My favorite @elonmusk quote that I often send friends:
Do not fear losing. “You will lose,” Musk says. “It will hurt the first fifty times. When you get used to losing, you will play each game with less emotion.” You will be more fearless, take more risks.
A rule that will lower your anxiety: Don’t replay conversations you can’t change, and don’t pre-live ones that haven’t happened. Focus on the next right action. Most stress comes from living everywhere except the present.
The older I get, the more I realize that optimism is a competitive advantage. Not blind positivity. The belief that problems can be solved. That things can improve. That your actions matter. People who believe a better future is possible are the ones who create it.
This came up twice today, so figured I'd tweet it.
People, internally and externally, talk [read: complain] to me that their product isn't growing, or isn't growing enough.
100% of the time they are missing at least one of the following minimum requirements for success:
(A) A *burning* user problem [not a "it'd be nice if" problem]
(B) Users with that problem, each in a [Slack] room [I'll accept WhatsApp or iMessage, but it can't be email]
(C) Narrow the problem such that you can build a 10X better solution than the current alternatives [you are very likely biting off too much to early and then you can't quick make a wow-better solution]
(D) A chart with _daily_ counts of users using the product [do not kid yourself into measuring weekly or monthly]
(E) At least 2 people, but probably under 5, working on it full-time, that like each other and meet at least once per day [new things are just more fun together than solo]
In terms of order of operation: it's first (E), then (A) which begets (B), then you just have to daily iterate back and forth between (C) and (D) unless it's growing faster again.
Reminder- If you’re starting up, keep the team small for as long as possible. A few solid engineers, designers, and people who can tell a story are enough to win. More employees create power games & gossip shops you can’t control. Build products customers genuinely need that make them a paying hostage. Don’t chase investors. They will chase you if you get the above right. Avoid stupid PR tactics like paying influencers to talk about you. Faking things will hurt more. Build your own distribution and own your narrative. That’s a moat money can’t buy. Conferences are overrated and networking is mostly noise. Buy books for your team and meet their families. They won’t remember team parties , but they’ll remember being respected. Most startup metrics are created by people who’ve never built anything meaningful. Real builders are obsessed with making profits and get depressed when they loose money. Don’t follow investor trends and projections. If they knew so much, they should have built it. Don’t waste time posting AI slops and your picture sitting with a cofee. You look dumb. But no one will tell you this. Build something so good that others point to it for inspiration.
This is it.
Everything learned spending millions on longevity.
From: Your Immortal Unc and Auntie.
To: Our Immortal nieces and nephews.
0. Sleep is the world's most powerful drug.
1. Be in your bed for 8 hours
2. Same bedtime every night, any time before midnight
3. Don’t eat right before bed
4. Calm foods for dinner
5. No screens 1 hour before bed
6. Avoid added sugar (be aware it’s in everything)
7. Avoid all things in an American convenience store
8. Avoid fried foods
9. Shoes off at the door
10. Eat whole foods, particularly veggies fruits nuts legumes berries
11. Walk a little after meals or air squats
12. Get your heart rate high routinely
13. Lift heavy things
14. Stretch daily
15. Water pik, floss, brush, tongue scrape, morning and night
16. Make an effort to drink water
17. Get sunlight when you wake up (UV is low)
18. Protect skin in midday sun
19. Stand up straight
20. See at least one friend once a week
21. Avoid plastic where you can (in all things)
22. Circulate air in rooms
23. When stressed, breathe, learn to calm your body
24. Go to the dentist
25. Avoid sitting for long times
26. Protect your hearing, the world is too loud
27. Alcohol is bad for you
28. Finish coffee before noon
29. Avoid bright lights after sunset
30. If obese, look into a GLP
31. Sleep in a cold room
32. Texting while driving is dangerous
33. Turn off all notifications
34. Limit social media use
35. Don’t smoke anything
36. If you struggle to sleep, read a physical book before bed
37. 1 hour before bed have a calm wind down routine: bath, read, light walk, listen to music
38. The body is a clock and loves routine. Have a daily morning and evening schedule.
39. Avoid long distance travel where you can
40. Baby steps first: incorporate new things slowly
41. Do less… most things don’t work.
Bonus points if you get your blood checked.
Start here, it will change your life.
As a startup founder you gotta believe you can make it happen because most will think you’re crazy for even trying.
But then one day it starts working and you figure it out. It's one of the best feelings in the world as an entrepreneur.
Just keep going.
@noelcetaSEO @NathanHirsch99 @meetgranola Spot on.
The real problem is forgetting what came out of meetings.
Granola nails the notes.
@HeyGennieHQ makes tasks actually happen: extracts + one-click assigns to owners with due dates & labels.
https://t.co/bZSK0jSlm0
@charliejhills @NathanHirsch99 @meetgranola Spot on.
The real problem is forgetting what came out of meetings.
Granola nails the notes.
@HeyGennieHQ makes tasks actually happen: extracts + one-click assigns to owners with due dates & labels.
https://t.co/bZSK0jSlm0