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Words. Wisdom. Winners.
Sitting didn’t get us this far
Sitting
burns the least amount of calories
requires virtually no effort
is easy to do
everyone can do it
can happen anywhere anytime
is the most obvious response when you are tired
And yet – we have moved forward as a species because we chose not to just sit.
Don’t sit on your decisions.
The most dangerous people you will meet in your life are those who wish to sit and change nothing.
When do you stop to shop?
I have always wondered – how is it that people spend so much time shopping for 1 product? Wandering from shop to shop – bargaining – sampling – trying.
Simple answer is likely – they don’t know what they want
20% time spent on the shopping specs
80% time spent on trying to find the best – the best price, the best product, the best design, the best specs!
Turn the ratios
And stop when you first find what you wanted
Now apply this logic to life…
Co founders
Employees
Business associates
Investors
Marriage!
Trying to better what you wanted – is accepting you didn’t know what you want!
An excuse isn’t equal to output
When I can’t deliver on something I create an explanation for it.
As if the explanation is equal to the delivery I was meant to make.
It’s not!
As an entrepreneur my only job in the world is to create an environment as free of excuses as possible. All the tools, the right product, the right compensation, the right colleagues, the autonomy, the happiness.
Suddenly – there are no excuses to hide behind.
Success doesn’t need excuse as a companion.
The most honest place on earth
I feel is the Gym.
Everyone’s intentions become undeniably obvious within minutes.
Those that perform are the ones unaware that others are looking.
Pretty reflective of what life is all about. Isn’t it!
What’s your unpopular belief?
In the book “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel points to a fascinating question he asks during interviews
“What’s a strong personal belief that very few people in the world agree with you on?”
It’s a brilliant question. One that each one of us should answer for ourself – and in a moment we will know so much more about who we are.
This weekend to went to see the Taj Mahal. I have seen it before – but each time I see it I am in awe of the audacity of the dream that translated into this structure. The scale and magnitude of the belief.
And during a conversation I realized – the greatest things in the world were driven by individuals with a belief that no one believed in.
Find that belief
To find out what drives you
Ankur warikoo believes that he should do multiple things at the same time because he is blessed with the ability to manage them. Doing one thing at a time is such a waste of his life.
How can I help you?
Whenever you step into a conversation with someone – prepare the answer for this question.
You don’t want to not know what to ask!
It’s not always that you get asked this.
Always know what you need
To get things done
Are you ahead of me?
Met someone interesting yesterday. And during the conversation I realized – I hate secrecy and I hate holding back information. It creates an artificial sense of power.
The minute I open up all the information – I am exposing myself.
I am ahead not because I know something you don’t.
I am ahead because I have had to add more value than you have. I have had to work harder.
And that’s when an organization truly moves forward.
Found a start today?
Question on Quora
Before achieving anything (like a job, relationship, projects, etc.) I am too excited about it. I will give it 100%, but after getting it, I lose interest in it. What should I do?
You are thinking that everything just has 1 start and 1 stop.
What if everything had multiple starts and NO stop!
Break down the “problem” into smaller pieces – each of which requiring a different effort, a different approach and a different mindset.
For instance, in a relationship – there is
Getting to know about her childhood
Her Family
Her interests
The first movie
The first dinner
The first kiss
How does she react to Roadies
Does she like ice cream
Whats scares her the most
What makes her most happy
etc etc etc
And then each item becomes a project – a task that is as exciting as was the previous one.
The follow-on question then is – how do you maintain the excitement when the activiting is repeating itself. How can the 30th dinner be as exciting as the 1st one.
Innovate! Make that a project too. Think of a new format – a new cuisine – a new venue – a new Groupon deal :)
When I look back at my life – I realize that the things I lost interest in were the things I thought I would continue doing for the rest of my life without the ability to break them down into exciting projects.
Find a start a day!
What are you selling?
Are you selling what you have made?
Or have you made what you should be selling?
Always the easiest question to answer…
…the hardest to ask.
Your story – is for everyone!
3 things happened, to converge to this post
- Finished “Zero to One – Peter Thiel” last night
- And a few weeks back “The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz“
- Received an email this morning
Zero to One isnt a life story. In true Peter Thiel Style – its prescriptive in portions and preachy in part. I was hoping to know about him as an individual than know about his views as an authority on technology.
Hard Thing About Hard Things – was a true life journey. It could very well have been Ben’s autobiography (and it is indeed). He just spoke about what he did. What he felt. What he spoke.
But the beauty was how his life story seemed relevant to me (and am sure to several million others). Even though his life journey is unique – something only 1 in millions would experience.
Thats the power of a personal story.
What I did through my Quora posts – is share my life.
What I do when I speak to folks in colleges, or on the phone – is share my experiences.
Not offer advise, definitely not try to offer mentorship or guidance. And the response I receive is humbling to say the least. Numerous people have written – sharing how it motivated them, drove them to think, to question and eventually to act! The email above being a perfect case in example
Never shy away from sharing your story.
Its your story – but it helps people drafts theirs
In ways that you cannot control or even imagine
And here is a story I can hear over and over and over again… (Episode 1 and Episode 2)
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