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Crack YOUR Nuts: Thesis to the Moon

Testpanel Edition, BETA
Copyright © 2019 sonofabook
Author: Sjors Sommer
Strategic Partner: XII Waves
Editors: Jeroen Donders, Joseph Puglisi, Kelly
S. Ramirez-Donders
Cover design: sonofabook
Illustrations: sonofabook
Ebook Design: sonofabook
www.sonofabook.co.uk
No portion of this book may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
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or other – except for brief quotations in critical
reviews or articles, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.



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Foreword. 6
Part Zero 8
Introduction 10
1. Your Objective 11

2. Mental Preparation 13

2.1 Want 13

2.2 Two kinds of Will 17

The Test of will 18

2.3 Faith 23

2.3.1 Animation 26

Animated Vision 26

Envisionability 27

2.3.2 Attraction 29

Automated Systems 30

Relevance of Content 31

Proactive Attraction & Quantum Aspects 34

3. Archetypes 36

The Blueprint 39

4. Note on Marathons & Unknown Journeys 41

4.1 Classic Marathon 41

4.2 Unknown Journey 41

4.3 The Envisionability Difference 42

4.4 The Marathon Test 42

5 Become of Faith 44

5.1 Scaling Down 44

5.2 Grow Faith 45

5.3 Non-checkpoints & Negation 45

5.4 The Benefits of Segmentation into Sprints 46

5.5 The Mountain-View Exercise 47

Exercise A 47

Exercise B 49

Exercise C 50

6. Attention, Focus & Mindfulness 52

6.1 Getting Rid of Distraction 54

Exercise A 55

Additional Exercise Info 56

6.2 Awareness 56

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 Programming Awareness 57

6.3 Attention & Focus 58

Exercise B 58

6.4 Flow 59

How to Attain Flow 59

6.5 Focus Test 60

7. Motivation 62

7.1 Motivators 62

7.2 Motivational Boosters 63

Your Boosters 63

8 Routine, Ritual, Intention 65

8.1 Routine 65

The Vision Board - What do I want? 67

The Mission Statement - Who am I? & How can I serve? 68

The Boosters - How can I serve optimally and durably? 69

8.2 Ritual 69

Your Ritual 70

8.3 Choose Your Objective with Care 70

8.4 Intention 72

Part One 73
Introduction to Part One 75

Chapter 1. In a Nutshell 77

1.1 Getting it over with – Motivation of Students and Universities 81

Chapter 2. The Good Thesis 85

2.1 The Good Proposal 88

2.2 Traditional Proposal v.s. Blueprint Proposal 90

Chapter 3. Preparation: Topic & Supervisor 92

3.1 How Not to Select a Topic 92

3.2 Literature First 94

3.3 Supervisor First 99

3.4 How to select Your startup method? Consensus 103

3.5 Relevance & Justification 104

Chapter 4 The Blueprint of a Thesis 106

4.1 Outline of the Blueprint 107

4.2 Introduction to Tools 110

4.3 The Shortlist | TOOL 110

Chapter 5. Literature & Reading Papers 112

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 5.1 How to Study a Paper 112

5.2 The Summary | TOOL 115

5.3 The Reference List | TOOL 118

Chapter 6. Empirical Research 119

6.1 The Data Overview | TOOL 119

6.2 Methodology – The Method | TOOL 120

6.3 The Model | TOOL 121

6.4 Execution 122

Chapter 7. Your Blueprint Thesis Proposal 123

Chapter 8. Blueprint Filler & Writing 125

8.1 Fleshing Out & Writing Plan 125

8.2 Typical Pitfall & Optimal Writing Order 128

8.3 Envision YOUR Road 130

Chapter 9. Defense 131

9.1 Visual Outline 132

9.2. The Discussion 134

9.3 General Tips 135

9.4 Thanks 136

Appendix I. A Brief Lesson for the Faculty 137

Appendix II. Fueling the Traditional Proposal 138

Resources 140

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Foreword.
That's right, maestro! Those nuts are probably keeping you from going interstellar. Chance has it
that you, at this very moment, are thinking of an upcoming project; that thesis you are to write;
that presentation you are to give. And probably you aren't particularly thrilled about that prospect.
For let's face it: that milestone up ahead is pretty damn big and you basically have no clue were
to start. Assignment, complex task, not much vision. The only thing you have at this point is a
rather vague idea of how things may go – you've seen the pie high up in the sky.

We all have this one friend who got some study delay for not being able to finish his thesis in time.
We all know these people who prepare fiercely for their defense and still manage to flunk the
whole thing. And we know why they fail, don't we? These things are very hard. No-one just pulls a
presentation out of thin air; no-one writes a 'great masterthesis' in two weeks. The process is
cumbersome and involved. It includes literature research, supervisors, deadlines, edits, writing,
data, rewriting, deleting whole sections, only to rewrite them again. Indeed, the process is tricky,
full of traps, and it's notoriously time-consuming. It is only reasonable to say that you're facing a
great ordeal. Most likely, the project will be a tremendous struggle. And, like many fellow students,
chances are you'll fail. Because writing a thesis is a true pain in the ass. Difficult, difficult, difficult!
TEDIOUS, that's what everybody tells you, right?

This is the way you see it; this is the shell of the nut you take for granted. And this, dear student,
is nonsense.

People tell you it's difficult, either because:

• they haven't had a crack at the nut themselves,

• because they're justifying their own struggle,

• because they only managed to pull it off after great effort,

• because they are lying to you.

For actually it's fairly simple, once you know the game. It's not complicated; you're not playing
bridge here. You're playing catch. And in this guidebook I will not even bother throwing the ball
from close-by. Instead, I will make things more convenient and hand the nutcracker on a silver
plate. Ladies and gentlemen ... it's time to crack those nuts.

I'm a 'MSc MSc MA whatever' and I am certainly no Einstein. I have studied at one of the best
universities in Europe and obtaining my degrees hasn't been some kind of cakewalk. Writing my
first thesis took me roughly 3 months, which I'd say is about average. My second one, a MSc
thesis in Finance, took me about the same time, even though the content had roughly tripled. Still,
it was a true struggle; it's no easy thing to do. But truth be told, I learned a lot. And I don't mean I
learned a lot about finance. I was slowly beginning to learn the fundamentals about writing a
thesis. The next thesis (MSc Accountancy) took me 6 weeks. The last one (MA Philosophy) took
me 2 – from proposal to defense.

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Through the manifold theses, and through hard-lived trail-and-error, I learned how to handle
topics, supervisors, meetings, research, writing, defenses – the whole charade. I learned what to
do and when to do it. And most of all: I learned how to pierce through the static whirr and find the
fundamental rules of the game. I learned to crack the nut.

In this guidebook, I will reveal my insights and show you, as it were, the very acorn of the matter.
Throughout Part Zero I help you cultivate the mindset you require for getting a good crack at it. In
the next part, part One, I turn to the actual thesis and explain you why it is such a struggle for
many a student these days, where it goes wrong and how to fix it. In doing so, this part provides
several tools that can be used in circumventing typical errors and so reduce risk of failure and
boost productivity.

Heed that I don't promise you heaven here. I'll merely point you to the ladder and teach you how
to climb the stairs. If you follow the principles provided here carefully, I'm sure that getting up
there between the clouds will not be a great struggle for you. In fact, I think we're about to have
some fun.

The Nutcracker

The two levers of the nutcracker are as follows:

• Part Zero - Preparation and Mindset

• Part One - Execution and Tools

Part Zero, as the name suggests, starts at a point prior to take-off. This part is about being
prepared, both mentally and physically, for success. It handles topics as goal-setting, willpower,
belief, motivation, attention and focus, amongst many. The goal of Part Zero is to endow you with
a clear vision of where you are going, a WILL for success, a deep-rooted belief in your own
capabilities, a profound understanding of the functions of the success-mindset and, finally, with
concrete, customized tools that enables you to reach the finish-line of any endeavor efficiently
and fast.

Part One continues by implementing the findings from Part Zero onto the thesis procedure. This
part provides students with a practical new approach to their ordeal. In doing so, it offers various
tools, tips and tricks that enable smooth incorporation into the status quo thesis system, while
providing the student with means to perform optimally – and perhaps even write his or her thesis
in two weeks.

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Part Zero


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'Nothing harder, if one knows not how to will it; nothing easier, if one WILLS it.'

– Alexander Dumas

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Introduction
Some people handle a thesis in somewhat the same way the great armies of Napoleon Bonaparte
handled Russia. With their eyes fixed on a conquest that's basically beyond comprehension, they
venture into wild and inhospitable lands – completely unprepared. Of the hundreds of thousands
of French soldiers who waged battle with 'the Motherland', tons were imprisoned and only
twenty-something-thousand returned. As for of all the students who start off with a thesis, only a
few find their way back home unharmed. Many return wounded, disillusioned and long after the
initial timeframe has elapsed. Some are left behind – caught in academic shackles, desperately
hoping for liberation. And some, more unfortunate souls, perish, never to be seen at graduation.

But that's not you. For with this practical guidebook, you're likely to pass. Of course, it's still your
own responsibility. Solely reading and applying the sections relevant to your task at hand, say
some specific tools of Part One, will save you a lot of time, but does not guarantee success.
Throughly reading all sections and participating in the workshops, no matter how stupid they
might strike you at first sight, will likely be your ticket to the moon. Moreover, it will hugely
decrease, if not annihilate, the possibility that you strike out on a typical pitfall, for example having
to write three proposals, or having to run hundreds and hundreds of regressions in doing empirical
research. Indeed, with this guidebook at your disposal, you may just be able to crack that nut of
yours within a couple weeks.

Instead of dreaming about that, however, it's best to focus on where we are now. Part Zero. The
name is there for a reason. This is a point prior to takeoff. This is the point where, after finding a
photo of the Mont Blanc in your mailbox along with a note saying: 'good luck', you find yourself in
a store comparing ice axes. And you have no idea what to go for. Your hands cling on to the
handle, looking for grip, but all feel rather awkward. Then you think of the goal; the mountain and
everything seems hazy. Sure, you've got to go up. But how? And what ice-axe will you need?

This is Part Zero: preparation; being ready for conquest. Success is not random; it doesn't favor
the lucky, the unlucky, the clever, the well-bred, the inbred. It favors the ones prepared for it; the
WILLING; it attracts like a magnet. And so it doesn't even truly favor. It is causal attraction. But
before we can speak of any kind of success, however, it's important to have some kind of an idea
about where we are going: the objective of your ordeal.

'It is very important in life to know when your cue comes.'

–Kierkegaard

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1. Your Objective
Are you in all the way?

Many centuries ago, there was a Greek guy1 who ran from the battlefields of Marathon to Athens
to report of the victory in battle. Out in the scorching sun of the Mediterranean, he ran all the way;
24-something miles; the whole 'marathon', focussed solely on his goal. Verstand op nul, blik op
oneindig, as the Dutch proverb goes. The Greek guy ran and he ran hard. And then he died.

Many centuries later, the 'marathon' is ran by athletes (Greeks included) for sports; as a true
challenge for body and mind. All others, less keen on running, have their own marathons to deal
with – their own challenges, be it not in sports, but in their careers, their jobs, their finances
(Greeks definitely included), their children and, of course, their studies. Also you are probably
soon required to run some 24 miles. Maybe it's going to be your boss, maybe it's going to be the
European Central Bank, maybe it'll be your thesis-supervisor, or maybe it will be your girlfriend.
Soon, someone will ask you: 'are you in all the way?' And when they do, you better have your
answer at the ready.

When we start a personal marathon, we do so with an aim. We think of a remote mountain peak,
of silky foreign curves under the sheets next morning. We've got a moon to shoot. We think of
what will be waiting at the finish-line; who will be waiting at the finish-line. In that spirit, take a
second and think of it yourself – think of a personal marathon at hand, think of a personal aim, a
goal you have in mind. This can be an important meeting, an actual marathon, a presentation, or
an upcoming thesis. Think of the challenge up ahead.

Shots fired. Like all other contestants, you start running. And you run hard, eager, and maybe a
little obstinate. Athens, silk, promotion, graduation. It's all there. You know where you're headed
and you're not backing down. And even though you're some 24 miles removed from our target;
even though the great mountain's apex lies hidden in the clouds, you persist reluctantly. For you
have a goal in mind.

Around you, fellow contestants begin to shout in pain and excitement. Everyone is fueled by the
same spirit. Everyone is running like mad. Your neighbor mutters: "One way or the other, I will get
there". People scream and you scream too. "I will do it" from the left and "yes we can" from the
right. Eyes go hazy, heartbeat pumping violently. Run, run, run. Then everyone cries out in unison:
"no matter what, I will reach that summit!" You too, behind the screen! Speak up and say: "no
matter what, I will reach that summit!"

But long before you're in Athens, runners begin falling left and right and you wonder why. Didn't
they all share your heroic mindset? Weren't they fired by the same spirit? The confusing scene
builds as more contestants yield and your own legs begin to tremble too. From afar; from amidst
the drone of agony, you hear a faint echo. 'Are you in all the way?' And with that question, you
begin to wonder.

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheidippides
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No-one who sets off on a mission chooses to fail; to drop out, to go bankrupt, to flunk and fall.
Unfortunately, and despite what's being said at the start, many fail nonetheless. Many give up
long before they reach Athens. Common excuses are: "because it's too hard; the marathon is too
long; the mountain is too high". Yet we all know that some do succeed – sometimes, and painfully
enough, exactly in those things we wanted to achieve ourselves: our mountains, our marathons,
our moons. Why do these people succeed where we fail? What's the key to success?

In the early 20th century, there was an American man who asked himself the very same question.
His name was Napoleon Hill2 (not the French general). Hill went to the end of the marathon, to the
finish-line, and interviewed the survivors – the accomplishers, the rich, the most successful men
of that day and age. Over 20 years, he interviewed the winners of the rat-race about the origin of
success. The findings of his study were extensive enough for him to write a whole book on the
matter: Think and Grow Rich (1917). The findings of his study were also so plain and simple that
the title alone should suffice.

On 16 September 2018, Eliud Kipchoge from Kenia ran the marathon of Berlin in 2.01.39,
smashing the old world record to pieces by over a minute. Reportedly, "at 35 kilometers he began
to smile"3 . Why? To that question he answered: "when experiencing heavy pain, the trick is to fool
the mind. The mind should think you're happy, as this will keep you running with focus. When you
do something that makes you happy, the mind follows perfection. Aristoteles said that"4 (Greek!).

The story of Eliud coincides with the secret of success Hill discovered in successful businessmen
and with something old Harrison said one day. 'It's all in the mind'5. When things get difficult;
when Athens is still far and when legs go limp, winners say: "No matter what, I WILL reach that
summit!"

I hear you think: 'sure, but how the heck is that different from what I was thinking just now?'
Confused? Good. Buckle-up.

2 Think and Grow Rich

3 NRC Weekend, Zaterdag 22 september 2018 & zondag 23 september 2018

4 NRC Weekend, Zaterdag 22 september 2018 & zondag 23 september 2018

5 George Harrison
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2. Mental Preparation
I once went to a very important job interview very unprepared. Besides having zero knowledge
whatsoever about the background information of the firm I was dealing with, and in addition to
having no inkling for my reasons being there, I completely lacked the prospect of an aim. Hence, I
was in the dark. By some miracle, I survived and even arranged a follow-up meeting.

The next time we met up, and having learned my lesson, I prepared myself as well as I could – or
so I thought. I did all the background research, examined social media, dug into newspapers. And
this time I figured I was on the meeting with a goal: to impress the audience, open their eyes to
my genius, provide them a solution for their problem and get a job out of it. Sounds pretty
compelling and complete, doesn't it? A man on a mission.

I went in, had a ball, knew the answers to all their problems, knew how to awe and charm, came
in with the suave of success and left behind an audience intrigued. And as I walked off, contempt
with myself and all, I was dead certain that all those present were positively dazed and readily in
my pocket. But I didn't land the job. I failed. My 'suave' had been nothing but illusion. And this
failure, which was completely due my bad preparation, had to do with three aspects of being
ready for success, none of which I understood back then.

1. Want

2. WILL

3. Faith

2.1 Want

Back to you. Think of your personal challenge. Think of your own marathon. Now ask yourself: do
I actually want to finish the objective I have in mind? Do I want to reach that top afar? Or do I only
want to want that?

It may strike you as a foggy question, but soon you'll soon see it makes sense. When I went to
that first job interview, I lacked the entire notion of genuine want. I didn't really know what I was
doing and I didn't know where or whom I was doing it for. Later, I figured that I was doing it
because I wanted the job. False. I wanted to want the job. I wanted to be able to walk work at that
company, do my thing, say my say, cash my check every month. But I didn't really wanted to. I
never saw myself work in that kind of environment if I was fully honest with myself. And even
though I wished to participate in the office like that, and regardless of my 'excellent' preparation,
my prior vision hadn't changed, that is: I never saw myself landing the job. It wasn't me.

The lack of want impeded me from attaining my goal. In many books on success6, authors point
to the importance of discovering the thing you truly want in becoming successful in life. Not

6To name a few: 'Master Your Mindset' (Pilarczyk), 'Think and Grow Rich' (Hill), 'The Master Key System' (Haanel), 'The Seven Spiritual
Laws of Success' (Chopra)
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surprisingly, nor originally, the following is a very, very, very important question – one which
important can't be stressed enough.

What do you truly want?

This question is no easy one, or at least, it's not to those who have no clear-cut answer. Yet these
people are exactly the ones who can benefit most from reading books on success. Hell, why
would they be reading the books otherwise?

In order to help you in the direction of 'true want', I think it is important to get the concept as
clear-cut as possible. Before turning to what you could call 'building a mindset of success', we
require to have an idea of our fundamental motivation. What do we want? What do you want?
What do you really, truly, genuinely, really-really want? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?

I feel I would need a whole lot of adverbs more to make my point. And I feel my effort would be
still in vain. In situations like these, one may require so much adverbs, that one can wonder if it's
not better to just change the noun.

I remember a conversation with my philosophy MA thesis supervisor. Halfway through our chat,
he referred briefly to a particular kind of entity as 'non-human animals'. Back then, I thought it
pretty funny and interesting. The word 'non-human-animals' implies that there are characteristics
out there that distinguish 'human-animals' from 'non-human animals'. If one of these
distinguishing things would be 'manners', your rude bus driver is no longer a human according to
your terms, but rather a non-human-animal, or baboon, say. Fun.

Interesting is that whereas philosophers sometimes speak of the non-human-animal, they never
say 'non-animal-human'. There isn't a human being that is not, in some way, also a bit of an
animal deep down inside. In every women a lioness, in every man a horny chimpanzees, right?
Your bus-driver might be a baboon; you yourself are surely a bit of a monkey too. Science agrees.
We're KingKong's little cousins. Indeed, you could say we are animals 2.0.

There's a big difference between the original 1.0 version and the update that's been around for
little over 10.000 years. Imagine a guy some many thousands of years ago, living in a forest. At
times he gets hungry - he eats. At times he gets tired - he rests. At times he gets aroused - he
looks for the misses. Everything he wants is within reach. And that what's not, well, that simply
lies beyond comprehension and conception. He is unconscious of those things. For how could a
man want something he has no knowledge of? He can't want a car, an exhaust, or a tire even.
These are concepts foreign to him. He has no idea of what they are, what they mean, what they
do. This is the reason it took these guys so long to discover the wheel. Basically, this forest guy is
fully animal 1.0. Surely he wouldn't fit the complete scope of characteristics that would categorize
him as a 'human-animal'. He acts on instincts, much like a dog. And if your dog wants to play, he
plays. Playing is his one and only motivation. When he's hungry, he doesn't think: 'oh, I want to
play, but I also want to eat, so either I go play hungry, or I go eat and miss out on the fun. Oh
crap.' Nope. Your dog WILL do one of the two with complete devotion. Ever noticed that?

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Primordial man, like animals, can't make these hierarchies in what they want. Better yet, he knows
no want. For the concept of want as we know it, only found us when people began to live
together and compare – when they became conscious of the differences between them – the
moment they realized they were naked. The moment people began to look at each-other with
feelings of envious desire and pride: that's where our story begins.

"[...] They now begin to assemble round a great tree: singing and dancing, the genuine offspring of
love and leisure, [...] Every one begins to survey the rest, and wishes to be surveyed himself; and
public esteem acquires a value. [...] on one side vanity and contempt, on the other envy and
shame [...]"

– Rousseau, 1754

The French philosopher identifies this scene as the origin of want. Only when people saw others
dance better, they began to think: "I want that" – 'that' belonging to the realm of fiction. They
don't have it, not yet. But they do want it. And they might acquire it in the far flung future. They
may crave it for later. But for now, it remains a fantasy. This new type of want – future esteem,
possessions, abilities – can be superseded by the primordial, pressing stimuli: the old kind of
desire – drinking, screwing, or taking a dump. With that, want entered in mankind as a remote
and flimsy fancy, a wish, a dream.

We may be tempted to say that before the merriment at the tree occurred, people also wanted
things. They wanted to hunt, sleep and shag – we've established this with our guy from the
woods. And when another random bushman might have had the same craving, perhaps they
fought over what they both wanted. These guys had driving power too, didn't they? So what's the
difference between the forrest guy and the people dancing at the great tree?

The difference lies in the misconception and misuse of the noun. Want. Our great primordial
ancestors never really wanted anything. They didn't want to eat, drink, sleep, fight. It wasn't desire
that made them do these things. It was rather something more fundamental, something less
dreamy. Something that knows only moment of manifestation – not past or future, but only in the
now. WILL.

WILL is 'want's' stronger twin-brother. It's deep-rooted and unstoppable. WILL was primordial's
man driving force; WILL the source of all his power. WILL is unambiguous: it knows no hierarchy; no
division; no superseding, no temporality. It's either here now, or it's not. And when it is, there is
nothing able to bring it to a halt. A loyal dog with the WILL to serve does so unto death. A man with
the WILL to climb the Everest goes for the top, even if it's a one-way-trip. And as he is preparing
and training hard, his mind is set on the summit and he smiles, even though he is still running on
the treadmill.

With respect to getting things done, want is pretty useless. It kindles desire, but sparks no power
of WILL. It makes one crave, but not accomplish. It makes one confused, discontent about the
past, present and future, and notoriously unsuccessful. Moreover: it makes one unhappy.

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I wish that I want what I want. 'I want to be a millionaire!' You hear it all the time. 'I want to master
the piano!' 'I want to travel the world!' 'I want to write my thesis FAST!' But as soon as I ask: 'Do
you want to work extremely hard for a long time and are you willing to sacrifice time and sociality
for that million? – do you want to practice playing piano for 10.000 hours? – do you want to give
up opportunities and relationships at home to go abroad? – do you want to prepare, are you
WILLING to learn, do you want to burn the midnight oil? – most shirk.

There was a young man who sat beneath the academic tree and saw his fellow students dance.
He himself was doing a MBO (Vocational Education/Community College) and he had friends going
to university. He watched his peers in envy, for he did not posses their cognitive traits.

In order to gain knowledge, skill and eventually prestige - and power, money and women, so he
thought, the young man went to the library to study in seclusion, for he was ashamed of his own
deficiency. And as he walked passed the numerous books about things he knew nothing about,
he felt overwhelmed and sad for his own incapability. Determined, he sat down at a desk and
studied until closing hours. Early next morning, he returned and studied all day again. A few days
he did this, until an exam came up. But despite his efforts; despite having learned a lot, he didn't
pass and he realized that his endeavor was rather pointless. When home, he called a friend over
and got drunk.

I know another young man who sat under that same tree in a similar situation. He also went to the
library and he also studied days on end. He walked by many books and thought of all the things
there were to learn. And he also failed many tests. But instead of giving up, he continued
frequenting the library as if he was already at the academy. You want to know how I got to know
this guy? I met him at university. He told me that, one day, his teacher replied to a difficult
question of his: 'well, for that you have to go to university'. He told me he replied to the man: 'ok,
so that is where I WILL go'.

Before want entered humankind, both guys would have been perfectly happy not studying; not
dancing; not wanting anything basically. Here, I agree with Rousseau7 that before homo sapiens
began to team up, settle and grow things, they were probably in the happiest condition they'll
ever be. Why? Because they were unconscious of what they had not. The genuine offspring of
love and leisure.

According to the Buddha, the source of suffering is 'the attachment to the desire to have (craving)
and the desire not to have (aversion)'8 . To want; crave; averse, is to suffer. The first guy who went
to the library to practice, suffered. He craved being better than he was and loathed his own
disability. The guy I met at university knew no such sentiments, for despite being no academic
genius and despite failing many tests, he rejoiced in being at the university from the moment he
first stepped into the library. It was as if time had no effect on him. From the moment he said to he
teacher that he would go to university, he rejoiced in WILL. And his WILL manifested into reality, as
it always does.

7 and Harari – the guy from 'Homo Sapiens, a Brief History of Humankind', 'Homo Deus' and '21 lessons for the 21th century', i.a.

8 http://www.zen-buddhism.net/buddhist-principles/four-noble-truths.html
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With respect to your objective, here lies the lesson: don't think about your want. Think about your
WILL.

"It is WILL, — force of purpose, — that enables a man to do or be whatever he sets his mind on
being or doing. A holy man was accustomed to say, 'Whatever you wish, that you are: for such is
the force of our WILL, joined to the Divine, that whatever we wish to be, seriously, and with a true
intention, that we become.'"

– Smiles

Figure 1

Instead of wanting to attain your goal, you should be WILLING to attain it. But what does that
mean? Perhaps it isn't clear to you at this point whether the personal challenge you have in mind
is something you want to complete or something you WILL complete. Perhaps you are like me
when I went to that job interview – thinking that you want something, but not realizing that this is
no deeper want, no WILL. It might well be that your desire is makeshift; that it's the product of your
surroundings. And not unlikely, the objective you have in mind, that marathon of yours, is not
something you're looking forward to. In the classic sense of the word, you don't feel like you want
to do it at all. You think: 'this is a bore, let's get this over with'. In that case, your desire to
accomplish is no WILL. And in this case, you are exactly on the right address.

2.2 Two kinds of WILL

"Craving is the root of suffering, but craving goes further back to another root, which is ignorance.
'Avidia' in Sanskirt means lack of vision. [...] 'Avidia': unseeing unconsciousness, lies behind
craving and this in its turn lies behind suffering."

–Alan Watts9

Last week, on the road, I listened to the Eindbazen10 podcast featuring Wilco van Rooijen: a Dutch
mountaineer who has conquered the highest peaks on the surface of the planet – without oxygen
support. Wilco said that when you climb above 5km altitudes, the low oxygen levels cause your
vital-functions to cease slowly. Your body can’t really digest food anymore (not enough oxygen for

9 The Rewards Of Releasing Control

10 https://eindbazen.nl/wilco-van-rooijen/
17
that) and so it starts consuming itself, beginning with the muscle tissue, which burns easier than
fat reserves. He gave that zone a bit of an unpleasant name. ‘The dead zone’. Ouch.

Wilco only wages war with wretched wonders of nature if ‘everything is right’, whatever that may
mean. A great physical condition is a necessity – it is no guarantee for success. The mental
picture must be right too.

I sat in my car as my thoughts drifted off to these horrid, cold mountain-peaks. I imagined myself
up at basecamp, gazing up the snow-capped crest, asking Wilco: ‘is everything right today,
buddy?’ He smiles and says: ‘sure. How about you?’ Good question, Wilco. I think I could
probably go for a casual ‘sure’, right before shitting my pants. And as he frowns sceptically, I
could recover, get my shit together and proclaim: ‘yes, yes, YES! No matter what, I will reach that
summit!’

Would he buy it? If everything else is right; if I’m in great shape; if I’m wearing my lucky
boxershorts; if the stars are in position and if the situation is generally favorable, I guess he just
might. And I think I might too eventually, even though I’m pretty sure that it would be a short and
cold one-way-trip. If I would tell the guys in base-camp often enough that I'm alright with going
up, if I keep repeating it over and over, and if they all believe me in the end, how easy would it be
to fool myself too?

In climbing mountains and running marathons, we may think we have a WILL, but mostly we don’t
– not really. It happens all the time. For the one person ‘I will reach the summit’ is a statement of
future intent. It's a testimony of faith in the absence of the judge. It's saying: "Sure, when things
get rough, I will push onward. I will run that marathon! I will reach that summit!" In reality, it's a
want in disguise. The veil can be compelling; it may look like WILL (CAPITAL), but it's not. It’s what
everybody says. It was the same thing all people said who ran with you towards Athens. It’s the
smoker saying he 'will' quit, moments before lighting up. It’s basically a load of crap.

For the other person, the Eliud's and Wilco's of our time, well, it’s truly similar to taking a dump.
Animal 1.0. ‘Doesn’t make much sense to fuss about it, but since you ask, yes, of course I WILL
reach that summit’.

For one it’s a want, dressed up nicely in a compelling guise. For the other it's WILL.

Climbing mountains big and small requires us to have WILL. But maybe you’re like me in my lucky
boxershorts at basecamp: about to believe in your own cunning fancy. Perhaps you are facing a
similar problem with your personal goal – you wonder whether it’s something you WILL do,
something you think you will do, or something you just want to do.

The Test of WILL

Remember the personal marathon I talked about? Suppose I would hand you magical binoculars
that enable you to see the finish-line; the diploma you sign when you succeed the thesis
procedure; the flag you plant on the peak of Everest. Look through these binoculars, focus on the

18
thing that signifies your eventual success and write down what you see. Look to the very summit
of the mountain and describe the scenery accurately.

At he finish-line of my marathon there is:

Did you write something down? Good. Try to get a clear image in mind. Try to actually see the
graduation ceremony; the summit of the mountain. Visualize.

Question 1.

Do you see yourself at the finish-line? Do you see yourself at the mountaintop?

Is the image you have in mind like the first, or like the second? Answering this question should be
easy. If you peeked through the magic binoculars and found a scenery devoid of yourself, you're
certainly in the second situation. If you are doubtful and only begin to see some faint resemblance
of yourself now that you try hard, you're in much the same shape.

If Wilco would have asked me the very same question before we'd set off to the top, I would have
said ‘no’. I’m definitely not the guy in the first image. I can imagine a mountain peak – I've seen
them on movies and photos, I can conjure up something of a summit, but I’m definitely not
included in the picture. But what does this mean?

It means I have no WILL at all. Zero. I can swear all I want; say I will reach that summit and all;
religiously proclaim faith in my own capabilities, but as long as I don’t literally see myself up there,
I’m just making a charade. If you're like me: if your situation is much like (2), then you only have a
want. For if you would have had a WILL, the image of the top that would come to mind is a pretty
realistic resemblance of the real thing – you could see yourself up there with ease. Remember:
WILL is not a future thing. It's manifesting in the now. It's the same as with our guy in the ancient
forrest who had the WILL to eat. If we'd given him the binoculars, surely he could have imagined a
juicy rabbit or some tasty berries. His mouth would have been watering; he would be licking his
lips. And perhaps that would enable him to spot a red berry in a tremendous view of green.
Perhaps that would draw his eye to a nearly invisible coney trail.

19
If you're in situation (1), don't celebrate too soon, for it doesn't directly imply you have tapped into
your primordial WILL. Someone who is sacredly convinced that he has the 'will' to quit smoking
might just see himself as in situation (1) too. Aren't people saying this all the time – that they will
quit? He can scrunch up his eyes, try hard and think: "yes, I will toss away my cigarets! I don't
need them!". Yet many who say this fail nonetheless. It's the same with all marathons we run. At
some point our legs go limp and we lose strength, even though we think we have WILL to reach
the finish. But WILL is not prone to failure at all. So what's happening here?

