How to figure out if someone is secretly wealthy

I'll let you in on a little secret - money is like sex: the more of it you have, the less likely you are to obsess about it. Which is why many really wealthy people don't live conspicuous lifestyles. It's why the most popular car among millionaires is a pickup truck and not Mercedes/BMW/etc. For every insecure egomaniac living the lifestyle of the rich and shameless, there are a dozen living quietly - or what the late Thomas Stanley called “The millionaire next door”

The quiet millionaires typically live a slightly upper middle class lifestyle. They have nice homes, but not mansions. They are more likely to drive Hondas, Subarus, Volvos, Jeep Grand Cherokees, or a Ford F150. They shop at Costco, and Target. They have nice clothes, but usually avoid “designer” brands, gaudy jewelry, and other outward displays of conspicuous consumption.

So how do you tell them apart?

• They tend to be foodies: Many of the quietly wealthy I know have amazing kitchens and like to cook, as well as go out to restaurants known for their chefs. They know their way around a 5 star menu. Wine collections are common, with 25 or 30 really great wines as well as the occasional “two buck chuck” or $12 bottle of wine. Look for top notch cookware and appliances.
• They read: The average American watches 4 hours of TV a day. The average millionaire spends that much time reading each day. Not one wealthy person I know can tell you who got voted off whatever island the night before. But they can probably tell you what's on the New York Times bestseller list that week.
• They value unique experiences: Everybody takes a vacation. The secretly wealthy are often well traveled without being “touristy”. They've visited at least 5 other countries, and like the more out of the way places - Iceland, Peru, New Zealand, Patagonia. A trip to Antarctica is a dead giveaway.
• They lack “stuff”: The one odd paradox I've noticed about the wealthy is that the more money they have, the less cluttered their life is. Their homes are not filled with useless knickknacks. They can actually park their cars in the garage. Their homes are often downright minimalist. Look for unique and original pieces of art (not necessarily something we'll know or something very expensive)
• They are health conscious: A wealthy friend once told me that “Your appearance is a reflection of the respect you have for yourself”. Nearly every wealthy acquaintance I have is a fitness nut. Daily yoga, running, cycling, swimming, marathons, home gym equipment, etc. A quietly wealthy friend of mine has a $10,000 gym in his basement. If you're wealthy and happy, you tend to want to live a long healthy life so you can enjoy it all.
• They support the Arts: I always seem to run into the same people at the local museums, operas, classical music concerts, art walks, charity events, and botanical gardens. They are frequently members of the respective institutions and cherish the members only events.

It's always hard to generalize on a large group of people, but I think that would cover 2/3rds of the quietly wealthy people I know. For every category listed above, I know several exceptions and I'm sure others do as well.

In the end, they are secretly wealthy for a reason - wealth doesn't define them and they would rather not have others define them by it either. Life is easier as a quiet millionaire. Once people find out you're rich, they treat you differently and constantly judge you. If you spend money, you're accused of showing off; live frugally and you're a cheapskate. Weddings, birthdays, and Christmas are a nightmare because everyone expects some over the top gift. Overspend on one relative, and the rest will expect more. You also start to wonder how many of your “friends” are real. After a while, the only people you trust are other wealthy people.

If you suspect someone is secretly wealthy, just leave them be. If they really trust you, they'll tell you eventually. Maybe.

Some awesome face reading techniques

Face reading or physiognomy is a very fascinating technique where you interpret a person’s personality traits, fate (past, present, future), as well as health condition – just by studying the face! You can do facial readings on yourself, your lover, family members, friends, co-workers etc. and discover things that may surprise you! To help you get started, we’ve put together a simple face reading guide, see below. But first, what is face reading all about?

Face Reading – A Type of ”Structured” Psychic Reading

Psychic readings can be divided into two categories – ”unstructured psychic reading” and ”structured psychic reading”. An unstructured psychic reader don’t use any divination tool at all, to get information about a client’s past, present, and future. On the other hand, a structured psychic reader use divination tools such as tarot cards, astrology birth charts, crystals, rune stones, I-Ching coins, wine sediments / tea leafs / coffee grounds (Tasseography), or study the hand shape, lines, markings, and mounts on the hand (Palmistry) etc. to get insights about their love life, relationships, career, money, and health.

