Thread
18 things about life, success, wealth, and happiness I wish someone had told me as an 18 year old:
1/ Nobody you look up to waited for permission.
The world is built by people who understand the world is built by people.
Regular people. Not superheroes.
Everything is the way it is because someone changed the way it was.
The world is built by people who understand the world is built by people.
Regular people. Not superheroes.
Everything is the way it is because someone changed the way it was.
2/ Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves to notice your "failures."
Your worst fear is an illusion.
Nobody is going to remember that project you started that didn't go anywhere.
So don't worry about "failing."
Every step is a step forward.
Your worst fear is an illusion.
Nobody is going to remember that project you started that didn't go anywhere.
So don't worry about "failing."
Every step is a step forward.
3/ Earned credibility is the most valuable kind.
No need to compare yourself to the straight-A student who went to Harvard.
If you can prove competency with any valuable skill, you have a bright future ahead of you.
The market values action, not degrees.
No need to compare yourself to the straight-A student who went to Harvard.
If you can prove competency with any valuable skill, you have a bright future ahead of you.
The market values action, not degrees.
4/ If you can't manage $1,000, you can't manage $1,000,000.
Stop thinking "more money" is the answer.
It's not.
Good money habits compound, and bad money habits compound.
Make sure you're compounding in the right direction.
Stop thinking "more money" is the answer.
It's not.
Good money habits compound, and bad money habits compound.
Make sure you're compounding in the right direction.
5/ If you aren't satisfied where you are, you won't be satisfied wherever you go.
One day, you'll have all the things you said you "one day" wanted so badly.
And when you get there, you'll have a new list of all the things you want so badly "one day."
There is no destination.
One day, you'll have all the things you said you "one day" wanted so badly.
And when you get there, you'll have a new list of all the things you want so badly "one day."
There is no destination.
6/ Life is a single-player game with a multi-player option.
Nobody owes you anything.
Everyone is always looking out for themselves, first.
This is not a bad thing, but a brutal truth to be accepted.
Others can help you.
But you must help yourself, first.
Nobody owes you anything.
Everyone is always looking out for themselves, first.
This is not a bad thing, but a brutal truth to be accepted.
Others can help you.
But you must help yourself, first.
7/ Change happens slowly, and then all at once.
Working on yourself, in any capacity, is like watching your hair grow.
You barely notice it in the moment.
Until one day, you wake up, and all those tiny moments have added up to a full head of hair.
Trust the process.
Working on yourself, in any capacity, is like watching your hair grow.
You barely notice it in the moment.
Until one day, you wake up, and all those tiny moments have added up to a full head of hair.
Trust the process.
8/ The right way to do anything is often.
Waiting until you're ready is a guaranteed strategy for stagnancy.
You'll never be ready.
You "become" ready the moment you take action.
Imperfect action is better than no action at all.
Waiting until you're ready is a guaranteed strategy for stagnancy.
You'll never be ready.
You "become" ready the moment you take action.
Imperfect action is better than no action at all.
9/ Life's most valuable skills are universal.
• Work ethic
• Patience
• Consistency
• Mindfulness
If you can do these things in 1 domain, you can do them in any domain.
Which means, whenever you pick up something new, you're never really "starting over."
• Work ethic
• Patience
• Consistency
• Mindfulness
If you can do these things in 1 domain, you can do them in any domain.
Which means, whenever you pick up something new, you're never really "starting over."
10/ Competition is a scarcity mindset.
Don't "compete" with others. It's a zero-sum game (that hurts you the most).
To cultivate an abundance mindset, play creation games.
Focus on building your life in such a way that builds other people's lives as well.
Be net-positive.
Don't "compete" with others. It's a zero-sum game (that hurts you the most).
To cultivate an abundance mindset, play creation games.
Focus on building your life in such a way that builds other people's lives as well.
Be net-positive.
11/ Shortcuts are longer roads in disguise.
Every time you try to find the easy path, you take your focus off the path that matters.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Every time you try to find the easy path, you take your focus off the path that matters.
Slow and steady wins the race.
12/ You are always practicing something.
When you snooze your alarm, you're practicing snoozing your alarm.
When you eat unhealthy, you're practicing eating unhealthy.
People with bad habits get quite good at practicing them.
When you snooze your alarm, you're practicing snoozing your alarm.
When you eat unhealthy, you're practicing eating unhealthy.
People with bad habits get quite good at practicing them.
13/ Humility is just hedged confidence.
There's a difference between being confident in your confidence, and being insecure in your confidence.
Most "humble" people are insecure in their confidence.
But there's no nobility in dimming your light.
Embrace your greatness.
There's a difference between being confident in your confidence, and being insecure in your confidence.
Most "humble" people are insecure in their confidence.
But there's no nobility in dimming your light.
Embrace your greatness.
14/ The most successful people in life don't work hard or smart.
They work with leverage.
Working hard = using your muscles.
Working smart = applying existing, valuable knowledge
Working with leverage = creating net-new knowledge & applying it in scalable ways
They work with leverage.
Working hard = using your muscles.
Working smart = applying existing, valuable knowledge
Working with leverage = creating net-new knowledge & applying it in scalable ways
15/ As long as expenses rise to meet income, you'll never have enough money.
People think there's "a number" when they'll have "so much money" they'll never have to worry about money again.
But usually, the more they make, the more they spend.
Keeping them in a vicious cycle.
People think there's "a number" when they'll have "so much money" they'll never have to worry about money again.
But usually, the more they make, the more they spend.
Keeping them in a vicious cycle.
16/ Plateaus are signs you need to change.
What got you here, won't get you there.
After sufficient effort, if you're still feeling "stuck" then working harder is not the answer.
You need to work differently.
You need to change—to become the next version of yourself.
What got you here, won't get you there.
After sufficient effort, if you're still feeling "stuck" then working harder is not the answer.
You need to work differently.
You need to change—to become the next version of yourself.
17/ You aren't happy "when." You're happy "while."
Happiness is not an end.
It's a state of being.
You're happy "while" doing something, not "when XYZ outcome" is achieved.
Focus on the process, not the destination.
Happiness is not an end.
It's a state of being.
You're happy "while" doing something, not "when XYZ outcome" is achieved.
Focus on the process, not the destination.
18/ You have time.
If you're lucky, you'll get to have many different interests, friends, adventures, and chapters over the course of your life.
There's no rush.
So enjoy where you are now—because soon, this chapter will be done.
If you're lucky, you'll get to have many different interests, friends, adventures, and chapters over the course of your life.
There's no rush.
So enjoy where you are now—because soon, this chapter will be done.