The problem arises in our self-deception. We're making a charade. We convince ourselves of a
WILL that isn't there. If Wilco would have assured me I could climb the mountain for days on end,
and if I would begin to believe him, then I might end up at (1) if I try real hard. But would I have
obtained WILL by scrunching up my eyes and trying to see myself? Nope.

How would I know if I'm fooling myself into a WILL or not? In order to find out, there is the second
question we should ask ourselves.

Question 2.

Pick up those binoculars once more. Imagine the summit of the mountain again, imagine the
finish-line of your personal marathon. Think of completing your thesis. Think of the top. What do
you experience? In contrast to Question 1, where you tried to envision the summit, aim for a
more empirical and personal description this time; focus on your sentiments. What do you feel?

At he finish-line of my marathon I experience:

Again, not a difficult question. What do you feel? Are the things you wrote down static or
dynamic? In other words, do you describe a slope, the snow, the horizon – all abstract things? Is
the description of your sentiment mainly aimed at the external world of objects? Or do you
describe the thrill – sentiment – of the crevasse right next to you, the glare of the sun that stings
your eyes, the horizon that makes you feel oh so small?

The one is an abstract picture. It is as if you've photoshopped yourself on the summit of Everest.
The other one is very different; it is as lively as day. It is the future in the now. It is the real thing.

If Wilco would have asked me Question 2, I would have tried hard to imagine myself up there and
describe the top much like a painting – one I'd included myself into with great difficulty. But that's
not WILL. That's a will: a want in disguise. The difference between the two is the degree in which
the vision matches the real deal.

20
Wilco sees himself on the top, if everything ‘feels right’. He describes the things he sees up there:
the curvature of the horizon; the sensation, in a crazy animate way – a way so lively that I almost
see myself up there. Almost, but mostly not at all.

Answer the two question for yourself with respect to your objective – your marathon, your thesis.
Are you incorporated in the vision? Are you on the summit of the mountain, standing there,
shouldering a rope, gazing out into the depths below, breathing in the cool and thin air. And is it
vivid? Is it real? Are you there?

Results of the Test of WILL

Want

If you're not included; if you merely see a distant peak capped in snow; if you have this picture in
mind of a scene lacking its vital component – you, then yours is definitely no WILL. If it was a WILL,
then you would be included in the image and you could sense the whole thing. If you truly WILLED
it; you would find no difficulties in seeing yourself there on high. If it's WILL, it's unambiguous and
clear. You would see yourself at the end, as if it were already physical reality – the real deal.

Do: No worries, maestro. Use the next sections to cultivate that want of yours and turn it into
an unstoppable WILL. This can be done by beginning small, by finding things you see yourself do,
and only then take the next step. It's like learning how to walk.

Want in disguise, or false will

If you see yourself up there, but it's static and abstract, much like you've photoshopped yourself
into the image, then yours is no WILL either, but a want in disguise. If you don't experience the
whole thing up there, you've probably convinced yourself of a WILL that's in fact synthetic and
make-belief. Perhaps you'll convince others and even yourself of your drive, but WILL can't be
fooled. And thus success will be hard to attain, even though, 'on paper', everything looks in order.
If you want to finish your thesis and if you see yourself signing your diploma, but if you can't
sensibly experience the ceremony first person in your mind, then this is you. If you want to quit
smoking, if you see yourself not buying cigarets, but if you can't imagine yourself on a party at
4AM where everyone is smoking except for you, you may have a strong desire to quit, but there is
no WILL. It may sound harsh, but it's plain and simple. You're just fooling yourself – and others.

Do: Accept that you need to do some things in order to gain belief in the thing you wish to
accomplish. The intention is there, but the willpower is not. But belief can be build; willpower can
be enabled. You are on the good track, for at least you are bothering yourself with a challenge you
truly desire to accomplish on some level – otherwise you wouldn't have photoshopped yourself in
the vision. You really, really want it. Badly. But the WILL is not kindled. Many, if not most readers
will find themselves in this category – with a determinate want but without WILL. Use the next
section to instill your want with belief and turn it into WILL.

21
WILL

It 'feels right'. Everything is there; you, but also all the sensations are activated. One big, dynamic,
animate, present experience. You feel the adrenaline of success, you begin the smile as you
receive the applause, long before you've accomplished. It's reality. Mentally, you are already on
top of the mountain. You are, like Eliud, smiling, even though your physical being is still to reach
the finish-line. Your mind is set and determined, the physical reality WILL soon manifest
accordingly.

Do: Congratulations, happy hunting. If you are about to write a thesis, browse over to part one
for practical tools that will benefit you in achieving your goal swift and efficiently. If you are
entertained with another marathon, I wish you all the best in your endeavors. You have WILL, there
is nothing keeping you from accomplishment. If you will, you may browse over to chapter 4, 5 and
6 that offer tools to benefit your WILL with durability.

Additional Exercise Info

Fortunately, with respect to marathons like writing a thesis, it doesn't really matter if you want to
get to your goal in the classic sense of the word – 'like to do it'. Only few students actually enjoy
the whole thesis thing. Many of them would basically like to get it over with a.s.a.p. Of course it's a
shame (for you miss out on joy), but it doesn't really matter if you enjoy it or not with respect to
accomplishment. For this is a marathon you simply have to run. Better even, if you truly don't like
it, this sentiment could fuel your desire to get it over with. You could reach a state in which you
rejoice in your discipline of having worked 10 hours a day on doing something you really don't like.
That might actually be a good feeling – perhaps like the one you get after running.

If yours is no obligatory marathon like a thesis, but one you can choose to run, you have an option.
If you find yourself in this situation – without a sensical vision, then you lack both WILL and will. You
don't want to do it. So why start running a marathon if you don't enjoy towards an end you don't
want to attain either? Get your shit together and find another marathon that you do want to run. If
this is you, try to figure out why you want to run a marathon in the first place. What do you want to
achieve? What is your deepest motivation? Next, build a vision around that 'why'. You might
consider reading 'Start With Why', by Simon Sinek.

'The first step towards becoming who you are, is to stop being who you are not.'

– G. Ocean

End of the Test of WILL

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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'But knowing what I don’t want to do doesn’t help me figure out what I do want to do. I could do
just about anything if somebody made me. But I don’t have an image of the one thing I really want
to do. That’s my problem now. I can’t find the image.'

– Haruki Murakami

Think back of the two guys who went into the library to study their books. The first guy couldn't
really see himself doing it. He wanted to be able to, but he didn't. He must have thought
something like: "I feel bad and ashamed because of my lack of skill; because I can't do what my
peers are doing. I wish I didn't feel like this. I wish I was better. If I practice, I might get better. I go
and practice". In contrast, the latter guy already saw himself studying at the academy, stealing the
show. He experienced the success, long before he was successful. It was obvious – so obvious,
that he thought: "I WILL do this".

Big chance you don't feel like this at this point. If you 'failed' the test and feel like the words aren't
hitting the spot, don't worry about it. Tapping in to your primordial WILL is not difficult, but it is a
process that takes some time. The search for your power of WILL may take you through some
foreign lands, but you WILL end up at a force made for success. Once you've found this strength,
the accomplishment of your objective is within arms-reach. Once you believe, you can basically
do anything. Great, now I'm quoting Jesus.

Willpower and belief go hand in hand. Both originate at a primordial, animal 1.0 kind of conviction
in yourself and your ability to complete the task at hand. A positive trait about belief is that it can
help us turn want into WILL. If you manage to get a perspective of your objective; if you manage to
reformulate the ordeal into things you can honestly see yourself do; if you 'grow faith' in your
ability, you can discover your power of WILL and wield it to the benefit of your objective.

2.3 Faith

Every once in a while, you hear a story that's just too crazy to be true. Someone tells a tale, and
all those listening go like: "yeaaaaah right". It's much like there is an unseen balance being
established amidst the frowning faces – a balance between facts and fiction. And as soon as a
few people say the tale sounds plausible, the rest agrees and people believe it – just like that:
truth established. But sometimes it's just too absurd; people laugh, and the narrator is ridiculed.
And even if the one who tells the tale turns to his smartphone, pulls up the facts from Wikipedia
and mutters he was right, the thing is done for – they already agreed there's something incredible
about the whole thing. Done, unbelievable. Over.

I experienced a similar sensation of disbelief the first time I came across the following story:

23
"In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked.
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be
healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk."11

Pretty weird, right? It seems ludicrous, a lame guy jumping up to his feet like that – walking as if it
was completely normal. When I read it, this story pushed on all my 'not true' buttons, as I'm sure
it might do on yours. But as I think of it now, in the light of great marathons, Athens and Everest, it
might not be that crazy after all. In the end, we've already established there are much things we
don't see ourselves do. Climbing Everest, running the marathon of Berlin. I can't see myself up
some 8000 meters with the Dutch mountaineer Wilco van Rooijen, climbing the highest peak on
earth without oxygen support. Such ordeals strikes me as loco and push my 'not true' buttons
too. But for these guys, it surely is physical reality.

Regardless of what we think of it, the story of the lame dude holds a valuable message. I'm sure
this man had watched people walking by his whole life, wondering how it would be, wishing to
swap places. But he hadn't believed he could pull it off. And others never believed he could either.
If he would have asked the people in the street: 'hey man, do you believe I can walk?!', they
would have laughed for sure, just like they probably laughed when Henry Ford said he would build
a motor car for the great multitude12 – when Thomas Edison found 10.000 ways not to make light
– when Van Gogh couldn't sell any of his paintings – when Elvis Presley was told he couldn't sing
– when Einstein was deemed to be 'mentally handicapped'13 . Many great minds, all of whom have
been subject to ridicule. And the people laugh because they don't believe; because they couldn't
see themselves do it and projected that deficiency onto others.

I imagine what would have happened if Wilco had asked me a question – one directed at my
belief in him. I imagine he asked me in all honesty: "do you believe I will reach the top? Do you
think I'll pull it off?". He might add for credentials: "I've been thinking about it for some time, I
have prepared as well as I can, and now I am here in base-camp. But do you believe I can do it?"

How would I find an answer to Wilco's question? Probably I would think it over: his preparation,
his condition – the whole picture. I would analyze his situation from my own perspective and
framework. I would assess his abilities with respect to the standards I deem perquisite. Then, fully
placing myself in his shoes, I would either say: "ja" – if I see myself do it in his position, or "nee" if
I don't. (I just realized we are idiots for speaking in English as fellow Dutchies). Anyways, in order
to answer his question, I would have rephrased it from 'do you believe I can do it?' to: 'do you
believe you can?' By now we know I don't: I don't see myself on the top of Everest. And so I
probably would have answered: 'I don't think you can, amigo'. It's the same with the guys who
told Elvis to go fish. They can't see the image for themselves – when it's them on stage.

11 Acts 14:7-10

12 https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-resources/popular-topics/henry-ford-quotes/

13 https://www.developgoodhabits.com/successful-people-failed/
24
Muhammed Ali, one of the greatest fighters of our time, was never much the athlete. He didn't
look like a war-machine; his physique was almost against him in the sport. Surely he was
ridiculed, for people couldn't see the crazy mental stronghold that was this man. "It's the lack of
faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself", he once said14. If
you would have asked the critics back in the day: "will this guy become world champion?", they
would have smiled deridingly. His friends would have said: "maybe it's better to aim a little lower".
His mom: "Shouldn't you try running?" All do with the best of intentions, but all just see
themselves being smashed to pulp in the ring. And that's not pleasant.

Faith is not obtained externally. The lame don't get it from talking to people in the street. Elvis and
Muhammed didn't get it from listening to their foes, nor their friends or mothers. It isn't like you
can ask your peers for faith, hoping them to ensure you of your goal and thereby install you with a
willpower to accomplish. It's something that is never obtained external. The only way to grow faith
is internal – to find belief on some level within yourself. This is a process that is mostly up to you,
but there is a chance for assistance.

'Help from without is often enfeebling in its effects, but help from a certain extent takes within
invariably invigorates.'
– Smiles

For me it wouldn't help if Wilco would describe the beauty to be found up high. This would only
increase the power of my desire and make me less satisfied with my not being there. It might
make me to answer Question 1 from the test of WILL in a positive way – I might fool myself into a
WILL at some point. But I would only deceive and endanger myself and others.

For me it also wouldn't help either if Wilco told me what climbing resembles to him – this would
be like explaining an Italian menu to a German in Swahili. We're not on the same level, literally.
Our worlds are not aligned. It's like following a recipe, without having an inclination of the dish you
try to obtain.

The only thing that would help is when Wilco would point out the things involved in the ascent; the
dangers; the tricky sections, the tools I require; the physical and mental condition I must be in, for
this enables me to see myself climbing the mountain – and perhaps it even enables me to envision
myself at the top as if it was reality at some point. Wilco would not install me directly with faith; he
would not try to convince me of anything, but he could kindle something deep down inside of me;
something innate; something animal 1.0; something called WILL. And this little spark could grow
into success. His aid would not be external. It would be internal. He would merely be pulling the
right triggers.

People who pull triggers are very convenient. Think back of the lame guy from the Bible. He had
no faith. That is until he met someone he believed in: Paul. And Paul was a great guy. He had a
record and was very credible. So, when Paul said that he could get up his feet, the man actually
believed his words. He believed that the image he had in mind was no longer fancy. He didn't

14 https://medium.com/@rossstevenson/muhammad-ali-the-power-of-self-belief-e9dc935ba2a0
25
think it was a remote possibility. He didn't require the opinion of others. It was something that
could happen if he went for it. It was an opportunity, handed on a silver plate. He believed. And
what is belief, but the religious conviction that a visionary state of being is possible in physical
manifestation – as actual matter of fact? The lame dude envisioned himself erect and thought:
"what the heck, vamos!" And so he walked.

Belief inspired the man with an unstoppable kind of desire and transformed his want into WILL. For
this lame guy, the words of a man with credentials were enough. For you, faith may not come
easy. If Wilco merely tells me that he believes I can reach the top, this is not going to kindle my
own power of WILL – we just established that. Indeed, belief tends to come internally and in
increments. Faith must grow, steadily, like an oak tree growing from inside of your being. First, the
task at hand seems huge and beyond comprehension and belief. Then, when turning to smaller
steps that may lead to the accomplishment of the task, things begin to grow understandable,
credible. You look at a small step up ahead and think: "hey, this is something I see myself doing!"

'Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move
from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'

– Matthew 17:20

Jumping to your feet, flying to the moon and moving mountains, requires us two to do two things,
namely:

1. Grow an understanding of the relationship between vision, belief and success,

2. Chop our great marathon into small bits we can actually believe in.

2.3.1 Animation

You want to be successful. We might say that you have a strong, perhaps innate, desire to
transform a visionary state into physical reality. You want to end up at something real; something
animate you are part of – the finish-line of your great marathon. You want it to be real, both then
and now. And for that to happen, it must be already real in the mind. You want it to be animate –
the link between faith and accomplishment.

Perhaps you've noticed that in the examples of successful people, every single one of them had
acquired the taste of success long before they were at the finish-line physically. They saw
themselves as if they had already achieved their goals. They had had the animate experience prior
to achieving. It was already vividly real before it happened in our time and space.

Animated Vision

'You won’t see how to do it until you see yourself doing it.'

– David Allen

The etymology (linguistic origin) of the word 'animate' roots in the Latin word 'anima': life or soul.
Animate means: instill with life, which means bring to life, which means turn to physical reality. Oh
26
shit, that went pretty fast. But it does make sense. Something that's not animate; something that
is not instilled with life, can not become physical reality by definition. Obviously, an envisioned
goal must be as lively and dynamically portrayed as possible, rather than being static and inert. It
must be animated.

When I traveled with my mind and stood along side Wilco, he could describe the things he
experienced up on the mountain dead accurate. This was no mere imagination speaking – he
hadn't looked it up in the LonelyPlanet, or browsed on the Internet for pictures. It wasn't as if he
described it from a catalogue. It was first hand.

An objective or goal may seem static at first. "You must reach that summit!" And so perhaps you
see the summit afar. Or perhaps you even see yourself up there. But there is no life. It's a dead
scenery – a want in disguise.

You could see your future self as in a photo, or you could see it like a movie. The photo is like a
snapshot on the future; a fixed moment in time – rather abstract devoid of anima. The movie is
more like the future itself. It contains motion, sentiment and life captured on tape. Better yet
would be the movie in which all our senses are aroused; best would be the real thing. The more
animate the better. For the more lively the image you have in mind, the more reality WILL match the
envisioned state.

'It appears that the nervous system can’t tell the difference between a well-imagined thought and
reality.'
– David Allen

Envisionability

An inanimate vision is hardly realized. Many people, groups and companies make the mistake of
portraying a vision as an inert image of the future. We want so and so. We are this and that. But
what are they saying really? Their acquaintances may know their words by heart, but the animate
image is not there. They think it's a picture; a dreamy state they are moving towards and which, at
some point, just might become real – out of thin air. Like a dream in a vacuum. But that's no vision
at all. That's a fantasy, a desire, a vacant concept. If you can't see yourself in the act of success,
then how can it come to pass? If you don't feel the destination of your road, then how do you
know if you're going in the right direction?

With some things in life, things just seem to enfold without you having to do much. You went to
elementary school and you passed the grades, probably not because of WILL or anything, but just
because it happened. You had to and you did (or didn't). You didn't see yourself at high school
before, but you got there nonetheless. Snap, first grade. Snap, graduation. You could call this a
success. I don't in most cases. You probably did it much unconsciously and passively. There's
nothing wrong with that, but it just won't work with genuine success – with achieving something
you truly WILL. When it comes to success, you must be proactive, you need faith and WILL, and for
this you need an animate vision of your destination.

27
Imagine that your personal marathon at hand is an upcoming (thesis)presentation. And imagine
that in the earlier sections of this guidebook, you learned that you have no WILL – you see yourself
do it, but it's all pretty static. The result of the test of WILL wasn't superb. You prepare as well as
you can, much like I prepared for my business meeting, but the moment you stand on stage, you
feel a strange anxiety for the first time. It's a big crowd and all eyes are on you. 'Naturally', you
feel edgy, aware, nervous. It's a threatening situation. It's like being naked in front of people. You
may imagine everyone else naked too; you might stare at a void in the back of the room, or you
may fire off a speech you prepared to the letter. All are in vain – halfway methods to tackle the
symptom of the underlying problem – a lack of WILL. But you've prepared something of a
beginning, the one you practiced in the mirror, and you start. You stagger and falter, but, like a
diesel, you get going and it's ok in the end. You plough through. Your heart is beating hardcore,
but it's ok. A few people applaud out of support and sympathy and the result is mediocre, which
suffices mostly, since it's default – as is it default not to have a WILL for these things.

Now imagine you have to give the same presentation, but that this time you do have WILL of
accomplishment. With that, you are granted this animate sense of how things will develop. Like
Wilco van Rooijen, who describes what he feels standing on the top of Everest, you can already
describe what you see at the end of the presentation. You can already see the whole thing enfold
to your mind's eye. You're already there. And as your prepare, you already feel the energy of the
crowd building. To your mind's ear, you hear them laugh at your jokes – in fact, thinking them up,
you have to smirk too. You sense exactly when the cliffhanger will come; you feel the anticipation
of the audience, and then you throw in your mind-blowing conclusion. Audience intrigued; the
crowd goes wild. You smile and smirk and receive the applause with grace. But the physical
presentation is yet to happen. It all happens in your mind, long before the whole presentation ever
takes place. You have not only seen yourself up the stage, you have actually seen yourself in the
act of success. You've had the experience, before the event occurred. And when it will come to
pass, it will be like pressing the play-button of a movie you've already seen. You directed the tape,
you know the plot and you know the end. It just happens. Success.

Someone who prepared like this was Muhammed Ali. As said earlier, he was not the bulkiest, nor
the strongest athlete of his day and age, but his belief in himself was invincible. "I am the greatest.
I said that even before I knew I was". And how could Ali say such a thing? Simple. He was the
director of the tape he was about to play. And the thing he'd seen was reality, just like walking
was reality for the lame guy in the street. These guys had a strong belief in their own ability. "It's
the repetition of affirmations that lead to belief. And once that belief become a deep conviction,
things begin to happen"15 .

If Ali would have had the desire to become world champion, but not the 'deep conviction', he
wouldn't have become great. I'm sure that if we asked him to describe his victory, long before he
became world champion, he could have explained in detail the roar of the crowd, the adrenaline,
the pain, the weight of the belt, the thrill of success.

15 https://www.goalcast.com/2016/02/18/i-am-the-greatest-lessons-from-muhammad-ali/
28
"Jung thought that the mechanism that directed your attention in the present, was your future self
attempting to manifest itself in the present world. You have a potential – what you could be in time.
In order for that to manifest itself it must be palpable in the present. And the way that instinct for
further development develops itself in the present is by directing your attention to things that are
likely to increase your competence and further your growth right now."

– Jordan B. Peterson

The stronger the belief, the clearer the image, the more vivid the scenery and the higher the
success-rate. This relationship between clarity of vision, belief and success, I capture in the term
'envisionability'. Something with low envisionability feels distant and abstract. You might be able
to see yourself at the finish, but it's an inert, inanimate vision. Something with high envisionability
is something you see yourself doing actively and faithfully – it's something you experience long
before you're on the summit.

Higher envisionability = higher success-rate.

2.3.2 Attraction

'From here, what you see you become.'

—Patanjali

It's dark and cold. Spotify is playing one of my favorite playlists: 'Island Style': a list I put together
during a trip to Hawaii some years ago. Still, I can't deny the thing old Stark said. Winter is
coming. "No place I rather be", the Ehukai band sings in C sharp. No shit Sherlock. "Take me
back to Dakine". Got me. But then I hear it. Loud and clear; a message from these chubby
Hawaiians to us, cold and chilly souls who must endure these bitter temperatures.

"What you see is what you get".

That sentence feels a bit out of place in the song. The whole thing is about Molokai; one of the
smaller islands of the archipel. How lovely it is over there. How sweet the ocean. Blabla. And then,
<snap>, they throw at you this very sensical, transcendental insight, right in the face. What you
see is what you get. I thought about that sentence for a while. Sounds like Karma16; like 'what you
reap is what you sow'17, that old stuff. But it also sounds like something I read recently.

"[...] the Law of Attraction is the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on. It is
believed that regardless of age, nationality or religious belief, we are all susceptible to the laws

16 Sanskrit: action

17 Galatians 6:7
29
which govern the Universe, including the Law of Attraction. It is the Law of Attraction which uses
the power of the mind to translate whatever is in our thoughts and materialize them into reality."18

Say what now?! A universal law translating thoughts into physical reality!? What the heck!!!

I presume many of you may read this with a frown at best. This is the sort of thing that pushes
'not true' buttons, isn't it? So let's bring things down to earth.

Have you ever played that game 'I spy with my little eye something that is...[color]?' Someone
detects an object with a specific color in a specific sphere and the others present are to detect
that same object as fast as possible. More often than not, this objective is small and nearly
invisible to the wandering eye. Still, it's not a difficult game mostly. One hears 'red', and
immediately all red things, no matter how small, will pop up into view. It's like the guy in the forrest
with the WILL to eat, looking for berries. Blue objects are excluded from your vision. Green objects
are excluded. Everything is filtered out except for the red stuff. What happens is that the
conscious mind gives an order to the subconsciousness – which observes everything, to filter out
everything that's not red. Through this mechanism, you 'attract' red objects.

Yea right...

Another example.

Think of the last time you were to make a decision, say the purchase of a car. Perhaps you're
thinking of buying a Volvo and <snap>. You see them everywhere. This means that the law of
attraction is at work (or that you are in Sweden). Perhaps you're thinking of food and <snap>,
golden arches all over the place. Perhaps you think you're incompetent and <snap>, you hear
critique. Or you think you're awesome and <snap>: compliments. And without you being much
aware of it, your thoughts of incompetence or awesomeness are confirmed by the subconscious,
and you become more incompetent or more awesome.

Okay...

Hodl.

Automated Systems

Have you ever been in the situation where everything was nice and relax, until you saw that
creepy cockroach, snake, spider or mouse?

Did you ever have to gag when you tasted something bitter and foul?

Did you ever shock when you felt something ice-cold, or burning-hot?

I'm sure all are positive. It's the 'natural' thing to do, right? Evolution thought us snakes, spiders
and bitter tastes equal poison. Cockroaches and mice equal filth. Extreme cold and heat equal
direct threat. All are dangerous for our subsistence. And for the sake of self-preservation, your
unconsciousness picks up on those 'sensations' and triggers an automatic, 'preprogrammed'
reaction. It's like there is a system at the ready to react when a specific situation comes to pass,

18 http://www.thelawofattraction.com/what-is-the-law-of-attraction/
30
like that of spotting a snake or eating something foul. Jump, gag, spook, scream, erection. Wait,
what?

But what happens to all the other things that pass by your senses? All the other sounds, sights
and smells? All other things in view that are not red? We hear, see and smell them too of course.
But somehow they don't seem to stick. The pass by much unnoticed. They just fall outside our
perception. It's much as if only the 'important' stuff makes its way through the filter.
Unconsciously, we experience an overload of sensations. Consciously, we only take note of that
what's deemed relevant (Huxley, 1954).

Relevance of Content

But that brings us to a pivotal question. What the heck is relevant? Evolution programmed us to
react on all kinds of 'dangers', like snakes and toxics, but relevance isn't a fixed package. We've
just discovered that if someone says 'red', the color red suddenly becomes relevant to us, there
and then. Before, we didn't focus on any color in particular, but when we search 'red', our
perception changes. Same with Volo's and McDonalds, cars and golden arches. They may not be
relevant all the time, until we are thinking of buying cars or food. At that moment, we start spotting
the cars and restaurants seemingly automatically.

The matter that is relevant to us at some particular moment depends on our core motivation. If
you are very hungry, you WILL pick up on signs of food everywhere. If you really want that car, half
of the world seems to be driving that Volvo all of the sudden. The reason for this is actually so
profoundly simple that it's been captured in our language. Object means item. Object means
target. What items (objects) we see depends on what target (object) we're aiming at.

The content of the relevant events that trigger automated reactions are different across people,
situations and time, since our aims vary. One will see Volvo's, the other BMW's. It's just a simple
matter of relevance. What do you think is important? Or, rather: what is your WILL?

One prime example of a typical alternation of that kind is the one having to do with our names. We
can be in the train or in a crowded bar, people talking all over the place, you don't hear a thing
and then <snap>. Your name. Out of nothing, so it seems. From the inaudible drone of noise, the
sound of your name finds you, clearly, brisk and abrupt. Immediately, you focus as you try to find
out who said that. Why? Well, because the information accompanying that name is relevant to
you. The hearing thereof triggers a preprogrammed reaction – attention. Perhaps the person was
just citing a list of names. Would you have heard the other ones that came before? Nope, only
your own. It's the same as the exclusion of colors and cars that are not within your focal point –
they are not relevant. And this is what is called attraction. Many things pass by the senses
unconsciously; many things are recorded by the subconsciousness, but only that what is thought
'relevant' on a deep level pulls a trigger and is noted by the conscious you.

We all have the this mechanisms of paying attention to someone who says our name, once we've
grown accustomed to that name, of course. For everyone, there is an automated reaction. But

31
people with different names require different events for their mechanism to be triggered. For one,
the trigger is 'John'. For the other, it's 'Ann'. The content of the trigger is not fixed.

Interesting is that this variation is only partly due to the environment we grew up in. Our parents
gave us a name, and so this constitutes a personal trigger to us. But have you ever noticed that if
you take on a nickname, after a while this nickname start to trigger the very same reaction? At
first, you don't really notice it when somebody says it – it's not on your mainframe yet. But soon,
trough sufficient repetition, your system changes and it can trigger the familiar automated
response. Attention.

As a human being, you are able to determine the content that sparks the triggers. Our systems
can be commanded and rebuild. You say 'red' and there it is. You say 'food' and <snap>. In life
you've learned that golden archers equal food and so they pop up into view. You say 'finish-line'
and ...

no, no, no.

We know it doesn't work like that. If we're climbing a mountain and the peak is still far, we may
say all we want, the finish-line is not going to get closer. We can proclaim our faith numerous
times – it will not come to us like that. We've established that already. So why does it work with
the former two and not with the 'finish-line'; with 'mountain peaks' and 'graduation'; with your
personal marathon? Why can you alter the content of the triggers having to do with food, names
and cars, but not with accomplishment of great goals?

Simple. You're not speaking the right language. It's just like with any other computer. You've got
the give the right command, otherwise the machine doesn't know how to function. If I'd give a
command to my mainframe in the spirit of 'I wish that I want what I want!', surely nothing
happens. I must enter the command in the right code. And that code is WILL.

'Red' and 'food' are simple commands and they have a bunch of known associations – that's why
you see those arches. You believe they represent food. It is, in Jung's terminology, a sign. A baby
wouldn't see arches and Volvos, but you do. You, in the end, know they represent food and cars.
This is first-hand knowledge you've gained through personal experience. You believe, right? You
believe that underneath that golden arch, there must be a restaurant. Have you ever been in the
situation where you left the highway in search of a MacDonalds restaurant and couldn't find the
thing on first glance? There was a sign, but where the heck is the object – that restaurant, both
item and aim? You search and search, not WILLING to believe in the possibility that there is no
MacDonalds there. It must be. That's what the sign means. And so you search until you find it,
even if it takes you quite some time. And if you can't find the restaurant after all, there seems to
be something horribly wrong about your world.

In a way, 'red' and 'food' are like pushing buttons of a belief system that's already there. But what
if there's no such system? What if there are no buttons? With 'finish-line', you might have no
association, no first-hand experience, no sentiment attached, no idea how it WILL be. In the end, if
you have never been to the place before, you can't know the sign of the restaurant is a golden

32
arch – that's why this thing wouldn't work for babies. They can find those nipples crazy fast, but
MacDonalds they only learn later. And so, when running up the mountain, you may say you'll get
there, but you'll basically be pushing the power button of a computer without content. Are you
then surprised that it doesn't jump into life? Are you then surprised that after driving around for
two minutes in search of the restaurant, you give up and return to the highway, feeling indifferent?

Association is of core importance. But how do you get association with what is yet to come? Also
not a difficult question – that is if you've paid attention to prior sections. Through visualizing
yourself at the finish-line, you are fusing the wires of the computer – you make the connection.
Yet, your mainframe will not do anything with this pristine connection, unless there is a primordial,
animal 1.0 WILL behind it. And this WILL can only come to you if you believe in whatever it is you're
seeing afar. That'll seal the deal.

Remember Muhammed Ali, the guy who said "I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I
was"? He was the guy who also said: "once that belief become a deep conviction, things begin to
happen". You WILL reach the summit, and <snap>, you escape failure in a 'near impossible' way
and find a new way up. You are running a marathon super fast and 5 kilometers before the finish,
you begin to smile. You are, in the words of Wilco van Rooijen, taking a 50/50 chance that seldom
goes wrong. Or, as Paulo Coelho puts it famously: “And, when you want19 something, all the
universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”20

'Your automatic creative mechanism is teleological. That is, it operates in terms of goals and end
results. Once you give it a definite goal to achieve, you can depend upon its automatic guidance
system to take you to that goal much better than “you” ever could by conscious thought. “You”
supply the goal by thinking in terms of end results. Your automatic mechanism then supplies the
means whereby.'