Face reading is very much like palm reading, where the psychic studies some specific part of the client’s physical body get clarity and answers. Face reading involves the study of the face – including lines, spots, and color changes on the face, as well as the shape of the face. You’d be surprised how a simple face reading can give you clarity and answers! Face readings has been popular in China for thousands of years, and has spread throughout the world due to its simplicity as well as accuracy. This fascinating type of psychic reading is available for you online 24/7. So, if you want a full, in-depth face reading, then contact professional face reading astrology experts. Here are a few examples on questions that you can ask a face reader:

• Can I trust him/her?
• Do we have anything in common?
• Is this prospective client reliable?
• Should I hire this employee candidate?

If you want to learn about facial reading and how to do a face reading on yourself or on your friends, then keep reading!

What is a Face Reading?

Face reading or physiognomy, is an ancient art of analyzing a person’s character based on their facial features. Every facial feature – such as narrow eyes, big nose, long chin, thick eyebrows etc. – has a psychological meaning. You see, facial features and personality traits – such as gifts, and talents –  go hand in hand.

Face reading is more than just learning about a person’s characteristics. It can also give you a general idea about the future. It is possible to actually see how a person’s life will turn out – starting from their childhood until their transition – just by reading the face!

You can also do a face reading to reveal the state of your health. The Taoist monk healers used to read faces in their diagnostic practices. They discovered that since the skin is very thin and delicate on the face, the first signs of any health problems will be revealed in that specific area of the body. Today, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are still practicing face reading to detect illnesses in a patient.

Face Reading Techniques

The study of determining personal characteristics from the features of the face (physiognomy) has been fascinated by cultures all around the world. The Chinese healers have practiced face reading for thousands of years, and they believe that facial features can reveal hidden truths about an individual’s personality. The art of face reading was also practiced by the Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399). Furthermore, Marco Polo (1254-1324) discovered that physiognomy face reading was practiced in India as well! Today, there are online face reading astrology experts available 24/7 that can give you valuable information about yourself and your loved ones in a matter of minutes!

A quick glance of a person’s face can help you get a fair idea about your date’s characteristics, your friend’s fate, or your client’s talents characteristics. Learning a few simple face reading techniques can be very useful in your personal life as well as in your professional life.

Even so, is face reading ”for real”?

Well, if you think that reading faces sounds strange then you should know that scientists are nowadays starting to accept that there may be a correlation between the shape of the face and characteristics. In fact, a recent study showed that men with a wide face tend to feel more powerful. The scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee also noticed that men with this characteristic had a tendency to lie more in business in order to make more money. Find out more: The Royal Society Publishing.

If you want to know a person on a deeper level, here’s you chance! Learn how to read faces and personalities with this simple face reading guide.

1. Face Reading – Personality Traits

So, let’s find out what your facial features say about your personality. This guide will teach you how to read faces and personality traits.

Physiognomy – Face Shape

Oval Face Shape

Oval Face Shape – Characteristics: An oval shaped face – also sometimes known as ”metal face” in Chinese face reading – is well proportioned and symmetrical; evenly shaped to the chin, with tapered jaws and fair complexion. Face readers have long noticed that people with metal face often have a high IQ, are perfectionists, and self-critical. They also tend to be weaker in physical strength. Even so, they tend to be very bold, and full of brilliant ideas, but often leave the ”heavy” work to their co-workers with heart shaped faces. They are true pioneers, even if their ideas can be a bit irrational at times. Other typical oval face shape personality traits include firmness and a sense of honesty. They seem to always obey the rules and can be great managers, judges, and diplomats. Anything that has to do with decision making and justice suit them extremely well.

• High IQ
• Perfectionist
• Self-critical
• Weak physique
• Bold
• Pioneer
• Firm
• Obey the rules
• Good in decision making
• Great in positions of justice

Round Face Shape

Round Face Shape – Characteristics: People with fleshy, plump, and round face – or sometimes referred as ”water face” in Chinese face reading– are very smart, intelligent, reflective, and diplomatic, with a strong business sense. They are very adaptable, dynamic, and enjoy variety, but tend to be slow in decision making. According to face readers, men and women with this face shape are very optimistic, kind, caring, and sensitive, and seek stable and long-term relationships. A person with a round face shape can be very creative and intuitive. Also, people with round faces are dreamers and thought to have vivid sexual fantasies!

