Sahil Bloom Profile picture
Nov 21, 2021 27 tweets 6 min read Read on X
The most powerful paradoxes of life:
The Persuasion Paradox

Have you noticed that the most argumentative people rarely persuade anyone?

The most persuasive people don’t argue—they observe, listen, and ask questions.

Argue less, persuade more.

Persuasion is an art that requires a paintbrush, not a sledgehammer.
The Effort Paradox

You have to put in more effort to make something appear effortless.

Effortless, elegant performances are often the result of a large volume of effortful, gritty practice.

Small things become big things. Simple is not simple.
The Wisdom Paradox

“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” — Albert Einstein

The more you learn, the more you are exposed to the immense unknown.

This should be empowering, not frightening.

Embrace your own ignorance. Embrace lifelong learning.
The Growth Paradox

Growth takes a much longer time coming than you think, and then it happens much faster than you ever would have thought.

Growth happens gradually, then suddenly.

When you realize this, you start to do things differently.
The Productivity Paradox

Work longer, get less done.

Parkinson's Law says that work expands to fill the time available for its completion.

When you establish fixed hours to your work, you find unproductive ways to fill it.

Work like a lion instead—sprint, rest, repeat.
The Speed Paradox

You have to slow down to speed up.

Slowing down gives you the time to be deliberate with your actions.

You can focus, gather energy, and deploy your resources more efficiently.

It allows you to focus on leverage and ROI, not effort.

Move slow to move fast.
The Money Paradox

You have to lose money in order to make money.

Every successful investor & builder has stories of the invaluable lessons learned from a terrible loss in their career.

Sometimes you have to pay to learn.

Put skin in the game. Scared money don't make money!
The News Paradox

The more news you consume, the less well-informed you are.

The @nntaleb noise bottleneck: More data leads to a higher noise-to-signal ratio, so you end up knowing less about what is actually going on.

Want to know more about the world? Turn off the news.
The Icarus Paradox

Icarus crafted wings—but flew too close to the sun, so they melted and he fell to his death.

What makes you successful can lead to your downfall.

An incumbent achieves success with one thing, but overconfidence blinds them to coming disruption.

Beware!
The Failure Paradox

You have to fail more to succeed more.

Our greatest moments of growth often stem directly from our greatest failures.

Don’t fear failure, just learn to fail smart and fast.

Getting punched in the face builds a strong jaw.
The Hamlet Paradox

"I must be cruel only to be kind." — Hamlet

In Hamlet, the protagonist is forced to take a seemingly cruel action in order to prevent a much larger harm.

Life is so complex.

The long-term righteous course may be the one that appears short-term anything but.
The @TonyRobbins Paradox

In investing, the willingness to admit you have no competitive advantage can be the ultimate competitive advantage.

Strong self-awareness breeds high-quality decision-making. Foolish self-confidence breeds nothing of use.

Be self-aware—act accordingly.
The Shrinking Paradox

In order to grow, sometimes you need to shrink.

Growth is never linear.

Shedding deadweight may feel like a step back, but it is a necessity for long-term growth.

One step back, two steps forward is a recipe for consistent, long-term success.
The Death Paradox

Know your death in order to truly live your life.

Memento Mori is a Stoic reminder of the certainty and inescapability of death.

It is not intended to be morbid; rather, to clarify, illuminate, and inspire.

Death is inevitable. Live while you're alive.
The Say No Paradox

Take on less, accomplish more.

Success doesn’t come from taking on everything that comes your way.

It comes from focus—deep focus on the tasks that really matter.

Say yes to what matters, say no to what doesn’t.

Protect your time as a gift to be cherished.
The Talking Paradox

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” — Epictetus

If you want your words and ideas to be heard, start by talking less and listening more.

You’ll find more power in your words.

Talk less to be heard more.
The Connectedness Paradox

More connectedness, less connected.

We're constantly connected, bombarded by notifications and dopamine hits.

But while we have more connectedness, we feel less connected.

Put down the phone. Look someone in the eye. Have a conversation. Breathe.
The Taleb Surgeon Paradox

Looking the part is sometimes the worst indicator of competency.

The one who doesn’t look the part has had to overcome much more to achieve its status than the one from central casting.

If forced to choose, choose the one that doesn’t look the part.
The Looking Paradox

You may have to stop looking in order to find what you are looking for.

Have you noticed that when you are looking for something, you rarely find it?

Stop looking—what you’re looking for may just find you.

Applies to love, business, investing, or life...
The Constant Change Paradox

“When you are finished changing, you are finished.” — Benjamin Franklin

The only constant in life is change.

Entropy is reality.

It’s the one thing you can always count on—the only constant.

Embrace it—be dynamic, be adaptable.
The Control Paradox

More controlling, less control.

We have all seen or experienced this as children, partners, or parents.

The most controlling often end up with the least control.

Humans are wired for independence—any attempts to counter this will be met with resistance.
The Fear Paradox

The thing we fear the most is often the thing we most need to do.

Fears—when avoided—become limiters on our growth and life.

Make a habit of getting closer to your fears.

Then take the leap (metaphorically!)—you may just find growth on the other side.
Those were 20+ powerful paradoxes of life...

Follow me @SahilBloom for more threads on growth, business, and decision-making.

I write deep-dives on these topics in my newsletter every single week. You should join the 47,000+ others and subscribe today! sahilbloom.substack.com
Many of these were inspired by conversations with friends and mentors.

Special thank you to @david_perell for being an amazing teacher, friend, and intellectual sparring partner.

Keep inspiring people to write & share!
Newsletter (with brilliant visualizations & audio) hits tomorrow morning.