—Maxwell Maltz

'As you're moving from point A to point B you encounter things and people think that what they
encounter are objects, but that is not the case. [...] The things that you encounter aren't objects –
they seem to be more like tools or obstacles. And I don't mean that we see objects and turn them
into tools or obstacles; I mean that we see tools and obstacles, because what happens is that
when you array yourself towards a goal, then the world transforms itself into things that get into
the way of that goal, things that facilitate your moments towards the goal and irrelevant things.'

– Jordan B. Peterson

A strong belief can make the subconsciousness pass things through the filter that will assist in the
realization of the WILL. Imagine you are working on a data analysis with a WILL to succeed and,

19Original in Portugese: 'querer', which translates to: 'want', 'will', 'desire', 'love', 'feel like'. Obviously, this is a much more
encompassing term than the English 'want' ('wish', 'need', 'crave', 'desire').

20 Of course, Paulo wrote this originally in Portuguese, in which the linguistic divide we made between will and want is less evident.

33
while you scroll be hundreds of lines of coding fast, you notice a super tiny typo in one of the lines
of commands. How on earth did you note that!? Attraction. It's like seeing a golden arch in the
middle of a hectic urban scenery.

Proactive Attraction & Quantum Aspects

Besides altering the filter on everything occurring in our surroundings, the law of attraction is
thought to work in another way: through actual attraction. A little digging into quantum physics
provides us with the understanding that things we perceive as matter; as fixed and tangible
things, are actually all comprised of moving energy. If you were (able) to look into an atom, you
find nuclei in which protons and neutrons are flying about at near speed of light. All movement
and interaction. That's right. Interaction with other vessels of energy – people included.

I will not go into the science of quantum physics in this book, for I know far too little of it, but just
try this little thing for the sake of argument. The next time you see someone, act and smile. When
your eyes meet, just smile, nothing more. Do you know what will happen? People tend to smile
back. You act, there is a reaction that's a mirror of yours. Would it be too far out to say that this is
because the smile radiates an energy that is reciprocated? Would it be lunatic to say that people
smile because the energy of a smile attracts? Of course, if you walk about cracky, you wouldn't
get the smiles.

The same kind of attraction occurs when you have a focus on achieving your goal. Perhaps you
manage to ask the right question on the right moment to some professor who advices you to
contact so and so to assist you with your research. Or perhaps you meet the love of your life in a
bar you consciously (or unconsciously) entered. Didn't you then act, before the event came to
pass?

The workings of the filter on the subconsciousness are well-established and WILL serve you in
attaining your goal. The workings of the quantum aspect of the law of attraction; the 'actual'
attraction of that what you focus on, are a bit more hazy, though they seem to work as well in
practice. Personally, I think they go hand in hand. Whereas the former is reactive: dealing with the
things that strike the filter of the unconsciousness, the latter is proactive: 'making things happen'.
In order to make it to the finish-line, you've got to have a clear vision alright, but you also need to
act. Otherwise, nothing is going to happen for sure. There is no attraction in a vacuum that's
devoid of potentiality. If you have the WILL to achieve, you WILL manoeuvre yourself into spheres of
potential. If you want to get a cool supervisor for your thesis, you must cross paths with one. And
for this, you've got to act. Then, when you do cross paths, the supervisor can 'smell' if you're
passionate or not; if you're eager; psyched; if you have the WILL to crack the nut. And you're
breathing this, there's nothing to worry about. You've attracted a keen supervisor who you may

34
never have met if you'd have remained passively waiting on your room with the perfect filter, but in
the wrong environment.21

'If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes
his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.'

– Mahatma Gandhi

21 Although only very briefly mentioned here for the sake of scope, the law of attraction is the key factor in ample books on being
successful e.g. 'The Master Key System (Haanel)', 'Think and Grow Rich' (Hill), 'Master your Mindset' (Pilarczyk), 'the Seven Spiritual
laws of Success' (Chopra). But it is also the implicit focal point of many novels (e.g. 'The Alchemist' (Coelho) or 'the Age of
Reason' (Sartre)), non-fiction (e.g. 'The Doors of Perception' (Huxley)) and, in one way or another, in a myriad religious and spiritual
scriptures – hence, the universal aspect.
35
3. Archetypes
When I was a child, I once sat by a campfire. Night had fallen quite some time ago, I remember it
was fairly dark. There weren't any stars out and the only thing I could see were the tranquil flames
and the tangerine colored faces of the children around in the gentle blaze. Those in front were fully
blocked by the firelight.

Someone introduced a game that might be familiar to some of you: a person makes up a
sentence and whispers it in the ear of the person on the right (or left). The message is only meant
for the single listener - all others are not to hear what's being said. Then, the person who received
the message passes it forth to the next person in line, all the way until it makes full orbit and
returns to sender. Usually, the initial sentence comes out completely crooked and twisted. All the
initial words had been replaced; most of the intended meaning had been gone. And the thing
finally coming out typically is somewhat random and makes no sense at all. Fun.

Based on this phenomenon, we may be inclined to say that people are bad at listening and telling
tales in a way that's akin to the original message. Apparently, we suck in verbal communication,
for we all include different things to the mentioned words. The original narrator includes a joke
about someone in the circle, the joke is rid of its evident sarcasm in the next passing, turns into a
queer kind of matter of fact, and then is lost completely. What is left is not the joke, but something
none could really have foreseen. In passing by the people in line, the stories change – they are in
continual flux and metamorphosis. The listener narrates and drops some elements deemed
irrelevant and adds some deemed unmissable. And so people add and take until the whole thing
is twisted.

The question arises what it would be that the narrators add to and subtract from. Is it merely an
arbitrary haze of personal additives revolving around nothing essential, or is there something like a
red line in the story?

Imagine that instead of sitting at this circle, we expand the perspective to a grand,
intergenerational setting. Instead of the narrators listening and passing on a single line, they now
hear entire stories. And instead of having the thing go in orbit, they now hear it from their parents,
and pass on the stories to their children. In this setting, again many things will be added over
time. And many things will be subtracted. Some generations think it's important to include a ferry
to the tale, others take the ferry and replace it for a dragon. Then comes a generation that
includes a dramatic event which alters the whole narrative. But the next generation doesn't agree
completely and gives it some alternative subtle twist.

Imagine this process going on for numerous iterations; tens of thousands of years over all
mankind, as it actually did with oral traditions. Would there be a great whirr of randomness? Or
could it just be that there is a red line to be distinguished in all stories that have undergone
enough filtering? In the end, isn't there some kind of 'truth' to the plot that strikes ground with
each and everyone who hears?

36
The essence distilled from vast repetitions of this kind of narration over human history can be
called archetypal: it's something deeply embedded in our makeup. Over time, The noise has been
removed; the core of the message remains. The great archetypal story gives rise to some 'innate',
deep-rooted sentiment. We watch the film or read the book and are touched by something that is
made up by others humans – pure fiction; it never happened. But when we hear the metaphor, we
take the message and feel something, don't we?

The etymology of the word 'metaphor' roots in the Greek word 'meta': over, across – and 'bher':
to carry (or to bear children – ouch!). When we hear stories and examples that contain archetypes,
the tale carries us across and over to the higher essence of the message. After the story, we 'get
it', even though it would be generally impossible to say what this 'it' would be. For archetypes are
hazy, mystical creatures. We all know them by heart, but we can't really put them in words.

The archetypal power vested in metaphors make powerful tools – the reason authors typically
draw super heavy on these kind of examples aimed at pointing the observer to the deeper core of
their message. Someone feels it 'to be right', but wouldn't be able to really say why. It's a matter
of metaphysics; it goes beyond language.

In the realm of success theory, examples are not shunned. Rather, most authors use so many
examples, that for people who do not get the 'meta-message' - the 'archetype' - it's just
senseless really. If you're on the brink of discovering WILL, taking a peek behind the veil might do
the trick. The metaphor might reveal to you the meta: you might get 'it'. If you're are 'ready', then
Hill's book on success is like a sweet kickstart. But what if you're not fueled up yet? What if
you're not ready; if you don't get 'it' yet?

Lucky Ones

Some fortunate people display behavior that's unconsciously nested in the success-archetype.
The concierge who writes you a kind note, the mechanic who checks the oil of your car for free,
the manager who happily sacrifices his time for the good of the firm without feeling vexed, the
host on AriBnB who left you a bunch of candies – all good vibes. If you would ask them 'why',
they probably say it's because it makes them happy, because they are 'the change they want to
see in the world22 ', because they 'treat others in a way they wish to be a universal maxim23 ',
because they 'treat their neighbor as they treat themselves24 ' – because it feels right.

Fireplace stories about such reciprocity pop up from all over the spectrum; from people with vary
different backgrounds and cultures. Perhaps you notice that there is something archetypal
concealed in them – something that is related to a successful lifestyle. Why there is a relationship
between such an attitude and success, that question remains unanswered. Many people, as
described, do not really care for that vacancy of knowledge, for they implicitly found the answer

22 c.f. Mahatma Gandhi

23 Kant and the Categorical Imperative

24 Mark 12:31
37
by incorporating the maxims into their own lives25. For those lucky ones, it just is what it is. But for
many others, these implicit motifs don't strike ground. They are like the typical students. They
want to know.

When I look around, I don't see much of the success-archetype practice. To me it seems that
many are struggling with their marathons, objectives and theses, just as much as they are
struggling with life itself. And many are trying to figure out what it actually is that they want. If you
know what that is, then WILL is within arm's reach. You can read the examples and at some point it
might hit you. Great. But if you're not there, the metaphor is completely lost on you. You don't 'get
it' and you can't carry it over to your own reality. You read a story like that of Eliud and think: 'ah,
what an inspiring man'. Yet the tale doesn't kindle your own ambition to make a change for the
good. You might begin running with all others, but at some point far from the finish-line, your legs
go numb and you perish.

In constructing this simple synthesis of success, I've appealed to many examples myself in this
guidebook. Wilco van Rooijen, Muhammed Ali, Eliud: examples intended to spark an archetypal
fuse somewhere. But they remain examples nonetheless. In this chapter, I take on the challenge
to extract from all the prior examples of success the success-archetype: the kernel schema; the
blueprint of how something evolves from state of mind to physical manifestation. This blueprint of
attaining success is furnished with content in chapter 5, which is transformed into a blueprint for
writing a killer thesis in the next part of this book: Part One.

3.1 The Success Archetype

'But it went without saying that his life was bounded by time, space, and probability. Like everyone
else’s in this world. None of us could escape those constraints, as long as we lived. Each of us
was enclosed by sturdy walls that stretched high in the air, surrounding us on all sides. Probably.'

– Haruki Murakami

As you might recall, the law of attraction, introduced in chapter 2, has two manifestations.

• Passive Attraction

The human mainframe can be altered, which affects how the subconsciousness passes objects
through the filter that benefit the aim of the agent. By giving the right instructions, such as 'red',
things WILL reach our awareness when they pass the senses. Let's call this 'passive attraction'.

• Active Attraction

By acting; by surrounding ourselves with potential; by working hard for what we aim to achieve,
we move ourselves into spheres of opportunity, and thereby build the path towards success.
This we call 'active attraction'.

25 c.f. Kierkegaard
38
These boil down to the following maxim of achievement:

• Pay attention (passive)

• Act (active)

When we add to these two maxims the lessons from earlier chapters, we get something like:

• Pay attention to that what happens in your surroundings so that you don't miss out on the
slightest of opportunities. A conditioned subconsciousness will make you catch the ball, make
the leap, do the impossible and get the better of that 50/50 situation, as Wilco would have had
it.

• Act as if you are already successful. The vision of the finish-line feels animate and real, as if
you're already there. And if you act as if you're already there, you'll begin attracting the things
you would attract if you physically were there already. People around you get inspired by your
passion, your ambition, your drive. Work hard, and those around pick up on that, and include
you more and more in their own walks of life. Do it well, and their friends soon will become your
friends. Do it very well, and you'll reach thousands and thousands of people, one of whom
might hand you the key to your success.


'Ask and it WILL be given to you; seek and you WILL find; knock and the door WILL be opened to
you.'

– Matthew 7:7

The Blueprint

Let's simplify your marathon to the simplest example possible: algebra. Say you are in state A and
you WILL reach state Z, but you don't know the sequence of the alphabet. In hindsight – that is
after accomplishment, you would feel that B brought you closer to your aim, but you don't know
that yet when you're at A.

All the letters of the alphabet represent significant, life-changing states or events that bring you
towards the finish-line – significant in hindsight, that is. Finding your dream job, meeting the love
of your life, those kind of things. If you don't act, neither might ever happen. B might never get to
lead you to C (say the father of the love of your life has an awesome career opportunity). If you
don't pay attention, you might miss experience H in person, which could have served as a great
shortcut. Such events typically arise and go within a split-second and one can be enough. The
question is: do you want to meet H? You're looking for Z, right?

The thing is that H might well bring you a big step closer to Z. And so you should be looking for H
as well, even though you don't know, in advance, that H is the way up the ranks. This only
becomes clear, after having had the experience – after having achieved.

39
 'Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards'

– Kierkegaard

So, if all these things can only be seen as meaningful in retrospect, then what is the attitude we
must adopt? What is the maxim that brings us closer to Z, taking into account our a priori lack of
knowledge of the way up our mountain?

In this example, H holds the potential to bring you closer to Z. But so do B,C,D, all the way to Y.
Now assume there is also an outlier in your world, #, who is not related to any letter, (including Z,
of course). And so this outlier is not going to help you with anything directly. But this you can only
know in hindsight. From your current stance, # and Y may look the same. So how treat them?

The answer is self-evident. As equal. Treat them as if they both will bring you closer to Z. This
holds for everyone in your network, but also for every single person on this planet, even the most
remote outlier. It also includes people you would think to be outliers a priori, but who, at a certain
time and space, might serve you in attaining your goal, albeit indirectly. Take a beggar on the
streets for example. Perhaps you give him money and thereby help him, as you would help
anyone who you knew to bring you closer to your great goal – and then this beggar suddenly
turns out to be Paulo Coelho26. Or say K walks by and takes note of your act of charity. Who
knows, right? Everyone might bring you closer to your goal, as long as you pay attention. All might
bring you closer, as long as you act as if they bring you truly closer to your goal.

If you don't act, nor pay attention, you'll only get to Z once in a blue moon. But you don't have
infinite tries. You have one life. And then you're a goner.

If you do both: act and pay attention, getting to Z might strike you as fairly easy in this example.
The longest route would be passing by all letters (and outliers) before you're there, starting with B
and finally finding Z. This might take a long time, perhaps your whole life, but it wouldn't matter
much. You either find Z eventually, or you don't. But even then your joy is equal, for WILL knows no
time. This is why Eliud smiled when he was still miles from the finish-line; this is why I am smiling
now. Whether you're at B or at Y, you will already rejoice in the same sentiment of eventual
triumph.

How it exactly will work for you, that I don't know. Your road to fortune may be unknown, surely it
will lead you into foreign lands. But just as surely it will lead you towards success. Or, in the words
Jordan B. Peterson: "The pathway to inconceivable but reprehensible riches beckons [...] all that
is lacking is your WILLINGNESS and ability to walk down it."27

26 From his book 'Aleph'

27 https://jordanbpeterson.com/political-correctness/trouble-at-the-university-of-amsterdam/
40
4. Note on Marathons & Unknown Journeys
When Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens, it's assumable he vaguely knew the route he
was taking. At some point, say when he crossed a town along the way, he must have known he'd
ran half the distance. Probably he didn't know the exact numbers, but I think it's fair to say he had
some ballpark notion. Closer to Athens, he might have rejoiced, much like Eliud, who reportedly
began to smile at a distance of 35 kilometers. The finish-line was drawing near; ever closer. It's
assumable he knew, at the sight of the city afar, that his mission was almost completed.

Pro lapsu inter salutandum28 !

Free translated: fuck yeah, we won! This Pheidippides allegedly exclaimed unto the people of
Athens with his dying breath after having completed his marathon.

4.1 Classic Marathon

Many marathons are in nature similar to one Pheidippides ran: task-specific. They begin at a
specified location: a start, 'Marathon', and travel by all kinds of places - checkpoints, say - prior
to reaching the finish-line: 'Athens'. The route they follow is, in essence, predetermined. There are
a bunch of places known to the runner in advance; places one simply has to pass. What will
happen on the road, that is somewhat of a mystery. But the road is there and the finish is fixed.

The same segmented structure holds for challenges such as 'writing a thesis', 'giving a
presentation', or 'climbing Everest'. Even though they do all vary in length and size, all these
ordeals share a fundamental characteristic: they have a clear start, a fixed finish-line and
identifiable segments in-between. A presentation requires an introduction, a story, a conclusion –
a thesis requires a topic, a supervisor, a defense – climbing Everest requires going from camp to
camp. In walking down the road towards achievement, these intermediary checkpoints cannot be
circumvented. Indeed, they constitute little goals on themselves.

4.2 Unknown Journey

Not all ordeals share the familiar Marathon structure. Indeed, there are ordeals that have no
known road and no fixed finish-line. There is a start and something of an end, but there is nothing
to be seen in-between; the whole thing is in flux. These ordeals begin in a place called Marathon
and end somewhere else, but might well take you by celestial bodies and Nirvana. There are no
checkpoints; it's unmapped terrain. And typically, they don't end up at Athens at all, but in Rome
or Sparta instead.

If someone merely wants 'to be successful' without any further definition of succes, then his is no
marathon. For what, in the end, is success? Success is not concrete; it has no clear ending; no

28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheidippides
41
route. It is a recurring phenomenon that might well be a life's quest. It's not like, at some point,
you'll say: "ok. Now I am successful". You could only say that once you've defined the aim clearly.

4.3 The Envisionability Difference

The vision of the Unknown Journey is not fixed, for the ordeal is not task specific. Instead, the
vision is moving and changing as you go. This is not problematic; the road unfolds as you're
walking it down. In fact, the misconception of the moving vision is one of the causes that many
young people are afraid to begin something that's beyond the task-specific, a career for example.
They think they have to see the whole final image at the start. This is not true – the whole image
becomes clear only in the process and can only be understood in hindsight.

The finish-line of a marathon can be visualized with accuracy. We can think of an actual finish-line;
a graduation ceremony, the summit of Everest – easy stuff. In addition, we can overthink the
course of success, for the whole route goes by predetermined checkpoints. The segments of the
route we are to take are known to us a priori. Someone who wants to climb Everest has to go
from basecamp, to camp I, to camp II to camp III to camp IV and finally to the summit. Someone
who runs an actual marathon has to train and prepare and then run from A to Z, passing by all
checkpoints as she goes. B, C, D, etc. And someone who writes a thesis has to follow the normal
procedure from proposal to defense. All steps well-defined in advance.

With Unknown Journeys there are no check-points beforehand. You are going somewhere, but
currently you are here, at basecamp. The road to your success is unsure; you can visualize the
finish-line as you currently see it currently, but how you WILL get there, that is impossible to say.
There are no fixed checkpoints. There is a race from A to some kind of Z, but it needn't take you
by any of the letters in between. In fact, it might well go through Chinese symbols, numbers and
hieroglyphs. The absence of a predetermined road and a moving objective is what distinguishes
the Unknown Journey from the Classic Marathon.

'When it comes to the realization of complex targets, there is the notion of moving vision. At one
point in my career, I thought I wanted to spend all my days in the gym. Until the moment came I
had to run one for three weeks, well, let's say I came back on that pretty quick. [...] There is
nothing wrong with that. Working in sprints provides the time to process the moving vision and
think: 'do I still WILL what I WILLED? If not, then what's next?'

– Michel Vos29

4.4 The Marathon Test

The different natures of ordeals are irrelevant with respect to the visualization of the finish-line.
Both put success into tangible terms and thereby enable the working of the law of attraction. You

29 Free translated from 'Lifecrafting at HAN'

42
can envision yourself living in that great mansion, just as you can envision yourself standing on
the summit of Everest. You can kindle WILL through envisioning, no matter whether it's about
'being successful' or 'writing a thesis', or having that grand house. But when it comes to the in-
between – to the checkpoints – with the Unknown Journey there is not much more you can do.
You can have a moving vision and that's basically all there is to it. Better just start now. You can't
envision a way through college, finding a job, getting promoted, becoming rich, browsing through
a catalogue, finding a house, getting a mortgage – the whole charade – until you finally have the
house you desire. Who says that's the road for you? Who say's you'll walk the trodden path
towards success? Bill Gates didn't. And surely his mansion is pretty sweet.

When we zoom in on a marathon, we see facets of the road we have to take. When we look
closely, we can identify the checkpoints. Some aspects may be beyond vision – those small bits
of the race between the checkpoints – the stuff we'll find on the road, but the checkpoints
themselves are well-defined. Camp I, Camp II, all the way up. B,C,D. And thus these checkpoints
can be visualized in the same way we can visualize the great summit afar. That's the awesome
thing about marathons. The marathon can be divided into many smaller segments we can visualize
a priori.

The Marathon Checkup

If you are not sure whether your marathon is a Classic Marathon, or Unknown Journey, you can
find out by asking yourself the 'how-question'. Do you know how you are going to get to the top?
Do you know the way? Or is the 'how' completely unknown?

Classic marathons with checkpoints always have identifiable 'hows'. Unknown Journeys never
do; the road is a mystery to us until we walk it down.

43
5 Become of Faith
'There was a language in the world that everyone understood ... It was the language of
enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as part of a search for something
believed in and desired.'

– Paulo Coelho

I once had a very unsuccessful start-up with a friend of mine in the environmental-friendly
business sector. During one of the brainstorm-sessions – which we were having on the daily, we
arrived at an idea which was good and simple. There were no startup cost and so it fitted in our
budget.

Quite overwhelmed by all the possibilities, we began working without much of a plan – only with a
general idea of where we wanted to end up. We started rashly, which is a common reaction to
overwhelming ordeals. Another typical reaction is procrastination and denial, which is more
common to marathons we don't really like to run, such as a thesis. Anyways, we just began
rashly. We had the idea of a setup, a business registration, a bank account and a supplier. Easy
stuff; we made our way through some initial issues and were soon on the way. 

We never even spoke of what happened next. We both wanted to be successful, but we never
defined that success with hard data. We wanted to make revenue, but we never set targets that
were within reach. Instead, we were merely musing with a great obscure apex afar.

The bigger the objective, the more remote it often feels. 'Setting up a business' is even more
remote than 'setting up a website'. A big revenue target is ever farther off. And the further away
the final finish-line, the more foreign it becomes – the more distant it feels and the less animate
the vision. If you begin a start-up with your mind set on that ambitious revenue target, but if you
don't believe for 110% that you WILL get there, a goal like that may soon become very daunting
and demotivating. Even worse, it tends to startle and paralyze at some point, disabling you to
preform the easy task at hand, such as setting up a bank account.

5.1 Scaling Down

'You need to know where you are, so you can start to chart your course. [...] You need to know
where you are going, so that you can limit the extent of chaos in your life, restructure order, and
bring the divine force of Hope to bear on the world.'

– Jordan B. Peterson

Start-up, thesis or marathon: focussing on the faraway finish-line instead of the next camp can be
a lethal mistake. It's very difficult to believe in something far-flung – anyways much more difficult
than to believe in something small and at hand. A master-thesis gives us the chills, finding a topic
may be painstaking, but reading interesting articles with an eye out on a potential subject doesn't
seem that remote. And when you grow faith in the latter, you can grow faith in the second, and
finally even in the foremost objective.

44
'As humans, when we see work piling up in some huge heap, we feel intimidated. But when you
start working orderly on something that is your WILL – whether it a new job, that house or your own
business, it's important to remember the following: complex projects are nothing but big
computations of tiny tasks that only require a minute of your time. And if you work with structure
and if you keep nailing those tiny tasks: at some point you WILL be done. You don't have to do it all
in one go.'

– Michel Vos30

If we would have adopted this approach in our start-up from the beginning, we wouldn't have
gotten lost right after the start. The problem is that once you've left basecamp, you don't really
want to return because of a difficulty that occurs now, far farther on the ascent. We reached a
point early up where we lost our bearings completely. If we would have had prepared a prospect
of camp I, we may have foreseen a tricky, slippery slope and brought some ice-axes to deal with
it. Everyone who climbs up to camp I brings them, so why didn't we? Simple. We never thought of
camp I at all, and so we lacked all the tools required for that segments of our climb.

5.2 Grow Faith

Remember how I was standing at basecamp in my lucky shorts right next to Wilco van Rooijen?
Imagine that instead of looking up at the summit, I turn to camp I – a camp that's only 550 meters
higher up than basecamp. It feels reachable. Possible. 550 meters is not that much, even though
it's still no joke. But I feel confident that I can make it – so confident, that I can envision me and
Wilco having dinner up there. With this sentiment, and with the knowledge that camp II is only 600
meters higher than camp I, I may even see myself up ever higher – ever closer to the summit. But
then, camp III is only some meters higher than camp II. And before I know, I have faith in all the
segments. Then, thinking again of the whole route, now with a belief in the checkpoints, I might
find myself with a belief in the eventual summit. Suddenly, I see myself up the great peak as if it
was already real. What will happen in-between the camps, that I don't know. But I believe in the
intermediate goals; I have WILL; and so I'm sure that I attract success. I may reach a point where I
have a 50/50 chance of making it. And somehow I feel that I WILL be on the better end.

5.3 Non-checkpoints & Negation

When we are building faith in our WILL, it's important to keep two things in mind.

1. Non-checkpoints | You can't think up checkpoints where there are none; you can't be rigid
about the road in an Unknown Journey. And you can't make up things for in-between the
smallest identifiable checkpoints in our marathons. Think of Edison with his lightbulb. He had
WILL and faith, and his only measurable point on the horizon was a moving vision. Light. He

30 Free translated from 'Lifecrafting at HAN'

45
 wanted to make light, but he didn't know how, nor did he know the exact tool he would end
up needing. Edison searched for a solution by testing methods and tools, but he didn't focus
on trying method 1054, say. He had to try them all in order to find out. 



'Commit not to rigidly impose your ideas of how things should be. Allow yourself and those
around you the freedom to be natural.'

– Deepak Chopra

2. Negation | 'Shall not' doesn't work. A WILL can't be negative. We all know that convincing
yourself that 'thou shall not', often turns out into 'thou shall'. A restrictive will forces your
subconsciousness to go in defend mode. The subconscious can't judge right or wrong; good
or bad. Instead of acting on the negative order, your subconsciousness will merely cramp
together due to the 'shall not' because of fear. The subconsciousness then tries everything to
prevent the dreaded thing from happening, but this is a notoriously counter-productive
endeavor. You should have faith that something you don't want to happen doesn't come to
pass. And if it does, then maybe it is for the better: maybe it is something that is required for
attaining your greater goal. Incorporating negations is just a sign of weakness and fear and
may well bring that fear into reality.

'A lover once asked a fortune-teller for a written charm,


who said, take this amulet and bury it beneath the earth,

but while you bury it, do not think of monkeys,

for the thought of monkeys will distance you from your mate. 


Every which way he went to plant that buried charm 


a monkey’s form appeared in ambush of his heart. 

If only you wouldn’t mention the monkey, he sighed

None who seek your help would make monkeys of their heart.'
– Rumi31

5.4 The Benefits of Segmentation into Sprints

Segmenting your great marathon into smaller sprints has the following benefits:

1. It provides us with faith in the smaller step right ahead, eventually boosting overall faith.

2. It enables us to foresee things we might forget if we only stare at the summit.

3. In Unknown Journeys, it helps us recuperate, evaluate and study our moving vision32.

31 Ghazal 1839

32 Michel Vos & Wiggert Meerman

46
'Don’t underestimate the power of vision and direction. These are irresistible forces, able to
transform what might appear to be unconquerable obstacles into traversable pathways and
expanding opportunities.'

– Jordan B. Peterson

5.5 The Mountain-View Exercise

Prior chapters learned us that it's important to rally your power of WILL, for this affects your
subconsciousness and eventually aids in attracting things that are beneficial to your aim. Your
subconsciousness fares well with clear and lively imagines, for it can't distinct between a realistic
imagination or a physical reality. In order to be successful, you must reach the state where the
final result is optimally animate and already feels tangible in the present. You must reach the point
where you can truthfully say: 'no matter what, I WILL reach that summit.'

In this section, we establish that image through cutting up your classic marathon in
comprehensible and credible bits and pieces. We are going to bring things down to earth; to the
smallest of identifiable checkpoints, to the lowest level you can envision – to something you can
believe in.

Take a look at figure 1. Every classic marathon consists of many small ones: checkpoints. And
probably you are at a point where you are only sure of the final goal; the last step; the thing you
have to achieve, be it writing a thesis, giving a presentation, or running an actual marathon like
Eliud.

5)

4)

3)

2)

1)
Figure 1.

Exercise A

It's time to get practical. Take a blank sheet of paper and a pen and draw a mountain like the one
in Figure 1. Then write down your great aim on top, at point 5. This is where you are going. This is
the finish-line of your great marathon. And don't be too concise in describing it; don't forget to
make it animate, visual and thus realistic. Describe it in a way that just kindles the full scope of

47
your imagination. Do it in a way that gives you a sensation of a priori experience. Feel free to use
symbols or images. If you prefer to use figure 1. as portrayed, you can find a printable version in
appendix I.

It is of core importance to reduce the remoteness of your description and give it a strong personal
touch. So instead of writing down 'finish my thesis' – something that is super abstract and kindles
zero visual imagination, you are far better off saying: 'sign the document that states I defended
my thesis with success'. Better yet: 'feel the weight of the pen as I sign my diploma; sensing the
significance of the event, sensing the audience present; seeing my beloved ones amongst them,
knowing that this is my final act at the university – smiling for success.' Do you feel the difference
there? Clear, envisionable goals constitute powerful orders to your subconsciousness, are more
likely to fuel belief; trigger WILL and benefit the overall workings of the law of attraction. If you
aren't a person for sweet words, then turn to images. Search for photo's of graduation
ceremonies and diplomas that you feel drawn to, print these, and add them to the summit of your
mountain.

After having formulated what's up there with the utmost envisionability possible, take it one step
down. Prior to reaching the top, we must deal with the last section of the climb: the part between
section four and five. What will be the second-to-last station on our great ascent? What is the last
thing you have to do before you can sign off on that final document? If you are to write a thesis,
this will probably be your thesis defense: this event constitutes the last step towards graduation.

Go ahead and formulate step four for yourself. Of course, just at with the zenith, you shouldn't
portray it as 'defense'. That doesn't make you feel anything – except for abstract repulsion
perhaps. To me, it seems a dead description. Make it animate and bring it to life. If you've paid
attention, you will note the intended pleonasm here: animate things are alive. And so your animate
vision of the segment, is actually already the segment, in a way.

Great, we have clarified a tricky slope near the top. Now, in a same way, think of what it is that
proceeds the defense. Again look down into the depths and try to locate the prior camp; the prior
checkpoint. What are the things you must do before being able to give a presentation on a
research? When writing a thesis, this step will probably be: writing a thesis (3). This may sound as
lame as the guy in the story of Paul, but for now it might be the only step we can think of. This is
the smallest identifiable checkpoint for now. A defense requires something to defend, that is self-
evident. We can't think of much other solid checkpoints in-between and so we have established
camp 3.