• Smart
• Diplomatic
• Business minded
• Adaptable
• Reflective
• Optimistic
• Caring
• Sensitive
• Intuitive
• Dreamer

Heart Face Shape

Heart Face Shape – Characteristics: A heart shaped face – also sometimes known as ”wood face” in Chinese face reading – comes with a delicate chin suggesting that this person is not very interested in physical activity. Face readers have discovered that most people with heart shaped faces are not very fond of outdoor work and tend to have lower physique. They would rather spend their time analyzing and acquiring knowledge. Their tall and broad forehead indicates mental capacity and intellectual persuasion. Other heart shaped face characteristics include being natural leaders, good planners, and having a great sense of responsibility. They are also able to see the big picture, and seeing through a project. People with heart face shapes are deep thinkers, and very philosophical with strong ideals. They’d rather collect knowledge instead of spending time on their financial situation. A person with this face shape spend more time nurturing their relationships, as they are very loving and generous. Many writers, artists, and researchers are people with heart shaped faces.

• Lower physique
• Intellectual
• Analyzing
• Leader
• Responsible
• Philosophical
• Idealistic
• Knowledge is more important than money
• Loving
• Generous

Square Face Shape

Square Face Shape – Characteristics: A person with square shaped face – or sometimes referred as ”earth face” in Chinese face reading – is very methodical, practical, and ”down to earth”. They seek stability and security in their work life, as well as in their personal life. You will never find them rushing into things, or taking unnecessary risks. Face readers have noticed that a person with this face shape prefer the safe and proven path. Other typical square face personality traits include being conservative, prudent, quiet, and not easily influenced by other people. Work areas that are suitable for a person with a square face shape are finance and insurance, since they are very trustworthy, perceptive, stable, and reliable.

• Down to earth
• Methodical
• Practical
• Seeking stability
• Prefer the safe path
• Conservative
• Prudent
• Quiet
• Reliable
• Perceptive

Triangle Face Shape

Triangle Face Shape – Characteristics: A triangle shaped face – also sometimes known as ”fire face” in Chinese face reading – has a dominant flared out chin and is narrower at the cheekbones, and even narrower at the forehead. People with this face shape are extroverted, very sociable, with a fun personality. Face readers have noticed that a person with a triangle face shape is like an open book, and never keeps grudges inside. They often have an illuminating quality and can change people’s perspective. A person with a triangle shaped face is very people-oriented and need others to fully shine. Working as a presenter or speaker are perfect career choices for a person with a fire face, or anything else that requires an audience or networking skills. The only thing they need to control in order to be successful is their fiery temper!

• Extroverted
• Sociable
• People-oriented
• Fun personality
• Keeps no grudges
• Illuminating
• Entertaining
• Temperamental
• Good at networking
• Needs an audience

Physiognomy – Face Attributes

Next step in doing a physiognomy face reading is to look for key attributes of the face. The specific areas that professional face readers study are the forehead, eyes, lips, nose, and jaws.

Face Reading – FOREHEAD: Forehead reading is very important in physiognomy. Let’s see what the forehead can say about a person’s characteristics.

• Average forehead: intelligent, objective, organized, great teacher, they like clear ideas, intuitive, hard-working, balanced, great at solving problems
• High forehead: skilled at digesting information, like to learn new things, good at physics, maths & philosophy, prudent, can sense danger, hate taking risks, dislike uncertainty & disorder, seek security & clarity, methodical, like to plan in advance
• Low forehead: independent, spontaneous, act first & think later, surrounded by problems, they learn the hard way (from their own mistakes), they use their heart and not their head to solve problems and to approach life

Forehead Reading – High / Low Forehead

Face Reading – EYES: The eyes can also tell you a lot about a person’s characteristics, according to Chinese face reading. ” Eyes are the window to the soul”. This is so true, especially when you learn more about face reading. So, what do face readers say about the eyes? Shape and personality, is there a connection?
Yes! Here’s what the experts have found out when it comes to different types of eyes and personality traits.

