It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be / by Paul Arden.

Title from cover.

"Reprinted 2003, 2004, 2005 (twice), 2006, 2007 (three times), 2008 (twice), 2009, 2010 (twice), 2011, 2012 (twice), 2013, 2014 (twice), 2015, 2016 (twice), 2017, 2018."

Why do we strive for excellence when mediocrity is required? -- So how good do you want to be? -- You can achieve the unachievable -- 'I want to be as famous as Persil Automatic' -- Have you noticed how the cleverest people at school are not those who make it in life? -- The fundamentals -- Energy -- Do not seek praise, seek criticism -- It's all my fault -- Do not covet your ideas -- Don't look for the next opportunity. The one you have in hand is the opportunity -- Accentuate the positive -- Eliminate the negative -- Do not put your cleverness in front of the communication -- Don't promise what you can't deliver -- Know your client's aims -- What do you do when your client won't buy -- Don't take no for an answer -- When it can't be done, do it. If you don't do it, it doesn't exist -- If you can't solve a problem, it's because you're playing by the rules -- The person who doesn't make mistakes, is unlikely to make anything -- 'Fail, fail again. Fail better' -- It's wrong to be right -- It's right to be wrong -- Don't be afraid of silly ideas -- Give yourself some spin -- Play your cards right -- It's not what you know -- It's who you know -- Don't give a speech. Put on a show -- Getting fired can be a positive career move -- And now for a commercial break -- Doing a layout means having an idea -- Compose your aid from the weakest point -- Rough layouts sell the idea better than polished ones -- If you get stuck, draw with a different pen -- Suppliers are only as good as you are -- Don't be afraid to work with the best -- Get out of advertising -- Do not try to win awards -- You don't have to be creative to be creative -- How you can make your company great -- How a senior manager can make a big difference -- How a junior account handler can make a big difference -- How a media buyer can make a big difference -- New business -- What is meant by the word 'creative'? -- How to improve your strike rate -- Final thoughts -- My finest hour.

It's Not How Good You Are ... is a concise guide to making the most of yourself -- a pocket 'bible' for the talented and timid to make the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible. After decades at the top of one of the world's most competitive industries, Paul Arden offers insights into such diverse subjects as the value of being fired and why it's often better to be wrong than to be right. He gives original and logical answers to everyday questions. Much of it appears obvious when you read it, but aren't all questions easy when you know the answers? Whether you are a school-leaver, self-employed or a managing director, this book is invaluable for everyone who aspires to succeed.