Of course, 'writing a thesis' may be a very daunting and distant concept – one that's hard to
visualize and belief. In trying to portray it, you close your eyes and imagine the segment as hard
as you can, but you probably still feel like I did when I stood with Wilco on Mount Everest – it
doesn't kindle faith. Don't worry about this for now; we will deal with this problem in exercise B.
First we will continue our first descent and consider what it is we need to do prior to writing a
thesis. What could be a camp before that dreadful, incomprehensible section 3 emerges?
Amongst many, think of the most fundamental: the thing that is truly of the essence before moving

48
up towards 'writing a thesis'. If you're doing research, there are some perquisites that must be
satisfied before you can start. One of these is having a supervisor. Then again look further down
the abyss. There you'll find that prior to having a supervisor, you must know what it is that you
want to research. You must have a topic. And this is your basecamp: where you are now. You're
looking for a topic.

We have chopped up the marathon and created a mountain with some in-between sections we
can envision: valid checkpoints. But some sections are remote and strike us just as foreign as the
great finish-line itself. These great segments you've identified still give you the familiar chills – they
are challenges you can't see yourself doing just yet. Turning to our example of writing the thesis,
step 3 will no doubt strike you as complex, vague and 'incredible'. We could call this the most
challenging section of the mountain. Perhaps we require three or four ropes, ice axes, a
toothbrush and a condom... who knows?

Exercise B

When you encounter a section that seems beyond belief, you can repeat the exercise – you can
repeat the trick you've just learned. If this happens, you zoom in on the section you discovered
and draw a complete new mountain for that particular ordeal. Again, you place the daunting
section on top. And again, you descend the new mountain and identify checkpoints that must be
passed before overall accomplishment.

When writing a thesis, the third section of your mountain contains many different aspects that
cannot be bypassed. If you take a look at Figure 2, you realize that every thesis that is written is to
follow these exact steps. And since they cannot be circumvented, they constitute valid
checkpoints once more. If these segments would have only been relevant to some theses, but not
in general in your discipline, then you would have gone one step too far. Who says you will not
venture that less trodden path? Remember, you can't envision the in-between.

Perhaps you notice that, even though only abstractly depicted, the steps in the second mountain
feel less foreign to you. Formulating a conclusion, finding results, setting up a research, preparing
datasets – these are things students must have first hand association with. In a way, it's like
having had a dinner at a MacDonalds restaurant before: you know the arch is a sign for food and
so you are WILLING to drive around until you find the place.

Draw mountains for the tricky section(s) you've discovered in Figure 1. Then place that difficult,
remote task atop the new mountain and descend in the familiar way. Again, use visual content to
make the steps comprehensible, animate and envisionable. Go ahead.

49
 5) Writing my thesis

4) Formulate a conclusion

3) Find results with my research

2) Set up a research, make a hypothesis

1) Prep. assemble data and formulate an aim

Figure 2. Section 3

When you're done, the result for step 3 from your first mountain will look in essence similar to
Figure 2, albeit it much more colorful and animate. All portrayed steps must be challenged in
order to satisfy 'writing my thesis'. And this holds for every single thesis there is. Valid
checkpoints.

Look at the individual, smallest steps down the mountain(s) you've just made. Imagine you are
preparing, assembling data and formulating an aim. Imagine you are reading articles with an eye
out on interesting topics. Then, when you feel at ease visualizing those steps, take it a small step
upwards. Do you believe you can set up a research? Do you see yourself formulating a question
based on something you've found in an article? Slowly work your way all the way up to the zenith
of your secondary mountain(s). Is this something you see yourself do?

Exercise C

When it's not, you can stipulate more segments and repeat the exercise again and again, until you
reach the smallest fixities in the bigger sections. Truly great objectives may have challenges within
challenges within challenges (within challenges etc.). And all of these challenges might contain
valid checkpoints. These are all steps you must do to succeed. If you want, you can create as
many of these diagrams as you please, until the segments are small enough to comprehend – and
envision. At some point you will look at the last mountain you've drawn and think: 'hey, this is not
so crazy'. And then you will turn to the mountain that precedes it and think much the same thing.
And then, some moment, you might just look up at Everest and think 'I can do this'. And it's not
just that you think you can. No. You now know you can. You believe you can. And this belief
bestows you with an unstoppable power of WILL.

'Men who are resolved to find a way for themselves, WILL always find opportunities enough; and if
they do not lie ready to their hand, they WILL make them.'

– Smiles

50
Additional Exercise Information

In drawing these mountains, the segments you identify might be more or less involved than the
ones portrayed in the examples. More difficult segments could contain more than five steps,
whereas others could contain less steps. This is definitely possible – the 5-step approach is
merely chosen because it seems recurrent in the thesis procedure, but there might be more or
less steps in your ordeal, or in the smaller sections themselves. Even if a step consists of only two
smaller steps, it never hurts to identify these nonetheless. In the end, many small sparks of fate
can kindle great belief.

It is important to keep in mind not make up checkpoints where there are none. Marathons can be
divided in many sections, but at some point you will reach a segment that contains only unknown
factors (much like an Unknown Journey). You could say that 'finding a topic' can be divided into
'searching a topic', 'choosing a topic', 'getting approval for a topic', but you can't say 'going to
www.topic.com and find what I need'. Who is to say your topic doesn't come to you in a
conversation with a shady character in an even more shady club on Saturday night? Remember
the prior lesson:

We can't envision all the steps of the unknown road.

With segmentation you are seeing challenges within challenges that have an unambiguous order –
it's not like you can write a thesis without having a topic. How you'll eventually find that topic you
don't know yet. But at least it is something you believe you can pull off. You are not trying to
master the outcome of the law of attraction; you are specifying the order you give to your
subconsciousness. You are cutting-up the great marathon in sizable chunks in order to find the
blueprint of success that lies beneath the surface. And as the blueprint emerges from the haze,
and as you identify the many small steps that lead up to the final finish-line of the great marathon,
you might just find yourself suddenly instilled with a profound belief in the eventual summit. It
might just strike you like that. 'No matter what, I WILL reach that summit!'

'As legendary psychologist and Stanford professor Albert Bandura has shown, our belief systems
affect our actions, goals, and perception. Individuals who come to believe that they can effect
change are more likely to accomplish what they set out to do. Bandura calls that conviction “self-
efficacy.” People with self-efficacy set their sights higher, try harder, persevere longer, and show
more resilience in the face of failure.'
-Tom Kelley


51
6. Attention, Focus & Mindfulness
'Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a
masterpiece.'

—Nadia Boulanger (GTD)

I'm driving down the highway, hands tightly clutched on the steering wheel. Wilco van Rooijen had
been on the radio a while ago, but now there is only a static whirr. I haven't thought about
switching off the sound system; I haven't noticed it. Below, the asphalt is shooting by fast. Long
white stripes on the middle lane turn solid as I push pedal to the metal. Speeding up, my eyes
narrow, I am in a race against the clock; I'm focussed on the road. But then, all of the sudden, a
gold object pops up into view and draws my attention like a magnet – distracting me from the
race.

What do you do?

When you are close to Athenes, but Kim Kardashian posts a selfie on Instagram.

What do you do?

When you are on a business meeting and your interviewer turns out to be insanely hot.

What do you do?

Well, obviously you should be ignoring those things. We all know that. You should pay attention to
the task at hand. You should, but we all know this can be pretty difficult. We think we want to
write a thesis, and maybe we even have the WILL to write a thesis, but we also have to deal with
other courses at university, with social life, family, global warming, president Trump, zwartepiet.
That's annoying, for these things do not help us in getting stuff done. Instead, they draw attention,
take up time, and may even cause us to make mistakes, potentially steering us to some tricky
slope completely unprepared. I'm not saying these things are not important in general, because
sometimes they are. I'm just saying they are not relevant with respect to your great marathon.

Work efficiency is directly inflated by distraction. In some scenario's, say a thesis defense, this
may strike you as self-evident. If your mind is somewhere else, you'll never be able to ace the
thing while you're on stage. If you are thinking of your girlfriend, instead of thinking of the task at
hand, something is bound to go terribly wrong.

With other, less pressing matters, say the preparing of a research, this problem may be less
apparent. Say your plan is to read ten papers each day until you find a cool topic for your thesis.
I'm pretty sure you could do so while thinking of girls in bikinis all the time without it showing up in
your results directly. The results of the distraction will only become visible much later – much
higher up your mountain – kicking you in the nuts and sending you off a cliff head-first.

52
A person whose mind is cluttered by distractions can never be fully productive – nor can she be
successful. You can't serve two lords33. It is simply impossible to run that great marathon of yours
if you are thinking of things other than your goal.

Earlier in this guidebook, I explained that the 'law of attraction' works through two mechanisms
(not two lords). One: pay attention to your surroundings and pick up on things that benefit your
aim. Two: act and placing yourself in spheres of potential, so that you maximize the chance of
running into favorable events. But if your mind is somewhere else – if you are not focussed, you
are not aware and thereby risk missing out on potentiality. The 'commandment of WILL' you give to
your subconsciousness is no longer genuine. It's biassed with whatever noise it is that's
distracting you.

"If you cut up a large diamond into little bits, it will entirely loose the value it had as a whole; and
an army divided up into small bodies of soldiers, loses all its strength. So a great intellect sinks to
the level of an ordinary one, as soon as it is interrupted and disturbed, its attention distracted and
drawn off from the matter in hand; for its superiority depends upon its power of concentration —
of bringing all its strength to bear upon one theme, in the same way as a concave mirror collects
into one point all the rays of light that strike upon it. Noisy interruption is a hindrance to this
concentration."

– Arthur Schopenhauer, 1851

"And this is the way to be ready: exert yourself sincerely – not seriously but sincerely. There are
people who are always doing things halfheartedly; lukewarm is their life. They never achieve
anything because they are always holding back. They never move into anything totally, intensely.
They are always standing on the bank and thinking of the farther shore. Or even if sometimes they
try, they are riding on two horses; in case the one fails, the other will always be there. They are
riding in two boats. Their life is so divided that whatsoever they do they always do with a
dividedness. And any flowering of consciousness is possible only when there is an organic unity in
you."

– St. Dionysius the Areopagite

It's important not to be distracted, not to look at golden arches if food is not your WILL, not to
think of girls in bikinis, but this is easier said than done. Do you know that sensation, when you
willfully replace your attention to the task at hand, only to be distracted again a few minutes later?
Did you ever have 'this day' when, despite your great efforts, 'nothing seemed to work'?

I'm sure you have. In our day and age; in the era of the smartphone, 5G and Kim Kardashian,
distraction is omnipresent and unceasing, always ready to slay those who linger. For the first time
in human history, distraction is default; attention hard to find. A century ago one might be

33 Matthew 6:24
53
distracted a few times a day, either by the ringing of the phone, a knock on the door or the crack
of a whip. These things were quite rare, but annoying nonetheless.

"Hammering, the barking of dogs, and the crying of children are horrible to hear; but your only
genuine assassin of thought is the crack of a whip; it exists for the purpose of destroying every
pleasant moment of quiet thought that any one may now and then enjoy."

– Arthur Schopenhauer , 1851

Nowadays, this 'cracking of the whip' happens days on end – night and day. Sirens wailing and
smartphones buzzing, Kim on Insta, it seems to be unavoidable. I think that if Schopenhauer
would have been here with me in Berlin today, he would have wished for a whip to overpower the
urban noise with a lovely, gentle crack – if not to immediately commence a self-flagellation frenzy.
Ouch!

So how can we pay attention to the important stuff without seeking refuge to flagellating
ourselves? How can we prevent our diamond being cut up into bits? How can we focus in this
chaotic day and age?

6.1 Getting Rid of Distraction

Do you know the wooosah saying? When I saw the movie Bad Boys II in the cinema, I was kind of
intrigued by this weird things Martin Lawrence & co. were blurting out throughout the movie.
Buddhist mantra turned Brooklyn, not sure what happened really. But soon after the movie, the
whole 'woosah' thing somehow got adopted by some of my family members. Instead of the usual
'tranquillo' and 'chill out', it was now 'woosah' whenever someone freaked out and needed to
calm down a little. 'Woosah' when toast got burned and pans boiled over. 'Woosah' when the
taxman calls. Thank you Martin.

If you think of saying this strange word, something funny happens. I'm not sure about you guys,
but for me, I'm automatically inclined to inhale and exhale whenever I think 'woosah'. It's like
drawing a fairly large breather. Repeat the thing a bunch of times, and things around you may turn
strangely still. It's like your attention is sucked up by that weird, bad boys mantra.

When kids have a temper, it's common to say: 'calm down and count to ten'. Ballooning face runs
red; eyes squint in agony, you see them go with fury. One, two, three, four ... five ... six ... woosah.
It's like something new suddenly demands all attention and steers it away from agony and
towards, well, towards woosah, I guess. But what the heck is woosah?

If you try not to think about anything for a minute, what is the thing that pops up in your head? Are
you thinking about your cat? Your boyfriend? Global warming, broken heart, broken heater?
Whatever it is, it has managed to manifest itself up there in your mind without you deliberately
choosing for it to do so. It's involuntary. You try to think of your goal, but there it is again – those
bloody girls in bikinis, dancing around in your skull.

54
Our minds are often completely cluttered up with all kinds of thoughts, feelings and cognitive
garbage – crap keeping us from doing what we want. And as long as that's not cleaned-up, we
cannot fully focus on a task for any substantial amount of time. Noise will interfere; the whip is
bound to crack. Obviously, we have to do some housekeeping: some storing, some throwing
away, some making space. We have to get rid of the noise – of the clutter that's up there.

A friendly, gentle balance is struck between chaos and order. If your study is a mess, you probably
prefer not to work there. If your desk is full of dirty dishes, this might disable you from attaining a
deep work flow. If your mind is a mess, well, there must be some cleaning before you can get
really productive.

Woosah is exactly that; it's the nothingness state that emerges when distraction fades. It is not
the attention on nothing; it's rather the lack of attention towards anything specific. It's attained by
sorting out the junk, by getting rid of the usual humdrum and by creating mental space. It's a
precursor to inspiration, steered attention (focus) and, eventually, success. Woosah is great.

Exercise A

The greatest woosah legend of all times might well be Alan Watts. If you've got some time to
spare, I would highly recommend watching his video lecture34 on relaxing. But especially for those
of you who have something better to do than hearing an old philosopher chant Hallelujah and
Hare Hare, there is the following exercise.

Take a paper and a pen and find a quiet place where there's no obvious distraction. Avoid busy
and noisy places and search for exclusion. Go to the park, sit in your room or lock yourself up in
the toilet. Sit down and close your eyes and let go your breathing. You may want to reconsider
that toilet of yours.

Inhale slowly, exhale slowly and feel nature's steady rhythm just take over. Important is: do
nothing. Force nothing; try nothing. Just feel your body attain a stable flow by itself. Woosah.
Then let go control and see what pops up in your mind.

If something emerges from 'the nothingness', think about it for a second. Structure it, organize it,
and write it down on the piece of paper. Then decide: is this something that's troubling me right
now and with which I should deal later, or is this something that's troubling me right now and can
be chucked away. If it's the former, think of what it is you could do to solve the situation and write
down the action you can take to render the topic 'dealt with'. If it is something that you can do in
a very short timespan, you can also consider immediately doing it. In 'Getting Things Done', David
Allen suggests that if such matters can be solved within two minutes, they are best solved right
away.

34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TjCZRutOKY&t=3001s&frags=pl,wn
55
If something comes up that you don't want in your mind that moment, nor committed to paper,
mentally write it down, wad it up and chuck it away. Then close your eyes again and move on to
the next thought that pops up.

At some point, perhaps after two things came up, or perhaps after sixty, you will find yourself with
not much left to think of. Your brain is cleaned-up, you've executed a bunch of mini to-do's, your
thoughts are organized and there is 'room'. This is what we've been aiming for: a blank space.
Woosah. For as long as there is overwhelming chaos and noise, there will be interference. But if
we've attained woosah, we can give space to things such as inspiration, creativity and, very
important with respect to getting things done: focus.

'You have to lose your mind, to come to your senses.'

– Alan Watts

Additional Exercise Info

Perhaps the exercise doesn't work at once. It could be that your mind is so occupied with things
that you required more wads than you have paper. But don't worry about this for now. Creating
space in your mind is something that requires a little practice. If you repeat it a few times, soon it
will grow more easy on you. If you want, you can integrate this exercise in a daily routine, so that
you repeat it every day. This topic returns in the next chapter.

If you experience recurring difficulties with this exercise, or if you are interested in more
information on structuring your activities, organization and getting a clear mind, I recommend
reading 'Getting Things Done', by David Allen for practical tips on mental organizing. Another
recommendation is the 'Twelve Wave Protocol', which is an online course that's more extensive
and in depth than 'Getting Things Done'. 


6.2 Awareness

"All change begins with awareness—awareness of the current situation, awareness of the potential
for something greater, and awareness of the unlimited creativity that exists within each of us to
catalyze the transformation we want to see for ourselves and for generations to follow."

– Deepak Chopra

Do you remember the maxim I proposed earlier with respecting to attracting success?

-Act as if everything is equally guiding you towards your aim.

-Pay attention, for there always might emerge something from the haze of potential that benefits
your goal.

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When your mind is cleansed from the clutter, you may begin steering your attention in the
direction of your great aim. This you can perceive as a sort of general focus on overall success.
You can do this, for example, by envisioning your great mountain peak afar – the one you, by this
time, might have some faith in conquering. The animate elements of your vision feed your
subconsciousness and orders it to 'focus' on means of success, whatever they may be. Of
course, this focus is very implicit and general, for you are basically focussing on means indirectly.
You take a clear imagine in mind and trust your subconsciousness to do the trick in-between the
segments. For you don't know what all the separate elements are that will eventually help you
ahead and you can't simply focus on everything at once; that's impossible by definition. And so
you let your subconsciousness do the heavy lifting. You know its language (WILL) and you program
it accordingly. If done correctly, the mechanism is always on; always ready to pick up on anything
beneficial. If disciplined correctly, it has the 'right' focus built in completely. You don't have to put
effort to focus anymore – your subconsciousness has your WILL as its guide. This is what I call
awareness here.

'The subconscious mind never sleeps, never rests, any more than does your heart [...] It has been
found that by plainly stating to the subconscious mind certain specific things to be accomplished,
forces are set in operation that lead to the result desired.'

– Charles F. Haanel

Awareness is acquired over time. At a specific moment, you have to install your mainframe with
an animate vision of the state you WILL be in. After that, the mechanism takes over and 'things will
start to happen', in the words of Muhammed Ali. But this requires some training, since awareness
is not attained flawless overnight. It's just as with any other habit you try to attain (or get rid of). It
must be repeated a bunch of times before it becomes default.

Programming Awareness

'The most direct way to cultivate this state of ever-present witnessing awareness is through
meditation, during which you learn to observe the thoughts, feelings, sensations, and sounds that
arise in your awareness without needing to react to them. As you develop this skill in meditation,
you are able to apply it in your daily life. You learn to stay centered and awake to all possibilities
whenever a challenge arises, so that you are able to choose the best course of action that WILL
maximize the chances that your intentions and desires WILL be fulfilled.'

– Deepak Chopra

In order to align your deepest desire, your WILL, with this state of continual, subconscious
awareness, you have to envision the future state you WILL be in. This you must do for all
challenges, all goals; all marathons.

57
In the field of success theories, a prominent method to boost awareness is by means the 'mission
statement'. Such a statement contains explicit specifications about the WILL of the future self, and
thus the WILL of the present self as well. Examples of such statements could be:

- I (WILL) help those in need

- I (WILL) only do things I truly WILL to do

- I (WILL) take responsibility for my actions

- I (WILL) take risks

- etc...

The items you incorporate into such a statement are related to your journey. They are
characteristics of your (future) self; the one who is 'successful'. In a way, the relate to the
motivation behind the goal that is trying to be achieved; the 'why' that's motivating people run
marathons. In another way, they relate to the effort one is WILLING to contribute in return for the
goal. If you want to run an actual marathon, 'train hard' would be part of the 'transaction' or
'sacrifice' that enables you to succeed. In chapter 8, you may construct your own.

'Be sure your ears are open and your eyes are peeled. And keep your wits about you. It is the only
way. Then you will know when the right moment comes.'

– Murakami

6.3 Attention & Focus

When it comes to marathons, such as the writing of a thesis, we do have an a priori idea of the
road towards success. We, in the end, know a bunch of segments and checkpoints. And so, in
addition to the default state of awareness, you can choose to willfully steer attention (focus) at
important segments, tasks at hand, matters that must be dealt with right now. If you, to reuse a
familiar example, are to give a presentation today, you can fill the blank mental space with all
known elements of specific task. You can mentally go through the whole thing: through all it is you
want to say, through the atmosphere, through the flow of the presentation, the intro, the
arguments and the conclusion. In doing so, you can experience the whole event before it even
occurs. This would be an example of an exercise in focussed attention.

'Pay attention to which horizon is calling you.'

– David Allen

Exercise B

When you turn to the mountain(s) you drew a little while ago, you will notice that the bottom
level(s) resembles the place(s) you are now. These are currently your focal points of attention;
these are the segments that must be dealt with first thing. Take a big fat marker (preferably a red
one, for this is the attention color) and draw circles (attention shape) around whatever it is you

58
wrote down at the bottom of your mountain(s). This is where you are and this is what you should
be thinking of. You're not 'writing a thesis', but you're 'searching for a topic'.

It's a good idea to look up to the summits and envision the whole journey frequently – this affirms
your basic attention. But it is just as important to focus on the task at hand; to apply focus on
your doings of the day. And this is something you should do prior to the execution of the task.
Every time you begin with a new level, draw a new red circle, try to get your mind cleaned-up and
focus your attention towards that small aim at hand. Then, when you've thought it through
thoroughly; when you 'lived it', let go thought altogether and start cracking the nut.

'Just think about it deeply, then forget it. An idea will jump up in your face.'

-Don Draper

6.4 Flow

What remains is the actual execution of the task at hand. If your mind is full of chaos and
distraction, time will be wasted en masse. Personally, if I don't meditate on way or another before
I start working, I always find myself easily distracted, annoyed and fatigued. My attention span
drops substantially; a problem occurs and <snap>, I can't take a punch.

Attention spans these days aren't all too long to begin with. Over the past century, distraction has
become default and concentration has become a rarity. This is not a good development, because
in order to be successful with whatever it is you do, you've got to be attentive.

In this small section, I propose some easy tips and tricks to reduce distraction and, possibly,
attain the flow state. In the flow state, you can work for hours (or days, or longer) on end without
being distracted once. Your whole being is consumed by the aim and you work with
'incredible' ,'inhumane' speed, attention and efficiency. And even if disturbance comes, say your
phone rings, you can pick up, have a conversation, and immediately return to you workflow
without being at a loss.

How to Attain Flow

- Not surprisingly, a perquisite of reaching the flow state is having a cleaned-up mind. Before you
commence work, make sure you do the clean-up exercise (or something of the like) and create
mental room.

- Spark WILL every day (by turning to your mountains, envisioning your goal and going through
your mission statement (if you have one)).

- Work in exclusion.

- Have a routine (chapter 8) in which you incorporate motivational boosters (chapter 7).

- Exercise plenty.

- Reduce noise and disturbance; switch all notifications off, leave your phone in another room.

- Get some early daylight. When the sun dusks, the degree of Lumen in the light is at its day-time
high. Lumen work on the eyes and the mind and make you 'wake up'.

59
- Work in a clean space; don't be surrounded by chaos. Untidiness represents a task deferred.
You had to deal with something, but you didn't and now 'the loop is open', as David Allen puts
it. It's a mess. This is a source of constant distraction, even though you might not notice it.
Discover such open loops during the clean-up exercise and round them up.

- Get fresh air and daylight in your work space. Also this may be part of a routine, or ritual
(chapter 8). Low levels of oxygen and light will make you feel sleepy.

- Pay attention to nutrition. Everything you take in affects your being – and your mindset.

- Switch positions and stand up; sitting for long stretches ruins your back35.

- Sleep in cycles of 1.5 hours. I truly don't get why this isn't a global standard; in 1.5 hours, you
go from light sleep to deep sleep, REM sleep and back. If you wake up in the middle, say you
put your alarm 8 hours and 15 minutes after you go to bed, you will almost definitely wake up
feeling broken. Put it 7 hours and 30 minutes later and you feel way better.

- Never snooze.

Of course, you can add many more things to this list if you please; I'm sure you get the gist. Be
attentive, be aware, and be healthy. There is nothing wrong with drinking beer or eating chocolate,
as long as you are moderate. And of course, you shouldn't go puritan haywire on this stuff. In the
end, in the words of Captain Barbosa 'the code is more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual
rules'.

'Everything in excess is opposed to nature.'

– Hippocrates

'Do you not know that your body is a temple'

– 1 Corinthians 6:18

6.5 Focus Test

How do you know if you've obtained your desired state of focus? Take a look at your mountains
and focus on the lowest level – the one you've just encircled red. Place your attention on it, close
your eyes and try to envision the segment.

35 Based on a study of more than 220,000 residents in New South Wales, researchers found that the longer you spend sitting down
every day, the higher the risk of dying prematurely, even if you engage in regular daily exercise. The study, published in the Archives of
Internal Medicine, found that adults who sat for more than 11 hours a day had a 40 percent increased risk of dying within 3 years--
from any cause-- compared with those who sat for less than 4 hours a day. In addition, the chances of dying were 15 percent higher
for those who sat 8-11 hours a day, compared to those who sat less than 4 hours a day. The researchers found that sitting was
associated with a higher death risk after controlling for factors including age, gender, smoking status, physical activity,education, body
mass index, as well as living in an urban or city environment. 

(Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2013/02/09/why-sitting-increases-your-risk-of-dying-sooner/#2eee7085236f)
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When you concentrate on the small, fundamental task at hand, there are some things that may
happen:

1. You clearly see the task at hand, you know what is to be done, where to start and how to
achieve laying the groundwork. You have WILL, you have faith and you are keen on starting. If
this is you, great, you are ready for takeoff. Skip to the next chapter to see how you can fly
long term.

2. You clearly see the task at hand, but you can't really grasp it. Or you see what is to be done,
but you don't feel it. More clearly: you don't believe you can. There is no WILL. You know there
is a topic to be chosen, but it still seems distant, even though you did your best including in its
specification as much 'envisioning' as you could. If this is you, it might well be that the
segment you are focussing on is still not divided up in small segments optimally. Take another
paper, draw another mountain, place the fundament on its top and start descending towards
lower grounds; entailed segments, and deeper checkpoints. If you reach the point where there
are no smaller, fixed segments, reformulate the small task at hand until you can see yourself
do it; until you feel addressed by point 1.

3. You don't see things clearly at all. You think: "what non-sense, I thought I was going to learn a
loophole and now I sit here with my eyes closed thinking of pizza". Or, more striking: "Thesis,
topic, tomato, dinner, dinero, money, 10 seconds gone? <Snap>. What now?" If this is you,
your mind isn't clear at all. Read this chapter again, watch the video by Allen Watts and
appeal to the extra material.

'It is the close observation of little things which is the secret of success in business, in art, in
science, and in every pursuit in life. Human knowledge is but an accumulation of small facts, made
by successive generations of men, the little bits of knowledge and experience carefully treasured
up by them growing at length into a mighty pyramid.'

– Smiles

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7. Motivation
"Ten times a day must you overcome yourself: that causes wholesome weariness, and is opium for
the soul. Ten times must you reconcile again with yourself; for overcoming is bitterness, and the
unreconciled ones sleep badly. Ten truths must you find during the day; otherwise you will seek
truth during the night, and your soul will stay hungry. Ten times must you laugh during the day, and
be cheerful; otherwise your stomach, the father of affliction and gloom, will disturb you in the
night."

– Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra

According to the records on the marathon in Berlin, Eliud smiled when things got rough and
painful. He smiled, for he already knew he was winning. And I bet he slept well too, that day
before he ran his race.

In his famous 'Thus Spake Zarathustra', Nietzsche mentions the importance of personal
overcoming, truth and laughter for the sake of a (metaphorical) good night's sleep. If you don't
meet up to these things on a daily basis, you grow restless. Perhaps you'll wake up one day and
can't get out of bed. Or perhaps you are running fast an approaching your finish-line, but
suddenly can't push onward any longer. Perhaps your motivation and energy just goes.

Up to this point, I haven't touched upon matters of motivation, for the WILL is unambiguous on this
account. It can't be exhausted. It just goes and goes and goes. And goes. That is until some
important underlying systems are neglected. If you don't eat, for example, there will come a
moment your WILL for eating WILL surpass your WILL for success. If Elon doesn't eats his meals,
there would be no Tesla's. And if you are in a war zone, you probably prefer to be safe, prior to
thinking of your thesis. If you haven't seen your friends in two weeks, working on a project in
isolation can likely be a drag.

7.1 Motivators

In 1943, Abraham Maslow published his famous pyramid of motivations. You probably already
know this – I'm not going to bore you with it; I just use it for quick illustrative purposes. First, on
the bottom of the pyramid, we find physiological needs - things like food and stuff. Then, higher
up, follow safety needs. Shelter, protection. Then comes belongingness – friends, family,
community. Then follows esteem (e.g. reputation and appreciation), and finally, on top, follows
self-actualization (success!).

The willpower we have for being successful pushes us forth like a rocket, but it will not fly without
fuel. Level 1, level 2, level 3 and level 4 – all these must be satisfied as a condition to our success.
Since we, in the West, live in an awesome world where level 1 and 2 are sort of given for most, it's
default to be dealing mostly with the top levels of the pyramid on a daily basis.

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In any society, level 3, belongingness, is a continually recurring issue. Especially social media
platforms portray this matter perfectly clear. People like to fit in. People like likes. They tend to
group and affiliate and talk about 'us' and 'we'. If you begin running your marathon without
thinking of belonging, then yours will probably be a short lap in the park. Very few people can
endure in isolation; it's wise to think of a way to address belonging on a daily basis.

A little less dire, though still very important is esteem. You want to feel like you matter; like your
contribution is relevant and important, that people admire your work, that people you care for like
you. If you don't deal with these often enough, the road towards self-actualization will be hard.

'You great star! What would your happiness be, had you not those for whom you shine?'

– Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra

7.2 Motivational Boosters

The actual contents of the motivational needs vary per person. As for belonging, for some, it
might suffice to read a reassuring text. Yet other people might need more sense of community, or
family, say. And again, some people might derive esteem from a compliment every once in a while
– from the the idea that their work matters. Others need daily, positive contact with people and a
strong sense of working on the greater good. Some people need daily attention from people they
are sexually interested in. Others are ok with Tinder, yet other with complete abstinence.

To be efficient and successful on the long run, it benefits to stipulate your personal motivators
with respect to the various levels. What do you need, on a daily level, to ensure a swift and fast
running towards Athens?

Motivating elements keep you running at a steady pace and assure you don't sink through your
knees halfway through. But they also have another characteristic. When handled correctly, they
may become boosters: factors that make you attain crazy speed and momentum. If, for example,
you discover you fare well with a quiet moment inspiration every morning, and if you decide to go
on a brief morning walk before work, you may just work more productively than you ever did
before. Perhaps you discover that hanging out with friend every day doubles you effective
capacity. Perhaps reading inspiring books for a couple minutes make up an hour a day in
efficiency.