• Big eyes: receptive, open-minded, have an intellectual curiosity & vivid imagination, hate boredom, very creative, easily distracted, hypersensitive
• Small eyes: selective mind, organized, thorough, methodical, focus deeply on things that interest them, narrow-minded

Eye Reading – Big Eyes / Small Eyes

Face Reading – NOSE: According to Chinese face reading, nose types and sizes can reveal a great deal about a person’s characteristics. Nose reading is very easy to do. Here’s what they have found out from years of practicing nose face reading:

• Short nose: kind, sensitive, defensive, it’s hard to get to know them well, dislike anything different, problems are often in their head and not in reality
• Long nose: decisive, bossy, active, enjoy traveling, sports & culture, love their freedom, need their space, dissatisfied, try anything new without really committing, chase “unattainable” ideals
• “Roman” nose: either they love something or they hate things with great passion, charismatic, enthusiastic, judgmental, principled

Nose Reading – Small Nose / Big Nose

Face reading – LIPS: Next, let’s delve into another important part of Chinese face reading – lips. You’ve probably noticed that the size of a person’s lips can say a lot about their personality. But what have professional face readers found out? Let’s start with thin lips personality traits.

• Thin lips: selective, quality is more important than quantity, sophisticated, love beautiful words, enjoy nice presentations, want things to be done properly
• Full lips: very confident, pleasure seeker in bed and in life in general, love trying new things, like to give, receive & share their experiences

Face Reading – Thin Lips / Full Lips

Face reading – CHIN / JAWS: A simple chin face reading can give you very valuable information in only few seconds. Here’s what the chin will tell you!

• Prominent chin/jaws: active, very impatient, like to take the first step and be in charge in a relationship as well at work, opinionated, judgmental, strong, often stand up and fight for what they believe in, many politicians have prominent chin/jaws
• Small chin/jaws: enjoy pleasures in life, sophisticated, demanding, intolerant, go for quality over quantity, seek authentic, intimate & harmonious relationships, conventional, like traditions.

Chin Face Reading – Prominent Chin / Small Chin

2. Face Reading – Fate (Past, Present, Future)

The following face reading techniques can be used to get an idea about a person’s past and what’s going on in their life right now. You can also use this technique to do a general prediction of the future!

• Face Reading Fate – Past, Present, Future 0-20 years of age: A forehead reading is a great technique to use if you want to learn about someone’s past. The area at the top of the forehead (1 – see picture) is called the celestial region in face reading – indicating that a person’s childhood is determined by ”heaven” and fate rather than by the person’s own efforts. You will be able to learn about their relationship with their parents when you do a forehead reading. Chinese face readers have found that a clear forehead is a sign of a happy childhood whereas a dull skin color or indented forehead are revealing health issues, problems at school, or trouble with family members during that period in life.
• 21-26 years of age: If you study the area in the middle of the forehead (2 – see picture), you will see what’s been going in the person’s life after they moved from home and started their career path. A nice rounded bright forehead indicates a great start in their career – whereas a darker skin color in that area or if that area is indented, shows that the person must struggle a lot to gain success, according to Chinese face reading.
• 27-39 years of age: The area between the eyebrows (3 – see picture) is associated with life after the age of 27, according to Chinese face reading. If this area is bright, firm, and gently rounded, then the person has a very positive outlook on life. If the eyebrows are thick and there is a wide space between them, then the person will make a lot of money and live a long life. If the eyebrows are very close together, that signifies that the person has difficulty in forgiving and letting go of things. A dull or dark color in this area is associated with health issues and unhappiness in career.
• 40-60 years of age: If you study the area at the center of the eyes down to the nose tip (4 – see picture), you will get an idea on how life will turn out when they are in their middle age. Chinese face readers believe that black spots or cross lines in this area are indications of health issues or problems with their spouse.
• Love Region: If you want to know about a person’s love life, then check out the cheeks (5 – see picture)! Chinese face readers have noticed that people with rounded bright cheeks tend to fall in love very deeply. Chinese face readers believe that people with low cheeks, uneven cheeks, or with wrinkles, tend to have unhappy love affairs due to over indulgence or selfishness.
• Fertility & Energy Region: The area between the nose tip and upper lip (6 – see picture) – or philtrum – represents the person’s energy resources and ability to have children. Longevity and the ability to have children, is associated with a long, deep, and broad philtrum, according to Chinese face reading. Short philtrum is associated with an early death, and a flat philtrum is a sign of childlessness and low energy.
• 60– years of age: The chin represent the period after the 60th year of age (7 – see picture). A rounded and spacious chin indicates happiness in old age. A dark hue or a weak chin represents no close friends and unhappiness during that period of life. It can also mean dangers of drowning, food poisoning,or waterborne diseases, according to Chinese face reading.

