David Rajakovich

Two successful Private Equity exits. Nine years of executive experience & fourteen years in the corporate L&D training sector. SaaS private equity-backed CEO.

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

@BigJohn043 I’m with you on playing multiple arbitrage. The problem is that it’s so simple that CEO’s and weaker PE investors won’t actually understand the business to the level required to make optimal, synergistic decisions.

[Navalism @NavalismHQ]

What can I do for the next 60 days to become a clearer, more independent thinker?

"Read the greats in math, science, philosophy.
Ignore your contemporaries and news.
Avoid tribal identification.
Truth above social approval."

@naval

[Nick Huber @sweatystartup]

Gossip is a cancer that will destroy your life and your business.

And it is contagious.

Do not tolerate people who gossip and talk negatively about people who are not around.

[Steve · Millionaire Habits @SteveOnSpeed]

2. Happiness is a skill.

For 99% of us, we choose to be happy. Or angry. Or sad. It becomes a part of who we are.

We can't always control what happens to us, but we can control our reactions.

Choose to be happy.

[josh @joshmaycpa]

@SecretCFO I like to think they are just finally taking Steve’s advice.

“How many are consulting? …. Oh thats bad. You should do something”

https://t.co/x20nq8FQbs

[Teddy Mitrosilis @TMitrosilis]

Navy SEALs have a saying.

You may find it helpful.

When something sucks, they look at each other and say:

"FULL BENEFIT"

It’s an instant mindset shift.

• Hiking and it starts pouring rain?
• Driving and your car breaks down?
• Working on a project and lost a draft?

FULL BENEFIT.

***

LESSON: Adversity is an opportunity

The message is simple.

Every adversity is an opportunity.

• To grow
• To learn
• To evolve
• To get stronger
• To become better

These moments forge us if we let them.

The next time you're facing something hard, welcome it.

Work through the process.

Learn the lessons.

Reap the full benefit.

***
Follow @TMitrosilis for more content like this.

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

I can’t stop thinking about this.

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

The Paradox of Fear: The thing we fear the most is often the thing we most need to do.

The most successful people in the world make a habit of running at things that scare the hell out of them.

Fears are growth limiters or amplifiers based on how you choose to confront them.

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

@Codie_Sanchez You give mostly sound advice. The risk is that you believe ‘dealing with CEO’s’ leads to knowing which ones are good leaders. There are BS artists that are great at making investors believe they are good leaders which is negatively correlated to actually being a good leader.

[Navalism @NavalismHQ]

"Doctors won’t make you healthy.
Nutritionists won’t make you slim.
Teachers won’t make you smart.
Gurus won’t make you calm.
Mentors won’t make you rich.
Trainers won’t make you fit.

Ultimately, you have to take responsibility. Save yourself."

@naval

[Alex Brogan @_alexbrogan]

6. Observe Their Talk-To-Listen Ratio

In a social setting, someone can talk with others, listen, or avoid others.

Listeners are rare, valuable, and effective.

Exceptional listening correlates strongly with self-awareness, and self-awareness is a key indicator of character.

[Alex Brogan @_alexbrogan]

4. Observe Their Upbringing

People’s character and ability to handle challenges are formed during the first two decades of life.

It's rarely a surprise to find those with the highest levels of resilience as those who have endured the most heartache in their upbringing.

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

It truly amazes me that more people don’t do/understand this. It can be annoying at times, but then I tell myself that my competitive advantage would be eroded if more people listened rather than trying to show how smart they are.

[Codie Sanchez @Codie_Sanchez]

Listening > Speaking

The smartest people I know do one thing really well.

You ask questions, then you shut up.

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

@ReKreater

[Brian Bourque @bbourque]

It should be illegal to launch a startup without memorizing these 21 principles from Y-Combinator's Startup Playbook:

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

I’m not sure one needs ‘an obsession’, but this thread is highly recommended reading overall.

[DAN KOE @thedankoe]

Your future will be determined by 3 things:

[DAN KOE @thedankoe]

Motivation is great, but clarity will turbo boost your results beyond reasonable expectation.

When you are lost, learn.

When you have clarity, act.

With time, you will develop a habit of results-generating actions.

Your default state will be progress, even when you feel bad.

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

Having run a training business, I disagree with this. Moving on from unprofitable, low/negative margin clients improved our profitability and the overall value of the business. We exited at a very good valuation.

[Taylor Welch @taylorawelch]

5. Retain EVERYONE who gives you money.

Go all in, do crazy stuff, forget scope creep… find ways to innovate and overdeliver. PS this is something you should be doing in good economies also.

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

@sweatystartup War and Peace - it’s a literary masterpiece! I look forward to hearing which ones everyone else mentions…

[David Rajakovich @dfraj8]

I am delighted to have been featured in an article by London Daily News https://t.co/CWOp7g3Twg

The article “Bringing Resilience and Leadership Skills From the Parade Ground to the Boardroom” covered two things close to my heart: my time in my military and entrepreneurial skills

[Nix 🕊 @startingfromnix]

increasingly convinced that confidence is about setting high internal standards for what behavior you'll accept. when you tolerate disrespect/negativity passively, you never cultivate the power to advocate for yourself, which is inherently tied to self worth