With boosters, it's all personal. They vary per person and can only be found empirically, by trail
and error. When you stumble across one, cherish it and try to tweak it until it feels best.

If you search for your own boosters, you can end up with a list of motivating forces that looks like
the one below:

Your Boosters

- Level 3: Belonging

- See friends 3 times a week

- Eat dinner with the family once a week

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 - Drink a coffee in the neighboring restaurant and chat with the ward every morning

- Level 4: Esteem

- Do competitive sports once a week

- Talk with mentor once a week

- Think of marathon in meditation

- Have a date once a week

- Level 5: Self-actualization

- Read inspiring books

- Walk in the park and appreciate nature

Having a list of your boosters benefit you in whatever endeavor of success you are occupying
yourself with. And so I challenge you to find your own boosters and write them down in a similar
schedule. Discover what it is that makes your juices going and begin thinking of how you could
nourish each and every one of these elements on a consistent basis. 

The list of booster constructed in this small chapter constitute the ingredients for the routine and
ritual you may develop in the next.

'He whose life has a why can bear almost any how.'

– Nietzsche 


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8 Routine, Ritual, Intention

'The technology for success in life is first to pull back to a still, quiet inner place from which you
can become clear about your goal, and then act with the full power of your intention.'

-Deepak Chopra

A guy named Mark Twain said that if you would eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you could
be pretty sure the rest of the day could only get better36. Perhaps you could move on to a snail
digestif and then dig into the Turkish Pizza the guys at Mervan Bistro on the Bundesstrasse
served me some nights ago (seriously guys, what was that about?!). Perhaps you'll have sweet
potato pie for lunch, chocolate cake for dinner and before you know it, you are doing belly-shots,
and licking whipped cream of trembling skin at midnight. Sweet stuff.

The frog represents a matter lurking around, something slimy, something drawing your attention
all the time. It is, to speak in the spirit of David Allen, one big, open loop of chaos. And there is
basically only one thing you could do about it. Eat the bloody thing before it turns into a true
substantial problem. Unsolved matters have this unpleasant tendency to snowball and weigh you
down more and more. Today a frog, tomorrow a dragon.

'Try not paying your taxes for a year'

–Jordan B. Peterson

Frogs are the things you really don't want to do, but you know you've got to anyways. You can
think of paying a bill, making a tedious phone call, or running regressions in your data research.
They come in all shapes and sizes and vary wildly per person. But no matter the appearance of
the frog, the nature is always the same. 'Wat kut dit', as the Dutch would say.

Eating frogs for breakfast every day is a great routine. First, it will be disgusting and horrible. You
shiver and shake as the gooey, gory substance slowly glides down your throat. But you'll be
surprised by the aftertaste, which is rather sweet. It's the same feeling you get after running hard
for a long stretch of time. You don't feel good. But, man, you do feel good.

After ten or twenty days of eating frogs, you may start experiencing something funny – it is
beginning to grow on you. Same with all other habits you try to acquire or lose in life: repetition is
the way to go. And once you're really used to it, you might just wake up one day licking your lips
in anticipation. Oh how delicious that gory thing!

'Great men are not born great, they grow great.'

– The Godfather

8.1 Routine

Routines consist of daily recurring items of stability that benefit your overall aim. Eating frogs can
be a part of this, but they are no perquisite. You can integrate anything you want into your own

36 https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/168105-eat-a-live-frog-first-thing-in-the-morning-and
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routine; things like having a morning run, black coffee, or the cleanup exercise proposed in
chapter 5. You can make room for a daily walk after lunch, or you can block a few hours to read
interesting books. It's all very dynamic and flexible and you are the one in charge. But this also
means that you have some responsibility for doing it right.

Jordan B. Peterson says that, based on his many years clinical experience, seldom people
function without a routine37. Of course, for most people this probably isn't a very extensive
routine, like the one you may build throughout these chapters, but it is a routine nonetheless.
Waking up at roughly the same time each day, shoving down somewhat of the same breakfast,
commuting, having lunch at the office, commuting – all are part of a routine. And frankly, all of
these are directly or indirectly related to work. Having a job is a very, very efficient way of being
forced to have a routine. You must have structure to cooperate with colleagues. If you don't, you
will probably not be a fun person to work with. Just imagine someone coming late all the time, or
not keeping his end of appointments; someone who's like: 'hmm what, which assignment?' That's
just plainly annoying.

Without any kind of routine, a human being suffers pretty hard. Waking up at wildly varying hours
makes you weary; not having a steady flow of work at hands makes you feel itchy. This is also a
reason many people feel much better having a job than being unemployed. It's just a great, dark
pit of chaos. Being fired, therefore, is an unpleasant, stressful event. How to structure life in the
absence of your steady fundament?

For you, when you turn to your marathon, it is important to realize the necessity of having a
routine build around your great race. If you don't take this seriously, you might soon be running
some miles along the road towards Athens, screaming of the top of your lungs: 'I will make that
summit', just before you sink to the ground.

'Sedulous attention and painstaking industry always mark the true worker. The greatest men are
not those who "despise the day of small things," but those who improve them the most carefully.'

– Smiles

Your Routine

Throughout the guidebook, I've handed several items that are integral aspects of a routine build
for success. This sections draws them back to attention and suggests ways for you to personalize
them with respect to your ordeal. As always, you can shuffle things up the way you please, but
heed that you stick to the general schema of contents proposed here and before: the vision
board, the mission statement and the booster channels.

According to Deepak Chopra, the three questions that direct the choices you make in daily life,
consciously and subconsciously, are:

37 podcast on routine
66
 

What do I want?

Who am I?

How can I serve? 38

'Regularly bringing your current answers to conscious awareness enables you to be alert to the
opportunities that resonate with the needs of your soul.'

–Deepak Chopra

In your routine, we use three familiar tools to address these questions.

The Vision Board - What do I want?

'Many small creative teams and start-up companies also suffer from unclear goals. [...] best
practice is to have the list of major milestones up on the wall, visible to all. Just a quick check-in—
or a glance up at the wall —can refocus an entire team on the priorities.'

– Scott Belsky

A vision board portrays animate elements of your finish-line and affirms you of your mission.
Before, you already made the elements of your own vision board. In chapter 3.2 you've divided
your marathon up in segments. First, you took on the biggest challenge and searched for
checkpoints. Next, you looked for segments within segments. These individual segments are
portrayed by more than words. You've made them envisionable, animate, lively, real (same same).
You've attached to them symbols and images, perhaps even photos of what they signify to you.
Then you applied focus.

Now it's time to complete the vision board. Instead of taking the segments of your mountains as
shitty tasks, we're going to the flip side of the coin and see them as they are: challenges and,
more importantly: milestones – the steps required in the blueprint of success.

To make your personal vision board, tare the paper with the mountain out of your notepad (or take
the one you've printed) and pin it down on a place you will see every morning and every evening.
Preferably, you also look at it in the in-between and while you are working on your thesis. The
more prominent the better. Include also the sub-objectives – the other mountains – and pin them
on your vision-board. Draw lines to connect the mountains. It may turn out looking like Figure 3.

38 The Seven Spiritual Laws

67
Vision Board

Figure 3.

A well-constructed vision board has embedded an overwhelming power to move you; to make
milestones feel animate; to make you want to accomplish direly. It has this kind of allure that
kindles your WILL and makes you joyous in the prospect of eating some disgusting frogs.
Therefore, it is key to put some effort in constructing your personal vision board. Make it
something colorful, something you are proud of. Of course, you don't have to go for 'complete in
one draft'. You can always stick new things and ideas to the board. It's flexible.

If you have constructed a vision board, choose a very prominent place for it in your room or office.
Make looking at it a routine job – study it every time before you begin with the work of the day.

The Mission Statement - Who am I? & How can I serve?

A good mission statement contains essential elements of the (future) self. These elements have to
do with both general characteristics, as with effort one is WILLING to 'pay' in exchange for
achievement. You can obtain these elements of your mission statement by turning to your
motivation. Why do you want to run this race in the first place? For example, say your marathon is
an important presentation at the office that could send you straight off into a promotion. Why do
you want that promotion? Because you want to have more power? Probably there's more to it.
Because you want more money? Sure, but what does the money represent? Because you want
more responsibility? Now you're getting close. Because you want to optimally use your talents in
68
creating an environment in which people can grow; a place in which their talents can flourish?
Bingo.

Mission Statement

- I (WILL) help people grow and flourish

- I (WILL) use my talents

- I (WILL) only do what I WILL

- etc
In making your own mission statement, it might be that you feel the elements are not describing
who you are right now. That's not problematic, for it is not true. If you put your heart to it and write
down something of your WILL, this will immediately affect and transform your being. For example,
if you include the statement: 'I (WILL) help those in need' to your mission statement, from then
onward, every time a situation occurs in which you can help some one, you will be confronted by
your WILL. You pass by a beggar and there is this twitch – you have to act. I invite you to try this at
home.

Just like with your vision board, it is important to have frequent access to you mission statement.
Read the whole thing out loud to yourself every day, preferably right after you wake up. It takes
some time for the statement to become default and fully integrated. But the minute is starts to
grip, 'things begin to happen'39 .

The Boosters - How can I serve optimally and durably?

In chapter 7, I introduced the boosters of motivation. If you haven't yet examined your own, take a
blank sheet of paper and start writing down what you think is important to keeping you going.
Check Maslow's pyramid and see how yours fit into it, but focus on your own, explicit boosters.
For each level, write down at least to channels you deem unmissable from your routine. These are
things you should nourish every day.

A vision board you can be looked at; a mission statement can be read. But you can't activate you
motivational boosters by focussing on them or by reading them out loud. Instead, these must be
'lived out'.

8.2 Ritual

A ritual is a scheme of consequent actions that enables you to reach a desired state of mind.
These actions take some time and effort; they must be executed every time prior to reaching the
state. Going on an evening stroll prior to going to bed would be a good example of a ritual. By
walking (action) you lose some of the tension (means) of the day and become more relaxed, so
that you can rest more efficiently (goal).

39 https://www.goalcast.com/2016/02/18/i-am-the-greatest-lessons-from-muhammad-ali/
69
Your Ritual

7.00AM - Wake Up

7.00 - 7.15: Meditation Level 5

7.15 - 7.30: Vision Board & Mission Statement Level 3

7.30 - 7.45: Morning run Level 5

7.45 - 8.00: Breakfast Level 2

8.00 - 11.45: Work Level 2, 3, 4, 5

.... ....

11.30 - Go to bed Level 2

Build your own ritual around your own boosters and take into account your own time schedule.
Important here is to grasp the essence and don't go puritan haywire on performing all the steps in
time or something.

No matter whether you think a ritual like this attractive, repelling, or simply ridiculous, with respect
to getting big things done fast, having a powerful ritual is yet another factor that contributes to
success. As for your marathon, or thesis, you may consider creating a routine just for the stretch
of time required to accomplish climbing the great mountain of yours. After that, you might forget
about the whole thing. Or perhaps you'll grow fond of its effects on your abilities and keep some
elements into your daily life. It's up to you.

'Success treads on the heels of every right effort; and though it is possible to overestimate
success to the extent of almost deifying it, as is sometimes done, still, in any worthy pursuit, it is
meritorious. Nor are the qualities necessary to insure success at all extraordinary. They may, for the
most part, be summed up in these two, — common sense and perseverance.'

– Smiles

8.3 Choose Your Objective with Care

'Open eyes will discover opportunities everywhere; open ears will never fail to detect the cries of
those who are perishing for assistance; open hearts will never want for worthy objects upon which
to bestow their gifts; open hands will never lack for noble work to do.'

– Orison Swett Marden

Chance has is you begin to see the tremendous potential of vision boards, mission statements
and routines, WILL, belief and attraction. Perhaps you realize that with these tools at hand, you can
move mountains. But, as a final, concluding remark of this chapter, I must warn you that you
should think thoroughly about the mountain you intent to move. For even though nearly everything

70
is possible, great things require require great, great effort. Say you've become enthused and now
decided to run for president. That's awesome of course, but it will cost you – there is a sacrifice to
be made. Probably you'll have to work, say, 90/100 hours a week for many years, give up on most
your social relationships and potentially forgo being involved with someone. By taking on such a
mountain, you immediately create a 'judge': a sentiment that will bugger you if you do not
accomplish or work on your goal. This is alright for as long the goal is something you've
envisioned with diligence, for in a way you're already there: you already paid the price. But if it's
not: if you don't want to pay, if you don't want to sacrifice things when push comes to shove; if
you don't give your great goal that much priority at all; if you're still only convincing yourself of a
WILL where you only have want, then the judge might have your head.

'The sense of anxiety and guilt doesn’t come from having too much to do; it’s the automatic result
of breaking agreements with yourself.'

– David Allen

'Nothing can compensate for the loss of hope in a man, — it entirely changes the character. "How
can I work, — how can I be happy," said a great but miserable thinker, "when I have lost all hope?"
Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey towards it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.'

– Smiles

With great mountains and faraway moons, it all comes down to WILL. It's about finding a rock
that's of the proper size for you to push up the hill; one that is heavy enough to challenge you and
keep you from being lazy, but one that is light enough to move upwards4041. And it's about getting
your teeth into exactly that rock.

'Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.'

—Buddha

If you make the mistake of fooling yourself into WILL, or if you begin arbitrarily pushing great
mountains, you might not succeed, but become disappointed and worn-out instead. You might be
running towards Athens and find yourself at a loss. Didn't you had this great conviction? This is a
dangerous spiral to be in, for if you are disappointed in yourself, this means you hold a negative
belief about yourself. Unfortunately, the mechanism works both ways – the negative beliefs you
hold about yourself become reality, just as all positive beliefs do.

“He who believes he can and he who believes he cannot are both correct.”

– Henry Ford

40 Jordan B. Peterson.

41 Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus

71
8.4 Intention

Pick a mountain of the proper size and do only that what you WILL to do. People often told me this
is a bullshit maxim: if you only do what you want, then you can get drunk every night, sleep
around and live in a perpetual haze of liquor, drugs and sex.

Right, like that sounds like a situation you want to be in, or rather: WILL be in? It's the same with
speeding: driving fast may be fun and you may want to do it sometimes, but you don't do it
excessively because it is dangerous and will recoil some time in the future, like a hangover, a
dopamine dip, VD. How could these be things of a WILL that has integrated the future state of
affairs into its today's state of being?

Deep down, you know what it is you WILL. Perhaps you can't put it in words yet, and perhaps you
even think you have 'know idea about it whatsoever', but when you are involved in something
that's IT, you experience this profound sense of bliss. This is right. You are following your heart.

'You are a living story. Become aware of the stories you tell about yourself and your world.
Participate consciously in the writing of the next chapter of your life.'

– Deepak Chopra

'You are what your deepest desire is. As is your desire, so is your intention. As is your intention, so
is your WILL. As is your WILL, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny.'

–Birhadaranyaka Upandishad IV. 4.5

72
Part One


73
'This is your road, and you WILL pursue it.'

– Alex Honnold, before climbing El Capitan (without a rope)

74
Introduction to Part One
Setting the stage: where problems occur

Two days ago, I met up with a friend in some shabby restaurant. She had this faint glow about
her; a strange aura of weariness and fatigue. A flushed face, a forced smile. Parting from her lips
was a vulgar word that explained the situation with profound accuracy. 'Thesis'.

For many years I met her, be it in this person, in my friends, in people on the streets, in the
nightclubs, in the library. Lady thesis, that wretched creature, bound to knock on your door some
day. She comes with fire and brimstone and leaves a trail of disillusioned students lost in oblivion
– bound in the shackles of the academia, not knowing where it went wrong. Heavens why is it
such a tremendous ordeal?

A close study into the typical report of the thesis battlefield suggest the problems occur in either
of the following:

• Bad supervision

• Bad preparation

Supervision

In the heydays of the universities, students collaborated closely with their supervisors and
ventured research together. There were less supervisors and far less participants. That's good for
quality. Due to the intensity of supervision, it was possible to examine whole new topics,
construct new methodologies, build new models, all of that. A thesis could be novel, so to say. It
was possible, for the supervisor had sufficient time to keep close track of things.

Then two things happened: the population grew and the percentage of people attending
universities exploded. In the Netherlands, for example, the number of students roughly tripled in
four decades. Great, especially with such a scalable model of supervision. Not.

Although the whole milieu changed drastically in a relatively short timespans, the universities, in
general, didn't change much about the way things were going. As an unsurprising consequence,
professors these days are required to supervise too many students and the quality of supervision
has dropped, not uncommonly to problematic levels4243.

Preparation

As for preparation: it's typically aimed at something quite different than quality and proper
research. The whole procedure is set-up in a way not to prosper the in-between (the thesis); it's
set-up in a way that aims fully at the end: graduation. Dropouts and failures are costly to
everyone; it's much better if students get it done quick. Focus is on returns, not on the means. On
a personal level, the student may find himself or herself in a situation where everyone and

42 https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2273693-commissie-oordeelt-fouten-in-omstreden-proefschrift-over-salafisme.html

https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/vakbonden-hoge-tot-zeer-hoge-werkdruk-op-universiteiten-psychische-klachten-
43

werknemers~bcd7336e/
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everything seems to be pointing at a finish-line, without taking time for a proper debriefing.
Athenes, Everest, the moon. Deadline one, deadline two. Afar you see the blurry outlines of the
summit; your diploma veiled in the clouds. And then you have to run. And you have to run fast.
But how you have to train: how you have to prepare for succes, how you have to 'overcome
yourself44 ', that is left unspoken. Hence my weary friend.

Part Zero prepared the way. We learned what it is to WILL something. We learned how that differs
from desire. We learned how the WILL can be obtained, through the animate vision. And we
learned that vision becomes animate once we believe. Then we learned that belief comes in
increments. We chopped up the great apex afar into credible bits and pieces. And only then, only
then we began looking up once more.

Part One. The Summit. We've learned why some climbers succeed, whereas others don't. We've
learned how to climb ourselves. Now it's time for the actual ascent. It's time to implement the
findings from part Zero onto the thesis procedure.

Students can use this part to optimize their research to interstellar levels. Topics, supervisors,
literature studies, reading academic papers lazer fast, verifying resources with relative ease,
writing, presenting and more – Part One is a practical mimi-guide that will save a bunch of turmoil
and time.

Faculty members can use this part to gain insight into the typical problems students run into.
They can also appeal to Appendix I for a brief suggestion on how to improve the system.

'Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.'

– Orison Swett Marden


44 C.f. Nietzsche in Thus Spoke Zarathustra

76
Chapter 1. In a Nutshell
Status Quo & Research Proposal

I'm sitting in my room, staring blankly at a file on my monitor. It's 2013 and I'm depressed. Like
dark thunderclouds rolling in on the horizon, a file has presented itself to my inbox, quite
surprisingly. A message from the faculty. And it's no pleasant one.

The first sentence states that I am to write a bachelor's thesis and I, for one, have no clue what
that actually means, nor how I should go about it. It surely rings a lot of shrill bells; a lot of vague
associations come to mind I'd like to avoid. But I know I can't. It's inevitable. It's like the doctor
saying: 'this will only hurt a little'... moments before plunging a first-thick needle in your throbbing
vein. Yeah right.

Fortunately, the email suggests something of a beginning; a proposal. That's where I can start.
Well, it's not a place I can start; it's seemingly just a bunch of requirements of something I am to
end up with after this stage. A well-organized research proposal – a problem, furnished by some
background research, a couple of 'good' research questions (whatever that may mean),
something of academic relevance and justification and ... that's basically it. No adding to the
'how' I am to do it, let alone 'why' I should do it in the first place. Just that. What I am to end up
with. Athenes, Everest. The Moon.

Perhaps the assignment I got was particularly noisy and queer constructed, but I think the overall
lack of kernel motif is not uncommon. Also not uncommon is the feeling of anxiety that welled up
inside when I got thrown this heap of dung on my plate with the order to turn it into beef jerky. Of
course, I am utterly confused. I feel weary. Bad.

Fortunately, I can appeal to Google and see if there is some more information on what a research
proposal should entail and, especially, why I make one. Being a student, I'm always genuinely
interested in the reason behind these kind of things. The search engine provides me indeed with a
little more extensive description:

"... a document that presents a case for an idea and the action one proposes with respect to
it" (Krathwohl, 1988:12) with the purpose "to justify what you plan to do in order to gain approval
for it" (Thornquist, 1986:3)45.

That is somewhat better than the description found in the email; there's a motif in there. Way to
go Thornquist! (With a name like that, how can one but rock). Justification and approval, the motif,
the reason why the university wants me to do it – the reason why I should do it. Justification and
approval. And for the good of this purpose, I have to construct a 'classic' proposal in the spirit of:

45 https://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/documents/learning_centre/Thesis_Proposal_2012.pdf

77
 Typical Thesis Proposal

- Problem46
- Background, introduction of the problem

- The problem

- Research question(s)

- Literature

- Methodology47

- Data48

- Justification and relevance

- Time-schedule

- Supervisor49

- References

This overview should not strike you as foreign; you've probably seen something of the like in
preparatory classes or assignments. Problem, background information, academic relevance,
datasets, schedule, some papers you appeal to. Perhaps some variations here and there, but
generally speaking nothing new. You are to make a plan that justifies what you do, a file that might
get you approval for the whole charade. By making such a proposal, you provide the university
and the faculty with insight into your plan and help them to decide whether yours will be a good
research or not (whatever that may mean). University happy, me happy. That's also why I should
follow their orders and write this proposal, right?

Nahh, far out. For do I really care about the university and their justification and approval? Not
really. I care for graduating: this is my fundamental motivation – this is the only reason I am
considering plunging myself into this mess head first. Of course, I must care for justification and
approval, but I only do so indirectly, because they are mandatory and thereby constitute means in
attaining my real goal. I care, because the university cares. And regardless of how much I may
care for justification, approval, or even the university and the assignment, my foremost motif is of
probably a much simpler nature. Graduation.

Student's why: graduate

46Or topic. In many cases nowadays, students can apply for a topic presented by the faculty or a professor. In this case, that proposed
topic would state the problem.

47 Mostly when empirical

48 When empirical

49 if applying to proposed topic

78
Students care for justification and stuff because it's mandatory, because it's what the faculty
wants. But that brings us to an interesting question. What does the faculty actually want? Surely
this is important, for the students motivation is apparently hinged on it tightly.

What do universities want?

This should be straightforward. Good research! (whatever that may mean). The leitmotif of the
academia – their deepest intention of having students write the proposal, is to prepare them well;
to teach them what it is to make an academic contribution and, most importantly, to enable them
to do good research (whatever that may mean). Whether it's for the sake of an academic career,
one in a corporate environment, for the 'contribution to the field', or even for the sake of simply
doing a research right, universities are institutions of knowledge ought to strife for the highest
academic quality possible in preparing students for their next phase in life.

University's why: prepare students well by having them do a good research (whatever that may
mean)

Before addressing what on bloody earth all this actually means, it is practical to first consider the
discrepancy. Taking the two together, a student wants to do a good research in order to graduate.
And this sounds pretty different from the idea represented in the assignment. It doesn't start with
justification or approval, it starts with doing it right. Justification and approval are consequential,
not initial. If this still sounds vague to you, consider the following example. You are a soccer
player in training, you are either destined to play in the big leagues, or to become successful in
another field. At the end of the year, there is an important match. There are scouts. Now imagine
that you play ridiculously good; you create opportunities and you bring your team to the next
level. You create multiple chances to score yourself, but you hit the post several times. Your team
somehow is unable to force a goal. Now there is this other kid, an opponent, with zero skill and
talent. In the last minutes of the game, the ball miraculously lands at his feet. But he can't shoot al
all. He misses, yet somehow, truly by divine intervention of some sort, he brushes the ball, which
rolles meekly over the line. Goal. 0-1, the whistle blows. Now ask yourself a question. Who would
the scouts, who are scouting for the next league, approach with an offer? You or lucky Joe?

With the thesis it doesn't seem to work like that. A report of the match is never read, that takes to
much time. Better just look at the result. Lucky Joe, scored the winning goal at a crucial time.
Great, that's evidence. Proposal approved.

Of course, faculties have to approve on something. Something has to be justified. So what's the
problem? The problem is the focus. Imagine the scouts addressing the players before the match
in the dressing room. One scout says: 'you must score. Tell me how, and we'll see'. You can say
how you intent to score and see what will happen. Another scout says: 'you must play good. Tell
me how, and we'll see'. Now we're talking.

The Why Why

79
The reason focus seems to be on justification and approval instead of graduation and good
research is not self-evident. When I graduated myself, I wondered how it can be that emphasis is
placed on the means, instead of the end. How can it be that things are this opaque? Why aren't
the faculties saying what it essentially boils down to?

The idea of a thesis proposal is to structure your idea and data in a way potential pitfalls will show
up early, so that we can either encourage you to go back to the drawing board, or to continue with
a low risk of unexpected trouble; a high chance of success; a higher number of graduates for the
faculty and more subsidies, money and, maybe, international prestige for us. Win-win.

If such a statement were to be included, things would immediately become much clearer, as it
indicates the channel through which the discrepancy occurs. The aim of the proposal should be
for students to deliver good research and graduate accordingly – a sequel that is simply
indisputable. First the performance is made, then the credit accrues. Yet when focus shifts on the
ends (the credit, the success rate, the number of students), then something is bound to go wrong.

The 'typical proposal' might attract moral hazard by focussing on 'getting students to graduate'
and sending them off into bad research accordingly – much like Napoleon Bonaparte sent his
forces into Russia. And I don't know if you remember that story, but it didn't end well.

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1.1 Getting it over with – Motivation of Students and Universities

I believe Napoleon and the academia may be motivated by an urge of 'getting it over with'. The
little general from Corsica wanted to have that great land in the East; the universities want
students to wrap things up and be gone to make place for the next batch. This is not a situation
they truly desire their faculties to be in; it's rather a result of external developments –
demographics, the economy and government policy.

In the overal developments, the universities appear to be more on the receiving end of the bat.
They're not much like Napoleon and his military undertaking. Perhaps they are more like the Baltic
states: overwhelmed by the armies marching through, standing on the sidelines, losing their lands
first to French and then finally to Russian perpetrators. The system changes rapidly. The students
change rapidly. Everything is going FAST.

In the Netherlands, the public contribution per student dropped from €17.100 in 2008, to €15.200
in 201750 . That's roughly 11%. Meanwhile, universities have been trying to cope with the growing
amount of youths who want to study by increasing the academic staff, but they can't meet up due
to the lack of government funds. And this growth of the student population is no joke. It's
humongous.

'In the next 30 years, according to Unesco, more people worldwide will be graduating through
education than since the beginning of history. More People. [...] It's the combination of technology
and its transformation effect on work and demography and the huge explosion in population.
Suddenly, degrees aren't worth anything, isn't that true? When I was a student, if you had a
degree, you had a job.'

– Sir Ken Robinson, 2007 @ TED51

Let's see about that. The growth of the Dutch student population over the 10 years after the TED
of Sir Ken Robinson is:

Figure 452.

50 https://www.vsnu.nl/dalende-rijksbijdrage.html

51 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY&t

52 https://www.vsnu.nl/f_c_ingeschreven_studenten.html
81
27%. Holy crap.

How can the universities cope with that radical growth, taking into account that they receive
about 11% less funds per student? Well, they have to increase the staff of course, but that can't
exceed their budgetary restraints. How much budget is there for such an expanse in staff? 11%
less funds per student makes 89% of the original subsidy income. 27% growth in the number of
students:

0.89 * 1.27 = 1.1303

13.03% is the theoretical additional amount of funds they could spend on increasing the staff. In
reality, they have increased staff expense with roughly 13%53 – it seems like Dutch universities
are spending maximally on expanding in order to cope with the macro level developments. They
are fully responsive.

The institution that keeps track of this data in Holland, the CBS, estimated a decrease in growth
from 2017 onward – something that could cool down the heated machine a bit perhaps. This
prediction is portrayed by that friendly, dashed orange forecast plot. But the prognosis wasn't
super accurate. The growth in the student population over 2018 was 5%54 , which was the highest
growth rate the country had ever seen. Meanwhile, the government had prepared their budget
based on an estimated growth rate of 2%. So I guess it's fair to say they were a tat off there –
about 150%, to be precise. Imagine your contractor pulls that one that after having built your
house. Tough luck.

"If students have to sit on the stairs during lectures, or have to move to a cinema or tent, it is
difficult to make notes. Then the quality of education will very easily deteriorate." (Van den Brink,
ISO).

With less funds available, universities try to cope, but still they can't help students ending up in
tents (metaphorically speaking, I hope). Besides government policy, a prominent cause of the
aforementioned phenomenon is the increasing number of freshman students, which is currently
soaring up high far over Wilco van Rooijen and his team on the summit of the K2. There simply
are too many students for the faculties to deal with. I've seen it happen at my old university: the
campus got cramped with bicycles, the library is filled to the brim days on end, automated
systems for everything and jammed pack roads a mile before you hit campus. Surely things have
gotten crowded.

Needless to say, universities must run this race against the clock. As it turns out, one of their
preferred ways of doing so is by making students write their theses fast. Or I should say: that is
what they think they are doing. Justification and approval. Focus on the bottom-line, for it's the
bottom line that's threatening ominously and increasingly. Come up with a topic quick, employ
this framework and be gone. From the teleological perspective – the one starting with the ends

53 https://www.vsnu.nl/studentengroei.html

54 https://nos.nl/artikel/2256040-aantal-universitaire-studenten-groeit-met-5-procent.html
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(quick graduation), it might sound viable. But what actually happens is that due to this focus; due
to the large amount of students that must graduate each year, and due to the lack of sufficient
numbers of staff, universities are falling for the moral hazard. They have automated much of the
whole procedure (which once was depended on personal contact with the supervisor) and, truly
problematically, began sending off students into bad research accordingly. Students shouldn't
linger; there can't be much delay. Better just have a go, even though the proposal is not that good
to begin with. If that 'bad proposal' looks good on first glance, the student will be given a green
light, even though it's much like sending her up K2 in bikini. And so we shouldn't be surprised if
such a thing is a chilling, rather unsuccessful endeavor.

The whole thing recoils when a situation occurs in which there are a lot of students doing poor
research and can pass without having fulfilled the original 'why' of the university. Irony, for the
moral hazard strikes back.

In his podcasts, Jordan B. Peterson reformulates a 'moral action' as the action that optimally
boosts success in all sequential 'games' – success being defined by 'being included'. If you don't
play by the rules, you will no longer be invited to play in future events. 'Moral' is that what makes
you participate in the maximum number of games over an infinite time span. In this terminology,
'moral hazard' would mean: the risk of sacrificing future participation at the expense of today's
action (and gain). In other words: a breach of the moral compass means you're out.

Cost of the problem

The current situation is costly for students, since they might leave university underprepared. It
also costs society, for there will be ever more people doing bad research, while thinking that the
work they do is actually pretty fine. Most painfully, universities have themselves with it.

• First, accepting poor research not only affects those who leave campus, but also affects the
students with the wish to pursue academic careers on campus. And what if they, at some
point, are to supervise students in doing research, without ever having done a good one
themselves? This will only deter the quality of the academia even more. Such a loop of junk
is bound to spin out of control and may cause much junk to pass off as 'scientific results'.

