Jake Ham

Husband to Ali, Dad to Madelyn & John Thomas. CEO of Factory Connection, Believer. I like to build things.

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

My honest advice to someone who wants to make a lot of money.

3 things nobody told you:

1. The only way to make a lot of money is to create a lot of value.

No one hands out money. No one is going to pay you just because they like you or think you're cool. That's not the way the world works.

Money earned is a direct byproduct of value created. Create value, receive value. If money is the goal, value has to be the focus.

This isn't just some vague idea: The only way to get rich is to create an enormous amount of value for others, and capture a small portion of that along the way.

It's not talking about the thing, it's not brainstorming about the thing, it's not asking about the thing, it's not thinking about the thing. The only way to create value is by doing the thing.

And if you don't know where to start, look around you. Customers, colleagues, bosses, shareholders, employees. Every single one of them has a problem. What problems can you solve for the people around you? Figure them out, solve them, scale that solution.

That's how you make money.

2. You have to demonstrate excellence in everything you do.

Your income scales proportional to the amount of excellence that you're able to demonstrate.

Strategic incompetence is a lie. You don't get to pick and choose when to show up, because the world will ignore your best and judge you for your worst. Everything matters. Every single thing.

Top performers show up with energy and enthusiasm for the little things just as much as they do for the big things.

If you're in the top-10% of performers, there's no ceiling for what you can do. But the self-awareness to identify where you currently stack up, and adapt to the honest feedback on it, is very rare.

If you're in the top-10%, you know it. If you're not, figure out why and fix it.

3. You don't need passion, you need energy.

I still have no idea what it means to follow your passion.

You don't have to be passionate about your professional pursuits, you just need to find energy in them. You just need to feel a pull towards them. You just need to feel that spark of curiosity in them.

Passion is usually a byproduct of energy.

When you have energy for something, you'll give it your deep attention to learn more. You’ll ask the right questions. You’ll figure it out. You’ll win.

***

And remember: Nobody is coming to save you. It’s just you. There’s a power in that.

Go do the thing.

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

Life advice nobody told you: Talent and intelligence are overrated. Intelligent people are more likely to overthink, overplan, and overanalyze. They hide behind motion that doesn't create progress. They fear the judgment of others if they're proven wrong. The truth is that talent and intelligence are abundant. Courage is not. The people you admire are the ones who had the courage to act. They aren’t more talented than you. They aren’t smarter than you. They just took action when you didn’t. I often wonder how many extraordinary people wasted their entire lives waiting for permission that never came. Permission isn't granted. It's taken. You get to tap yourself in whenever you want. You can just do things.

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@wesleybryangolf @YourGolfTourYGT @AaronChewning @StAndreGolf

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@wesleybryangolf @YourGolfTourYGT @AaronChewning

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

The last time i made a post here was January of 2021. @AmericanAir is such a disappointment that i felt compelled to say something. Truly remarkable how consistently bad the service and reliability is. I will drive 12+ hours before i will fly with them again.

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

I'm increasingly convinced that showing up every single day with a good attitude puts you ahead of 95% of people.

[John Coogan @johncoogan]

Best thing I’ve read recently.

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@trentkocurek @Hertz I have experienced the same. Truly the worst company i’ve ever worked with. Nightmare story due to them.

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA LFG!!

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA gm

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA Remarkable! This fills me with hope for what's to come!

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA Astonishing! I'm absolutely ecstatic!

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA This is superb news! I'm brimming with optimism!

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA This is spectacular! I'm thrilled beyond words!

[Jake Ham @hamjaco]

@lGGYAZAIILEA @IGGYAZALEA This is phenomenal news! I'm glowing with happiness!