3 Success Secrets I Learned from Steve Jobs' Guru

Written By Tony Perzow
steve jobs and yogananda

Did you know that the most important book in Steve Jobs’ life was Autobiography of a Yogi by Parahamsa Yogananda? He read it every year, over 40 times in total. It was the only book he carried on his personal iPad. At his funeral, every guest received a copy of this transformative book.

Autobiography of a Yogi is one of my all-time favorites too. Reading it wasn’t just an experience—it was a journey. If you’re curious, here’s the Amazon link to buy it.

If reading isn’t your thing, there’s a fantastic documentary about his life.

Yogananda was one of those once-in-a-lifetime figures who changed the world in profound ways. He started with a handful of people in poverty-stricken Calcutta and ended up speaking to sold-out auditoriums across the USA. He arrived in Boston in 1919 and famously said, “Look at all these people running around with their different hobbies; they have no time for bliss.”

Yogananda also had some unconventional views for a yogi—he talked about business, money, and success. Most yogis of his time believed in a simple, humble life, avoiding money like it was poison. Yogananda, however, saw things differently. He even wrote a book called How To Be a Success, which forms the basis of what I’m about to share in this article.

Now, I know you’ve probably heard a million success tips, but the principles I’m about to share aren’t your run-of-the-mill advice. You won’t find them in trending LinkedIn posts or your typical MBA curriculum. These are universal truths that apply whether you’re in Tanzania, Oklahoma, or the jungles of Peru.

These principles are timeless. They worked 100 years ago, and they’ll work 1,000 years from now.

Now, let’s dive in…

Success Secret #1: Don’t Let Restlessness Get the Best of You—Cultivate Calm

Yogananda believed that to achieve success, you need to dedicate yourself to deep concentration and meditation. He brought meditation to North America and traveled the world preaching its power. If he were alive today, I think he’d be thrilled to see how popular meditation has become.

Yogananda meditated for most of his life, sometimes for up to 18 hours a day. And yet, he accomplished more than most of today’s top CEOs.

As for me, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with meditation. I’ve been a (not-so-dedicated) student since I was 16 and have tried just about every technique out there. The only one that stuck with me is Yogananda’s Hong Sau technique. What I love about it is that it keeps my overactive brain busy with four different points of focus unlike most techniques that have one or two

  • Focus on your breath moving in and out of your nostrils.

  • Silently repeat the mantra “Hong Sau” (which means “I Am Spirit”) in your head.

  • With your eyes closed, focus on the point between your eyebrows.

  • Move one of your index fingers back and forth while repeating the mantra.

All these things together act like a big chew toy for your brain—keeping it occupied so it can’t wander off.

If you want to start a meditation practice, don’t spend thousands learning how to do it. There’s a great YouTube video below that teaches the Hong Sau technique - it’s all you need. And forget about the whole “20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening” rule—just start small. Try three breaths in the morning and three at night. Keep it tiny, and you’ll be amazed at how it grows. Check out this article I wrote on creating new habits and apply it to your meditation practice.

Success Secret #2: The Season of Failure is the Best Time for Sowing the Seeds of Success

If you ever hire me, you’ll notice the name of my company on the invoice I send you is Seeds of Success Institute, LLC—a name inspired by one of Yogananda’s famous quotes.

I’ve seen my fair share of failures, especially in the past four years. Since 2020, my keynote speaking business was decimated by COVID —the phone stopped ringing for two years. Two other businesses I founded collapsed. I was forced to give up my dream home, my fiancée left, and I had to downsize drastically with my two kids. Most of my financial stability vanished. My father got sick and passed away. There were countless nights when I didn’t know how I’d make it through. I’m not religious, but I found myself on my knees praying a lot during that time.

Yogananda taught that to be truly happy, you need good health, a sharp mind, meaningful work, a thankful heart, and wisdom.

Looking back, I realize I was missing a few of these elements before everything fell apart. The season of failure I’m now emerging from was actually a blessing in disguise—what Ram Dass might call “your guru dressed in drag.” It was a course correction that put me on the right path. I had to lose everything to gain clarity. During my darkest hours, incredible teachers appeared, guiding me through the lessons I needed to learn. Failure has been my greatest teacher, and the seeds I planted during that dark time are now beginning to bloom.

If you’re going through your own season of failure, here are the resources that helped me:

Books:

Retreats/Workshops:

Therapies:

Success Secret #3: It’s Not About Big Ideas—It’s About Daily Habits

I recently became certified by ​Dr. Robert Cialdini​ ​as a master trainer in ethical persuasion and influence. If you don’t know who he is, he’s often called the Godfather of Persuasion. Dr. Cialdini is a renowned researcher and professor at the University of Arizona and a New York Times bestselling author. In his younger days, he even went undercover in cults to study how their leaders persuaded people.

