. 

Often times, certain groups of people can be spotted dressed similarly. So if you want to be part of a specific group – in this case, the group of highly successful self-made people – you should dress accordingly. 

A chic style will earn you respect from those you want to be respected by and intimidates those you don’t want too close and personal. 

Fashion is a mighty weapon that you should add to your arsenal. 

Read also: 11 Fashion Hacks For Stylish Women

6. Don’t let people believe they can screw you over – Don’t be a people pleaser

“The only way to guarantee peace is by making the prospect of war seem hopeless.” 

– Tommy Shelby

Many people nowadays, especially women, are people pleasers. I get it. I am guilty of this myself. 

We always try to be extra polite and don’t want to bother others by voicing any extra wishes. So we coat our words with fluff and flattery or even hold our tongue entirely. 

The hard truth about this behavior is that while it might keep us out of uncomfortable confrontations, it also gets us walked and stamped over repeatedly. 

I’m sure you can think of at least one instance where some drama could have been avoided by you speaking up sooner or at all. 

Not only do we end up being walked over by others, but they also get encouraged to do so again and again. 

They’ll think, “Oh, she/he won’t mind” because you never complained before. 

Tommy Shelby knows that you need to make it very clear to others how you expect to be treated. 

From the getgo, he makes it clear that he won’t take people going against him. And he also repeatedly reminds everyone of that by setting clear (brutal) boundaries. 

It’s time to set your boundaries as well (though less bloody)! 

Learn how to speak up and share your opinion and feelings. Stop being afraid to be a bother to waiters, stewardesses, or friends. 

Those people want to make you happy, so tell them what you need! If they don’t like it, it’s either their problem, or you can compromise afterward. 

But stand your ground confidently and respectfully first!

7. Create your own path to success

“You have to get what you want your own way.”

– Tommy Shelby

No two paths to success – even the same kind of success – are the same. 

Most people don’t even believe other people’s success is possible for them. Of those who think they can achieve great things, many get frustrated about not managing to do it in the same way as others. 

Success leaves clues and should be modeled, yes. 

However, you can’t expect to have the exact same path as others had since the circumstances never are precisely the same. 

With that being said, you should also stop listening to people telling you things have to be done one specific way. 

Listen to their advice and take it with a grain of salt. 

But ultimately, go and get what you want the way that seems most reasonable and aligned with you. Even if nobody else believes that this is the way to go. 

8. Master your body language

“Walk like a king or like you don’t give a fuck who’s the king.”

– Tommy Shelby

Body language can make a huge difference. And the fascinating part is that most people don’t even consciously notice how someone’s body language affects them. 

Tommy Shelby has mastered his body language. 

He is very unreactive in most confrontations. He doesn’t flinch, fidgets, or scratches himself. All of these are signs of unease and insecurity and therefore destroy any appearance of dominance you are trying to build. 

He also looks people directly in the eye and moves in slow and precise manners. 

He doesn’t cross his arms in front of his body as an unconscious move of protection. 

Overall, Tommy owns every room he steps in and every interaction he has within a few short moments. 

To do the same, you have to start out by learning the basics of body language. 

You need to understand what actions are in your favor and which aren’t. Then you can practice them in real life as Tommy Shelby does. 

9. Sometimes, you’ve got to stop overthinking and trust you intuition

“If they want you, you will feel it, not question it.”

– Tommy Shelby

Your intuition is sometimes far wiser than your mind. It notices things that you don’t consciously pick up on and therefore makes better decisions. 

Especially within human interactions, your intuition can be strong guidance. 

If you practice being more perceptive towards your gut feeling instead of the annoying voice in your head, you’ll easily be able to tell someone’s intentions. 

You’ll notice whether they want to scam you, whether they are genuinely interested in you, or whether they are trying to flatter you. 

Trust your instinct. 

10. Ignore judgment from the masses; they’re just jealous 

“Good taste is for people who can’t afford sapphires.”

– Tommy Shelby

Living your dream life and achieving great things will trigger people who haven’t accomplished their own dreams yet. 

They will project their disappointment, frustration, and embarrassment on you, and if they haven’t learned to deal with their emotions, they will go and judge you. 

Tommy Shelby knows you’d be a fool to let such small-minded people’s judgment stop you from doing what you want to do. 

11. There is no point dwelling on the past

You can’t change the past, but you can make sure to learn from it and create a better future out of it. 

Tommy Shelby has experienced more than once challenging and traumatizing events in his life. 

If he’d continuously be dwelling on them, he’d never get anywhere and run himself insane. In fact, he does at a few points. 

But then he stands back up again and keeps moving on.

So should you. 

Stop blaming your past for your current life. Instead, make sure you won’t lead the same life tomorrow.  

I hope these 11 rules of success gave you some ideas on what to work on in the future. 

Acting in the ways mentioned above will bring you rapidly closer to the success that you are craving. 

So start bending time and space as soon as possible!

Sophie