• Second, the lowering of quality and the emphasis on quantity lowers the 'price' of the
product – ça va sans dire. More people with lesser quality degrees on the market means
academic inflation. 'When I was a student, if you had a degree, you had a job.' (Sir Ken
Robinson). This is taking a turn for the worse – to a situation where degrees aren't that
valuable any more. Millennials currently on the job market may be inclined to agree.

• Third, by supplying poor researchers, their eventual beneficiary – society – will be less able
to sustain them in the future. If players haven't learned how to play well, the game suffers.

• Fourth, the lack of the 'original motif' and the inherent time waste involved with conducting
bad research, makes many student struggle unnecessarily with the whole thing. Many times
along the way, students have to go back and forth blindfolded. Countless hours are spend

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 on doing work in vain – all of which is perfectly preventable if the student had been prepared
for good research.

In conclusion: the current situation is pretty sticky. Universities can't really be blamed for where
they are – it's a consequence of macro developments. But there is a chance for changing the
course. There is a chance for good research to regain its due throne.

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Chapter 2. The Good Thesis

There has been much talk about the good research, but its definition has been unstated. In this
chapter, light is shed on this mysterious notion. In this light, we take into account the preparatory
nature of the thesis. It's not a test of result. It's a test of process.

The good research is one in which focus is on the means and not on the ends.

Axioms

1) The good thesis hinges either on prior good research, or good supervision. It's practically
impossible for a bachelor or master student to conduct a good research without a strong body
of reliable literature, or a devoted supervisor.

2) The good thesis follows a tight chronology during its manifestation; there is no going back and
forth between substantial segments. 1) After the proposal is completed (and approved upon),
2) the research is executed. 3) Finally, results are processed, portrayed and interpreted. From
this the conclusion is drawn, which, regardless of its content, is good if the research is good
too.

In the current system, general focus tends to be on the ends, instead of the means. But this
needn't be the case for the supervisor. He or she can still steer focus on the way of getting there,
instead of the findings. A good supervisor will emphasize the means and therefore compensate
for the moral hazard occurring on a higher level.

Axiom 1 | Supervision & Prior Research

An efficient way of making good supervision durable in the current societal conditions – and one
that we fortunately see adopted more and more – is having supervisors propose topics. These
topics typically have a number of slots. Students who are in time can except solid supervision. It's
a great concept, for it allows multiple students to conduct somewhat similar research in a field in
which the supervisor is experienced, which enables pitfalls to emerge prematurely and allows
professors to keep a close eye to what's being done by the students without a huge sacrifice of
time. Students may not come up with something revolutionary, nor enjoy doing the research to
begin with, but at least they might do a good research in the end. This will help them graduate
swiftly, and will help the university fulfill its core duty efficiently. Success.

Things get more sticky when slots are full and students have no choice but to come up with
topics of their own fashion. It's the same where there are no proposed topics to begin with. In this
situation, having a supervisor becomes part of the requirements and often loses much of its
scrutinizing function. Either students just apply somewhat arbitrarily to a professor that is willing
to take them, or they target a professor who they like personally or is affiliated to the field of
research they wish to venture. In both cases, supervision requires a lot of time and effort from the
professor's side of the deal. He or she might have to supervise a topic that is unrelated to his or
her expertise. It's might be something quite new. Typically there is not that much time, and the

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role of supervisor turns into something like 'engaged supporter' (and towards the end:
sympathizing judge). They can be good professors; it requires a great effort to be fully involved in
a research that isn't related to their core expertise, and in doing so be a good supervisor too.

In the absence of a good supervisor, the only way for the student to do a good research is by
having good prior studies to lean on.

Axiom 2 | Temporality

In chapter 5 of part I, we approached your marathon from a new perspective, placed your great
goal atop a mountain and descended towards distinguishable segments. With respect to a thesis,
the segments identified on the foremost mountain are something like:

5) Graduation

4) Defense

3) Write Thesis

2) Find a Supervisor

1) Find a Topic Figure 5.

Currently we find ourselves at basecamp: find a topic. This is what was required of me when I
received the email in my mailbox back in 2013: to come up with a research proposal. In the
process, I should first 1) obtain a topic and contact a 2) supervisor. Then, 3) I can start off on my
actual research. When that's done, it's just a matter of 4) defending the thing, signing the diploma
and 5) be gone.

In the overview provided in Figure 5, all elements of the climb seem to gravitate around the third
segment of writing the actual thesis. Earlier, we've established that this seems to be the most
challenging section: the one still giving you the chills, even though it's already a smaller segment
of the great mountain itself. Indeed, 1) and 2) appear to be matters of preparation. 4) and 5) seem
to be logical sequences of having conducted a good research. In the midst of it all, we find 3): the
tremendous ordeal.

Reformulating the steps with respect to overall temporality, we could portray the process the
following way:

Traditional Timeframe

t-1 Preparation: 1) Find a Topic and 2) Find a Supervisor

t Execution: 3) Write Thesis

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t+1 Process Results: 4) Defense and, sequentially, 5) Graduation

So far nothing new; we've just placed our steps on a general timeframe evolving around that
dreadful section: section number 3.

In this scheme, most students will admit finding difficulties at moment t: in the actual writing of the
thesis. At t, the proposal, good or bad, has been accepted and they managed to find a supervisor
eventually. Therefore, t-1 has been completed with success. In t, however, problems occur all over
the place and smooth goings can be hard to find. Maybe the topic is not that good; maybe the
supervisor has no time. Matters of the proposal suddenly seem biassed and have to be altered.
You think of changing supervisors. It's like we are approaching a tricky section on the mountain
and realize we've brought flip-flops instead of climbing irons. Whole sections are rewritten, whole
sections are deleted. Hypotheses are revised long before having been tested, datasets are
changed, variables are added or emitted, methodologies reformulated. Clearly, a lot of going back
and forth in segment three seems to be the norm. Sometimes, things become so dire that the
whole thing flunks and it's back to the start. New thesis, next semester. In the end, who on earth
is going to climb Everest on flip-flops? Clearly, problems often only seem to become truly
problematic in the middle section. That's where we learn if we are well prepared, or not. It's during
the running that we learn about our condition.

In chapter 5, we've established that this tricky section 3 can be seen as a project on itself and
divided into the following segments:

5) Writing my thesis

4) Formulate a conclusion

3) Find results with my research

2) Set up a research, make a hypothesis

1) Prep. assemble data and formulate an aim

Figure 2.

In the process of climbing up this mountain, the segments appear difficult to be conquered once
and for all. Typically, students find themselves having go up and down these sections all the time
before they finally reach the top. When the results are interpreted in step 3), it turns out that there
was some error included in step one or two and back to the basecamp it is.

I once spent forty hours in three days running regressions, over and over, each time adjusting just
a minor detail; adding or taking a variable to or from the sample, hoping to find a better fit for my
model. Fishing you might well call it. I wasn't 100% sure of my model to begin with and so it

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wasn't a queer thing to tweak it over time, even though it seems to be home to the prior period,
t-1.

'Fishing' is a consequence of the current bachelor and master thesis procedure in empirical
research. Most of the time you'll pull out garbage and dead fish with a biassed research. This you
can't say to your boss, for you are to obtain results, right? 'Good' results. Tasty fish. And so you
try and try until something non-crap caught your bait.

If, by some miracle, you find something substantial this way, you may be able to pull it off as
being a good research, even though your whole research is sheer rubbish. For one, this clutters
the system. Secondly, as I already mentioned, people might be convinced theirs was a good
research and many years later supervise students with their research, even though they have
never conducted a good one themselves and merely have participated in some fishing frenzy on
campus.

The source of the troubles? Temporality. Results are found that don't meet the expectations,
which are already covered by prior sections and so the results must be changed, or the
arguments revised. Of course, one could say there are no results found, but if one is not sure
about the whole model to start with, then how can one argue the lack of results is not solely due
to his bad model?

2.1 The Good Proposal

Good research is not affected by the temporality issue. A good proposal explains in detail what
will be done in the research and why. It precisely names all the tools, predicts the results and
gauges the effects. Then, when this step is finalized, the research is executed in one go – no
altering in earlier steps. The results are summarized, interpreted and presented. Done.

Interestingly enough, this is not what generally happens. If it would, the traditional proposal
wouldn't look the way it does. In contrast, it would include reference to every single thing the
student must do in the process. In addition, it would be structured in such a way that if the faculty
was to sign off on the research proposal, they would implicitly sign off on the entire research,
regardless of the results. They are like the scouts at the soccer game, prior to the match. Whom
will they grant attention, the one who said he'll score, or the one who said he'll play good? If
things work out as predicted from the dressingroom, there can't be much potential failure. As long
as the student sticks to the plan – which has been approved, few things ought to go wrong.

The Blueprint Metaphor

Imagine your thesis as a makeshift computer. For the majority of the time required to build it, you
are finding and studying components and wiring them together into a prototype. You keep track of
everything you do, including why you do it, but you're not building a casing for it yet. You're also

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not working on the brochure that will make it sell. Instead, you're just keeping notes of how things
are connected and what the elements do.

After you have the prototype completed, you show it to a retailer, who examines it thoroughly,
nods and signs the invoice for the final product you are yet to build. Together, you push the
power-button of the prototype and see whether it kicks into life or not. If it does, you can happily
shake hands, expound on your notes, build a nice casing and polish off a brochure with results. If
it doesn't work, the retailer may frown and you may shrug your shoulders as well. The notepad
and brochure will not be worth much to anyone except future developers who at least know your
blueprint doesn't work. But you still have your signed invoice. And this invoice is your ticket off
the campus.

The Prototype

The prototype and the notes constitute your proposal. It contains all possible information on what
you will do and why you will do it. It may be much abbreviated; it is the core of your research. All
other content that may be added in the later process is of no importance to the workings of the
eventual machine.

The Invoice

The faculty decided to purchase your goods or not. If they do, if they sign the invoice of your
project, they are sequentially signing your diploma, regardless of whether the thing you must build
will work or not. It's only boils down to your execution and sticking to the proposed plan. In
addition, even though the prototype may be faulty, the invoice states you will still furnish it with a
casing and write a report on why it may be faulty for the sake of future research.

Pushing the Button

In collaboration with your supervisor, you check if your prototype works after he signs off on the
entire project. This process, the actual execution, happens in a split-second.

The Casing

The casing is the content that furnishes your prototype – background stories, interpretations,
conclusions. If the prototype works, you can case the product after you've pushed the button
together with the buyer. It has no effect whatsoever on the functions of the computer, but it will
make it look better. This is your 'filler content & interpretations': the body of the thesis that makes
it sensible and readable to the average Joe. 

If the prototype doesn't work, you can wrap it up and write a report that states why it might not
work, including suggestions for future computer builders.

The Brochure

After all is done, you present your final product – your thesis defense. This you do, regardless of
whether the final machine works, or not.

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And of course, there is nothing wrong with the good blueprint of a malfunctioning computer.
Moreover, a good research without significant results ought not withhold a student from
graduating summa cum laude. In practice, however, we see a situation in which malfunctioning
computers aren't as popular as functioning ones55. Again, there is a moral hazard involved.
Students want functioning computers because universities want functioning computers – instead
of wanting a good blueprint. A potential way to overcome this is by mainly grading the proposal
and only adding or subtracting to this figure based on the student's effort paid in furnishing the
thesis with a high quality body and defense.

2.2 Traditional Proposal v.s. Blueprint Proposal

A good research is a good blueprint and a good blueprint knows no timeliness. There is no
adjustment in the wires once the invoice is signed, there is no switching the power button over
and over until the things pops to life. One blueprint, one push, one result, one brochure. One good
crack at the nut.

The Crack YOUR Nuts protocol circumvents the issue of temporality by reframing and
restructuring the segments of the process. It begins with choosing a startup method and then
continues towards the Blueprint Proposal: a detailed outline of the thesis that places emphasis on
core components and excludes content that is to be procured during the execution and
evaluation. The Blueprint can be seen as the prototype; the skeleton; the roadmap of your
complete research. It includes all the required essence from the prior literature, all required data
and builds logically towards your hypothesis. But it excludes extensive background stories and in-
depth hypothesis development, results, explanations and conclusions. All the latter is called 'filler
content', for it is only added to the Blueprint in the later stages and doesn't effect the kernel
structure of the thesis, nor the methodology, nor the findings. It's just the report and the
processing thereof.

Traditional Crack YOUR Nuts

5) Graduation 5) Defence & Graduation

4) Defense 4) Results & Filler Content

3) Write Thesis 3) Execution

2) Find a Supervisor 2) Blueprint Proposal

1) Find a Topic 1) Preparation

Traditional Timeframe

t-1 Preparation: 1) Find a Topic and 2) Find a Supervisor

55 More info on refuted researches: https://www.elsevier.com/connect/scientists-we-want-your-negative-results-too

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t0 Execution: 3) Write Thesis

t+1 Process Results: 4) Defense and sequentially 5) Graduation

Crack Your Nuts Timeframe

t-1 A general overview of the research that covers all vital elements, including all the data, the
methodology, the model, the hypothesis and all the required resources. The only thing
lacking from this overview is general filler content, such as introductory stories, extensive
explanation of academic relevance, explanations for finding in resources, and results. That's
it.

t0 Execution, which on the one hand provides general steering for all the filler content and on
the other hand provides all results, which will indirectly constitute the conclusion.

t+1 Results and filler are processed and added to the Blueprint, defense and graduation follow
as a consequence.

The Crack Your Nuts Protocol knows only 3 moments which are perfectly separable. The first is all
that has to do with preparation: setting the stage for the thesis. In this process you assemble all
the required essentials. After this, you're good to go and execute the research. Then, you make
the report and flesh out the essentials with the things you've discovered.

2.3 The Startup Methods

There are two ways proposed to get out of basecamp, which are based on the axioms of the
good research. Remember, your research must either have a devoted supervisor, or a healthy
body of prior literature.

1) Literature First

The first method begins with a healthy body of literature and proceeds towards a topic and a
supervisor from thereon.

2) Supervisor First

The second method begins with an able supervisor and proceeds towards a topic from
thereon.

The methods are discussed in the next chapter.

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Chapter 3. Preparation: Topic & Supervisor
Currently, we are still at the basecamp: preparation, at the point where you are assembling your
gear and making ready for the assent. The two steps that must be completed prior to setting off
towards the summit are:

• Finding a Topic

• Finding a Supervisor

3.1 How Not to Select a Topic

The email I received on my computer back in 2013 made me anxious. I didn't really want to think
of having to write a thesis at all, but there seemed no escaping reality for me. It was the same as
with the start-up I mentioned in Part Zero: a truly big thing is demanded and you and you react
either by procrastinating, or by starting rashly with the first thing that comes to mind, which in my
case was 'finding a topic'. Therein I automatically chose the first preparatory method; I had no
knowledge of the 'Supervisor First' method.

When I began my bachelor thesis, I began rashly. I skimmed through the email, thought the best I
could for a moment, and figure I was to come up with a topic that:

1. was within the scope of my studies

2. was one-of-a-kind and new – what some may call 'a gap in the literature'

3. suited my general interest

4. was characterized by plenty of data

5. was fairly within the field of interest of a professor I thought able to supervise me

I thought this list of perquisites needed to be satisfied in the hierarchical order portrayed above.
And so I remember searching feverishly for topics that weren't researched much already, while
also being fun and within the scope of my studies. Eventually, after weeks of pondering things
over, I came up with a topic that wasn't researched much, was fairly within scope and did not
seem all too boring at first glance. Also, there were a bunch of databases I thought could be
useful.

I wrote a proposal, mentioned the gap in literature I discovered, explained how I was going to go
about it etc. It was a fine proposal. But it was a very bad research. Not surprisingly, it got
approved due to its unjust appeal. In the end, I was convinced of my own cause and it all seemed
very viable. It was not really within the field of research of my supervisor, but he was interested
and not unenthused – reflections of myself in the mirror. Probably he was busy enough with all his
own doings to give it much more thought than that. I made it sound good and that cost me. Now,

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many years (and theses) later, I can reflect on my hierarchy of important factors in the following
way.

1. in the scope of my studies (obviously) 


This is redundant when knowing the profile of the supervisor who is going to help you through.
In following his or her interests, you can't go wrong.

2. was one-of-a-kind and new – what some may call 'a gap in the literature' 

Outright rubbish; bad research written all over it. Emphasis might be on the 'new', but you
should always ask yourself why there still is a gap in the literature in the first place. It's almost
certainly because of a lack of data, a lack of strong methodology, and, most dominantly: a lack
of relevance. For if there was relevance, there would be gain, and some one would have
invested in it. And this someone was probably no bachelor or master student. Of course, there
are gaps in the literature with potential, but be sure that these are thoroughly, thoroughly
hidden in our crazed, high-on-discovery world of today. In my case, as it will be in the vast,
vast majority of cases: it was very naive to think I had found a valuable gap in the literature in
either of my theses.

3. suited my interest

Fair enough. You should have some fun doing research. But, this is an irrelevant factor with
respect to good research. It's rather an aspect of an enjoyable research.

4. was characterized by data sufficiency 


Finally something important.

5. was fairly within the field of interest of a professor I thought able to supervise me

This as well.

The research proposal I submitted made me climb up and down sections of the mountain
numerous times before I finally made it to the summit. By the time I stood on the zenith, I realized
that instead of having climbed up Everest, I in fact had trailed far off to some other peak. My
proposal didn't match the research in the least degree – the topic was vaguely similar, but other
than that, basically everything had been altered along the way. That's why it took me many
months.

When you write a thesis, it is not about doing something strictly in the scope of your study, finding
gaps in the literature, or having a fun time. It is about doing a good research (the one that will
make you graduate) and for this, you only need:

1) a sound body of literature present at the start and

2) an engaged professor.

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Along with a sound body of literature come methodology and data availability. A good topic will
come along with an engaged supervisor. And along with the good topic comes academic
relevance (and justification and approval). Focussing on the topic as a starting point is plainly
inefficient. We should focus on sound literature and supervisors. As mentioned in the last chapter,
there are two proposed methods in this guidebook that help you achieve doing so, namely:

1. Literature First – section 3.2

2. Supervisor First – section 3.3

3.2 Literature First

My third thesis supervisor told me something the first one should have. He said: "Imagine riding
the bus with all established researchers from your field of interest. The bus is basically taking the
general direction of the entire field – it's the consensus found in the most prominent researches.
They all know roughly where they're going and they've been riding it for a while, whereas you have
just boarded. You might say: 'hey guys, we should take a left here! Stop! U-turn!' Everyone will
laugh and nothing will happen – and probably they are doing so with good reason. You've got no
credentials; who are you to change the direction? Instead, you will have to go with the flow – and
maybe, maybe after some time of riding the bus, you can make a very small adjustment to the
steering wheel. Some may frown, a few may step off, but most may just tag along, if done
correctly."

Your thesis is much like this small adjustment to the steering wheel. There already is a well-
established body of literature in the field of your topic; if you are going to propose something
radically contradicting, few (read: none) will take you seriously. You have to study the prior
findings in the field; you have to understand what the people on the bus have done before you
hopped on and you have to get why the bus is going in its current direction. And perhaps, in
doing your research, you can add a little to a prior body and thereby make a very small but
accurate adjustment to the wheel.

Twin Paper

During the same meeting the supervisor told me about the bus, he gave me some practical and
valuable advise with respect to literature. I was to look for a Twin-paper: a research that does
roughly the same as you plan to do in roughly the same manner. When you step on the bus, the
twin paper is going to be the research of the guy with whom you're going to share a bench. It's
not completely identical to your own research; it's not siamese, but it's definitely a close relative.
In fact, your research and that of your Twin may even seem near identical to the naked eye.
Perhaps you alternate the hypothesis just a bit and add or take a valuable to the equation. Overall,
however, you are mostly doing the same thing.

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When he told me this, I thought it sounded extremely counter-anything I deemed academic
research to be. A thesis, I thought, should be groundbreaking, genuine, fully original; a whole new
bus, say. Yet my supervisor explained me that a sound Twin may serve as a template, on which
your own research can be hinged. By using it, you don't have to come up with a whole new
methodology yourself. Instead, you can replicate much of the work and immediately have the
opportunity to check whether you are doing a good job, or not. To construct an extensive
methodology for a revolutionary problem in a novel field– to build your own bus and drive it down
unmapped terrain – in your bachelor or master thesis, is almost certainly a sheer exercise in
hubris. Remember: the theses we are speaking of serve as preparatory; to a career as academic
researcher or one in business. Therefore, focus ought to be most on the element of learning by
doing, rather than on obtaining result in general. Constructing a substantial methodology out of
thin air is a great recipe for biassed research and not learning anything whatsoever about what
good research should comprise. Semi-replicating an existing, sound research and adding some of
your own insights and ideas is both a good training exercise (for there is a way to check your
direction) and a way to a grow understanding of what good research should entail.

A healthy twin can be nearly similar to your own research and will provide:

• A template.

• An in-depth literature study and a reference list supplying you with up to 100% of your literary
resources.

• A clear-cut methodology which you copy and to which you can add your relevant variables

• Data (if empirical) that can constitute up to 100% of your own data.

• Robustness tests which you can redo for your research.

Before we examine the matters of quality, it's important to consider one things all Twins have in
common.

The Twin must have a (minor) deficiency you venture dealing with. This deficiency can be obtained
either explicitly: from the research itself, from the section in which the authors suggest a potential
future research – or implicitly, by adding your own insight to the established research.

Twin's Health

Healthy Twins benefit students, for they serve as guideline and manual. On the other hand, they
serve the faculty, for they provide supervisors with insight and a way to check on to the process
of their students without much effort. Indeed, they do not have to help students much with
organizing their methodology, finding proper data, constructing hypotheses etc. Instead, they can
stick to their role: supervision of a process.

As it is with all published work, Twins can be of wildly varying quality; both on themselves as with
respect to your research. Of course, if a Twin is a bad research on itself, it cannot be a good twin.

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But it might also be the case that a Twin that covers a good research is just not a good twin for
you.

When using a Twin paper, it is of core importance to examine thoroughly and swiftly whether your
Twin is 1) healthy and 2) fits your needs. If it doesn't, then any research hinged on it will almost
certainly be biassed or redundant. If it's good, you've may just found your benchmark – and your
way out of basecamp.

Bad Twin's: Dubious Quality


The first type of bad Twin is a research that is in line with your research, but doesn't look very
credible and solid on itself. Two easy ways of checking on credibility is by:

1. checking the journal/publisher – is this a credible journal? Is it a big player in the field of
research? Or are there dubious publications involved? If in doubt, you can always ask a
professor. Heed that this doesn't need to be your eventual supervisor; you can simply just
inquire to any professor about the credibility of the publisher of your possible Twin.

2. checking the number of citations – is the research cited in many other researches? In other
words, are many other papers hinged on it?

If the journal featuring the paper is one with esteem, you may assume the research itself has
some credibility. As for the number of citations: the more other researchers refer to the Twin-
paper, the less likely it is to be biassed (by assumption). Of course, you're best off checking both.

Tip: check the number of citations on Google Scholar.

Figure 6. Signal for Bad Twin

Bad Twin: Dubious Match

A Twin research that seems of healthy quality needn't be a good Twin for you. Indeed, a prominent
case of such a Twin is a research that is, simply put, way too solid – one that has already received
much acclaim. Some researches are very well-established and have many other researches
hinging on them. It's like a fat guy sitting in a big touring bus surrounded by three-rows-thick of
people; agents, groupies and bodyguards. Trying to squeeze your ass on the seat right next to
him may just not be the experience you're looking for here.

Very successful papers are read (and cited) by thousands and thousands of people, all of whom
have had the opportunity to 1) detect errors and 2) think of meaningful, new related ideas or
applications based on the findings. These people constitute much of the bus you are riding –
probably they've been riding it for a longer time than you are. The chance that you've actually
succeeded in discovering something new and valuable here are super slim; the chance that you're

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overlooking something is severe. It's very advisable to grant those on the bus with some credit
and (re)consider whether the research you have in mind is actually viable and valuable or not.

Figure 5. Signal for Bad Twin

Good Twin Signals

Instead of squeezing ourselves into a jam-packed bus, we are generally better off finding a bus
that is neither too small, nor too big – one that's not speeding down the highway with 200mph,
nor headed for an abyss.

As with all Twins, the first indicator of quality is the journal in which the Twin has been published.
Google might once again prove you very helpful here. With respect to citations: try to find out how
many times the average research in your field of interest is cited. The same holds for general
search hits on Google when you type in key words. If this number is very large, your keywords
may be too encompassing; if it's very small, there may be no viability and relevance. Try to aim for
something in-between.

Figure 7. Signal for Good Twin

Figure 7 could well be a good twin. The number of citations is about average in the field: not too
little to raise red flags, not too big to be an overcrowded bus ride. Also the journal: Springer, is a
credible publisher in the field. Finally, the topic seems comprehensible and down to earth. Not
much hocus pocus here.

Twin papers are very important and nearly all researches have a few of them. If you start without,
you will either find out you haven't searched for one thoroughly and might eventually end up
duplicating many things from an unknown Twin, or you're moving yourself in a tricky field of
research – unmapped terrain, a minefield, a makeshift bus likely headed for an abyss. Perhaps
you've just boarded a bus and see that there are no fellow passengers. You can cheer out in bliss,
take a seat and shout: 'next left. Stop! U-turn.'But you may as well walk to the front and check for
the driver. Probably there is none. And probably, when you look through the windshield, you
already see your own brain splatter all over it as it crashes56 .

At this point, I can imagine some are skeptical with the idea of duplicating much of a Twin-paper.
Perhaps you wonder if a supervisor would approve on such a thing? Maybe you think it's

56 C.f. Roger Sterling

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fraudulent even? That's no crazy thought. I honestly also thought it myself back then. I was told
research should be novel, original, revolutionary, ground-shaking, bla. Truth is nearly all bachelor
and master thesis end up on some great pile never to be looked at again. Truth is also that many
professors will be very happy if you find a Twin-paper, for it provides them with a frame of
reference and enables them to guide you efficiently through a good research. Therefore, be frank
and honest in your proposal, mention that you've found a twin (or several) and mention what you
will contribute to the prior study (and how).

Your Turn

Visit Google Scholar and type in some keywords you think interesting and meaningful with respect
to your thesis. Then, look first at the general number of search hits. Does this number strike you
as awfully small (say <1k) or awfully large (say >100k)? If so, try to be more or less inclusive in
your keyword selection. Next, browse over the pages until you find something with sufficient
citations and un understandable topic that appeals to your inquiry. Once you've found a Twin-
paper that is credible and comprehensible, it's time to begin thinking of viable alteration of that
research.

Case Study Twin-Paper

The example figure 7 was obtained by using the keywords:

• cross-country

• Tax avoidance

• Religion

For a thesis in economics, this could be a good Twin-paper. It's credible and the topic seems
pretty straightforward. Here, you can start thinking of topics that are in the close to the paper
we've just found, e.g.:

1. A cross-country study on the effects of national culture on reinvestment

• Requires only one additional, accessible variable: reinvestment

2. A cross-country study on the effects of national culture on morale

• Requires only one additional variable, yet this variable is rather ambiguous (how to define
morale?)

3. A cross-country study on the effects of national culture on stock behaviour after IPO's

• Requires only one additional variable, but this variable is to be derived from stock market
data, which could balloon the whole thing.

4. A cross-state study on the effects of local culture on management within the U.S.

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 • Requires the Twin's research to be repeated on the state level in the U.S., which might
impose difficulties with respect to data availability.

When looking for topics this way, it is important to ask yourself the following questions every time
you think of a candidate:

• Is it viable?

• Is it relevant?

• Is it valuable?

Once you've found a Twin and a topic, you can start looking for a supervisor.

3.3 Supervisor First

Supervising is part of the professor's job. On the one hand, this could mean that she's going to be
involved, because this is her work; her passion. On the other, it could mean that it is her
unwanted, obligatory part of her job; a part of her work she doesn't really enjoy. But most of the
time, it's a combination of both.

All professors I know have strong interests in a couple of fields of research. If your topic is
unrelated to the field of your professor, don't expect the supervisor to be very enthused. If it's
related, your topic is going to receive attention. If it is related to something the professor is
currently researching herself (with vigor), you're golden.

Your Turn

The above mentioned channel, simply put, is the second method of finding a topic. This method
starts by searching an able supervisor and finding out how to contribute to his or her field of
research. This you can do simply by doing a little research into their field of interest prior to
approaching them in person or by email.

The degree in which your topic matches the interests of the supervisor determines her interest,
and, more importantly for you: her input. She will read through all your emails; she will handle all
your questions; she will help you spot pitfalls and, in the end, she will help you graduate. You are
not writing a thesis for your friends and family, nor are you doing it for the faculty or yourself even.
You're not doing it for the world. You're doing it for the supervisor. And she will either be your
greatest asset, or your greatest liability. Fortunately it's up to you to choose between the two. You
have the complete freedom to make of it what you WILL.

Supervisors are very valuable assets when handled correctly. Handling correctly touches upon
several subtopics you directly control, all of which receive some attention in this chapter. These
subtopics are:

• Enthusiasm & Communication

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 • Respect

• Gratitude

• Display of trust

• Clarity

• Expectation Management

• Honesty

• Timeliness

• Motivation and WILL

Enthusiasm & Communication

Having a supervisor whose interests match your proposed topic may be fun for the professor
herself, but it is also beneficial –and fun– for you. It will make every aspect better, from having
meetings, to doing a final defense. Make sure that you're enthused, or at least give the professor
the opportunity to become enthused and kindle your own fire with her sparks. For this to happen,
your communication must be spotless from A to Z.

Case Study Emails and Initial Contact

Dear ms bla.

I am to write a thesis and I would like to write about this or that. Now, I was wondering if you
could blabla.'

Regards,
Bla

Figure x. Bad email

This is pretty common and it's pretty bad. Know that professors receive applications like this all
the time – especially the good ones do. A much better first email better would be:

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 'Hi ms bla.

[metaphor/allegory/anecdote/fun intro] Yesterday someone told me that blabla. [idea] but

then it struck me that bla. Now, [intro: relating the idea to the field of the professor] I
happened to discover you are currently doing a research in non-human-animals, which is
exactly what I've been thinking about bla. Actually, I would like to do my thesis on bla
[proposal of supervision] Since you have so much experience with kind of research, I would
be thrilled and honoured to work under your supervision.
[signal of WILL] I'm more than curious about your opinion on blabla and I believe the research I
have in mind will become successful with your assistance. [abbreviated proposal] I would like
to conduct a research on [topic].
[light wrap up] I'm very enthused about this idea. Would you say this may be a very interesting
and relevant topic, or am I'm about to set sails without a mast?

I'm looking forward to your reply,

All the best,
Bla

Figure x. Better email

Stupid as it is and may sound, the latter is infinitely better than the static, humdrum former email.
Professors are (mostly) no dusty fossils flaming you for every typo. They are kind human-animals
who enjoy some genuine enthusiasm. Genuine enthusiasm; that is the key. Be a bit original, be fun
and be enthused. Show that you are excited about doing the research.

Before I began my last thesis, I wrote my supervisor, prior to the proposal, that I intended on
writing a thesis within his field of research – and if possible within a couple weeks. My supervisor
replied that it would be a true challenge and warned me for some of the pitfalls involved.

What he didn't say was that for him, this thing would put significant pressure on things too. He
didn't say that supervising involves reflecting on the developments at least three or four times in
the process of the thesis and that, leading up to a defense, the final draft needs to be evaluated
thoroughly. A second-reader must be willing to join the last part of the process and a room must
be arranged for the actual defense. He didn't say any of this. What he did say was: 'let's do this'.

