Key lessons from The Diary of a CEO

june 10, 2025

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The book The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett offers valuable lessons applicable to both work and personal life.

Image: X/@StevenBartlett

Here are seven lessons from The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life.

Capturing people’s attention within the first five seconds is crucial in a world where attention spans are decreasing. This applies to emails, presentations or marketing campaigns.

First five seconds

Bartlett emphasises building a strong bedrock by focusing on and investing in knowledge and skills. Network, resources and reputation will flow naturally if the foundation is in place.

Foundation 

Good work is a culmination of hundreds of tiny details. Thus, to be successful is to make consistent and improvements and fight for small gains.

Sweat on the small stuff

Bartlett focuses on presenting or framing an offer appealingly. A company could describe a biscuit as 95% sugar-free, rather than as containing 5% sugar.

Frame the picture

Lean into ideas and opinions that are unconventional or outside your comfort zone. Sometimes, answers to problems at work and in personal life lie in the “bizarre”.

Embrace “bizarre”

The author suggests not having a plan B, which makes one more motivated to achieve plan A. Ask yourself, what would you do if Plan B simply wasn’t an option?

Plan A for the win

“Stop telling yourself you’re not qualified, good enough or worthy. Growth happens when you start doing the things you’re not qualified to do,” Steven Bartlett said.

Final thoughts

Takeaways from the Simple Path to Wealth

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