Last Updated on September 21, 2025 by Michelle
The 8 life and business lessons are my takeaways from the The Diary Of A CEO podcast’s Steven Bartlett’s Asia speaking tour that I recently attended. It was a good mix of life and business lessons that everyone should remind themselves of everyday.
1. Embarrassment
When we free ourselves of the fear of embarrassment, we are on our way to big achievements.
This is so true because when anyone starts something, it is 100% going to be small, insignificant, not good enough etc. No one starts off as grand and as such we are embarrassed to show our thing in front of our family and friends. However, once we get past the fear which honestly is not significant since no one really cares about others that much, we can then keep working and building on the small beginning to make it the biggest thing!
Even Steven Bartlett’s first podcast video probably only had less than 5 views but 4.5 years on, after he’s gotten over the fear of embarrassing himself, he has 12.7 million subscribers as of current.
This is what I tell myself every week when I write my blog. I keep telling those around me that I write these blogs every week even though I have almost no one reading. Because I am just starting.
2. Mind Power
He talked about his friend Ash and how he became the best pickle ball player from being the worst amongst the 5 of his friends.
“That point doesn’t matter”
“I’m going to win this game anyway”
“Because I am the better player”
These 3 thoughts he had in his mind were all it took for him to become the best player.
When I feel like I had a bad moment at work, I tell myself it doesn’t matter. I am going to get promoted anyway because I am good.
3. Mental Muscle
Anterior midcingulate cortex – this is a mental muscle in the brain that grows when we do things we don’t like to do. It strengthens willpower and decision making involving conflict or uncertainty, helping to guide behaviour.
Theodore Roosevelt embraced a strenuous lifestyle in the harsh Badlands which in turn grew his mental muscle leading him to be the youngest president and even led to his famous quote “it takes more than that to kill a bull moose” when he continued to speak for 50 minutes to complete his speech after being shot.
4. Push out paper walls
This is a great business lesson in particular. We should always ask ” what would it take to make the impossible possible” when we are told something we don’t want to hear. We should not accept but test if the no is a paper wall or a real wall.
The example Steven Bartlett gave was on putting a wheel to luggage, how it was considered unmanly to be seen wheeling a luggage instead of carrying one in hand.
5. Persuade people to come with you
Once you’ve pushed out the paper walls, next business lesson is to persuade people to come with you be it investors, employees or suppliers. How? Using the RICE framework (Reward, Ideology, Coercion and Ego). Connect what people care about with what you want them to do.
This lesson is something I need to practise more.
6. Listen to people
According to Steven Bartlett, when you listen to people, they will tell you their secrets willingly. This is because average people don’t get listened to for more than 10 mins. Very true.
7. Stack skills
What is the skill that is rare and complimentary in your industry? This is the skill/s to stack to your existing skills to become the best and noticed in the world. Listen to how Steven Bartlett explains the power of skill stacking, not doubling down on your 1 skill you already have.
8. How will you spend your day today
He ended the speaking session with this jelly beans life days video
No one knows how many days we have in our lives to live, so allocate your time chip wisely to what you really care about and means much to you.
From today, I will have a new habit of thinking of these 8 life and business lessons daily.
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