The document discusses various strategies for achieving success in a non-traditional or "smart" way. These include hacking the ladder by approaching problems laterally, training with masters to learn from those who came before, and using rapid feedback to push yourself forward from failures. Other strategies are finding existing platforms to build upon, catching emerging trends to ride waves of success, superconnecting through generous networking, breaking challenges into smaller tasks to build momentum, focusing through simplicity, and having a noble large-scale vision through 10X thinking. The overall message is that non-traditional routes that incorporate these smartcut strategies may be faster to success than traditional approaches.

1. "…the fastest route
to success is never
traditional…"
- Shane Snow, Smartcuts

2. The hard way, the cheap
way or the smart way?
1. Hacking the ladder
2. Training with masters
3. Rapid feedback
4. Platforms
5. Catching waves
6. Superconnecting
7. Momentum
8. Simplicity
9. 10X thinking

3. Hacking the ladder
Approach a problem laterally. Companies
that pivot, switch business models or
products while on the upward swing,
perform better.

4. “Bigger or Better
illustrates and
interesting fact:
people are
generally willing
to take a chance
on something if it
only feels like a
small stretch.”
“the key to the bored Mormon students’ success
was not just their rapid cycle time. It was the
direction they traded: sideways

5. Training with masters
Learn from those who have gone before you.

7. Rapid feedback
Use failure to push yourself forward.

8. The Second City manages to accomplish
three things to accelerate its performers’
growth:
1. It gives them rapid
feedback
2. It depersonalizes the
feedback
3. It lowers the stakes and
the pressure, so
students take risks that
force them to improve.

9. Platforms
Find the ‘paved roads’. Build on
top of things that already exist.

11. Catching waves
Like a surfer who watches the waves for
just the right one, watch the horizon to see
what trend is coming and jump on.

13. Superconnecting
Build a powerful network and
be generous in serving them.

14. "No matter the medium or the method,
giving is the timeless smart-cut for
harnessing superconnectors and
creating serendipity."
- Shane Snow, Smartcuts

15. Momentum
Break the challenge into smaller tasks
so you can feed off the energy of the
small step wins.

16. "…momentum – not
experience – is the
single biggest
predictor of business
and personal
success."
- Shane Snow, Smartcuts

17. Simplicity
Eliminate the clutter so your hard practice
is focused and targeted.
“Out of clutter
find simplicity.”
- Albert Einstein

19. 10X thinking
Have a noble big vision.

22. "…the fastest route
to success is never
traditional…"
- Shane Snow, Smartcuts