The Laws of Winners by Bodo Schäfer explains the essential principles of success. Often, these principles are well-known to people, but they fail to consistently apply them or forget about them amidst the routines of daily life.

It’s not always easy to live by these principles. However, we have the power to do so, and if we approach it with courage and persistence, we will succeed.

We summarize the key contents of this book in the following article and provide you with a compact overview. Use this handout, hang it up, carry it with you, or read it at least once a week. This way, you can get the most out of it and internalize the content.

Reminder: This is a summary from the book. We present what we believe to be the most significant essence in a concise and useful manner, without claiming completeness. If you have a greater interest, we strongly recommend buying and reading the book.

Remember: An investment in yourself always pays back twice as much! Enough talk now – enjoy reading the summary and witness how you become the conqueror of your own mindset!

Kindly, Conquer and Elevate

Entry

Thirty laws of winners are presented in this book, laws that have been tested and proven to be life-changing. These laws help gain control over one’s work and schedule, deal with stress, anxiety, and criticism, see dissatisfaction as a boost for success, and earn the recognition one deserves! Some of these laws may seem contradictory in their content, but they should be seen as part of a greater whole.

They reflect life itself, which is not linear. You will also notice repetitions. This demonstrates the aspect of interconnectedness and abundance, as many of the laws build upon each other or complement one another. Only through this can life be enriched.

IMPORTANT: We can change our lives at any time; WE have the power! Success and fulfillment are closely related to our way of life and can be achieved if we are willing to embrace change. Many people see themselves as victims of circumstances and adopt a powerless mindset. The important thing is that we recognize that change is possible and that we always have the choice in HOW we respond to a situation that has occurred.

EVERYONE can be a winner, and these laws are immediately applicable!

Law 1: Make Decisions

Making decisions is difficult for many people, especially when it involves taking risks and potentially bringing about significant changes. For instance, when it comes to changing residences, drifting apart from friendships, sacrificing for a vision of a larger self, or breaking free from an endless cycle of negative habits, individuals may find it challenging to let go of the comfort they provide.

Many people fear such situations. However, you should ask yourself: Do I want to remain the way I am? Am I content with what I have? Or do I want to grow and positively transform myself? Schäfer recommends exercising the decision-making muscle in everyday life, such as choosing a meal at a restaurant within 30 seconds, as a way to train it.

Law 2: Continuously learn and grow

In simpler terms, life can be lived in two different ways, like a clam or an eagle. The clam gets everything it needs automatically but lives a pretty dull life. On the other hand, the eagle has a more exciting life but has to work for everything it needs.

We all have a choice: live like a clam or live like an eagle. To live like an eagle, the author says we should enjoy learning and growing all the time. Schäfer suggests reading good books and keeping three journals: one for success, one for insights, and one for ideas.

Law 3: Live consciously in everyday life

Many ordinary people are too busy in their daily lives to consciously enjoy beautiful moments. They often feel guilty when they do nothing. Winners, on the other hand, allow themselves to take breaks in which they reflect on their values, for example. They also consciously practice gratitude and try to learn from their mistakes.

The author’s tip: Immediately write down 25 things to be grateful for.

Law 4: Conduct income-producing activities

Many ordinary people believe that they deserve a minimum wage simply for spending their time. Winners, however, understand that they are ultimately paid for the value they bring to the market. Bodo Schäfer explains that the fastest way to increase one’s market value is to focus more on what he calls “income-producing activities.” Ask yourself, “What do I need to do more often to make more money?”

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Law 5: Become a personality

Winners know that they must personally grow, and that their failures play an important role in this process. And ordinary people? As Goethe once said, “Most people want to be something – nobody wants to become something.” Instead of investing in personal growth, they waste their energy blaming others for their situation. Book recommendation of the day: Schäfer advises keeping track of all failures and the lessons learned from them in an insights journal. He also recommends keeping a success journal to preserve successes from being forgotten.

To illustrate this, Schäfer uses the following metaphor:

“A king has a refined taste for wine. He can immediately distinguish between low-quality and high-quality wine. But someone who knows little about wine cannot perceive the difference. A winner develops a similar ability for life. They cultivate an awareness, a sensitivity that allows them to recognize the subtle nuances of life. The subtleties of opportunities, possibilities, and people. The nuances of communication, thinking, and decision-making. The intricacies of sales, presentation, and marketing. The nuances of recognition, choice, and decision. Winners become a personality akin to a king who can select the finest wine.”

