🌲 THREAD 🌲
Here is a quick list of 100 insights I've gotten over the past decade. Any one of them you adopt, or choose to believe, will probably make your life better. Enjoy.
Here is a quick list of 100 insights I've gotten over the past decade. Any one of them you adopt, or choose to believe, will probably make your life better. Enjoy.
1. True wisdom and insight is always free.
Anyone charging you for anything is running a business. Most valuable things are freely available. That said, if you want to pay to access them more easily, go for it.
Anyone charging you for anything is running a business. Most valuable things are freely available. That said, if you want to pay to access them more easily, go for it.
2. Give your power over to no one.
No one else has control over your life (except in a meta sense). No one is going to save you. No one else loves you as much as you (should) love yourself! So take ownership ASAP.
(P.S.: this doesn't mean we shouldn't have healthcare.)
No one else has control over your life (except in a meta sense). No one is going to save you. No one else loves you as much as you (should) love yourself! So take ownership ASAP.
(P.S.: this doesn't mean we shouldn't have healthcare.)
3. Going into the unknown is how you expand what is known.
You do not, you CANNOT, change your life unless you do new things that you get uncomfortable with. You need a habit of discomfort or you will stagnate and eventually, you'll fall backwards.
You do not, you CANNOT, change your life unless you do new things that you get uncomfortable with. You need a habit of discomfort or you will stagnate and eventually, you'll fall backwards.
4. Get a library card, or a Kindle.
A number of books read isn't something to be proud of! But a number of ideas you've exposed yourself to is.
A number of books read isn't something to be proud of! But a number of ideas you've exposed yourself to is.
5. Spend more time around people that both challenge and respect you.
If nobody is confronting you with new ideas or challenges, you're probably complacent (to a point). So try to find people that you want to be like - invite them to dinner! Nobody refuses a good dinner.
If nobody is confronting you with new ideas or challenges, you're probably complacent (to a point). So try to find people that you want to be like - invite them to dinner! Nobody refuses a good dinner.
6. Remain skeptical forever.
Most people's truths are really just memes passing around that have never been verified. So have some skepticism about every idea you come across. Confirm, or think about it, later. Take your time with ideas!
Most people's truths are really just memes passing around that have never been verified. So have some skepticism about every idea you come across. Confirm, or think about it, later. Take your time with ideas!
7. Fight for what matters.
Don't fight about fucking every random thing; it's dumb. Spend your time on the stuff that's going to make a difference, then fight HARD for those things only.
Don't fight about fucking every random thing; it's dumb. Spend your time on the stuff that's going to make a difference, then fight HARD for those things only.
8. There is a method that works. Find it.
For every objective you have, there is a system that will facilitate it. (There are also meta-systems that work for all goals.) Instead of dicking around, why don't you find out what the working methodology is. It's out there.
For every objective you have, there is a system that will facilitate it. (There are also meta-systems that work for all goals.) Instead of dicking around, why don't you find out what the working methodology is. It's out there.
9. Join a movement.
Try believing in something in a hardcore way for a while. You can change your mind later. But go deep! Be the first of an early group of believers while everyone else ridicules you. A startup is a good version of this - but there are others.
Try believing in something in a hardcore way for a while. You can change your mind later. But go deep! Be the first of an early group of believers while everyone else ridicules you. A startup is a good version of this - but there are others.
10. Drink your coffee black.
Liquid calories are how people get fat. Go ahead and enjoy them if you want, but like... you should know what you're getting into.
Liquid calories are how people get fat. Go ahead and enjoy them if you want, but like... you should know what you're getting into.
(more later)
11. Never let anyone photoshop a picture of you.
It creates a false sense of self-confidence. See yourself how you are.
It creates a false sense of self-confidence. See yourself how you are.
12. Half the things you currently believe are wrong. Find out which half.
13. Get used to feeling stupid. It’s a sign of growth.
14. Everyone talks like they are a fucking genius. So instead of blindly listening, watch their behavior.
15. You can learn something from everyone.
Meet someone boring at a party? Find something they're passionate about (trump doesn't count). When you do, you'll have an awesome conversation and probably learn something.
