Shaquille O’Neal, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, once said, “If you see somebody doing better than you, steal what they’re doing.” On the surface, this quote might sound controversial, even unethical. However, when we take a deeper look, we realize that O’Neal is not talking about theft in a negative sense. Instead, he is advocating for the power of observation, learning, and adaptation.
The truth is, success leaves clues. No one achieves greatness in isolation. Every successful person—whether in sports, business, or life—has borrowed ideas, strategies, and mindsets from those who came before them. The key to improvement isn’t to reinvent the wheel but to identify what works for others and integrate those lessons into your own life.
Modeling Success: The Art of Reverse Engineering
Shaq’s philosophy aligns with the principle of modeling, a concept widely taught by successful entrepreneurs, athletes, and thought leaders. Modeling means identifying individuals who have achieved what you desire and studying their actions, habits, and mindset.
In basketball, for instance, Shaquille O’Neal himself studied players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Hakeem Olajuwon. He didn’t just admire them—he “stole” aspects of their game, incorporating their post moves, footwork, and mentality into his own playing style. This approach allowed him to dominate the NBA, winning championships and cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant centers in history.
In business, the same principle applies. Steve Jobs, for example, was known for “stealing” ideas—not in the sense of plagiarism, but in the sense of refining and improving upon existing concepts. He studied Xerox’s graphical user interface, improved upon it, and created the Macintosh. Similarly, Elon Musk didn’t invent electric cars, but he studied what was available and took the industry to new heights with Tesla.
The lesson here is simple: You don’t have to start from scratch. The world is full of examples of excellence. The smart move is to study those who are ahead of you and integrate their winning strategies into your own path.
Success is a Playbook: Why Reinvent It?
If someone has already figured out the best way to do something, why waste time trying to discover it yourself? One of the fastest ways to accelerate success is by following a proven playbook.
This is why mentorship is so powerful. When you have a mentor, you’re essentially learning from someone who has already walked the path you want to take. They’ve made mistakes, learned from them, and refined their approach. By “stealing” their insights, you save yourself from years of trial and error.
Athletes do this all the time. They watch game footage of their competitors to understand their strengths and weaknesses. They adapt winning strategies from other teams. The same applies in business, leadership, and personal development.
For example, if you want to be a great speaker, you should watch how top speakers present themselves. Study their body language, their tone, their storytelling techniques. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, analyze the habits of billionaires. How do they structure their day? What books do they read? What decisions do they make?
By taking what works from others and applying it to your own journey, you fast-track your growth.
From Copying to Innovating
There’s a fine line between copying and innovating. Blindly imitating someone else will only get you so far. The real power lies in adapting and improving upon what you learn.
Think of it like cooking. A chef may learn a recipe from another chef, but they don’t just copy it—they tweak it, adjust the seasoning, and add their own personal flair. The end result is something unique yet inspired by a proven formula.
In business, this is called the adjacent possible—taking existing ideas and combining them in new ways to create something better. Facebook wasn’t the first social media platform. Google wasn’t the first search engine. They took existing models and innovated upon them.
Shaquille O’Neal himself applied this principle beyond basketball. He didn’t just rely on his NBA career—he studied successful business people, invested in franchises like Papa John’s and Five Guys, and built an empire. He stole what worked for others and made it his own.
The Right Mindset: Humility and Hunger to Learn
A key aspect of Shaq’s philosophy is having the humility to recognize that others might be ahead of you and the hunger to learn from them. Many people let pride get in the way. They refuse to acknowledge that someone else has figured out a better way. This mindset holds them back.
The most successful people are lifelong learners. They seek out knowledge, embrace feedback, and constantly refine their approach. They don’t see others’ success as a threat—they see it as an opportunity to learn.
Imagine you’re in a room full of successful people. You have two choices:
- Be envious and complain that they’re ahead of you.
- Be curious and ask, What are they doing that I’m not? How can I learn from them?
The second mindset will transform your life.
Practical Steps to “Steal” Success
If you want to apply Shaq’s philosophy in your own life, here are some practical steps:
- Identify Role Models – Find people who are excelling in your field. Study their work, habits, and mindset.
- Analyze Their Strategies – Break down what makes them successful. Is it their discipline? Their networking skills? Their ability to adapt?
- Apply What Works – Don’t just admire from a distance—integrate their methods into your own routine.
- Innovate and Personalize – Adapt what you learn to fit your own style and strengths.
- Keep Learning – Stay open to new ideas and never stop improving.
Final Thoughts
Shaquille O’Neal’s quote, “If you see somebody doing better than you, steal what they’re doing,” is a powerful reminder that success is not about ego—it’s about learning. The world is filled with lessons from those who have already achieved greatness. The fastest way to grow is to study them, absorb their strategies, and make them your own.
The real winners in life are not those who try to do everything alone but those who know how to learn from the best. So don’t be afraid to “steal” success—because in the end, the only thing that matters is what you do with it.
