People who look at the same thing but from a different perspective, widen your own horizon and understanding of the world.
Resist the echo chambers you are in.
Do not spend time only with those who are like you.
How?
a) Pick up something that hasn't been working for you - could be anything - interviews, exams, dating etc.
b) Identify someone whose advice you would NEVER consider, because you think they do not understand you or your world.
c) Ask them how would they approach it?
2. Send cold emails
Writing to those who do not know you, is a life skill. Most working professionals still use email as the dominant form of communication.
You do not know which one of them will be replied to, but writing consistently ensures opportunities coming in steady.
How?
a) Make a list of 50+ people you want to write to, for a specific objective
b) Research about them, draft a personalized email
c) Send one every day (except weekends) - over 2 months.
People are always reaching out to us, irrespective of how "popular" we are.
Do not ignore such outreaches.
Half of my team has been hired through such emails/DMs. I have built unreal connections online through emails/DMs that were sent to me.
How?
a) Filter all emails with the word "unsubscribe" to a separate folder
b) Pause your inbox and schedule your emails for 4-6 times a day (no more)
c) Read them all in one go, in a state of flow
d) Respond to only the best
4. Engage with people's content meaningfully
If you follow someone's content, don't just consume.
Engage.
And while engaging, be meaningful.
Add a new perspective.
Or share your own version.
Or your own example.
How?
a) Have a unique DP (something that is uniquely you) - for example I recently met @whysaloni who I thought had a unique DP
b) Engage actively, consistently
c) Do it NOT the intent of receiving a reply. Instead purely because you have something to add.
5. Acknowledge people
If you like someone's work (book, post, video, podcast) drop them a note thanking them for it.
And while at it, send a thoughtful note.
Not just a simple thanks.
Be detailed and deliberate about how they helped you.
It will be retained.
How?
6 years back wrote to @IndraNooyi thanking her for one of my most loved initiatives at @nearbuy
Nothing attracts opportunities than consistent work from your end.
You could be creating, curating, producing - doesn't matter.
I feel @SahilBloom is such a great example of this.
Consistently shipping out value, purely driven by curiosity.
8. Realize most decisions are reversible
Do not hesitate to take decisions.
Especially when faced with rare or typical choices to make.
Even if they do not work out, you can always come back to where you started from.
"When you're offered a seat on a rocket ship you don't ask, 'What seat?'
You just get on,"
- Eric Schmidt to Sheryl Sandberg
You will only know they were great for you, AFTER you pursued them.
9. Be kind, generous and helpful
The surest way to ensure opportunities keep knocking on your door, is to be willing to truly help people.
Expecting nothing in return.
10. Hear the signs
The world is full of opportunities now. If you are continue to be focused on the path you are on, you might miss what is on your side.
An alternate path.
A new change.
A deviation.
Give yourself the freedom to consider that path.
"Great opportunities never have 'great opportunity' in the subject line."
- Scott Belsky
I have often wondered, how do people get opportunities?
Are they lucky?
Is it because they work hard?
Is it because they are at the right place at the right time?
Is it because they know somebody?
What is it?
And the more I have thought about it and also looked at my own life, the more I have come to realize that opportunities are indeed random.
You can't plan for them.
You can't predict them.
And there is only one way to get out of this, my friend.
Create an opportunity engine.
Build a system where opportunities come to you, by design, not by chance.
We continue to cling on to what we have.
And are scared to let go.
Because we do not know how to get it again!
Imagine how liberating it would be if you had a way of generating opportunities endlessly.
The fact that a new opportunity might come anytime soon, is what will rid you of your fear or paralysis to change your current.
Opportunities don't happen.
You create them!
If you liked this thread, please follow me on @warikoo
I write a thread every Friday on life, failure, entrepreneurship and career.
Here is what I wasn't doing 1. Wasn't watching cricket (rarely do) 2. Wasn't reading/shooting/writing/thinking 3. Wasn't looking to create engagement on twitter :) 4. Wasn't working on Excel sheets or breaking FDs 5. Wasn't "doing epic shit!" (joke puraana ho chuka hai")
Ten 90-day challenges for your mind, body and soul.
A thread...
1: Structured thinking
Our mind is buzzing with thoughts.
But when we start speaking, we fail to structure them.
What is needed, is a way to pace our thoughts.
That is where writing helps.
Writing is the slowest form of expression.
When we write, we are not just thinking about what we wish to communicate, we are also selecting the most important thought from all other thoughts.
Write everyday for 90-days.
And always conclude with a "This tells me that ________"
12 lies about life that school/college made us believe
A thread...
Lie 1:
Everyone should have the same pace of learning.
When you make students sit in a class, with a curriculum that has to get over in a year, before everyone is promoted to the next year, you tell everyone "learn at the same pace".
The standardization forced the fast ones to slow down, and convinced the slow ones that they are dumb!
The truth is - everyone learns at a different pace.
That doesn't make them poor or better learners.
It simply makes them different learners.