Law 6: Just do it!

While most ordinary people know exactly what they should do, they fail to put their knowledge into action. Winners, on the other hand, have the ability to motivate themselves to take action. Their secret lies in knowing precisely why they want to achieve a goal. This reason – the why – makes all the difference.

“Those who know exactly why they want to do something will always find the how.”

ALWAYS remember: the energy comes WHILE doing. So start!

Law 7: Learn how to deal with stress

Ordinary people believe in myths about stress. For example, many people believe that excessive work always leads to detrimental stress. However, those who consistently avoid anticipated work stress run the risk of achieving the exact opposite of their goal:

“Someone who tries to avoid stress actually ends up achieving the opposite. They become more susceptible to stress.”

Winners know that stress is often just a product of their own thoughts. To minimize self-induced stress, they possess a whole arsenal of tactics for combating stress.

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Schäfer provides a total of 24 concrete rules for dealing with stress. Just remember this: You can easily recognize your own stress by noticing raised shoulders and a clenched jaw.

Law 8: Learn to overcome difficulties

Many ordinary people lack frustration tolerance. At the slightest hint of opposition, they stop working towards their dreams, often for good. Winners, on the other hand, know that besides giving up, there is another option for them: to grow through problems and difficulties. Some winners even go so far as to actively seek out challenges because they know that’s how they can grow rapidly.

“Whenever we encounter a new lesson, one of two things will happen: either we give up or we become stronger.”

To develop confidence, the author recommends writing down the difficulties we have successfully overcome in our past (Start journaling!). Never give up, because problems always come back. Solve them. Remember the metaphor of the monkey and the man:

“A child learning the alphabet initially struggles to write the letter “A”. However, with persistent practice, their skills improve over time. In contrast, if you give a monkey a pen, it will randomly scribble on the paper without understanding what it is doing.”

This metaphor illustrates that winners are willing to overcome difficulties and learn from mistakes, while others avoid these challenges and are unwilling to learn.

Law 9: Don’t reinvent the wheel

Ordinary people tend to want to do everything in their own way. Especially when learning new skills, Schäfer warns that these individuals run the risk of developing bad habits. It’s not practice that makes perfect, but rather practicing proven approaches.

Winners know when creativity is appropriate and when it’s better to stand on the shoulders of giants. He recommends saving time by requesting experts when needed. Tried and tested strategies always save time and allow you to learn from these people.

Law 10: Build momentum!

A train that has started rolling is difficult to stop. Schäfer refers to this as momentum. Winners deliberately harness momentum, for example, to roll right over obstacles that would force ordinary people to stop. Momentum is the reason why half-hearted effort doesn’t lead to half the success but rather to no success at all.

Winners understand the physics of success. Especially at the beginning of a new project, winners are less concerned about the initial results and more focused on generating momentum.

ALWAYS keep moving. Schäfer speaks of 4 hurdles that should be overcome:

1. Do not try, simply DO
2. Result-oriented action can be treacherous: You always have to be oriented. But if you keep at it and develop momentum, results will come naturally. Important: Never wait for the perfect strategy, this develops only through momentum.
3. Beware of bad habits
4. Develop discipline and master the basics. The longer we do something, the more likely it is to become a habit. One always speaks of about 3-6 weeks, but it only starts then!

Think of a snowball, which the longer it rolls and gets bigger eventually has the force of an avalanche. Who will then still oppose it?

Law 11: Dream and live your dreams

Ordinary people make the mistake of believing that they will have enough time later to pursue their dreams. Winners make time for their dreams today because they know:

“We have a choice: either we live our dreams or we help others fulfill their dreams.”

Ask yourself: Who and what do I want to be in the future? Be careful of the statement “now is not the time yet…”. The optimal time DOES NOT EXIST. Start now.

Crises always represent opportunities (Chinese crisis “Wuweij” for wu – danger and weij – opportunity). It is never too late to start over. Have goals because they are like magnets. Anticipate them and burn them into your nervous system. This leads to success. Schäfer also says that you should ask yourself more often: “Am I living my dream right now?

“Be someone” – A. Lincoln

Law 12: Take care of your health and your body

Winners know that health is not merely the absence of disease. They understand that the healthier they are, the more energy and motivation they have. That’s why they invest in their health every day, even and especially when they’re not sick.

Eat healthy food and take care of your body. How would you treat a racehorse worth a million? Would you give it cigarettes, alcohol, or even drugs?