3. Face Reading – Health

Chinese face reading does not only include the study of a person’s character and fate, it can also be applied to learn about the overall state of a person’s health. In fact, a skilled TCM doctor can detect up to 70 % of a patient’s health issues, just by examining the face! This medical art was developed by Taoist monk healers 3,000 years ago. They discovered that the face is like a hologram, and each internal organ and energy meridian, is connected to a specific area on the face. Due to its simplicity and accuracy, face reading is still a common diagnostic practice within the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Below are some simple face reading techniques that you can use to get clues about a person’s health.

• Forehead – A forehead reading can give you insights about the condition of a person’s heart, bladder, and small intestines. A forehead without any spots, lines, rash, or color change, indicates a good physical health. If there are any skin problems on the forehead, then there may be problems with the heart, bladder, or small intestines – (internal organs or energy meridians).
• Temples, Area between the Eyes – Problems with the liver can show up as pimples, lines, or color changes around the eyes.
• Area below the Eyes – Eye bags, or dark circles under the eyes are indications of issues with the kidneys or the kidney meridian, according to Chinese face reading.
• Upper Cheek, Upper Lip – Any problems with the stomach will be noticed on the upper cheek or upper lip, as color change, rash, spots, or lines.
• Nose, Ears – Red nose or ears, or spots on these areas, can be signs of heart problems, according to Chinese face reading.
• Lower Cheeks, Chest – The lung is related to the lower cheeks and chest, which means that any problems with the lung could show up as skin problems on these areas.
• Lower Lip, Crease at base of Nostrils, Sides of Chin, Back – Skin problems in any of these areas could be a sign of problems with the large intestines, according to Chinese face reading.
• Chin, Jawline – Chinese face readers have noticed that spots, lines, or color changes on the chin are indications of hormonal imbalance, or problems with the reproductive system.

Can anyone become a Face Reader?

Yes! Reading faces isn’t very difficult. You just need to learn the basics. There are thousands of facial features to study, but you don’t need to know them all to become a successful face reader. By comprehending the most important facial features, you will be able to interpret a person’s character and talents. All you need is a lot of practice, and it’s so much fun doing face reading on yourself, your friends, and family members. Follow the face reading guide described above and get started. Have fun!

If you have any doubts and want a full face reading, please contact a face reading expert. You can ask about yourself, or show a picture of a friend to a recommended professional face reading astrology team. Get valuable information about your lover’s, friend’s, or college’s attributes and behavior! Go ahead and contact the best face reading astrology experts right now!

Thanks to : Psychic Readings

Some mind-blowing facts about social psychology

Here are some psychological facts that I find pretty amazing. I sure hope that they blow your mind! ;)

How to Increase Your Influence

We think a lot about what we are going to say but not how we are going to say it. One aspect of being influential that plays a big role in how we are perceived is our nonverbal communication. Try using the head tilt. The head tilt is the universal sign for “I’m listening.” People do this naturally in conversations when they are interested in hearing all the details about what’s being said. By tilting your head slightly, you can let others know that you want them to keep talking.

Rapid Feedback

Receiving feedback is a success life-hack. It allows us to improve much more quickly than we would otherwise. Those we consider to be great successes know the importance of receiving input on their performance. Feedback allows us to course correct right away, where it could take months or longer for us to figure out the problem on our own. The takeaway here is not be afraid to ask for help. It can make a big difference in the end.

Psychopathic Tendencies

I find the psychology of a psychopath to be pretty fascinating. Psychopaths are master manipulators because they lack the ability to feel empathy, guilt, conscience or remorse. They will use the people around them to achieve their goals, and they won’t stop or question themselves because they’ll never feel bad about what they are doing. Their grandiose sense of self-worth and their failure to accept responsibility for their actions allow them to take advantage of others again and again.

