28/02/2026
When you stand firm and hard on everything, you will meet people head-on, and that will lead to more arguments and less joy.
Instead, learn what it takes to be a great negotiator. The better you are at negotiating, the less anxiety you’ll have in your life. You start by understanding what the other side wants and what you’re willing to give to make both sides reasonably happy.
Negotiating isn’t about browbeating people into submission. It’s about treating the other side fairly so both sides walk away satisfied with the outcome.
If you get the reputation for being hard-nosed, disagreeable, and unreasonable, many people won’t even bother to engage with you. You’ll miss out on some of the best deals instead of playing a long game where smaller wins more often will multiply your fortunes over time.
Be ethical and fair. Listen, speak to be heard, and figure out what your hard lines in the sand are. Sometimes, it’s better to walk away from a deal that can’t be negotiated because both sides are too far apart, but at the very least, you want to give yourself the opportunity to get into the game and see if a great outcome is possible
