Finding the Hidden Door

Discover the Secret Entrance to Extraordinary Achievement!

Have you heard—

About the extraordinary adventure of an 18-year-old college freshman who left his dorm room on a mission to meet Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and other icons of success, determined to uncover the secrets behind their breakthroughs and career launches?

Our book feature for this week —

“The Third Door” by Alex Banayan, and it could completely change how you see success. You know how we always think there’s just one way to make it big?

Work hard, follow the traditional path, wait for our turn? Well, this book presents an entirely unconventional idea.

Imagine Success as a Fine Dining Event

There are three ways to get in:

• The First Door: Where 99% of people wait in line, following the traditional route.

• The Second Door: The VIP entrance, reserved for the ultra-rich and famous.

• The Third Door: The hidden way in—climbing through a window, sneaking through the kitchen, developing a connection with the chef, finding a backdoor no one else sees.

And guess what?

Every successful person—Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Steven Spielberg—found their own Third Door. This book follows Alex, an 18-year-old college kid, on his crazy journey to interview some of the most successful people in the world.

And he did it all by thinking differently, by refusing to accept “no” as the final answer.

The Wildest Start: Crashing The Price is Right

Okay, this is incredibly out-of-the-box thinking.

To fund his quest, Alex figured out a way to hack The Price is Right game show. He spent days studying the patterns, found a way to get picked as a contestant, and actually won big. That was his first taste of what happens when you refuse to follow the usual rules.

The Big Idea: There’s Always Another Way

What is the biggest takeaway for me?

The idea that success isn’t a straight road. It’s about being creative, taking risks, and never waiting for permission. Too often, we wait in line, I know I have more times than I care to admit, hoping that if we’re patient, we’ll eventually get our shot.

But the truth is, most people never get in that way. The real game-changers? They find a way around the system.

Think about it—when was the last time someone just gave you an opportunity? More often than not, you have to create your own.

The Power of Persistence: 2 Years to Get Bill Gates

One of my favorite stories from the book is how Alex tried to land an interview with Bill Gates. It took two years of creative strategies, rejections, dead ends, and wild problem-solving.

Most people would have given up, but Alex kept looking for his Third Door. And that’s what separates the dreamers from the doers.

Creating Your Own Opportunities

There’s a concept in the book that I love—it’s called “creating magnets.”

Instead of constantly chasing opportunities, you build something so compelling that opportunities come to you.

Remember when you were struggling to get noticed in your workplace?

Imagine if instead of knocking on doors, you built something—like a killer blog, a unique project, or a standout portfolio—that made people come to you.

That’s the Third Door in action.

The Third Door Framework: Five Key Steps

Alex breaks down the approach into five steps:

• Ditch the Line: Stop following the conventional path.

• Run Down the Alley: Take risks and explore unconventional routes.

• Find Your Inside Man: Network and find mentors who can guide you.

• Trudge Through the Mud: Persist through challenges and setbacks.

• Take the Third Door: Seize opportunities when they appear.

Sounds simple, but it requires a mindset shift. Instead of waiting for things to happen, you make them happen.

Learning from Rejection

One of the biggest lessons?

Rejection isn’t personal. It’s just part of the process. Alex faced so many closed doors, but he always found a way around them. The key takeaway? If you can handle rejection without letting it break you, you’re unstoppable.

The 25/5 Rule: Focus on What Matters

There’s this exercise in the book from a former Warren Buffett employee: Write down 25 things you want to accomplish in the next year. Then circle the five most important ones. The five become your focus, and the other 20? They become your avoidance list. The key to achieving your top five goals? Saying no to the distractions of the other 20.

The Fear Factor: Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

One of the most relatable moments in the book is when Alex is at a TED conference, surrounded by insanely successful people. He freezes up when trying to talk to the CEO of Google.

That feeling? We’ve all been there. But the book shows how pushing through that discomfort is where the magic happens.

Ask the Right Questions

Another golden nugget: Instead of just asking for advice, ask this question—“What would you do if you were in my shoes?” It’s more personal, forces the other person to think deeply, and gives you actionable insights.

The Larry King Grocery Store Story

How about this: Alex literally chased Larry King through a grocery store just to get a chance to talk to him. It sounds crazy, but it worked. And it highlights an important lesson—sometimes, you just have to go for it, no matter how ridiculous it seems.

The Power of Mentors

Alex didn’t do it alone. He found mentors who guided him, gave him inside knowledge, and helped him grow. There is always someone who can help—we don’t have to figure everything by yourself. We just need to find the right people to learn from.

The Luck Factor: Creating Your Own Breaks

One of the most powerful ideas? “Creating your own luck.” Alex shows that luck isn’t random—it’s about putting yourself in the right situations, taking action, and being prepared. Those “lucky breaks” we see? They usually happen because someone made them happen.