Meet someone boring at a party? Find something they're passionate about (trump doesn't count). When you do, you'll have an awesome conversation and probably learn something.
16. Find things that inspire you and pursue them, even if there’s no money in it.
It's so easy to get validation from commercial things and status. But little, silent joys are way more valuable. (Mine are cooking and building a garden atm.)
It's so easy to get validation from commercial things and status. But little, silent joys are way more valuable. (Mine are cooking and building a garden atm.)
17. Starve if you have to, for as long as you need to.
19. If you can, get one big success at an early age. It’ll help build your confidence for bigger things.
You want to FEEL what getting a good result is like.
You want to FEEL what getting a good result is like.
20. DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU'LL DO.
No one is reliable anymore. It's fucking sad.
If you said you'll be there at noon, BE THERE AT FUCKING NOON
No one is reliable anymore. It's fucking sad.
If you said you'll be there at noon, BE THERE AT FUCKING NOON
21. Be comfortable with abandonment, even of parts of your identity.
22. Keep people around you that will tell you the truth and that aren't impressed by anything about you.
The higher up you go, the harder it is, but it becomes all the more important
The higher up you go, the harder it is, but it becomes all the more important
25. Genius gets you nowhere. Execution is everything.
27. Your circle naturally becomes smaller as you age. So meet new people as often as you can stand, and offer to help them (or invite them) for no reason whatsoever.
28. Don’t discriminate. Connect anyone in your network to anyone else.
Preface is with whatever you need to to make this true.
Preface is with whatever you need to to make this true.
29. If you can’t do a pull-up, your strength to weight ratio is off.
30. Nobody likes a know-it-all. Learn to shut your mouth.
31. Get a passport. Fill it up with stamps no one has ever seen.
Once you're there, take photos of places no one has taken photos of, and talk to people no one talks to.
Once you're there, take photos of places no one has taken photos of, and talk to people no one talks to.
Quit your horrible job.
33. Read biographies. It's like having the best mentors in existence.
Start with this one.
amazon.com/Titan-Life-Joh…
Start with this one.
amazon.com/Titan-Life-Joh…
34. Go to bed, and wake up, early. No one will bother you. It will allow your best work to emerge.
35. Scare yourself a little bit every day. It will expand your inner map.
36. Learn to climb trees, and go up and down things you shouldn't go. Lots of good comes from rare experiences and vantage points.
37. Don’t buy a lot of stuff - and only buy the stuff you really love.
Bringing your costs down produces enormous freedom, and making sure you love the stuff that is around you will maximize your environmental happiness.
"Ah, I love these plates."
Bringing your costs down produces enormous freedom, and making sure you love the stuff that is around you will maximize your environmental happiness.
"Ah, I love these plates."
38. Have a habit of being both humble and curious.
Remember, for most of the world, and most of history, you weren't there - and it turned out fine. 🌝
Remember, for most of the world, and most of history, you weren't there - and it turned out fine. 🌝
39. Twitter followers don’t keep you warm at night. (Hat tip @harleyf)
40. Be as useful as you can in as many circumstances as possible.
I don't know about you, but I get deeply embarrassed when watching someone fix a car while I sit there watching it like an alien.
I don't know about you, but I get deeply embarrassed when watching someone fix a car while I sit there watching it like an alien.
41. Showing up is an asymmetric strategy. You should always do it.
42. Repeat people’s names when you meet them. It's the easiest way to remember it.
43. Allow yourself to get bored and let your mind drift.
Get a deck of Oblique Strategy cards. Use them to confront yourself.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_S…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_S…
45. Make your home a place where you feel safe.
Want help? Check this out.
amazon.com/Pattern-Langua…
Want help? Check this out.
amazon.com/Pattern-Langua…
45b, BONUS.