Have a great day! :)

Some military tips/tricks/hacks that are useful in civilian life

   Some of the hacks that are useful in day to day life style even for a normal person can practice that are used by military

• Sometimes ranks get in the way of work. A major who is a slave driver may not be able to get his subordinates to accomplish an intended task. Even sabotaging can happen. Thing is, rank reflects nothing except perhaps your duration in the armed forces which can imply many things. The best way to lead people to do things is to do it with them.
• Don’t ever ask someone to do something you aren’t ready to do it yourself. You’ll lose their respect. Your reputation takes a hit, and before you know it, people cast doubts on your decisions. They start second guessing you.
• Nobody goes to work to fail. Norman Schwarzwkopf said that. Some times its bad job match. Some times soldiers have other pressing personal matters bothering them. Realistically you can’t solve everything. But if you try, they know you have their backs and will fight for you.
• How much are you willing to sacrifice? If a friend messes up, protecting him and keeping quiet can be costly for others.
• Controlled aggression. There is a degree of programming done to soldiers. You don’t want a soldier who is always aggressive, he won’t be able to think straight. Its conditioning, where you can flick on the aggression when called for and switch it off for rationality. Its a great thing to have. You can pick that up from martial arts.
• Mental conditioning. The army training produced men who don't flinch in danger. Right out of army, I was in a cab that got into an accident. Didn't flinch. Didn't blink. Was plenty annoyed that I was going to be late for the movie. You become a little numb to danger.
• After a sprint, you’d find it hard to breathe. Its common for many to breathe as hard or as fast as they can. Fight that urge. Instead, hold your breathe. You won’t die. But it triggers a response in the body to slow down the heart rate from its frantic pace. After 10 seconds, take slow deep breaths. Fight the urge to indulge in rapid breathing.
• Everyone can have different objectives, everyone different roles, but no matter what, everyone must have the same goal to fight for, otherwise the fight falls apart pretty quickly.
• Every soldier thinks the other soldier knows what he is doing. Often, both are as clueless as goats.
• Make a decision. A bad one if you have to. But you must never ever be without a decision. Your team can forgive you for bad decisions. Some times bad decisions can be backtracked. Indecisiveness however is unforgivable (I’m guilty of decision paralysis myself).
• Rolling in the mud, keeps mosquitoes away from you. But it also means the camouflage uniform will be a single brown or orange shape (depending on the mud type) and this shows up against plants.
• Amatuers debate tactics. Professionals discuss logistics. The groundwork requires more emphasis than the actual fight.
• The smartest people aren’t always the best soldiers. Maybe it’s better to put them somewhere safer where they can think up solutions without getting us killed.
• The combat knife is overrated, but you’d never ever find me without one. They are useful as grounding pins incase you enter an area prone to lightning. They also split wood and can be used to dig (I’m serious).
• If you want to move a battalion to fight a battle, you are moving men and material, not just weapons to a fight. People think it is merely a case of putting people on lorries and moving them there. There will be a lot of loose ends to tie up. People and vital equipment get left behind often. If that happens, you’d end up with a half-functioning battalion arriving in chaos. My point is, the tiniest little things we overlook like personnel registry, which platoon goes into which lorry, or which equipment must be towed by which vehicle, everything must be written down in paper form. Paperwork is dreadful but necessary. Because if you don’t bring a fully functioning battalion against me, and I bring my fully functioning one with all personnel and equipment accounted for, chances are I will win. I cannot emphasise again how the tiny important details matter so very much.
• Never ever, leave people behind. We spent 2 days looking for a person we assumed was lost in the jungle. Turns out we left him back in the bunk because of a personnel accounting error. The whole purpose of it is to drum into each other that no matter what we will never give up on you. It breeds trust. Like family.
• Battles are like mathematics. Assume unit 1 is strong, 2 mediocre, and 3 weak. If the enemy arranges their units as 1-2-3, should you meet them as 1–2–3 as well? No, meet them as 3-1-2. Present your weak one to their strong. The weaker unit will suffer. Thus their job is not to fight but to merely hold on to survival. Use your strong unit to overcome their mediocre ones. Use your mediocre unit to overcome their weak ones. Soon, you will outnumber the opponent.
• Never ever underestimate an enemy. We had a battalion training exercise where three of us (elite recce troopers and I was the accompanying signaller) on a ridgeline harassed a platoon (27 of them) on the move and kept them from their objectives for an hour. After a while they sent the entire company against us only to discover that they were fighting only 3 guys. They thought we were a platoon sized enemy on a flanking maneuver. Against overwhelming odds, always try to fight in an environment that is hostile or difficult to your opponent (they had to climb the ridge and circle it to get to us). If it isn’t, then move until you are in a much better position or realm.
• Weight. I know its common to see US soldiers carrying so much stuff on their body. The amount of gear they wear. The excessive amount of nylon their webbing has. Their MRE packs amaze me, because I call that unneccessary weight. The US army is largely vehicle bound. I’d shed a lot of stuff and carry the bare minimal because in our army, we aren’t as vehicle bound. Its common to hear that we need to tab 20–30km for a single mission in the forest/jungle where no vehicles can enter. I learned that perhaps the bare minimal makes for faster movement.
• The more equipment you have, the more logistics you’d require to support or move that equipment. And those logistical teams doing those work? Even they too need logistics to support their work, and it goes on. Every important task needs people, but these people need to be provided for to accomplish their task. And the supporting crew themselves need to be provided for all the way back to the beginning of the logistics chain. This creates a long logistical headache. Thus to thin down the personnel needed for logistics and move them to the frontline, reduce the amount and variety of equipment. Bring ONLY those you absolutely need. Anything else is just waste.
• Items for trading. Always carry things that others will need, to trade, gain favours, or make friends. I don’t smoke, but I carry cigarattes, and a jar of peanut butter.
• Into the fight. Know that you are always superior in many ways. No matter how the enemy is stacked against you, know that you have some advantage they don’t. The larger they are the slower they move or pivot. But have the sense that you have your limitations.
• Always try to win. Don’t ever let the other fucker win. Remember that you are superior always.

