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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!
