They’ll summarize your life into a few words, sentences, or paragraphs. The family you created, the friends you made, the things you did. In those words are the meaning of your life. Life’s secret is that these words aren’t predetermined. We get to pick these words through our actions now. We have to make ourContinue reading “You Have To Make Life Meaningful”
Tag Archives: Advice
Ambitious Optimists
We need a new era of ambitious optimism. Summary: Idea: Convince more ambitious optimists to solve the World’s Biggest Problems. Problem: Too many people now think it’s “cool” to be cynical. Solution: Organize the world’s ambitious optimists! Why: Ambitious optimism is self-fulfilling. Mission: Make Life Utopic For All! History: Kennedy’s “We choose to go toContinue reading “Ambitious Optimists”
Fuck The Cynics
When did it become “cool” to be cynical? I think it started May 1, 2003: A whole generation has grown up expecting their leaders to lie to them. Conspiracy theories have gone mainstream: I’m not saying there are no wolves out here. But please stop crying wolf every time. The worst kind of cynicism isContinue reading “Fuck The Cynics”
Upgrade Yourself
The answer is your potential energy. The sum of all this potential energy is the world’s greatest untapped resource. In physics, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy by a force. However, if the friction is greater than the force, there will be no movement. We need to maximize our positive force and minimize theContinue reading “Upgrade Yourself”
Founders vs. VCs
If you’re really ambitious in startups, there’s only ever been two paths: founder vs. VC. Founders go deep on one company. VCs get to build a broad portfolio. So they’re incentivized to keep founders locked up in their original startups. They don’t want founders to diversify. VCs want a portfolio for themselves but not forContinue reading “Founders vs. VCs”
Disraeli Drawer
Do you have enemies? You know, those people, who when they cross your mind, set off hours of revenge fantasies? Here’s how I learned a powerful, non-violent way to deal with enemies, thanks to Charlie Munger and Benjamin Disraeli: Everyone has enemies: They say success is the best revenge, but it doesn’t feel that way.Continue reading “Disraeli Drawer”
The Founder Tree
Championships matter, of course. But when ESPN assembled an all-star panel to pick the 20 best NFL coaches in history, these experts focused on another key attribute when ranking these leaders — their coaching trees. It’s not enough to win now. You also have the responsibility to recruit and develop leaders who go on to win theirContinue reading “The Founder Tree”
Entrepreneurship = Get Rich Slow
Ever seen this quote? “Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life living like most people can’t.” Starstruck wantrepeneurs: Understand the real-world challenges that you’re going to face as a startup founder. It’s not just 100+ hour work weeks coding inContinue reading “Entrepreneurship = Get Rich Slow”
Valuing Seed-Stage Startups
Do you have 6+ months of runway? If Yes: Continue to Step 2. If No: Calculate the minimum investment needed to get to your next milestone. Make a list of the five investors who are most likely to give you money. Pitch all five and ask each one for the full amount needed. Offer themContinue reading “Valuing Seed-Stage Startups”
On Being ‘First’
As entrepreneurs, we’ve all experienced the rush of excitement that accompanies the arrival of a bright new startup idea. There’s something magical about the belief that you are the very first person in history to figure out this secret. It’s hard not to start counting the billions of dollars in your future bank account. TheContinue reading “On Being ‘First’”