Of course, I've been very lucky with this supervisor. I gained his trust and worked about 15 hours
a day, every day, on getting it done. My initial communications had established a timeframe and
managed both our expectations. Every time I submitted a part for review, he had it back to me

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within the day, reviewed and all. And with every email I sent, I tried to express my gratitude.
During the progress, I gained so much respect for this man, that his enthusiasm alone was
enough to pull me through.

The lesson here is:

• Respect

Be polite and kind, always.

• Gratitude

Realise that professors invest a lot of time in you.

• Display of Trust

• Clarity & Honesty


Be frank and don't fail to mention anything relevant, especially pitfalls in your own
idea you already discovered.

• Expectation management 

Say exactly what you WILL do, how you WILL do it, when you WILL do it – so that she
knows what you will need and when you will need it.

• Timeliness

Communicate super fast, and probably your supervisor will reply fast too. Be
sluggish, and don't be surprised if they're sluggish too. Also communicate the
exact deadlines you impose on yourself for getting certain things done and don't
miss those ever. And if you do, let the supervisor know in advance that you
underestimated a task, that you're going to miss the upcoming deadline and require
a bit more time.

Motivation and WILL

“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes
his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see
what others do.”

–Mahatma Gandhi

The WILL you have acquired throughout this guidebook, or the lack thereof, is easily detected by
your peers and your potential supervisor. I bet you remember that foggy thing called the law of
attraction? Consider the prior section and the story of how the communication between me and
my supervisor went. In proposing my topic (act), I mentioned having the ambition (WILL) of getting
it done right ridiculously fast. That's a strong drive. What I got back was a lot of devotion and
ambition from his side to help me in achieving my aim. This inspired me in such a way, that it
made me work even harder. It made the whole thing go even better; it made the whole thing fun.
And in the end, when I had reached the summit, I felt a strange inkling. Of course I was happy
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with the achievement. It's just that I had been equally happing in the act leading up to it –
something that was now completed. In the end, the law of attraction had turned the entire thing
into a successful, pleasant undertaking.

"The way in which you do it determines whether you will be successful or not"57

– Michael Pilarczyk

There is good reason you should be respectful towards your supervisor, for this involves the law of
attraction. Why is it important to display trust? It's because trust evokes trust, and respect evokes
respect. These mechanisms work so fast, that they lie nearly beyond conception. In a split
second, your brain makes the analysis whether the other party is trustworthy and respectful. If
not, miscommunication is imminent. But if it is, both parties can communicate effectively (Cuddy,
2018).

If you don't show trust and respect to your supervisor from the first time you meet, you've already
lost. Both are hard gained and notoriously easily lost. A strong power of WILL automatically
stimulates you to be respectful and trustworthy, for it 'knows' that doing so WILL bring you closer
towards achieving your goals.

`Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.'

–Galatians 6:7

Both with respect to the overall efficiency and the fun of it, it benefits to be respecting, trusting,
thankful and punctual. Being motivated pays off.

3.4 How to select Your startup method? Consensus

When you choose for the first proposed method of finding a topic: 'Literature First', your initial
focus will be on a Twin paper, then on your own topic, and then finally on your supervisor. When
you choose the second method: 'Supervisor First', your topic will come as a consequence of
focussing on your supervisor. In this case, finding a Twin can be cumbersome, for perhaps the
field of research you're about to plunge yourself in has no such paper available. And so, the
second method entails the risk of forgoing a Twin at the gain of a devote supervisor. Vice versa,
the first method allows you to find a Twin research you can use throughout as a benchmark, but
might not be fully aligned with the interests of your supervisor.

Whether you choose the first or the second method depends on what your aim is with the thesis.
Both methods have their own upsides and downsides, as displayed below:

57 translated
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Method 1 : Twin First Method 2 : Supervisor First

Pro Con Pro Con

Time – super fast: much Quality – dependent on Quality – the supervisor Quality – if the
of the content is already the Twin, which you will will set the bar for supervisor is shit, your
there have to check quality research is shit

Viable – high Justification – this you Grade – if you commit Time – typically more
successrate will have to find out by yourself, your grade will sluggish; you'll have to
yourself; much typically be higher than do a lot of research
justification will be under method 1. Also: yourself
retrospective. near zero risk of failure.

Grade – Higher risk – Justification – comes

higher volatility of grade, with the supervisor
including risk on failure

With the second method, you are typically better off in terms of grade, certainty and overall
quality. The only downside with this method is that the supervisor's influence might cause the
thing to slow down. A professor who has been studying a particular topic for a long time might
not be amused by your proposal to do a mature research within two weeks. To the contrary, she
might be offended by the mere idea. Therefore, it's better to construct a time schedule in
cooperation – one that's most likely far longer than you might intend originally.

If your goal is a (master)thesis in two weeks, then you are better off with the first method.
However, you must pay due caution in picking a professor to supervise you in this endeavour. For
also in this case, some might take your ambition as offensive and foolish.

The optimal choice is a combination of the two. This would be a scenario in which you first
examine a potential supervisor's profile, then dig into her field of research and then start looking
for Twin's to a potential research of your within the same field.

3.5 Relevance & Justification

Back to the beginning. Justification sounds like something that's done in retrospect – after the
performance of an act. Yet actually, with respect to thesis topics, justification is inherent to the
'problem' (topic) itself and should come on the forehand. The more dire this problem is, the better
the justification of solving it. A valuable research topic begs to be solved. You don't begin think of
the justification once you've find a topic. Ideally, the relevance makes you search for the solution;
the justification stems automatically from the necessity to solve an obvious problem. Ideally,
justification comes a priori.

A good research is one that is done right, regardless of whether the topic under consideration is
justifiable or not – that's a mere matter of value and contribution. Remember, the fundamental,
overarching 'why' – the whole point of doing the thesis – is a good research that prepares

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students and makes them graduate accordingly. And this, in a way, should be enough justification
on its own. It's like doing a very complicated math exercise on an exam: the utility emerges fully
from the practice – whether the assignment is made the right way, or not. No one really cares
about much other than that.

In theory, the thesis is required to encompass the kind of justification that is inherent to the
problem, i.e. the kind of justification that emerges a priori. There is a problem that needs solving
and so there is relevance and justification. In practice, most students who read about justification
begin to think of reasons why the topic they have in mind might work. That is: they justify once
they found the problem. Justification is established in retrospect, after the topic has been chosen.
This typically suffices, as long as the student can come up with some kind of plausible
explanation; one that sounds good and reasonable. Bad research written all over.

The strife for a priori justification in all theses can be placed in the same realm as the ideal of
finding a viable and valuable gap in the literature in a bachelor's research. Both sound real good,
but make the average student worse off. And so it would be better if the element of justification
would be revised and receive less evident emphasis. The moment a research is rewarded for
retrospective justification (which is the default nowadays), that's the moment the system
welcomes bad research with arms open.

Although the superfluous, retrospective kind of justification works for a student in the current
system, it usually does not propel him into the academic walhalla unless he is a true master in
cooking up retrospective justification, or he has had a super lucky draw and struck a priori
justification by coincidence. A good research with an extraordinary grade, is only obtained by
doing something extraordinary. Solid, a priori justification can be your ticket to the top here.

Justification in the Methods

In method one, you can take the easy way, think of a research topic once you've found a twin and
only then cook up retrospective justification and relevance. This works, but it's suboptimal. It's
better to think of a topic after some problem has come to mind. Such an incidence of a priori
relevance might stem from 1) a potential fault in the Twin research, or 2) a viable alternative use of
the study.

In method two, justification and relevance are assumed inherent to the field of interest of the able
supervisor. She knows what she's doing and she knows that's a worthy pursuit.

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Chapter 4 The Blueprint of a Thesis
You're doing pretty well down there at basecamp. You're shouldering a strong looking rope; the
fresh snow underneath your feet crisps with every new step. Afar, something is looming on the
horizon – something substantial and enthralling; something you WILL challenge and conquer. The
peak is out there, ready for the taking. And you, you are about to commence the great ascent.

It's time for a little check-up on material. At this point, you should have:

1. A (potential) topic. You've found it either by means of method 1 – by starting with the Twin,
or by method 2 – by starting with a supervisor.

2. A (potential) supervisor. You've found her either by means of method 2 – by researching a

topic in her field of research, or as a follow-up on method 1 – by finding a professor to
supervise you in the Twin-based research.

If you find yourself shy of either one of the above, get busy out there at the foot of your hill. Start
searching the web for interesting Twins, or start examining and contacting able supervisors with
ideas for a research.

If you've acquired a potential topic or supervisor, it's time for the next step: the outline of the
thesis. This is the final step in the preparation. This is the roadmap to thesis success; the map to
the moon; the framework of the research; the pivotal Blueprint.

In Part Zero, you acquired understanding of the success-mindset. You've assessed the ordeal at
hand, you placed the final conquest on top of the mountain and began cascading downwards on
a search for identifiable sections, checkpoints and action steps. From that you obtained a general,
crude layout. At this point in Part One, we take that broad scheme and define it more accurately.
For even though your thesis is unique, it's skeleton is not. Basically all theses and academic
papers share some fundamental characteristics beyond the simple structure of topics, writing a
thesis and defending the whole thing. Every thesis has an introduction. And every introduction has
somewhat of a lead-up, a summary, an overview. Many essentials are the same – the Marathon is
well defined. There are plenty check-points farther down the line.

The Blueprint covers the core of the thesis – the smalles identifiable sections that need to be dealt
with along the way. Because of its omnipresence in academic research, the Blueprint can be used
for various functions. Of course, you can use it to build your own thesis on, but you can also use it
to read other papers and identify essence swiftly.

An equipped Blueprint, can be easily translated to the mandatory content for your traditional
proposal. The ingredients of the schema are easily transported. That's a good thing, for currently
we find ourselves almost ready to start. And so we'll have to hand in that good old proposal pretty
soon.

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4.1 Outline of the Blueprint

The Blueprint lis the 'skeleton' that's identifiable in basically all theses. Some of the included
matters can be filled in before you actually 'do' the research, others cannot. The section 'findings
from prior research' is, of course, a section that a student can write the moment she has a topic
and a suiting body of literature. In fact, this section contains some essential information which
should be included at t-1. In the end, findings from prior research will be of kernel importance to
the working of our own prototype. And everything that has affect on the function of the machine
should be included before we commence. This kind of content we call essential.

But there is also a lot of content that can be created before you start, but that isn't particularly
important for the workings of the machine. You could write in 1.000 words how prior studies lead
up to yours, but it's more feasible to stick to the essence. Something leads to something else; the
story around it isn't important. All the stuff surrounding the essentials is called filler content.

Besides essentials and filler content, there remains the content that emerges during execution.
Findings, results, interpretations, conclusions. All these accumulate after you press the button.
Content of this kind is simply called findings.

Note that essentials restrict themselves to t-1. We can construct and process that type of content
before we begin. This is the purpose of the Blueprint. Filler content can be added later as it
doesn't alter anything fundamental. Findings are interesting with respect to processing results and
making reports, but also they have no kernel effects.

Also note that many sections of academic papers have multiple kinds of content incorporated. An
introduction reports on the prior findings in the field (essential), includes background stories (filler)
and summarizes the results (findings). In sections such as these, only the essential parts should
be dealt with before the start – all other follow later.

Figure X displays the Blueprint, which should not look unfamiliar. It's the sections of an academic
paper. But it includes more than just the sections. There are also subsections, which describe the
content in more detail.

• Essence (t-1) is portrayed in blue font.

• Filler is portrayed in regular font.

• Findings (t+1) are portrayed in orange font.

Explanations are in italics.

The Blueprint

I. Abstract

In a couple sentences: what the whole research does, how it does it and what the results are
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II. Introduction

Summarises & Introduces

i. anecdote or example

ii. initial introduction of research topic

iii. findings from prior studies

i. Family introduction: Twin(s)

iv. naming what the Twin (or other research) is missing

v. naming the research topic

i. including the research question

i. including several additional research questions

vi. introducing the methodology

vii. naming the findings

viii. naming the conclusion

i. relevance

i. of the research

ii. of the findings

ix. provide a concise overview of the next chapters and what can be expected

III. Literature and hypothesis development 


Explains what you are doing

i. Shortlist: naming first-priority prior literature findings and link them to your main
research question

i. hypothesis 1: what do prior literature findings suggest could be the answer to the
main research question?

ii. naming second-priority prior findings

i. hypothesis 2 (and others): what do prior findings suggest could be the answer to
the secondary research question (s)?

IV. Methodology 

Explains how you do it

i. dependent variable(s)

i. constitution, i.e. how is the data computed?

ii. background: what does it explain and how?

ii. independent variables

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 i. constitution

ii. background

iii. empirical specification

i. introducing the model (based on Twin(s))

i. pointing out strengths and weaknesses

ii. explain the kind of empirical research you will conduct

iii. model

V. Data 

Explains with what you are going to do it

i. sample

i. data resource(s)

ii. data structures 


e.g. development of the independent variable over the course of the sample.

iii. data adjustments


e.g. filtering out outliers

iv. specification of final dataset

VI. main findings 


Explains what you find when doing it

i. results of the model

ii. findings on hypothesis 1

iii. findings on other hypotheses

iv. alternative findings

VII. Robustness check (if empirical)


Do the findings hold when you alter the model?

i) e.g. reversed causality, endogenity

VIII. Conclusion

Summary with strong emphasis on findings

i. Part 1

i. Origin or problem and prior findings and lead up to research question (1 sentence)

ii. Research question (1 sentence)

iii. How is it done? – methodology in 1 sentence

ii. Part 2

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 i. Findings/answer

ii. Consequences of these findings

i. Relevance

iii. Recommendations for further research

IX. References

From Twin(s) and the resources they hinge their research(es) on, see Figure X.

X. Appendix

Figure x, The Blueprint

4.2 Introduction to Tools

Don't be afraid. The Blueprint might look a bit daunting, but it's actually just a bunch of small
elements. Our aim in the next chapters is to flesh out the Blueprint with the contents of your own
thesis. To do so we provide a bunch of tools that make the work go fast and efficient.

• The Shortlist functions as an overview of the core lead-up to your own research.

Chapter 4.3

• The Summary contains an abbreviated overview of all the content you intent to use in the
thesis. From some papers you will include many items, from others less.

Chapter 5.2

• The Reference List bundles all your resources as you go.


Chapter 5.3

• The Data Overview contains all the data you will employ.

Chapter 6.1

• The Method, or the methodology explains how you will use the data.

Chapter 6.2

• The Model, in empirical research, is your research model. 


Chapter 6.3

4.3 The Shortlist | TOOL

Regardless of whether you are doing empirical research or a literature study: ample resources are
of the essence. You could describe in a lengthy section how all these resources lead up to your
own thesis, but you might as well focus on mere essentials. For that purpose, there is The
Shortlist.

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Findings from Literature: Shortlist

A good Twin provides a bunch of background researches leading up to the result they obtain.
These findings can be structured in an organized way, so that they logically lead to your own
hypothesis. That's great for overview on the kernel of the prototype.

Case Study: Shortlist

Say for example that your Twin (A) finds that: sacred cows makes for the tastiest hamburger58 . And
paper B says that 'tasty' is affected by numerous factors having to do with culture. And say that
the Twin did not take into account the fixed effects by controlling for those very factors. The
overview leading to the main hypothesis of your research would be:

• Twin A: Sacred cows makes for the tastiest hamburger

• Paper B: Tastiness varies per culture
• Axiom: culture varies per country
• Your Hypothesis 1: Sacred cows makes for the tastiest hamburger in some countries, but
not in others.

Of course, this example is somewhat ludicrous and gravely simplified for the sake of argument. In
your thesis, it is probably more elaborate (and sensical), but I'm sure you get the idea.

The logical sequence of prior findings (leading up to your own hypothesis) constitute an important
aspect of the Blueprint for your thesis. Make sure you have a clear overview of how the papers fit
together with your Twin (if you have one) and how they fit together and lead up to your own
research. Also make sure that there are no gaps in your setup. Be sure that you've got everything
covered in your Shortlist. This tool only excludes resources for background stories and the like.
Other than that, the papers in this overview will be the one and only selection of papers you're
going to use in your research.

58 credits for the quote 'Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger' to Mark Twain
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Chapter 5. Literature & Reading Papers
Every now and then I happen to read a book that is fairly interesting up to some point, only to
become a drag soon after. Rather bored, my eyes wander off to the bottom of the page and I
assess the numbers of pages left. Sometimes it's just a couple and I go on turbo mode. But
sometimes there are quite some to go and I have to decide: plough on and get is over with, or just
put is aside? Strangely enough, the latter feels like a surrender, almost like a failure – perhaps
because it would impede me from saying – to myself – that I truly read that book. Strangely
enough, it also feels a bit disrespectful to the author. It feels wrong. Much the same thing can
occur when watching a movie. You're drawing closer and closer to the end, but you've just lost
interest and at some point wonder why the heck you're still watching.

When I was introduced into the world of articles and academic papers, my initial gut feeling was
much the same. I would start off on some paper reading, trying to grasp the line and development
of the study; trying to understand how it al lead to the hypothesis and sequentially to the
conclusion. More often than not, reading a substantial paper took me an hour or more. But I
progressed, slowly, and began to understand that some sections are not truly essential in getting
the bottom line of the paper. This continued up to a point where me and a study friend would
begin with the required readings for a lecture at the beginning of the lecture, and were no less
able than others to participate in the discussion than others.

It took some time to get over the initial gut feeling – something that didn't feel fair: fair to the
producers, to the professors, to fellow students, the whole crew. But fairness has nothing to do
with it. Why would one follow the standard procedure, only because it is the standard procedure?

Often, I hear people speak of mandatory readings as if it imposes unto them a great challenge of
dedication, time and energy. And it probably does. But it doesn't have to be like that.

5.1 How to Study a Paper

The prior chapter introduced the Blueprint that enables you to escape typical pitfalls like the trap
of temporality. The Blueprint forms, as it were, the backbone of a good academic research. A
good Blueprint equals a good research, but this also works vice versa. This outline will, in one way
or the other, be incorporated in basically all papers out there. You could, in the spirit of me reading
a book, start at A and slowly work his way to Z. This can be tedious. You could also use the
Blueprint to deduce the essence of a research within a few minutes, read the things that are
important, skip all the filler and distill the core. Doing so not only saves over 90% of the time it
takes for a reading, but it also boosts the degree of insight.

Imagine you're a butcher. One day, someone brings over a cow which you are to chop up. Usually,
you would begin by assessing that it is a cow with a specific size, age and race. Then, turning to
the actual chopping, you start by removing the skin by making incisions at the ankles and peeling

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the whole thing off. Then, perhaps you turn to the flanks and start slicing of steaks. (Obviously, I
have no idea how to chop up a cow). Anyways, maybe after 45 minutes, you arrive at some
section where you discover an infection, meaning all the meat will be useless.

Now imagine you're brought the same cow, but instead of beginning with with making incisions at
the ankles, you start by checking for signs of bad health. Everything looks fine, except for this
strange spot on the back. You plunge your knife in and puss oozes out. Useless cow.

Besides being faster, the second might be better in terms of quality. When immediately beginning
by slicing up, chances are you overlook the infection, or, more problematically, decide to ignore it
when you find it, for you've already cut of these steaks which actually look pretty fine.

In a weird way, an academic paper can be similar to this cow. There may be an infection hidden
somewhere beneath the surface – one that the person bringing you the cow; the authors, don't
point out. And especially when the authors have been doing some fishing, they may have been
aware of the infection and already covered it up by a bunch of good-looking flank steaks. With
respect to the efficiency of your literature research, it is essential to do a proper assessment
before turning to the actual butchering.

Checking a Paper's Essential Health

Taking into account the overview and Blueprint, a diligent assessment and reading of a resource
paper can be done in the following way:

Title: should indicate the relevance with respect to our topic.

I. Abstract

In the abstract, there will be one or two sentences that contain the essence of the paper, as
projected by the authors. Heed that this doesn't say anything except for what they claim to
have done. Think of it as the sales pitch of the one bringing you the cow. Of course, they'll tell
you it's a great healthy cow. 

A more in-depth sale-pitch is found in the conclusion, so jump there prior to turning to the
next section. Take a look at VIII.

II. Introduction

Skip. We already know that 99% is filler content. The final part of this section, the index, can
be useful for navigating you around the other filler.

III. Literature and hypothesis development


Skip for now. The hypothesis are relevant and can be considered, but most of this section
becomes relevant only when we know the cow is proven healthy. If that's the case, this
section can provide a lot of filler content for your own research.

IV. Methodology 

First go to the end of the section; the model and try to understand what they do in relationship
to the thing they claim to have discovered in the abstract and conclusion. Study the
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 dependent and independent variables and decide whether they're clear-cut and straight-
forward, or rather vague instead. Cunning cow salesmen may try to make things hazy here
and include variables with ambiguous names. If that's the case, browse to the variable
description in section V. Mostly, the infection will be hidden deeper within the methodology
and mostly the model will look fine on first glance.

If the model looks unhealthy on first glance, it's time to make an incision in the infected spot.
Go straight to the description of the data and the variable(s) that look(s) iffy. See how it is
computed and cut deeper until you find the origin of the unhealthy hunch. 

Alternatively, (or when the model looks good) one can browse back through the methodology
section and study how the model is used to obtain results. I recently read a paper that, in the
abstract, claimed having found a model explaining 'individual liberty' with respect to 'the
potential cost of that liberty if misused'. And also the model looked fine. But then, turning to
the essence of how the research was conducted, alarm bells began to ring. This research
examined how granting individuals within a society with freedom (L) comes with the cost of
the risk (R) of them disrupting the system, e.g. with terrorist attacks. In these countries, L is
allowed (by the government) to increase until R (harmful event) occurs, and in this way a
balance level of individual freedom is eventually established. Sound nice, right? The problem
is that this may work like this is a typical country in Western Europe, but not when turning to
countries where R occurs on the daily and L is determined by an endogenous factor, e.g.
political conviction (c.f. totalitarian regimes). Another problem is that some terrorist can use a
little L to do a lot of harm, whereas other are less ingenious, i.e. R can't be known and fixed.
Yet another, endogenous factor may be that people like unlimited levels of L out of ideological
conviction, despite the risk and occurrence of R (c.f. Breivik and Scandinavian legislation). 

Hence, the research looks appealing in theory. In practice, when one digs deeper into the
methodology, one finds many complications. Using a cow of this kind without checking for
infections might get you food-poison.

V. Data

Check how all important variables are computed. Healthy signs are large samples and clear,
quantitative data. With qualitative data, always examine how it is computed. Worst here would
be data based on ambiguous, subjective questions to a non-random population. E.g. "would
you say you earn a lot?"

VI. Main findings


If the model, the essential methodology and the essential data look healthy, turn to the table of
results displaying the main findings (which sometimes is in the appendix). Look at the
coefficients on which the entire research hinges (often no more than 3 results in the table
displaying hundreds), and check their statistical validity and significance.

Another paper I recently examined had found a relationship that was statistically significant
and that was argued to decrease in effect when alternative factors were included. When I
turned to the main findings, however, I found that the coefficient of the effect not only

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 decreased, but also lost significance, i.e. lost its statistical relevance. Needless to say, this is
an infection.

VII. Robustness check


If up to here everything seems healthy, see whether the robustness checks intuitively suffices
(e.g. do they account for obvious endogenous effects?, do they account for reversed
causality? Etc.) Do this by first checking the result table and then turning to how they obtain it.

VIII. Conclusion

In order to get a more complete image of what they do and how they do it, skip the filler of this
section (the first alinea) and search for the essence of the conclusion prior to skipping section
II and III and ending up at the methodology (IV). Here, try to read the sales pitch with some
skepticism and think of possible problems. Be like a suspicious butcher.

IX. References

Instead of throwing away an unhealthy cow, one could decide to cut even deeper in order to
see if the cow himself maybe ate some infected stuff. When having found infections or having
reached an unsolved liability, see if it emerges from a resource and examine that paper. 

In a philosophy class, a friend of mine once found that a 'healthy' paper that was discussed in
class actually hinged almost fully on a paper that seemed healthy, but was actually a rotton
cow. When he brought that up in the lecture, the whole discussion no longer made sense. 

If the research is healthy, decide on 'borrowing' references for your own research, of course
not without dissecting those as well.

X. Appendix

Skip, except for core result tables.

Figure X, reading the Blueprint✪ of a paper

Discovering the Blueprint structure, dissecting cows and identifying infections takes practice. In
the beginning, it can be a bit difficult to find out whether the cow is sick or not and you can't
expect to be like an expert butcher from the start. Give it some time and train your skill. Soon,
you'll see that you're able to grasp all relevant, essential information from a substantial research
within 10 minutes. In addition, you will also have a fair understanding of whether it's a good
research or not. Of course you can't be 100% sure, but surely your knowledge of the cow's
condition is superior to those who start at the ankles.

5.2 The Summary | TOOL

Getting the literature to work for you is important for the sake of time, transparency and quality of
the final product. During the first research I conducted, I had so many articles opened on my
desktop, that the whole machine began to lag. Every time I required a resource that I knew I had

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stored or open somewhere, I had to go through several files and search for keywords in the hope
of finding the content I had in mind. Even more problematically: I often went to our mutual friend
Google Scholar and typed in the thing I wanted to find in order to back-up my argument with a
source. These were mostly things I thought to be true, but I've never checked for validity myself.
Of course, such a method is prone to fishing and might encourage one to search for as long as it
takes her to find a favorable claim. Needless to say, this is dangerous.

In order to escape the need to fish for resources, one is much better off having all the required
stuff at hand prior to executing the research. The prior sections showed you how to go through a
pile of papers and derive essence and quality fast. This section offers a tool for structuring the
required findings from the literature in a way that prevents fishing and that enables you to have a
complete overview of all resources at the time you complete the blueprint, t-1, i.e. prior to getting
approval for the research. The following method is also a very efficient way of organizing Blueprint
essence separately from both Blueprint filler and overall filler content.

The Summary

After you've determined that a resource is healthy, you can take the paper's finding for granted.
Indeed, you can begin chopping up the cow and slice off the required bits and pieces. In many
cases, it's beneficial to skip the chucks you don't need an only focus on the core ingredients for
your own dish. These pieces – the ones you do need, must be organized in a structured way, so
that you can access them fast and easy at all times.

Open a new text document on your computer, and one by one, list the titles of the papers you
studied, insert bullet-points and briefly state the abstract and the essentials with respect to your
own research. Include their core-findings, their core-resources, their core data and quote the
pieces you will use to fuel your own paper. Repeat this exercise for all the papers you will use and
so construct a list of core-resource-content.

Example

This might look like the following:

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 'A cross-country study on the effects of national culture on reinvestment' (Han, et. al, 2010)
• This study hypothesises and tests whether the degree to which managers exercise earnings
discretion relates to their value system (i.e., culture) as well as the institutional features (i.e.,
legal environment) of their country. We find that uncertainty avoidance and individualism
dimensions of national culture explain managers' earnings discretion across countries, and
that this association varies with the strength of investor protection.

• Uses a, b and c to define the value system of managers, of which a and c are significant and
positive

• Institutional features: d, e, of which e is significant and positive

• Controls for reversed causation, but not for f.

• F is relevant to our research because bla. I handle it by doing g (see resource/paper 2)

• The effects are increasing in h.

• Data set available at: www.blablabla.bla

• Relevant quote 1: '[...] blabla [...]' - page 4

• Relevant quote 2: '[...] blabla [...]' - page 7

• Twin papers i and j:

• 'Title of an important resource' (author, year)

• Abstract

• ...

'Title of resource/paper 2' (author, year)

• ...

'Title of resource/paper 3' (author, year)

• ...

Figure x, Summary Example

Try to be concise in creating your literature summary. A good entry in your summary is no longer
than a full page for a Twin, and half a page for any other paper. It should include all things relevant
to your research, both essential stuff as filler-feed content. The actual filler itself can be created in
composing the final product in t+1. If constructed correctly, you can turn to your summary at any
moment during the writing process and almost instantaneously find the resource you require for
the section at hand. This, in contrast to having to read through entire papers over and over, is very
efficient and thus saves a lot of time. It also provides a comprehensive and complete overview.

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5.3 The Reference List | TOOL

A good twin-paper provides you with most of your own references. These can be 'borrowed' by:

1. reading them in the spirit figure x

2. checking up on their health

3. incorporating them into your own reference list and summary.

Usually, a Twin makes a statement that's based on a resource. You don't directly require this
resource. You require it indirectly, for it is a component of the one you do require directly. If it ends
here, there is no need (of grounds) for further reference. If, however, the same argument can be
used, but isn't of vital importance to your own research, you can go through the method provided
in figure x extra fast and sequentially use the reference on valid grounds. A typical place for this
event to occur is in the introduction of the research, or in the introduction of the literature section.

Whether you obtain your references from a Twin or by other means, keep a neatly organized list of
all papers you will use in your research on the last page of your Summary. In the end, this list
constitutes the reference list of your final product.

Don't Pile

Some students (and researchers) have the tendency to see a sentence they intend to use in a
paper, including the source, and take over the thing by citing not only the first paper they found
the sentence in, but also the original source, which, of course, also has an original source. This
practice is counterproductive and confusing. A single argument with four resources is bound to
include several that aren't very related to the statement.

Example

• Paper 1: Management earnings are affected by culture (source: paper 2)

• Paper 2: Individualism affects bonus structure (source: paper 3)

• Paper 3: Lottery-stock options popular in Western-Europe (source: paper 4)

• Paper 4: Gambling per country explained (source: paper 5)

• Paper 5: Casinos: why we like them so much (source: book)

• Book: 'Debauchee', by Jo Black

Of course, mentioning all papers and Jo Black's book in your references is completely pointless.
Future researches will get confused when they try to see where your argument originates. Hence,
bad research.

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Chapter 6. Empirical Research
Smoke hangs low and lazy. From the other side of the obscure balcony, two eyes stare at mine
incredulously – bleak, dull and inquiring. What's wrong, she asked. What's wrong? Are you
serious? I avert, into the darkness beyond; away from the meeting; far from sociality, a moment;
two hours backwards, all the way back to the monitor on my desk. The faint noise of cars
shooting by on the opposing street fades away into the whirr of a harddisk. When I open my eyes,
I'm dazed by numbers and figures, spreading out into every corner; taking up all the breathing
space. Prominently, like an omen of suffocation, I see the 'run' button in the far corner of the
screen. Run, run, run! Athens, silk, promotion. Over and over, output after output sputters out in
incomprehensible gushes; oozing and throbbing like the wound of an infected cow.

What's wrong? People asked me this whenever I left my room during the times I was doing data
research. Like a zombie, I sometimes ventured into the social spheres, tormented by endless
streams of numbers. Once, I had a command in Stata that took my poor computer 15 minutes to
execute. On the one hand, this was good, because it functioned as a mandatory break. On the
other, it was pretty wasteful, because I had to run it tens of times before I was content with the
results. Our ancestors used to battle the elements in search for fish. We fish in search for
elements.

What's wrong? Well, frankly I was tired of fishing. I'd been on the vast seas for days on end and I
was exhausted. If only one person back that had introduced me to the Blueprint; if only one
person would have said to me: "dude, you are wasting your time and energy in vain", I would have
saved weeks and weeks of nerve-wrecking, superfluous calculations.