Some brain hacks that a neuroscientist or a psychologist knows that most people dont

The Psychology of Persuasion

Everyone has to engage in some form of persuasion throughout most of their life. Whether you are deciding with friends where to eat lunch or convincing a boss you deserve a promotion, you can always benefit from knowing the secrets of persuasion.

In Dr. Robert Cialdini's bestselling book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,"he summarizes an array of social science studies and contributes a few of his own in order to better understand how people make decisions.

What he found was:

• Behavior is heavily influenced by unconscious psychological factors
• These psychological factors can be identified and utilized
• If used correctly, people have no idea that they are being manipulated

The purpose of his book was not to teach people how to manipulate others, but instead how to safeguard themselves against sales & marketing tactics. However you choose to use the below information is up to you.

"The 6 Principles of Persuasion"

Reciprocity

Free samples. Have you ever seen free samples being handed out in grocery stores or while walking down the street? Rest assured they aren't doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. Studies have shown a dramatic increase in efficacy of marketing tactics if they are preceded by a "gift" which triggers a natural feeling of debt in the target.

• In 1985, in the midst of a bloody civil war and a horrible famine, Ethiopia sent thousands of dollars in aid to Mexico after an earthquake. Why such a profound reaction? Because 50 years earlier, Mexico helped Ethiopia diplomatically when they were invaded by Italy.
• The Hare Krishnu religion exploded in popularity in the 60s and 70s, and there isevidence that at least part of their success was due to the practice of offering strangers flowers before asking for donations or time.

Consistency

An amazingly powerful concept. People will go to extraordinary lengths without even realizing it, just to remain consistent with their past actions and beliefs. This is related to the psychological concept of cognitive dissonance. This principle is especially significant if past behavior is public or written down, in which case it can't be denied. (This is why New Years' goals are followed through much more when broadcast online and shared extensively.)

• A study was done that found the vast majority of people, unsurprisingly, are not willing to allow a large, ugly sign saying "Drive Safely" to be put in their front yard. However, if you approach these people a few weeks prior and first ask them to do something much smaller (e.g. bumper stick or doormat), they will be significantly more likely to accept the large sign when you come back later.
• People who are given "cancer awareness" buttons for a week are many times more likely to donate to cancer afterwards. Why? A piece of their identity is now wrapped up in "cancer awareness" and to remain consistent with this, they must donate.
• Around Christmas time, toy stores will deliberately run out of stock of certain items. But you promised your child you would buy a certain present! What do you do? You buy a bunch of other products to compensate. Then a few weeks later, the toy stores get "resupplied" and your kid notices the toy at the store, and you end up buying it anyways. You need to remain consistent with your recent decision to buy lots of toys for your child, and also your original promise you couldn't keep.
• American POWs in Vietnam betrayed secrets of the United States without being tortured. Why would they do this? An amazing psychological tactic. The Chinese would sponsor writing contests, where prize winners would get small rewards (food, water, etc). At first the requests were relatively benign- such as "Is the United States perfect?" Soon, they were asked to expand on some of the flaws in the United States. They they sat in groups and discussed their reasons. Then they recorded anti-American speeches. All of this was voluntary, and slowly began to change part of their identity. To remain consistent with each small step, they eventually were willing to give away large amounts of information.

