Brian Dangerfield's 15 Steps to Greatness

(Brian Dangerfield's 15 Steps to Greatness #1, 2009)

Hi, Brian Dangerfield here, author of the wildly successful book Brian Dangerfield’s 15 Steps to Greatness. For those of you who don’t already know, my book has sold literally hundreds of copies (peaking at #43 on the New Zealand bestsellers’ list in June 1987) and has launched dozens of instructional video tapes, audio cassettes, television appearances and voluntary workshop-based seminars. My patented ‘15 Steps’ helped shape a generation of New Zealanders into the dynamic, powerful and dynamistic leaders they are today. However, I look at today’s youth and I feel troubled. Violent crime is on the rise, dried-up puddles of vomit line our streets and teen pregnancy is probably getting worse. For the longest time, I have been wondering to myself: “how can I get my message of greatness across to younger readers?” So, you can imagine my delight when Critic’s Magazine called me up and asked me to adapt my best-selling book into a weekly column (after I had left several messages on their answer-phone).

Adapting a 700-page, fully-illustrated best-seller into a series of short columns is no easy task, but in the true Brian Dangerfield way I have risen to the challenge and created a new, streamlined version of my inspirational fifteen-step programme. Inevitably, there have been some minor problems. For a start, there will only be twelve steps, a regrettable yet necessary decision given space constraints. Many example dialogues and situations have also had to be cut; however, you can hear these if you purchase my series of audio cassettes entitled Brian Dangerfield: Listening out for Success! ($49.99), which I highly recommend doing. In general, though, I have done my best to adapt my book for this magazine, and if I have accidentally forgotten to change something from the original format then I apologise.

Now, let’s have a look at fig. 1.3 on the opposite page. Which of these two men is a success? If you guessed the gentleman on the left, you are correct. What gave it away? Was it the shined shoes, the creaseless shirt, the friendly yet firm handshake? It certainly wasn’t the backwards hat and slouched posture you see the man on the right sporting. Now, which one of these men do you think you are? If you guessed the gentleman on the left, you are WRONG. “Whoa, slow down there Brian!” I hear you say. “I’m a pretty ‘with-it’ guy. I wear ‘cool’ clothes and got good marks for School Certificate. Yep, I think I’m already a success.” Nope, not until you’ve done my fifteen twelve steps you’re not! The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that you have already succeeded and that there is nothing more to do. No, there are always new things to learn, always new ways to improve yourself. In this sense, you can never truly become a ‘100% success’. However, if you read my column every week and follow each step carefully, I guarantee that you will in fact become a 100% success!