What's wrong? I created my own problems and had to solve them too, for they impeded me to
arrive at my destination. I had been drawing ghosts, and now I was haunted by creatures of my
own design.

My dire state of being; my black-encircled eyes; my skin white as paper, were the result of bad
preparation and worse execution. I had began the empirical section of my thesis without having a
clear plan in mind beforehand; the model I used wasn't fixed; the data wasn't there when I
started. 


6.1 The Data Overview | TOOL

If you wish not to be in agony behind the screen during your data research, it is of vital importance
to have all your data ready for use before you actually start. All the essential components must be
organized in one comprehensive data set prior to handing in your research proposal, at t 0. Of
course, if you don't have a Twin paper, this can be a bit of a challenge. In this case, you will have
to gather, or maybe even: collect, the data yourself – probably in collaboration with your
supervisor. If you happened to have chosen startup method two, and if you happen to be in the
situation that you don't have a Twin paper to hinge your own data research on, then make sure
you at least know where it is you will collect your data from. Maybe your supervisor already knows
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the proper datasets. If so, make sure you have access prior to takeoff and organise. Otherwise,
construct a fixed plan of how you are going to collect your required data and what you will do it in
your research. The whole system has to be thought of before you leave basecamp, ideally also
before you hand in the proposal.

If you do have a Twin paper available, it will be probably be fairly easy to access the required
datasets, for they are provided by the prior literature. As for your contribution to the research (and
the academic field), you must compute or find the additional data you require in testing your
hypothesis. Often this is a place where numerous problems occur. Make sure that you deal with
all problems a priori. Also minimise the number of assumptions you make. Then, after having
thought things through and having organized the road you're about to take, ask your supervisor
for approval. It's optimal to mention exactly what you did (or will do) in order to create the
variables you will use, including assumptions. If there is anything you're not sure for, ask approval.
In this way – by gaining approval on the data, the supervisor approves on the blueprint and 'signs
the invoice'.

You can't be cautioned enough here. If you're unsure about whether a wire included in your
signed Blueprint is there unjustly after you've already left, your invoice decreases in value – and
you might find yourself in trouble soon.

Make sure you have a clear overview of how the papers fit together lead up to your own research.
Also make sure that there are no gaps in your setup. The sources in your overview will be the one
and only selection of sources you're going to use in your research. Time spend on this
preparatory step before execution, that is at t-1, might be substantial, but if done effectively, it
nearly annihilates the chance of problems popping up halfway through.

Give it your very best shot and stick with that. There's nothing wrong in being perfectly clear with
your supervisor about 1) how you made the Blueprint proposal and 2) the intended finality of it.
Based on the second point, he might pose some suggestions for you to alter your data. Listen,
heed his advice, adjust the dataset or the methodology and wait with pushing buttons until he
signs the invoice.

6.2 Methodology – The Method | TOOL

Alike to the datasets, methodology should be final at t-1. With a Twin, you can copy much of the
methodology and add your own variable(s) to the equation. If you don't have a Twin, you should
build your methodology yourself before you commence the climb.

Emphasis in the Method is on the 'how'. In the utmost detail, it explains how the data is used in
order to obtain results that test the hypotheses and so answer the research question(s). It also
explains, in detail, all assumptions made (if any).

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6.3 The Model | TOOL

Earlier, in the construction of the Shortlist (chapter 3.6), we've created a logical lead up to your
hypotheses that draws on prior literature. In this section, the methodology involves statistics, but
the idea remains the same. Now, you will turn to the variables of the prior studies and incorporate
them into your own model.

Remember the example of a literature shortlist:

Say for example that your Twin (A) finds that: sacred cows makes for the tastiest hamburger59 . And
paper B says that 'tasty' is affected by numerous factors having to do with culture. And say that
the Twin did not take into account the fixed effects by controlling for those very factors. The
overview leading to the main hypothesis of your research would be:

• Twin A: Sacred cows makes for the tastiest hamburger

• Paper B: Tastiness varies per culture
• Axiom: culture varies per country
• YOUR Hypothesis 1: Sacred cows makes for the tastiest hamburger in some countries, but
not in others.

Now, we turn to the data.

• Say that cows (C) consist only of sacred ones (SC) and normal cows (C-SC)
• Say that tasty burges are a dummy variable (T). Something is either tasty or not.
• Say that culture contains of two categories: East (E) and West (W) (both can be seen as
dummies)

• Hypothesis from Twin: Tsc > Tc-sc


In other words: sacred cows make tastier burgers than non-sacred cows.

• Our hypothesis 1

Tsc > Tc-sc

In other words, Twin hypothesis

((E) Tsc > Tc-sc * (W) Tsc > Tc-sc < 0

In other words: one of the coefficients is negative, i.e. in one culture, the Twin's hypothesis is
refuted.

Of course, this example is once again rather ridiculous and simplified; it serves merely for the
sake of argument.

Note that in the example, you should have all data available on S, C, T, E and W. If you don't
prepare, it could just be that halfway through the research, you discover that you had no proxy for

59 credits for the quote 'Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger' to Mark Twain
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culture yet. Or worse, that culture can be proxied in many, many various ways (which is the case).
Make sure you think of this before, pick a methodology etc. and obtain approval thereof before
you start.

6.4 Execution

You are ready for execution when:

• Your Shortlist is ready (chapter 3.6) – you have an organized overview of how (and why) prior
research from the field leads up to your own.

• Your Summary is ready (chapter 5.2) – you have an organized summary of all resources which
included essential items you will use in your research, quotes, secondary references etc.

• Your Data Overview is ready (if empirical) (chapter 6.1) – you have a file that contains all
required data in the proper format.

• Your Method is ready (chapter 6.2) – you know what you are going to do and you know how
you are going to do it.

• Your Model is ready – (if empirical) (chapter 6.3) – you know how the model looks that you've
built in your Method, you know how the data from the Data Overview fits into it, you know what
the results suggest for your hypothesis and so you know how it might answer your research
question.

• You have all the essential content – the Blueprint is ready.

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Chapter 7. Your Blueprint Thesis Proposal
In chapter 4 I introduced the Blueprint. The sequential chapters deal with literature, data and
methodology: the essential ingredients of the Blueprint. Now it's time to process those into a
sweet research proposal. Appendix II provides insight into how the separate elements of the
Blueprint can be used to fuel the traditional proposal. This section summarizes the content
required for the proposal and includes the respective tools you can use for gathering it.

Findings from prior studies & introduction of Twin(s)

Tool: Summary

Length: 50-100 words

This element states clear and briefly what prior research in the field has established and
focusses most on the Twin paper. It doesn't include irrelevant findings from the used resources,
but solely aims at setting the stage for your own research question. In the spirit of the bus
allegory, this element functions as an outline of the bus, a description of the passengers close
to you and an indication of the direction it's going.

What's missing in the literature

Tool: Summary & The Shortlist


Length: 30-50 words

This element points out what has been missing so far and what you will address in your
research.

Your research question(s)

Tool: The Shortlist


Length: 30-70 words

After having been introduced, here you state your research question(s).

Hypotheses

Tool: The Shortlist


Length: 50 words

This element explains what 'answer' you will expect for your research question and why.

Methodology

Tool: The Method & The Model


Length: 40-80 words

This element explains in detail how you will test your hypotheses and thus answer your
research question.

Data
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 Tool: The Data Overview

Length: 40-80 words

This element explains where you got your data from and what you do with it prior to using it
(for fuelling the methodology and so testing the hypotheses and answering the research
question(s).

Relevance

Length: 20-40 words

If your research is build upon a priori relevance, this element emphasizes the necessity of
finding an answer to the research question. Heed that in this case the 'necessity' might already
be evident in the element describing 'what's missing from the literature'.

If there wasn't such an urge to begin with, you have to think of retrospective relevance.

Reference

Tool: Reference List / Summary

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Chapter 8. Blueprint Filler & Writing

As author and member of a publishing house, I often read manuscripts, both of my own
hands and those of others, that feel to be, what I call, stressed. There are situations in
which writers want to stress a point so badly that they forget to furnish the whole thing by a
pleasant exterior. The thing that distinguishes enthralling writing from a typical manifest is
engagement, enticement and empathy. If a story begins without heeding to these matters,
a reader will not be captivated by the narrative.

In chapter 3 of Part Zero, I introduced the example of the archetype of the hero myth and
named the stories of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings as suiting exemplars. Imagine that
the stories would begin with Harry being a great sorcerer, or with Frodo being able to fly
over to Mount Doom and destroy the Ring in the beginning of the tale. There wouldn't be
much of a story, would there?

So far, by means of the Blueprint and the provided tools, we've stripped bare the existing
body of literature of its packaging and dug deep until we struck essence. Also with respect
to the thesis you are writing; we've began by segmenting the thing into several parts,
taking away the filler, and focussing on the core mechanisms that determine the success
of your venture. This has been a fruitful business, for we've enabled ourselves to focus
solely on the truly important parts. But there isn't much of a story, yet.

Both in fiction and theses, the essence, be it the archetype or the Blueprint, needs to be
fleshed out to capture the whole thing in a compelling packaging that makes for a pleasant
customer and user experience. Indeed, it now becomes the final reader who makes up our
vantage point. Whereas before we have focussed on you and the supervisor; on the maker
and buyer of the prototype, we now begin occupying ourselves with the casing, the
brochure and the final customer: the general audience.

8.1 Fleshing Out & Writing Plan

Your Blueprint already includes the sections that will benefit the end-user experience and
assure that some arbitrary reader will be able to cling onto the plot, understand what
happens and logically comes to the research questions, the hypotheses, the methodology
and the conclusion him- or herself. For this is what filler content is really about: granting
the reader to tag along with your journey and grow a deep lived understanding of what you

125
are doing. These included sections, however, have not been dealt with so far. They are the
background stories of your hypothesis development, the abstract, the pleasant
introduction, the comprehensible, verbal description of the metamorphosis of the data, the
drawing upon the findings, the extensive relevance of the conclusion etc. They are they
body of the thesis; the thing that turn the skeleton into a complete work of flesh and blood.

In order to turn your Blueprint into a convincing thesis, you have to flesh out your Shortlist
by means of your Summary. A good starting point for doing so is by making a transparant
writing plan prior to beginning. Again, in a way, this is a pure matter of preparation.

Take a quick look to the Blueprint again, as portrayed in chapter 4.1 Also examine figure X,
the figure that explains how to read a paper by means of the Blueprint.

The familiar structure can be fleshed out the following way:

I. Abstract | 120-200 words 


Focus here is on a very brief summary that fully focusses on essence. It is, as it were, your
Shortlist, Method, relevance and findings put into a couple sweet sounding sentences. 

Someone who solely reads the abstract should know, in broad terms, what happens in the
thesis, how it happens, and why it is important that it happens. 



This paper <what it does> by <how it does it>. Using <what's used to do the how>, I find that
<results>. I conclude that <conclusion>, which is relevant with respect to <relevance>. 


II. Introduction | 12-20% of total content


Focus here is on a fleshed out summary. Important is not to go in too much details on any
aspect, for hypothesis development has a dedicated section, as do methodology, data,
findings, checks and the conclusion. Yet all these must be represented in the introduction, be
it in a general way. 

Someone who solely reads the introduction has to get a more complete feeling of what is
happening in the research. If the reader would skip all many following sections and jump to
the conclusion, this should be a comprehensible sequence to the story and a convincing end
of it. In other words, all sections between the introduction and the conclusion serve as a mere
in-depth studies with a particular topic. 



Usually starts with a 'light' introduction in alinea one; an example of some kind. Then the next
alinea(s) introduce the prior literature, the lack therein, the relevance – the importance of
adding this and that, and then lead up to the research question(s). Then, the next alinea(s)
introduce the hypotheses, then the methodology, then the findings and then the (academic)
contribution of the thesis. Finally, the last alinea states an abbreviated index of the next

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 sections. 


III. Literature and hypothesis development | 5-10% of total content


Focus is on building the readers understanding of the coming to the research question and
hypothesis, based on findings from prior studies. 



Starts with the background stories of the hypothesis and includes all the bodies of literature.
This section is basically your Shortlist turned into a good story by means of your Summary.
Every separate hypothesis is best off having an own alinea dedicated to developing it from the
literature. At the end of this section, the hypothesis are to be portrayed in the common fashion,
e.g.



H1: <summary alinea 1 in one sentence>

H2: <summary alinea 2 in one sentence) 


IV. Methodology | 7-10% of total content


Focus is on the how.

This section might start with a very brief introduction to the Method, beginning with the
dependent variable – the core focus of the research. In our research on sacred cows, this
would be 'the tastiest burger'. Usually, this section tends to be a bit dry; it benefits by some
graphic material (to introduce the reader to what happens with the dependent variable over
time, for example. With the cow thing, you might display somethings having to do with 'the
tastiest burger' over your data sample). 

This section fleshes out the Method in-depth by means of the Summary. Central here is how
you are going to find results on the readily introduced hypotheses. In empirical research, this
section typically ends with an empirical specification and the Model. 


V. Data | 6-9% of total content


Focus on the with what.

This section is typically the most tedious to read of all, for it described exactly what the used
data displays, where it is obtained and how it is altered to fit into the model. All variables
should be included and all should receive due fleshing out on the aforementioned topics. Also
provided here is an extensive description of the sample. 

This section typically ends with a sample overview. 


VI. Main findings | 15-20% of total content 


Focus here is on what is being found with respect to the hypotheses. 

In empirical research, this section typically starts with the presentation of a table with the
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 results. Next, it explains the implications of the findings with respect to the hypotheses (one by
one). It also provides general interpretation of the findings and potentially links these back to
findings from others papers introduced in section II. 


VII. Robustness check | 4-8% of total content


In empirical research, this section tests the model to alterations to see if it is sound and
durable. 


VIII. Conclusion | 3-5% of total content


Focus on interpretation of all, relevance thereof and a suggestion for future researchers. 

The first alinea of this section is a brief summary of the hypothesis development and ends with
the research question and hypotheses. Then, the next alinea briefly summarises the
methodology and the data and ends by stating the findings with respect to the hypotheses.
The next alinea summarises the interpretation of the findings. Then follows the (academic)
relevance. Finally, the conclusion points out undiscussed matters – gaps – to be ventured by
future research by means of a proposal, typically in the spirit of: 'Future research may build out
understanding of ...' 


IX. References

X. Appendix


Of course, all theses vary a bit here and there, but in general, this is the outline. Deviating
a bit here and there is not problematic, as long as you stick to the big picture. Also, as for
the word count indications, these are no rigid quantities, but mere guidelines.

Having a structured writing plan, or, in other words, a Blueprint that includes a content-
quantity-schedule, greatly serves you while writing, for it enables you to exactly know what
goes where.

8.2 Typical Pitfall & Optimal Writing Order

The most common pitfall shouldn't be a surprising one. Timeliness. Students often use a
voice of intend. 'In this research, I will blabla. Then, I would like to... '. Bullshit, we all know
you would like to drink beer, rather than slaving away in the library.

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A thesis should be writing in a reflective voice – one that describes something that has
already been done. Moreover, you should avoid using too much pronouns as 'I', 'we' and
'you'. You also want to avoid any word pertaining to timeliness, for example: 'going to',
'after', and 'will'. Heed that such words don't say much if you write your whole thesis as if
reporting something that's in the past perfect time.

Another error of temporality is beginning with writing the introduction, then writing the
hypotheses development, then writing the methodology etc., much in the same order of
the final thesis. That's far from optimal, for, as you already know, the introduction should
function as a general overview. Of course, it is difficult to give an overview of the things
that are yet to be written.

A far better writing order is the following:

1. Findings

2. Data

3. Methodology

4. Hypothesis Development

5. Introduction

6. Conclusion

7. Abstract

Taking into account that you have a Blueprint, a Shortlist, a Summary and a Method
(&Model), it is beneficial to start with the findings, for then you begin with the most
fundamental essence. You can write your whole thesis in the spirit of these findings; this
makes for a far more compelling story. After, you flesh out the data you used in obtaining
the findings, then you flesh out the Method in the methodology and finally the Shortlist in
the hypothesis development.

If you have completed 1-4, you have all the ingredients to write a perfectly suiting
introduction that is devoid of all timeliness. Then, you can draw upon your earlier writings
in making a conclusion that perfectly follows the introduction and ends with the
implications of your research and the relevance thereof. 

Finally, when all is said and done, you can give it your best shot to capture the entire
research in the few lines of the abstract.

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8.3 Envision YOUR Road

Envision – a word you might remember from Part Zero. In order to boost our belief in doing
something that initially seems to be beyond us, I mentioned the benefits of segments and
visualization. It serves to have an animate picture of the future state you want to be in. 

With the actual writing of your thesis, it works much the same. The whole idea behind the
Blueprint and the writing plan is to kindle your imagination; to craft your belief; to implant
an animate image of the end product, prior to take off. For this reason, I've included the
'word count suggestions' in the writing plan. It gives you an idea of the quantity body of the
whole thing, long before you start. This, in turn, gives you a feeling of what is expected
from you; what it is you must do to finish the segment and render it successfully
completed.

Do you remember the mountains you've drawn? Do you remember the items at the
bottom(s) encircled red – the places you are now? It's time to return to those steps and
focus on the segment at hand.

The Blueprint, the writing plan, the mountains you've conjured up – it all begins to fall into
place in the second-to-last phase of the proces: 'processing content and adding filler'.
Treat this phase as if you were climbing the mountain fully prepared – you know what goes
where, you know what to do and in what order and you know what you WILL end up with.

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Chapter 9. Defense

I vividly remember the last time I stood on stage. Vividly – it's real to a surreal extend. If I
think of it, I can accurately remember a bunch of faces in the audience and I'm sure I could
replicate the thing to accurately.

With my first presentations it was different. I also remember the sentiment of those,
although I can't remember any of the faces, nor the content of my performance. I just
remember the feeling, the strange sensation of awkward awareness; the stress; the relief
when it was done. It is like that with most of my first presentations. It wasn't something I
liked to do, as is the case with most people. It's not natural to stand out; we humans feel
more comfortable blend it with the herd. In one of his podcasts, Jordan B. Peterson
mentions how common it is for people to dream that they are somewhere in public naked.
This is how most people feel with being at the center of attention: naked and alone. And
perhaps it is the best description I can give with respect to my feelings during those initial
presentations.

This changed when I learned to envision. On the day of my last presentation, I remember
waking up, sitting upright, and going through the thing in my mind. Not through it as in:
through the information and through my repertoire, but rather through the whole
experience. I imagine myself standing before the crowd, I imagined locking them in with
something funny first thing, I imagined the time I would take to walk over to the white board
and write something down. I imagined walking away from the whiteboard and slowly turn.
It was a fully envisioned act. It was a movie and I was the director.

Jordan B. Peterson never practices what he wants to say beforehand, so he claims. He

makes sure that he is fully prepared though – he has a bunch of interesting resources
close at hand, he has funny examples on the top of his mind naturally, he has a sense of
the general flow of things and he brings much more content to a presentation than he
could possibly use in one sitting. But he doesn't follow a tight schedule. He's flexible. And
for this reason, it is not problematic if the unexpected occurs: if things take a drastic turn,
or if someone asks an impossible question.

With fixed repertoires, all deviation is problematic, for it disturbs the rigid system. If you've
practiced your presentation to the letter and if you planned on using a PowerPoint, and
suddenly you find yourself there without a functioning computer, you are in a big pickle.
People might propose you to reschedule, and you might be inclined to heed that call. But
this would be painstakingly giving credit to the means of your message, which shouldn't

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have that power. If your computer breaks down, you're much better of doing it anyway,
making use of some blackboard, or any other form of improvisation for that matter.

Static systems yield to the unpredictable. Dynamic preparation is up to the most peculiar of
turns of events. In the former, means serve as ends – the PowerPoint, movie, or Prezi is
believed to support the whole thing. Fact is that in any static system, the means tend to
take over the reigns. In the latter, the means are just means. You are the message.

9.1 Visual Outline

In your dynamic preparation, make sure to include the various segments that will most
likely follow each other in sequence. These general segments are:

1. Introduction

Begin funny and breezy. Imagine some kind of joke, or start with fun example; allegory;
news paper article, or something of the like. Genuine breezy openings include
something that is seemingly impossible to prepare – perhaps you've noticed this in
observing good presentations yourself. If the presentation follows after another – as
happens a lot in common courses – there isn't a better beginning than one that is funny
and relates to the last presentation. Pull off something like that, and you capture your
audience before finishing your first sentence. 

It's crucial to make sure your first impression is allright to awesome, for the whole
presentation draws upon it. Unconsciously, people decide in the first moment whether
they are going to pay attention or not. And they will only do so if they are interested
and amused in some way or another. Of course, in a thesis presentation, you can
assume the few people there will pay attention anyways. Still, it greatly serves the
whole atmosphere to start off light and breezy. In addition, you might include a
question as to get people to activate their brains. 

Examples: 

'On my way over here, I thought ... '

'When I woke up this morning, ...' 

'Strangest thing happened to me on the bus just now ....'

'Is it normal for ...'



Of course, this breezy intro of the introduction can be fully planned in advance. I
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 usually make sure I have a fun and breezy intro to begin with days in advance, but I'm
willing to change that any time for a fun thing occurring on the day of the event. 

After the breezy first sentences, you turn to the true introduction of the thesis. Here, it
serves to include your sentiments and not be to humdrum. In general, facts work well if
they are furnished by something the audience can feel akin to. Make the audience feel
the fundamental motif of your research (the why) and then shift focus to what you
actually did.

Example

'In many studies I read on <topic> I was amazed by the <what they do> and how they
<lack>. Somewhat dazed, I emailed mrs <supervisor> (look to supervisor, smile) and
inquired about <topic>. Why, I wondered, blabla.'

Of course, you should freewheel. It is, however, essential to include sentiment and the
audience. Don't just fire off a bunch of facts; make it a sort of conversation.

2. Core 

Now that you've eased in the audience, you can go to the core of the research. You
can briefly explain what you did and how, and what you used (data). Then move over
to the findings and explain how they relate to the hypotheses. Also include alternative
interpretations.

3. Wrap-up

Time to make the sale. You've introduced the research and you've expanded on the
findings. Now it is time to emphasise the relevance and the implications on the field of
research. This is the moment to propose a minor adjustment to the wheel of the bus. 

Finally, wrap up with something funny and breezy again, or ask a question that will
leave the audience puzzled for a bit. Never ever close with 'that's it', or something of
the like. 'Thank you for your time', would be better, but also this is terrible. In the end,
it's best if the audience is amused up to some moments after you've said your final say. 

Example

'How this will effect <proposal future research> is hard to say at this point. I kindly
invite other researches to examine the matter – perhaps mrx. <supervisor> has a good
take on this (look, smile, break 1 sec). But she might want to find a new accomplice for
that adventure.'

4. Discussion

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9.2. The Discussion

You're not done yet. Now will come the dreaded moment of unpredictable interrogation by
supervisor and the lot, right? Not really. For if you think of it in advance, it will be mostly
predictable what the audience will ask. One way or the other, there will be some blanks in
your story, and this is where they will point their guns at. If you made your methodology
sound bad, this will become the focal point of the discussion. If you made some peculiar
assumptions, these will be targeted.

Self-Observing

"If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of
view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own."

– Henry Ford

The best way to find such gaps in your own story is by trying to witness it from an outside
point of view. When I sat upright in my bed that morning before my last presentation, I
mentally envisioned the whole experience. And when I thought of the moment after my
wrap-up, I could sense what the audience would be asking. For one, I knew this through
having observed my own envisioned presentation from a birds-eye perspective. Such an
observation can best be made when it's dynamic; when you are not stressed out on your
system, but can progress beyond the format of the presentation.

Steering

Taking into account that the audience will be targeting the blanks – which you may
discover by yourself a priori; it is possible to go one step further and deliberately leave the
blanks yourself. Part of the discussion is that the audience will ask questions, that cannot
be prevented, no matter how perfect your presentation is. And so, why not try to determine
the questions asked in that phase and think of satisfying answers beforehand? You can do
this by emphasising something difficult in your research – something you struggled with,
but to which you finally managed to find a solution. If you give such a thing a lot of
attention during the presentation, and if you manage to lure in the audience in the
sentiment you felt before you had the solution, you can be sure they will ask the question
you seemingly try to avoid – but which, in fact, you have prepared an answer to. When
they do ask the question in the end, you win. Think of it for a second, and then give the
answer you've been working on before.

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Blurring

Of course, there are going to be questions you do not like at all. If you want to make sure
that these are not the questions that will come up during the discussion, you have to mask
them by steering attention towards others. If, for example, there remains something iffy
about your model, you best expand on some issue in the data that sounds problematic,
even though you know the answer to it.

Anyways, you should prepare for even the most unfeasible of questions, even if you don't
have an answer. If you don't, there will be a silence – and a deduction in your grade.
You're better off saying something like:

'True, but the scope of this research was to <scope>. I think further research might elude
the shadows hovering about <problem>. In fact, future researchers could do <something
that you lack> and thereby find a satisfying answer. Next question?'

Hail Mary

You can't prepare for everything content-wise. You can, however, prepare something for
when that dreadful moment comes that you have no answer at all and find yourself baffled
by a question. Never say 'I don't know'. Beter some hail Mary like: 'that is a very interesting
take on things. I'm sure we could find out by doing this and that. And perhaps then we can
also <blabla>. I'm sure such a research would greatly benefit <blabla>.' 

In any case, make sure to prepare one or two hail Mary's to rescue you in case you really
don't know.

9.3 General Tips

• Use a whiteboard (or a blackboard) and a marker (or chalk) as you find your wat through
the presentation. Drawing and writing things down helps you to catch your breath and
overthink your next move. It also gives the audience time to overthink what you've just
said.

• Plan breaks. After saying big things, you should give way for a pauze.

• Plan interaction. Make sure to include a couple things that involve the public, be it in
general, or as individuals.

• Plan cliff-hanger(s).

• Use visuals in your presentation to serve the message – don't try to display the actual
core (say in a powerpoint).
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• Move, physically. Don't be idle, but be active and display energy.

• Hold a pen (or something of the like). This you can use to expand on your gestures or
point to the whiteboard.

• Go to the toilet before.

• Breath. Before you begin, breath. Halfway when you feel flushed, move a few steps and
breath.

• If dazzled by a question, think it over and repeat it out loud to buy yourself time – and
breath.

• Keep a one-page general plan of your presentation. Don't include sentences (except for
quotes), but only use key words. If you prepare properly, you won't have to use it, but it
doesn't hurt to keep one just in case. In addition you can use this is sticky situations to
buy yourself time.

• Envision. Envision the whole thing several times.

9.4 Thanks

The final tip might be to bring a present for your supervisor (and co-reader). They've
probably been working hard on the whole thing too and it's just a nice way of wrapping
everything up. Be sure that you keep your present out of sight, until after you've received
your grade. You are, in the end, already expressing your gratitude by simply bringing over
gifts. This will reflect in your attitude, your WILL, rather than in item.

Ok, one last tip. Share this guidebook with your friends.


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Appendix I. A Brief Lesson for the Faculty
The campus has gotten crowded. The student population is growing rapidly and there simply
aren't enough funds available to provide close supervision to all thesis students. But even though
times have changed, the system has not. Currently, much of the thesis procedure stems from the
old days in which professors were able to keep close track of what the students where doing.
Because of this intense supervision, the student could count on solid advise and strong direction
– especially when things were not going well.

Today's supervisors are typically too busy to provide the required amount of students with
thorough supervision in various fields. As a consequence, many of those required to write a thesis
do so indeterminately. They plunge into the deep unprepared and run into all kind of problems –
problems that, in essence, are far from heterogeneous. And they all root in lack of supervision.

Because of the developments, several faculties offer 'proposed topics': professors can suggest
several research topics and open up a couple slots for thesis students. This is a very efficient way
to overcome the aforementioned problematics. With several students doing a similar research, the
supervisor can use peer theses as benchmarks. In addition, saying the proposed topics are
closely related to their own field of research, the supervisor is not required to become acquainted
with a vaguely related field, which is good. Supervisors simply don't have time to study alternative
fields when that's required for thorough supervision of the student.

The implementation of the new systems suggests understanding of the core purpose of having
students write a thesis. Preparation – for an academic career or one in an alternative direction.
Good preparation. For this, a thesis need not be original, nor need it be valuable to the field. It
needs to be valuable to the student, as an experience. And so focus should be on the procedure,
not on the ends. Graduation should be consequential to a well-prepared, well-executed, well-
documented research, not to results or significance of the findings.

If faculties agree with the nature of the thesis and of good research, the system is better off when
the 'slot-system' is fully and radically adopted and the option to freely choose topics is generally
abandoned. It is fairly easy for a supervisor to assist twenty students doing exactly the same
research. She can even make pairs within the pool and match poor performance with sound
performance. Perhaps one student struggles with data, another with literature. A match could
boost mutual performance, spur good research and relax supervisors.

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Appendix II. Fueling the Traditional Proposal
As you may have noticed, the items projected in the Blueprint down to all matters required in the
'typical research proposal'. Remember from chapter 1 that this required proposal looks something
like:

Typical Thesis Proposal

- Problem
- Background, introduction of the problem

- The problem

- Research question(s)

- Literature

- Methodology

- Data

- Justification and relevance

- Time-schedule

- Supervisor

- References

If we merge the typical proposal with the Blueprint structure, we get:

- Problem

- Background

––> Filler section II.ii

- The problem 

––> Section II.v

- Research question

––> Section II.v.i 

––> Section II.v.i.i

- Literature 

––> Section II.iii

- Data 

––> Section V.i.i

- Methodology 

––> Section IV.i., IV.ii. and IV.iii.iii

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 - Justification and relevance

––> Section II.viii.i.i

- Time-schedule (sometimes)

- Supervisor (directly from method 2 or indirectly from method 1)

- References

––> Section IX.

Figure x, Merger Blueprint & Traditional Proposal

Note that, whereas the Blueprint of the eventual thesis is, by definition, a good structure for your
eventual research, the traditional proposal is quite incomplete, unstructured and messy. It lures
one into the traps of temporality and is an open invitation for fish-frenzies and, consequently: bad
research.


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Resources

Books

Allen, D. (2015) Getting Things Done

Belsky, S. (2010) Making Ideas Happen

Chopra, D. (1994) The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Chopra, D. (2004) The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga

Coelho, C. (1988) The Alchemist

Haanel, C.F. (1912) The Master Key System

Harari, Y.N. (2011) Homo Sapiens, Harper

Huxley, A. (1954) The Doors of Perception

Hill, N. (1937) Think and Grow Rich

Kelley, T. & Kelley, D. (2013) Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All

Kierkegaard, S. (1978) Journals & Papers

Marden, O.S. (1894) Pushing to the Front

Nietzsche, F. (1883) Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Peterson, J.B. (2018) Twelve Rules for Life, Allen Lane

Pilarczyk, M. (2017) Master Your Mindset, Invictus

Rousseau, J. (1754) Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men

Sartre, J.P. (1945) The Age of Reason

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Smiles, S. (1859) Self-Help

Podcasts

The Jordan B. Peterson Archive

Eindbazen

Miscellaneous

Alan Watts - The Rewards of Releasing Control (YouTube)

Life Crafting at HAN (YouTube)

Twelve Waves Young Guns (www.twelve-waves.nl)

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