Some of the world’s greatest leaders—Warren Buffet, Tim Ferriss, Alex Hormozi, Tobias Lutke, and even Gwyneth Paltrow—have praised Dr. Cialdini’s books as some of the best of all time. Two of his best books, in my opinion, are Influence and Pre-suasion.

Dr. Cialdini identified 7 universal principles of persuasion that are effective across cultures and eras, no matter where or when you live:

  1. Reciprocity: You’ll say YES to me if I give you something first.

  2. Liking: You’ll say YES to me if you like me.

  3. Unity: You’ll say YES to me if we share a common bond.

  4. Social Proof: You’ll say YES to me if others have.

  5. Consistency: You’ll say YES to me if you’ve said YES to me before.

  6. Authority: You’ll say YES to me if you see me as an expert.

  7. Scarcity: You’ll say YES to me if it’s your last chance.

These principles are powerful, but what fascinates me is how we can incorporate them into our daily lives as habits, not just use them as tactics.

Yogananda often talked about becoming more magnetic—drawing in positive people, opportunities, and love. He believed that by cultivating good habits, eating well, meditating, and doing simple exercises, we could become more magnetic.

Here’s how you can use these principles of persuasion to become more magnetic in your life and business:

Reciprocity: The Power of Generosity

Yogananda taught that we should serve others, spreading hope to the poor, courage to the defeated, and strength to those who feel like failures. To become more magnetic, practice generosity without expecting anything in return:

  • Carry dollar bills to give to homeless people daily.

  • Donate a percentage of each paycheck to charity.

  • Buy coffee for the next person in line daily.

  • Fill strangers' parking meters with money daily.

  • Volunteer your time weekly to a charity.

When you give freely and consistently, people and opportunities are naturally drawn to you.

Unity: Cultivating Connection

Loneliness is an epidemic in the US. We’re more disconnected than ever, with depression and anxiety at all-time highs. What we need is more we-ness. Make it a habit to connect with others in person:

  • Kirtan (Chanting): Singing with others creates unity. Kirtan has been a big part of my life for 8 years. Listen to my favorite Kirtan artist here and see how it resonates with you.

  • Ecstatic Dance: ​Dancing together fosters connection. Ecstatic Dance is a guided experience that’s profoundly therapeutic.

  • Yoga: The word yoga literally means "to yoke" or "to unite." Start attending a yoga class.

Incorporating these practices will help you feel more connected and attract more YESes into your life.

Liking: The Power of Genuine Praise

We naturally like people who praise us. While this can be a tactic, it’s more powerful when practiced genuinely. Make a habit of praising others—friends, family, even strangers.

For example, at my F45 gym, I’ve committed to thanking the trainers every day for their wonderful coaching, no matter how I’m feeling. To become even more magnetic, make a daily habit of praising people behind their backs. When word gets back to them, it has an even greater impact.

Authority: The Power of Knowledge

Instead of dressing for success or driving an expensive car to appear authoritative, focus on reading every day. It doesn’t need to be an hour—start with just 3 pages a day and watch the habit grow organically. As mentioned earlier, ​check out my article​ on habit formation, which I learned from the head of Stanford's behavior lab, and apply those principles to your reading habit. Becoming an authority in areas that inspire you is incredibly magnetic, and there’s nothing more compelling than a well-read person.

One of my mentors, the brilliant entrepreneur Naval Ravikant, emphasizes this. If you haven’t read his book, I highly recommend it—you can find it for free here. He stresses the importance of becoming a true expert by studying:

  • Science

  • Math

  • Philosophy

Cultivate your authority by expanding your knowledge, and you’ll naturally attract people and opportunities.

Social Proof: The Power of Strategic Connections

Social proof works because people feel safe following the crowd. We crave connection and often emulate others to achieve it. Surround yourself with people who embody what you aspire to. Aligning with those who have what you want in life makes you highly magnetic.

Focus on who you spend time with, not just on showcasing social proof tactics like reviews or subscriber counts. I choose people who expand my horizons, not diminish them. Make it a daily habit to reach out to those who uplift you and say "No" to the requests of those who drain you.

Yogananda often spoke about the power of going out of your way to shake hands with people who inspire you, believing that their magnetism would transfer to you through that simple touch. While this might seem a bit much, consider investing in a mastermind group or club with people who have achieved the success you desire. Surround yourself with those who inspire you, and watch your own magnetism grow.

