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The Mel Robbins PodcastThe Mel Robbins Podcast

The 51% Rule (and 3 More Strategies to Think Like a Millionaire) with Steven Bartlett

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — Do you want to learn the 4 essential steps towards better decision making that will lead you to more #success, #happiness, and #opportunity? Because here’s the truth: if you want to change your life, you have to understand how to change your decision making. And today you are going to learn the tools that you can use, from one of the world’s best thinkers and most successful people, to make better decisions. Steven Bartlett is an entrepreneur, speaker, investor, author, and host of Europe’s #1 podcast, @TheDiaryOfACEO . He has cracked the code on how to leverage your business online, rise above any obstacle, and excel in anything you set your mind to. There is a reason he sits on the boards of many global brands – because he has one of the greatest entrepreneurial success stories of all time. Steven was a broke university dropout at age 18 when he built an industry-leading social media marketing company. At 28, he co-founded Flight Story, a marketing and communications company and a software platform, which was valued at $600M. He then went on to launch the #1 ranked The Diary Of A CEO podcast. Today, he is sharing the 4 tactics he uses to make any decision for the best results. The tactics he shares are from his personal life as well as top-tier industry and thought leaders, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and athletes that he interviews on his wildly successful show. In this episode, you’ll also learn: - The art of decision making - How to determine what drives you (and why it’s important to know) - How The 51% Rule will help you make better decisions - The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 decisions (and why it matters) - What to do when you feel trapped in your job or relationship - Why Steven says you are operating at 1% of your potential - One of the most successful CEOs says THIS is how to launch any business - The ONE question to always ask before you go to others for answers - The #1 goal for entrepreneurs must always be this - 20% of relationship issues come from this one thing For more resources, including links to Steven’s podcast, book, and social media platforms, click here for the podcast episode page: https://www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-145 Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast Check out Steven's website: https://stevenbartlett.com/ Follow Steven on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven/ I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00: Intro 09:14: How Steven’s feeling of being ‘not enough’ pushed him. 10:57: What is the art and science of decision making? 11:47: What’s it like growing up with an addicted parent? 13:02: How to determine what drives you (and why it’s important). 14:41: Steven didn’t think he needed ‘normal’ schooling, so this is what he did. 20:57: Do you tell yourself “it won't work out for me”? 22:48: Does wanting to be ‘good enough’ drive you? 24:44: If you’re feeling trapped in the job or relationship, do this. 27:02 A entrepreneurs #1 goal must always be this. 30:21: The difference between type 1 and type 2 decisions. 36:19: Why risk and urgency in decision making is essential. 39:04: The surprising reason why failure is a good thing. 40:03: What you need to do today if you want to start a business. 41:53: Ask yourself this ONE question before you go to others for answers. 43:16: 10-20% of relationship issues come from this one thing. 46:02: Did you know you’re operating at 1% of your potential? 50:18: The Steven Bartlett way to launch your business. 59:46: The 3 decisions you make everyday that rob you of success and happiness. — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Steven BartlettguestMel Robbinshost
Feb 8, 20241h 3mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Steven Bartlett Reveals Millionaire Mindset: Decisions, Risk, and Self-Trust

  1. Mel Robbins interviews entrepreneur and podcaster Steven Bartlett about how to think and decide like a millionaire, using his life story from poverty and exclusion to major business success as a case study.
  2. Steven explains how questioning societal narratives, tuning into your own feelings, and running constant “experiments” in life and business unlock far more of your true potential.
  3. They introduce practical decision-making frameworks: type one vs. type two decisions, the 51% rule, and the importance of decision speed as a competitive advantage.
  4. The conversation also covers boundaries, relationships, sleep, and self-awareness, showing how the same principles of experimentation and first-principles thinking apply to every area of life.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Most limits are self-imposed; question every inherited narrative.

Steven’s life changed when he stopped accepting school and society’s story that grades defined his future. He urges you to actively ask, “Is this really true?” about beliefs like being too old, too late, or not capable, and to test alternatives in real life.

Use the type one / type two decision filter to reduce paralysis.

Type one decisions are hard or impossible to reverse (e.g., selling a company); type two decisions are easily reversible (e.g., trying a new job, test project, or routine). Treat almost everything as a type two decision, move quickly, and adjust if wrong instead of endlessly ruminating.

Apply the 51% rule: you will never have 100% certainty upfront.

On big choices you only need to be slightly more sure than unsure (around 51%) and then commit, trusting that you used the best evidence available at the time. Waiting for 100% certainty is what fuels overthinking, perfectionism, and years of inaction.

Speed of decision-making is a hidden advantage in success.

Steven contrasts a slow, approval-driven business owner with his fast-moving son; the son’s willingness to quickly green-light experiments and learn from them led him to massively outperform his father. The greatest cost is usually not a failed experiment but the months or years spent deciding whether to try.

Treat life like a series of experiments; failure is feedback, not a verdict.

Whether choosing careers, relationships, or business ideas, you only discover what works by running small, real-world tests. Failure provides the knowledge and self-awareness you’re actually seeking, while avoiding experiments keeps you trapped in confusion and dissatisfaction.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Most of our experience is a bunch of social myths, a bunch of doors that we just haven’t tried pushing on yet.

— Steven Bartlett

The biggest risk is not what people might say when you leave banking. The biggest risk is doing another decade in banking and looking back with the retrospective clarity that you had your priorities all wrong.

— Steven Bartlett

On the big decisions in life, you have to get to 51% certainty and make the decision with the peace of mind that you made that decision in that moment with all of the available evidence and you have to let it go.

— Steven Bartlett (paraphrasing Barack Obama’s approach)

Failure is feedback, feedback is knowledge, and knowledge is power. So therefore, failure is the power you’re looking for.

— Steven Bartlett

Overthinking is a decision. Doubting yourself is a decision. Not making a decision is a decision.

— Mel Robbins

Steven Bartlett’s childhood, identity struggles, and early drive to make money and belongQuestioning societal and educational narratives about success, intelligence, and the “right” pathUsing intuition and feelings (rather than external expectations) to guide major life decisionsDecision-making frameworks: type one vs. type two decisions and the 51% ruleExperimentation as a life and business strategy: failure as feedback and powerFirst-principles thinking in relationships, routines, and personal happinessBoundaries with family and friends, and the courage to prioritize your own happiness

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