Social Proof

Why are there those silly laugh tracks on sit com TV shows? Because they work! People are extremely susceptible to the opinions of others, even when obviously false.

• People in this study by Solomon Asch were given a picture of three lines, and asked to identify the line most similar in length to another test line. The answer was always obvious. What's the catch? Well each room had 1 naive participant, and a number of confederates who were working with the study. The image would be passed along the room, where each confederate would purposefully give the obviously wrong answer. 75% of the time, when the image got to the participant, the answers of the others proved too powerful to ignore and he would conform, also giving the obviously wrong answer.
• Another study by Stanley Milgram (soon to be talked about in the next section), Leonard Bickman, and Lawrence Berkowitz found something amazing. They put 15 men on a street corner, instructed merely to stand there and look up at the sky. Within moments, up to 80% of nearby pedestrians also stopped and began looking up at the sky. Demonstrating social proof- in that many of them assumed that nobody would look up at the sky without a good reason.

Authority

In the aftermath of World War II and the atrocities committed by many seemingly normal Nazi commanders, greater attention was focused on the nature of authority in influencing people's behavior. It turns out, authority is one of the most powerful effects yet discovered.

• Stanley Milgram conducted the infamous social psychology studies that bear his name (Milgram Experiment) in the early 1960s. He found that 65% of apparently normal people would give electric shocks of increasing power up to the point of death, when encouraged and directed to by an imposing authority figure (the experimenter). This shocked the psychological community, who had predicted less than 1% would go to such a level.
• Numerous studies have discovered that men and women dressed in professional attire (doctor's lab coat, business suit, etc) are able to command the obedience of others to a surprising degree. For example, if a man in a suit begins to jaywalk then nearby pedestrians are significantly more likely to accompany him than if he were dressed normally.
• Security professionals have demonstrated consistently that social hackers are able to gain entrance to any number of "private" facilities merely by acting and behaving as if they belong there. For example, if you dress in the uniform of a bank officer and stand in front of an apparently broken ATM, you will likely see a 90% success rate in asking people to hand over their money.

Liking

We all know that we are more likely to respond to a request from somebody we like than from somebody we dislike. But how much further does this feeling go? Apparently, a lot further!

• It turns out that there are a lot of subtle things to influence our degree of "liking" for other individuals. One of the most important is similarity- in other words, we like those who seem like us. A 2005 study found that people are more than twice as likely to fill out surveys and return them if the person making the request as a similar sounding name.
• Association is a major component. Why do beer and car commercials feature models in skimpy outfits? Because we implicitly draw associations between the model (who we like) and the product (she likes the car, so we like the car).
• Physical attractiveness- the halo effect at work. It turns out that we are likely to assign a host of other positive attributes to people we find physically attractive. Ever wonder why "good guys" in movies are typically handsome and the "bad guys" usually portrayed as disgusting?

Scarcity

One of the most fundamental attributes of persuasion, salespeople have been using the concept of scarcity for a very long time (ever hear or see the phrase "limited time only")? This one is also of interest to the relatively new field of behavioral economics.

• Cialdini mentions a study that found that children reach for toys 3x faster when obstructed by a barrier, compared to when they can easily reach them.
• The Romeo and Juliet effect uses the principle of scarcity to explain why teenagers fall in love with each other despite parental obstruction. The answer is simple: from Romeo's perspective, Juliet becomes scarce and more difficult to obtain. For that reason, he wants her more.
• The basic principle is that people are more scared of "losing something" than "gaining something." If you think you are about to miss out on an opportunity, especially if competition is involved, you want it much more.