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Always remember: don’t fix the danger of long-term problems with short-term actions.

Law 13: Don’t let rejection discourage you

One of the main reasons ordinary people prefer to remain idle is their fear of rejection. Winners, on the other hand, have learned to see rejection in a different light. They understand that it is impossible to be liked by everyone. Winners know that some people mock and criticize as a matter of habit, and they have enough self-confidence not to take every criticism as a reason to doubt themselves. However, winners also recognize that criticism can sometimes be justified. Not everyone who criticizes is a hater or simply envious.

Law 14: Give 110%!

Winners and strength athletes share a common understanding: it’s the final and most challenging repetitions that differentiate between mediocrity and great success. While it’s technically impossible to give more than 100 percent, winners always strive to give not just 100, but 110 percent. (Ordinary people often deceive themselves into believing they’ve given 100 percent when, in reality, it was more like 50 percent.)

Give 110%, because that extra 10% can compound into another 100 or even 1000 over time. It breaks the limits you set for yourself and helps you become the best version of yourself. Always give more than you think you need. Which repetition from 1-10 is the most important? Exactly, the 11th!

Law 15: Grow with your problems

Even winners can be thrown off course by problems, but compared to ordinary people, they manage to get back on track much faster. How do they do it? They don’t focus solely on the problem itself, but rather on potential solutions. Winners understand that the real issue with most problems is not the problem itself, but rather how we perceive and approach it.

Ordinary people often believe that the normal state in life is to have no problems, but winners know that challenges are inevitable. Problems are never final. While we may not control all circumstances, we always have control over how we react to them.

Ask yourself the following questions: “What good or potential benefits can come from this problem? What aspects of my life need improvement to prevent similar problems in the future? What actions am I willing to take to avoid similar situations? What are the possible solutions, and which one is the best fit for this situation?”

Remember, problems are opportunities for growth and learning. Embrace them and use them to propel yourself forward.

Law 16: Be both the employee and the boss simultaneously

Ordinary people often struggle to work independently. They rely on external pressure to stay motivated and productive. However, winners possess the ability to be both the boss and the employee within themselves. They’ve mastered self-discipline without succumbing to self-oppression. Winners understand that if they can’t hold themselves accountable, they’ll inevitably answer to others. Strive to embody the best of both worlds.

Law 17: Set ambitious goals

Winners understand the importance of setting both short-term and long-term goals. They aim for ambitious long-term goals, knowing they will grow into them over time. Short-term goals, however, are set to be easily achievable, providing a sense of progress and confidence.

While failure to reach goals may disappoint winners, they recognize that the journey and effort are more valuable than the achievement itself. Bodo Schäfer encapsulates this by saying, “We don’t live to achieve goals; goals exist to simplify our lives and give direction.”

Big goals may seem daunting, but winners believe in them and consistently work towards them. Setting smaller, attainable goals along the way helps maintain momentum and motivation.

Coming soon: a blog post on “How to set efficient and realistic goals!”‘ Stay tuned!

Law 18: Help others to get what they need

Ordinary individuals often resort to persuasion and pressure tactics. Winners, however, understand that love can accelerate their journey towards success, as it eliminates resistance.

There’s a saying: “A drop of honey catches more bees than a pot of bile.” This underscores the power of love, understanding, kindness, and empathy in recognizing and addressing others’ needs. “We achieve more through interactions based on understanding, tolerance, positive assessment, goodwill, kindness, affection, interest, and peace.”

Schäfer’s advice echoes principles from Dale Carnegie’s renowned book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” In situations where others are unwilling to reciprocate love, Schäfer suggests withdrawing.

Law 19: Don’t get distracted – focus!

Ordinary people often resort to distractions as excuses, using them to rationalize their failures and lack of effort. They convince themselves that they could achieve success if only they exerted more effort. According to Schäfer, this self-deception is the true danger of distractions. Winners refuse to entertain such notions.

What matters is the result. The more sensational the distraction, the more we justify it. However, this only leads to self-pity. Schedule distractions, for instance, one day a week.

Law 20: Be a productive example

Ordinary people tend to judge themselves based on their intentions while evaluating others based on their actions. This imbalance often leads to difficulties in effectively leading their children and employees in the long term. Winners, however, understand that:

“Actions speak louder than words. Our words carry much more weight when we align them with our actions.”