Consistency: The Power of Radical Integrity

As a tactic, consistency involves getting someone to say a small yes before asking for a bigger one. But when we incorporate this principle into our lives, it’s about living in truth and practicing radical integrity.

I’ve written an article on this, but here’s the core idea: when we practice being truthful, we become ultra-magnetic. People are drawn to us because we’re rare. The key is to practice truth, especially when it’s hard—when you think it might hurt someone. It’s in these moments that truth sets you apart, making you incredibly magnetic.

Remember, being nice gets you nowhere—it weakens your magnetism. Nice is boring, but kindness is magnetic. The highest form of kindness is truth-telling. When we withhold the truth, we create a prison for ourselves. Even if your truth is difficult for someone to hear, you're being kind to yourself by staying free of prison. Practicing self-kindness and living in truth will attract everything you want, like the most powerful magnet in the world.

Scarcity: The Power of Embracing Your Uniqueness

As a sales tactic, scarcity creates urgency—limited time offers or quantities. It’s powerful but can lead to irrational decisions. When applied to your life, scarcity is about embracing your unique self. No one else is like you, and living in alignment with your true self makes you scarce—and highly magnetic.

I’ve written an article on this, which you can read here. Scroll to "Lucky Path #4" to learn more about becoming unique.

Embracing your uniqueness is challenging. Many of us have had our individuality stripped away by the very people who were meant to cherish it. We've learned to be what others want us to be, losing touch with who we were before the world shaped us.

Becoming scarce as an individual requires shedding societal conventions. It’s hard work, but it’s one of the most powerful magnetic principles. People and opportunities will flock to you.

To start, take a cold, hard look at yourself and your life. Ask tough questions and embark on a journey of self-discovery—it’s a rollercoaster ride, but worth it.

The resources I’ve listed above are excellent starting points. Each step you take on the path back to your authentic self will magnetize you in incredible ways.

Success Isn't Really a Secret

Everything I’ve discussed in this article has been around for thousands of years. Yogananda wasn’t preaching anything new; he was sharing wisdom that’s stood the test of time. The challenge with wisdom is that it’s not flashy. It’s simple, requires work and patience, and doesn’t sell like modern success fads.

I know I’ve thrown a lot at you, but I’m certain there’s at least one thing here that can make a difference in your life. Honestly, I’m proud of this article. It’s the kind of advice I wish I had years ago.

A few months ago, I was brought into a Fortune 100 company to teach a workshop. Instead of focusing on the tactical side of persuasion, I introduced the human side discussed here. The workshop didn’t go as well as I’d hoped—maybe they weren’t ready to hear about Yogananda, magnetism, and chanting as ways to become more persuasive. Or maybe I didn’t follow the critical rule of knowing your audience.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this article. Was it helpful, or just a bunch of hogwash? I read every response, and your feedback will help me shape future articles to be more relevant.

That’s it for this week. Wishing you a successful week ahead!

See you next Thursday

 

Whenever you're ready, there are 6 ways I can help you and your team:

  1. Book me to speak at your next sales kickoff meeting or conference: I've spoken about sales negotiation to over 20,000 people worldwide. Text the word "SPEAKER," to 310-927-5657 and someone will contact you within 24 hours to discuss.

  2. Bring me on to train your sales team: I've trained teams from some of the world's largest organizations, yielding an incredible ROI of $535 for every dollar spent. My methods have generated an additional $1B in revenue across various industries. If you're interested, please text the word "TRANSFORMATION," to 310-927-5657 and someone will schedule a discovery call with you shortly.

  3. [COMING SOON] Negotiate Price Like a STUD, Not a DUD: An online, self-directed course designed to help you defend your pricing and fees effectively.

  4. [COMING SOON] The Ethical Conman Mastermind & Bookstudy: I've recently been certified as a master trainer in persuasion and influence by Dr. Robert Cialdini himself. I'm launching a new, exclusive 8-week program that deep dives into the principles of ethical persuasion and influence for leaders. Learn how to become a more magnetic leader and get more people to say "Yes" to you.

  5. [TBD] Live 2-Day Public Negotiation Seminar in Los Angeles: Join us for a unique opportunity to master negotiation skills, network with other leaders, and enjoy a swanky hotel in LA. It's also a perfect chance to train key people from your organization if in-house training isn't feasible.

  6. [TBD] Annual Retreat for Leaders in Life Transitions: Join our intensive retreat designed to help leaders navigate life transitions and discover their next chapter. These retreats focus on authenticity and living a life true to your authentic self. Hundreds have experienced transformation through my retreats.

Tony Perzow
Previous

How to Be Happy and Rich: Insights from Nobel Prize-Winning Science
Next

4 Secrets to Attracting Good Fortune