10 years ago I dropped out of college.
Today I'm one of the youngest VPs at a venture-backed company in Canada.
Here are 10 lessons on finding success your own way:
Today I'm one of the youngest VPs at a venture-backed company in Canada.
Here are 10 lessons on finding success your own way:
1. Unconventional success requires an unconventional path.
Most people would rather be wrong with the crowd than be right alone.
Remember: the social rewards of conformity exceed those of isolation.
If you can avoid seeking the approval of others, your power is limitless.
Most people would rather be wrong with the crowd than be right alone.
Remember: the social rewards of conformity exceed those of isolation.
If you can avoid seeking the approval of others, your power is limitless.
2. Goals are bullshit.
Successful and unsuccessful people have the same goals.
You never rise to the level of your goals. You always fall to the level of your habits.
Goals are just dreams. Habits make them a reality.
h/t @JamesClear
Successful and unsuccessful people have the same goals.
You never rise to the level of your goals. You always fall to the level of your habits.
Goals are just dreams. Habits make them a reality.
h/t @JamesClear
3. Hard work is overrated. Consistency is underrated.
It's not about how hard you swing your bat.
It's about swinging over and over again till you learn to hit it out of the park.
Consistency gets you places hard work doesn't.
It's not about how hard you swing your bat.
It's about swinging over and over again till you learn to hit it out of the park.
Consistency gets you places hard work doesn't.
4. You gain confidence after doing something hard - not before.
Too many people never try hard things because they think confidence is a precondition when, in reality, it's a side effect.
Too many people never try hard things because they think confidence is a precondition when, in reality, it's a side effect.
5. Learning to learn is the ultimate meta-skill.
Life is too short to learn everything through firsthand experience.
Make friends with intelligent people and read as widely as possible.
Learn vicariously through the writings and experiences of others.
Life is too short to learn everything through firsthand experience.
Make friends with intelligent people and read as widely as possible.
Learn vicariously through the writings and experiences of others.
6. Social intelligence > IQ
School is a single player-game with clear instructions.
Life is a multi-player game with no instructions.
Social intelligence is just as important as IQ.
School is a single player-game with clear instructions.
Life is a multi-player game with no instructions.
Social intelligence is just as important as IQ.
7. Time is the currency of life.
Many people stay in a cycle of adaptive poverty because they use their income to buy expensive things to impress others.
Amateurs use their income to buy social status.
Pros use their income to buy freedom and control over their time.
Many people stay in a cycle of adaptive poverty because they use their income to buy expensive things to impress others.
Amateurs use their income to buy social status.
Pros use their income to buy freedom and control over their time.
8. Just because it's not your fault doesn't mean it's not your responsibility.
Take ownership of your life.
Never complain. Never blame others.
Everything you are thinking and feeling is your responsibility.
Take ownership of your life.
Never complain. Never blame others.
Everything you are thinking and feeling is your responsibility.
9. Get comfortable with failure.
The cost of failure is lower than it has been at any point in history.
It doesn't matter how often you miss.
Just keep swinging till you hit it out of the park.
The cost of failure is lower than it has been at any point in history.
It doesn't matter how often you miss.
Just keep swinging till you hit it out of the park.
10. Focus on building a positive narrative for your life.
Anything real begins with the fiction of what could be.
Narrative builds identity.
Identity builds personality.
Personality builds capability.
Anything real begins with the fiction of what could be.
Narrative builds identity.
Identity builds personality.
Personality builds capability.
I'll end this thread with one of my favourite quotes from the legendary @kevin2kelly:
"The universe is conspiring behind your back to make you a success. This will be much easier to do if you embrace this paranoia."
"The universe is conspiring behind your back to make you a success. This will be much easier to do if you embrace this paranoia."
If you found this thread helpful, please:
- Retweet the first tweet and help others find this thread
- Follow me at @heykahn
I write about marketing, tech, and psychology. I share my insights along the way.
- Retweet the first tweet and help others find this thread
- Follow me at @heykahn
I write about marketing, tech, and psychology. I share my insights along the way.
For everyone asking, here's my story:
I dropped out at 18 because my parents couldn't afford it. After, I worked a full-time job during the day and did an online degree in the evenings. Was working & studying 70-80 hrs most weeks. Difficult journey but I'm grateful in hindsight.
I dropped out at 18 because my parents couldn't afford it. After, I worked a full-time job during the day and did an online degree in the evenings. Was working & studying 70-80 hrs most weeks. Difficult journey but I'm grateful in hindsight.
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