6 Tips for Success from the World Champion

A chess grandmaster’s approach to success.

Magnus Carlsen of Norway competes against Daniil Dubov of Russia during the 82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament held at the home of PSV football club, Philips Stadion in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Jan. 16, 2020. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

The trouble with most self-help books is that they assume their readers are rational beings. They tell you to visualise success, wake up at 4 a.m., and drink green sludge smoothies that taste like despair.

What they fail to mention is that the truly exceptional, the Magnus Carlsens of the world, do not operate on such predictable systems.

No, Magnus Carlsen, chess grandmaster and owner of an IQ of 190, does not start his day chanting affirmations into a mirror.

His secret to being a world champion? Freakish memory, steely nerves, and the ability to out-think an entire room of grandmasters before they’ve finished their lunch.

But don’t worry. You, too, can achieve greatness, provided you’re willing to abandon realism, embrace obsession, and ignore every single piece of conventional wisdom ever written.

Step 1: Be Completely and Utterly Obsessed

“If you want to be great at something, you have to be obsessed with it. It has to come from within.” (Magnus Carlsen)

This does not mean moderately interested or “I quite like it when I have the time.” No. It means letting your chosen pursuit consume you like a hungry tax collector.

Magnus didn’t just like chess, he memorised thousands of game positions as a child. By 13, he was humiliating grandmasters, and by 22, he was World Champion, proving that while most teenagers struggle to assemble IKEA furniture, some are out here dismantling world-class opponents.

So, pick your obsession. Chess, business, Scrabble domination.

Just be warned, if you’re not willing to bore everyone at dinner parties with endless talk of it, you’re not obsessed enough.

Step 2: Be Delusionally Optimistic

Most people are realistic, which is why most people are not world champions.

Norway's Magnus Carlsen of Alpine SG Pipers plays against France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of Upgrad Mumba Masters during the Global Chess League competition in London on Oct. 8, 2024. HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images

“The optimal state is somewhere between optimistic and delusionally optimistic. If you’re realistic, you’ll never be opportunistic enough.” (Magnus Carlsen)

Translation: reality is for cowards.

The greatest champions do not spend time doubting themselves. They charge ahead, convinced they will win, because doubt is a waste of time.

Do you think Magnus worries about embarrassing himself in front of millions? No. He assumes that if there’s a way to win, he will find it.

The next time you start a project, don’t ask, “Is this realistic?” Ask, “How much trouble will I cause if this actually works?”

If the answer is “a lot,” then you’re thinking like a champion.

Step 3: Work Less, Think More

The modern world glorifies exhaustion. People love to brag about working 24/7, as if sleep deprivation is some kind of Olympic event.

Magnus, a man who has won more titles than most people have had hot dinners, does not subscribe to this madness.

“Chess has always been a hobby. Once it starts to feel like work, it gets harder for me.” (Magnus Carlsen)

In other words, if it feels like a chore, you’re doing it wrong.

Norway's chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen (C) receives the winner trophy from Indian chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand (R) during the Tata Steel Chess India tournament in Kolkata on Nov. 17, 2024. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP via Getty Images

So if you hate every second of what you’re doing, you might still get rich, but you’ll also be miserable and probably need therapy.

Find joy in your work or at least don’t make it a slow form of torture.

Step 4: Keep Your Mind Fresh

Some people believe the secret to success is constant, obsessive preparation. Magnus does not.

“Having a fresh mind is more important than perfect preparation. I’m really good at blocking everything out and just focusing on the moment.” (Magnus Carlsen)

This is infuriating news for anyone who has ever stayed up all night cramming before an exam, only to forget their own name.

The lesson? Stop panicking.

The key to performing well under pressure isn’t to know everything, it’s to be sharp, focused, and adaptable.

Step 5: Play the Long Game

Success is not about quick wins. No one knows this better than Magnus Carlsen, who can see 20–30 moves ahead.

He does not think about the next move. He thinks about the entire game.

This is deeply unfair to his opponents, who are still trying to remember how knights work, but it is a fantastic strategy for life.

If you want to be a world champion at anything, think ahead.

Before you rush into anything, a career, a business deal, a suspiciously cheap used car, ask yourself: “What does this lead to?” If the answer is “probably ruin,” rethink immediately.

Final Step: Love What You Do

For all the strategy, obsession, and mind games, Magnus Carlsen’s greatest secret is ridiculously simple:

“I do have these moments where I just take a breath and think about how lucky I am. I’m obsessed with this game and I’m completely fine with that.” (Magnus Carlsen)

This is, ultimately, the real key to success.

Not money, fame, or brute-force discipline, but loving what you do so much that it never feels like a sacrifice.

The happiest, most successful people aren’t the ones who force themselves through the grind. They’re the ones who wake up excited to do what they love, every single day.

The Magnus Carlsen Approach to Life

Be obsessed.

Be delusionally optimistic.

Work less, think more.

Keep your mind fresh.

Play the long game.

Love what you do.

Follow these rules, and you might not become a world chess champion, but you’ll definitely win at life.

And at the very least, you’ll finally beat your uncle at Scrabble.

Magnus Carlsen of Norway competes against Daniil Dubov of Russia during the 82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament held at the home of PSV football club, Philips Stadion in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Jan. 16, 2020. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images