Category: Expectations
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To move forward through rejection, take a passion stance
An aspiring comedian completes a set to applause. They notice an established comedian watching and strike up a conversation. The aspiring comedian asks, “Do you think I’m going to make it?” The established comedian says, “No.” It’s not that the established comedian doesn’t want the aspiring one to make it; they simply know that if…
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Sam Altman on self-belief and willfulness
Sam Altman writes, “How To Be Successful,” at his blog. There are two particular points that stand out to me: 2. Have almost too much self-belief Self-belief is immensely powerful. The most successful people I know believe in themselves almost to the point of delusion. Cultivate this early. As you get more data points that…
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“You decide”
The world produces waves.Surf or down.You decide.Virgil© 2017 Virgil Abloh’s message is the first entry in Hans Ulrich Obrist’s compilation of notes from artists, Remember to Dream!. (On compiling, on books about people.) It was also a billboard: Via Sole Retriever and Ovrundr
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“You’re nobody here at $10 million”
Gary Kremen, founder of Match.com with a self-estimated net worth of $10 million in 2007, logs 60- to 80-hour workweeks because he doesn’t think he has enough money. He says to the New York Times: Everyone around here looks at the people above them. It’s just like Wall Street, where there are all these financial…
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How many doors can you open?
Before Jann Mardenborough became a professional racecar driver, he was obsessively driving in the Gran Turismo simulator on PlayStation. Then, he came across GT Academy, a program that would train PlayStation racing gamers to become professional racing drivers. This tournament was extremely competitive; millions of people would apply to join GT Academy. You can practically…
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What does success mean to you, now?
You’ve probably changed a lot this year. Certainly in the past few. Does your definition of success keep up with where you are now, or where you want to go in the future? If you’re making a professional pivot, or you’re turning a company around—in other words, changing the course of your work or life…
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Playing injured
Professional athletes play in all sorts of conditions. They play when they’re injured. They play when they’re sick with the flu. They play through heartbreak. It’s not ideal, but setbacks happen—and athletes keep playing. This philosophy and practice can apply to all sorts of other fields. (For example, advertisers keep advertising.) When you play through…
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The pinnacle of success
“You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity.” Orlando Aloysius Battista, via MoneyZen by Manisha Thakor
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Dealing in hope
One can lead a nation only by helping it see a bright outlook. A leader is a dealer in hope. Napoléon Bonaparte (via Prehistoric by Alex Wong)
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Favors balance out
A few years ago, Ryan Holiday shared a lesson he learned from Tim Ferriss: When Tim’s blog was just starting to take off, I emailed him and asked him if he might include a link back to mine. I laid out this clear case as to why — the things I’d done for him in…