• How a disoriented man like Philip Neri became extraordinarily successful
• What Mozart should have done to grow wealthy instead of working himself to death
• How the Count of St Germain made strides in his career by simply keeping his eyes open
• What healers like Rembert Dodoens are teaching us about asymmetry
• Hannibal's method for finding shortcuts in situations where he was vastly outnumbered.

EXCERPT FROM THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1. Wishful thinking is slowing you down
A lethal addiction, packaged and sold as a virtue
Why human beings love harmful fairy tales
The irresistible appeal of meaningless pursuits
The puppet theatre behind stress, anxiety and depression

Chapter 2. When your heroes turn out to be your enemies
The most popular recommendations don't work
What's causing so much fear and gloominess
Even highly talented people tend to make a mess
How to avoid ineffective behaviour

Chapter 3. So much noise, so much stagnation
Don't view short-term constraints as long-term impairments
A warning sign that you are going in the wrong direction
Workable strategies where no action seems possible
Beware of narratives that make stagnation look good

Chapter 4. Wasted efforts due to linear expectations
Fast progress depends on broken lines
Turning a chain of failures into uncontested success
It's time to explore unorthodox ideas
Steer away from decisions that keep you running in circles

Chapter 5. Don't let laboriousness render you blind
The trap of pursuing too many opportunities
Why a great genius ended up as an astonishing failure
A flawed logic that is making people dysfunctional
Shortcuts can deliver outstanding success at every stage

Chapter 6. Putting the odds in your favour
Why impossible fantasies enjoy widespread popularity
Are you following a deadly wrong strategy?
The idea behind an approach that always works
Here is a path you can walk confidently

Chapter 7. What enables lions to catch zebras
How to gain access to vast opportunities
Impressive progress after fifteen years of failure
You don't need to get all elements right
In search of universal accelerators of success

Chapter 8. Signposts pointing to a solution
What you can do to increase your alertness
Find explanations, discover opportunities
The productive way to face difficult situations
How to turn contradictions into well-integrated narratives

Chapter 9. The invisible pillar that sustains achievement
Great results at a fraction of the cost
Why creativity is massively overrated
The danger of endless alternatives

Chapter 10. If you are stuck, here is what to do
Creating opportunities in unpromising situations
Forty-six years looking for the key factors in success
Shortcuts that increase your chances of winning

Chapter 11. How causality takes care of coincidences
Good shortcuts are unemotional
Ignore propaganda and look for tangible results
A recurring pattern you'll see in unlikely success

Chapter 12. The paradox of unequal value
How to spare yourself unnecessary trouble
Turning ignorance and uncertainty into prosperity
A breathtaking example

Chapter 13. Victory is easy if you choose the right angle
Narrowing down your choices to obvious winners
Keep using a formula that always works
Circumstances change, but principles remain the same