Wanna learn to raise money? Write a cheque to a company yourself to understand the fear investors go through DAILY
Wanna learn to raise money? Write a cheque to a company yourself to understand the fear investors go through DAILY
46. Take people up on bets. Make more bets yourself. Cc @packyM
If you don't take bets, you won't ever get a sense of your inner confidence index, which is an important quality.
If you don't take bets, you won't ever get a sense of your inner confidence index, which is an important quality.
47. Cold showers are better than coffee and are a good way to build willpower. And you need to do lots of tiny bits of willpower to get anywhere in life
Intermission
48. Learn to enjoy hunger.
(Got this one from a Zen monk in Japan.)
(Got this one from a Zen monk in Japan.)
49. Make everything either shorter, or longer, than it needs to be.
Why is the default meeting 1 hour? There is literally no point. Cut them short as soon as you're done.
Why is the default meeting 1 hour? There is literally no point. Cut them short as soon as you're done.
50. Always remember those who helped you. Deliver two or three times as much value back.
Shout out to @cc_chapman @chrisbrogan @garyvee @caterina_rizzi @brandonr182 and 100 others
Shout out to @cc_chapman @chrisbrogan @garyvee @caterina_rizzi @brandonr182 and 100 others
I'm getting messaged by people who feel left out how lol
And also!!! help people who have never helped you, and can’t.
Remember, you have plenty.
Remember, you have plenty.
52. All pain is temporary - even if it lasts a long, long time.
52b. RERACK THE FUCKING WEIGHTS FFS
53. Get a tattoo. Don’t worry about regret.
Just choose a good artist.
Just choose a good artist.
54. Commit to things, regularly, that are far beyond your ability. You won't know your limits until you are terrified to fail from the big commitments you wish you hadn't made
55. Don't take your friends for granted!!! Meet with them more often than you think you have to. Message them more. Love them more!
56. Learn to meditate. Go on a retreat if you have to. You'll learn things about yourself (even things you don't like).
57. Your stories are both more and less interesting than you think.
58. Learn to really listen.
If you need something to focus on, focus on the other person's eyes. Did you know? You'll feel their feelings 🤩
If you need something to focus on, focus on the other person's eyes. Did you know? You'll feel their feelings 🤩
Ugly is a step on the way to beautiful.
In other words, if you can't take the struggle, you can't get the reward.
In other words, if you can't take the struggle, you can't get the reward.
61. Get to know your neighbours. You have a lot in common and lots of collective incentives.
Even if you could go to the store, borrow it from them instead.
Even if you could go to the store, borrow it from them instead.
62. Don’t take anything personally, ever. Even if it was about you, and it was an insult, it'll create a better outcome if you just deal with the information in front of you
63. If it's for the logo, consider avoiding school and go to lots of conferences instead to build your network, and learn on your own. cc @LambdaSchool
Most things that produce good value for you aren't things you'll get in school anyway
Most things that produce good value for you aren't things you'll get in school anyway
64. As soon as you can, buy some art.
65. Apologize more than you need to, and earlier than you want to. It's helpful to swallow your ego (and it doesn't make you weak you idiot).
66. Find out if there will be food there.
67. A good haircut changes everything and will make you look 10 years younger.
69. Say no to projects you don’t care about. It's easy to be busy for no reason, but as @naval says, 99% of your effort isn't actually useful when it comes to what really matters
70. Do things that are uncool. Later on, they usually end up becoming cool anyway.
71. Find your voice. It's gonna take a while
72. Manners are the social equivalent of laws. You wish you didn't need them, but then one asshole ruins it for everyone
73. Learn to play chess, go, and bridge. They’ll keep you from going senile.
75. There are tons of ways to cheat the system without cheating actual people.
76. Likewise you can be like Jesus, without being like his followers. (This applies to all the others too.)
77. at least once, date someone that is way, way out of your league
78. examine your jealousies, and look for deep reasons for them. try to get to your core flaws and feelings.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