Law 21: Get the important stuff done first

Winners know that they cannot avoid important tasks. By following the 72-hour rule, which suggests starting the practical implementation of resolutions within three days, they manage to tackle important tasks with motivation. Get the most important things done first before they become urgent! AQAP: As quickly as possible. Put away your perfectionism. Success comes to those who achieve. Don’t make success dependent on the number of mistakes you make.

Law 22: Assume full responsibility

By taking responsibility, you have the power. You decide how to react to something, although not everything can be predetermined. Ordinary people tend to mix up blame and responsibility. They believe that the person who is at fault for a problem is automatically responsible for fixing it. Winners know that this is nonsense. They also understand that responsibility is inherently linked to power. Giving up responsibility means losing the ability to make changes.

Law 23: Learn to deal with fear

Ordinary people tend to believe that it is desirable to never feel fear. And in order to boost themselves up, they pretend to be fearless. Winners know that everyone experiences fear. They have learned to handle their fears. One of their tools is gratitude because:

“The opposite of fear is not courage, but gratitude!”

Courage does not mean being fearless but acting despite fear. The author advises writing down five things to be grateful for.

Always remember: What scares you is worth doing. Conquer your fear and confront it repeatedly.

Law 24: Concentrate on your strenghts

Ordinary people tend to focus too much on their weaknesses. They believe that they would achieve great success if only their weaknesses didn’t exist. Winners, on the other hand, know that significant achievements are never created by eradicating weaknesses. If you focus only on your weaknesses, you will eventually have eliminated them. And then? You fall by the wayside. Coaching is very important here.

What matters are strengths.

“You will remain average until you develop your strengths.”

Law 25: Give and forgive

Winners know that everything they want to receive from others must be given first. Winners also understand that they harm themselves above all when they hold grudges against others. That’s why they forgive. Giving is the most important thing; it makes the energy flow. Go somewhere and give, and you will get it back. Help someone to greater things, and you will feel it twice in return. Forgive yourself first as a motto – no one is perfect. It is best to forgive each other quickly even in relationships because holding grudges hurts not only yourself but also your partner.

Law 26: Handle your money carefully

We strongly recommend you to read the other book by B. Schäfer: “The Path of Financial Freedom”. What we can still say is: Save and breed your “goose” that lays golden eggs. Take advantage of interest rates, invest, and avoid liabilities in the process.”

Law 27: Patiently establish your foundation

Ordinary people often do nothing for years, but when they finally take action, they expect instant success. Winners know that patience is required. Their ability to exercise the necessary patience is rooted in their mindset: At their core, they are not solely focused on material success but on personal growth.

Law 28: Surround yourself with role models

Ordinary people believe that they only learn from the people they choose to learn from. Winners know that the influence of our social environment extends much further. Therefore, they carefully choose their social circle – they surround themselves with role models. If you surround yourself with role models, learn from them and give to them. Motions become emotions. In the best case, don’t leave your old friends but help them to rise like you.

Law 29: Accept dissatisfaction!

Ordinary people consider contentment as a desirable goal. Winners prefer to be dissatisfied because they know that gratitude and contentment are two different things. Gratitude relates to the past, while contentment is directed towards the future.

“Constantly dissatisfied people are the happiest. They continue to evolve and find fulfillment and passion.”

“Stay hungry to be free”

And the content ones? They stop growing and wither away. The way is the goal. He who is dissatisfied is progressive because he wants to obtain satisfaction.

Law 30: Winners aren’t ducks

Most people would rather be an eagle instead of a clam (see Law #2)… but then they become a duck. The author explains the difference as follows:

“Eagles take action, while ducks quack. Their quacking represents excuses, apologies, pointless chatter, complaining, and whining.”

If you want to be an eagle and not a duck, you must continuously revisit the 30 laws of winners. Constant learning and growth!

Outlook and Evaluation

We strongly recommend that you read this book and familiarize yourself with the laws of winners. As simple as they may seem, they hold great power inside. You may already know many of them, but as we like to say: Repetition never hurts, and if you learn something new for yourself, it’s already worth it.

Try to implement one small law every day, and you will notice changes. With humorous and vivid metaphors, Bodo Schäfer manages to transport you into the world of winners. Hopefully, you will remain captivated there. Our rating for the book is 5/6 stars!

Which book should we visit next? Give us a like and leave a comment! We’re excited to hear your suggestions for the next book summaries!

Best regards,

Conquer and Elevate