Speed Matters

Another huge takeaway: Sometimes, the Third Door is only open for a moment. You have to be ready to jump through it. Overthinking? Waiting too long? I have done this more times than I can care to admit. That’s how you miss your shot.

It’s About the Journey

By the end of the book, Alex finally gets his interview with Bill Gates. But you realize—it was never about that final interview. It was about who he became along the way.

That’s the biggest lesson: The pursuit of our goals is what shapes us. The journey is the reward.

The Third Door: The Mindset of Success Hardcover – June 5, 2018 Kindle $13.99 | Hardcover $ 15.42 | Used Paperback $ 6 | 4.7/5 2,874 ratings 4.2/5 on Goodreads 7,669 ratings

Real-Life Stories to Inspire You

Creative Internship Placement

Nicole Weinbaum, a freshman college student, wanted to land a summer internship in Manhattan despite her lack of connections. She took a creative approach by investing $200 of her lifeguarding money to create a targeted LinkedIn ad.

The ad, which read “dynamic, motivated and dedicated Villanova student seeking internship,” was shown to 14,781 Villanova Alumni working in her fields of interest.

Within just four weeks, her ad had been seen more than 12,000 times, with 48.4% of the clicks coming from senior executives. This innovative strategy led to Nicole being contacted by dozens of Villanova alumni from prestigious firms like Citigroup, Thomson Reuters, New York Stock Exchange, Bloomberg, and Pfizer.

Ultimately, Nicole's unconventional approach paid off. She accepted an internship with Edulence, a company whose CEO was a Villanova graduate.

This story demonstrates how thinking outside the box and leveraging technology creatively can open doors, even for those without traditional networking advantages.

Attracting New Clients Without a Big Budget

A small tech startup was struggling to gain traction with potential clients. Their conventional approaches of cold calling and email marketing (the “First Door”) weren't yielding results, and they lacked the budget for high-profile advertising or industry connections (the “Second Door”).

Instead, they decided to take the “Third Door” approach.

The company identified a pain point many businesses in their target market were experiencing with their current software solutions. They created a free, easy-to-use diagnostic tool that helped businesses identify inefficiencies in their current processes.

This tool quickly gained popularity, and businesses started using it regularly. The startup then offered personalized follow-up consultations to discuss the results, building relationships and trust with potential clients.

They weren’t directly selling their product but providing value upfront.

As a result of this unconventional customer service approach, the startup saw a significant increase in client acquisitions. By creating a unique way to engage with potential customers and demonstrate their expertise, they found their “Third Door” to success in a competitive market.

These stories exemplify how thinking creatively can open up new pathways to find an internship or connect with customers when traditional methods do not work.

Applying the Third Door at Work

• Find Alternative Paths: Instead of waiting for a promotion, propose new projects that showcase your skills.

• Create Value: Offer innovative solutions to workplace challenges that set you apart.

• Network Smartly: Seek mentors within and outside your organization who can offer insights and opportunities.

• Persist Through Challenges: When faced with rejection, learn from feedback and try another approach.

• Be Proactive: Instead of waiting for assignments, identify needs within the company and take initiative

Your Challenge: Find Your Third Door

Alright, here’s my challenge for you. Think about a goal you’ve been working toward. Now ask yourself:

• What’s the Third Door to get there?

• What unconventional approach could you take?

• What would happen if you stopped waiting and started creating?

The Third Door is always there. You just have to be willing to look for it.

The Third Door Challenge with Your Team

Other than doing this by yourself invite your team, a colleague, or a friend to do this challenge with you.

For the next 7 days, 2 weeks or 30 days, commit to finding and taking at least one Third Door approach every single day.

1. Start a “Third Door Journal” – Write down conventional approaches and brainstorm alternatives on a team problem you face.

2. Brainstorm alternatives – Push yourselves to think outside the box.

3. Take action – Implement one unconventional idea daily.

4. Reflect and learn – Write down what worked and what didn’t.

5. Build on successes – Use insights to make bigger moves.

6. Share your journey – Stay accountable by telling a partner.

7. End-of-challenge review – Identify your top three biggest wins.

Consider the ethical implications of pursuing a “Third Door” strategy. In what situations might unconventional approaches cross ethical boundaries, and how can you ensure that you maintain integrity while striving for success?

Final Thoughts

Reading The Third Door felt like getting a backstage pass to success. It’s not about connections, privilege, or luck—it’s about audacity, resilience, and creativity.

Let’s face it, you may not pull off outrageous stunts, but you can still find your own Third Door in simple, creative ways. As you build the courage to take action, you’ll start seeing opportunities where others see obstacles.

It doesn’t have to be a grand, risky move—sometimes, it’s as simple as reaching out to a mentor, pitching a bold idea at work, or taking a chance on a new skill. The key is to step outside your comfort zone and keep looking for that hidden way in.

So, what’s one small but bold step you can take accelerate your career today to find your Third Door?