Join the nearly 50,000 others (!!!) and subscribe now. sahilbloom.substack.com
Newsletter and audio is now live in your inboxes and ears!

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More from @SahilBloom

Mar 4
The 5 Types of Wealth was released one month ago...

I'm utterly blown away by the response:

We’ve crossed 100,000 readers. It was an instant NYT, USA Today, and Sunday Times Bestseller. It’s been a NYT Bestseller every week since release (something only 6% of bestsellers ever achieve).

More importantly, I've heard from readers ages 11 to 100. People from all walks of life. People from all around the world. Aligned around a common idea. A movement.

This movement is my life mission.

A movement to redefine success. To redefine what it means to live a wealthy life. To reject the default and live by design.

Join the movement...

Order now (big 30% sale!): amazon.com/Types-Wealth-T…

P.S. Email your receipt to sahil@sahilbloom.com and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook so that you can go deeper on the book's most important exercises.Image
This is a really beautiful review.

A minimalist gives in...

"Within 100 pages I had earmarked so many pages that it felt necessary for me to own my own copy!"

🤯 Image
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the book and launch.

My perspective is simple:

Step 1: Create a product you’re proud of.

Step 2: Hustle like hell for distribution.

Most people forget Step 1 and aren’t willing to really do what’s necessary for Step 2.
Read 4 tweets
Feb 22
Let’s try something:

If you order a hardcover copy of my book TODAY and DM me the receipt, I’ll send you a personalized video with some topics from the book I think you’ll love.

Order here:

P.S. You’ll also get the 50+ page companion workbook and more. amazon.com/gp/product/059…Image
This crazy, unscalable idea was prompted by a dinner this week with my friend @MarcLore.

He once recorded 1,000+ videos with specific personal names to promote Jet in its early days.

Lesson: You have to do the things others won’t to achieve the outcomes you want. Image
Ok, I’m going to be making a lot of videos…

This may take a day or two. But I promise I’ll get to all of them!

Do things that don’t scale.

🫡🫡🫡
Read 8 tweets
Feb 18
Everyone needs to hear this… Image
For more ideas like this, order my bestselling new book, The 5 Types of Wealth.

Order here:

P.S. Email your receipt to sahil@sahilbloom.com and I'll send you a 50+ page companion workbook, digital community access, and a life planning workshop recording.amazon.com/Types-Wealth-T…
There is no such thing as the clear, linear path to success.

It's a fairy tale that doesn't exist.

The reality:

Long periods of stagnation, where the rewards will feel anything but certain.

Those who can continue to show up every single day will eventually find a way to win.
Read 4 tweets
Feb 13
I've been dreaming of this moment for years...

My book is officially an instant New York Times Bestseller! Image
The book is 30% off on Amazon (and buy one get one 50% off!).

Order here:

Email a copy of your receipt to sahil@sahilbloom.com and I'll send you a 50+ page companion workbook, access to a digital community, and a recording of the launch workshop.amazon.com/gp/product/059…
The best part: I got to share the special moment when I found out the news with my parents, who I flew around with me to enjoy the book tour.

This is what it’s all about.

If you’ve read the prologue, you’ll know why.

Time with the people you love is your most precious asset. Image
Read 6 tweets
Jan 11
I turned 34 this week.

There are a lot of things I know now that I wish I knew when I was younger.

Here are 34 life lessons from 34 years:

(long post, bookmark this!)

1. You'll achieve much more by being consistently reliable than by being occasionally extraordinary.

You can get pretty damn far in life by just being someone that people can count on to show up and do the work.

2. You're one year of focus away from people saying you got lucky.

Most people overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year. Your entire life can change in one year. Not ten, not five, not three. One. One year of focused, daily effort. You're always just one year away from a dramatically different life. The transformation won't be easy, but it is possible.

3. The worst prison in the world is having the talent and intelligence to achieve something great but lacking the courage to go out and do it.

There is someone out there living the life you want simply because they took action and you didn’t. They aren't smarter than you. They aren't more skilled than you. They aren't more resourceful than you. They just acted when you didn't. Think about that.

4. There's nothing more dangerous than the person who shows up every single day even when the rewards are uncertain.

The one who can tolerate the most uncertainty is the one who will eventually win.

5. Preparation always beats planning.

Planning is based on the expectation of order. Preparation is based on the expectation of chaos. Plan for order and you'll be destroyed by chaos. Prepare for chaos and you'll thrive in any condition.

6. A lot of problems are solved by waking up early and working out.

Waking up early is as close to a life cheat code as you will find. It requires intense discipline, and it creates evidence of your power and control over your world. That bleeds into every other area of life. Confidence is built, not born.

7. The worst decisions in life are made when you allow your head to talk you into something when your gut already said no.

Rule for life: Never let your head outsmart your gut.

8. The answers you seek are found in the actions you avoid.

Every single thing you want in life is on the other side of something you don't want to do. The body you seek is found in the workouts you skip. The relationships you seek are found in the hard conversations you delay. The success you seek is found in the hours of execution you avoid. The answer is found in the action. Remember that.

9. It's all on you.

No one is coming to save you. No one will fix your problems. No one will change your mindsets. No one will hand you the things you want in life. It's just you. It's all on you. There's a power in that.

10. Later you'll be dead.

Life is filled with laters. I'll spend more time with my kids later. I'll find time for my health later. I'll have more freedom later. The brutal reality: Later is just another word for never. Most of the things you say you'll do later won't be possible by the time you claim you'll do them. Your kids won't be five years old later. Your health won't be there later. Your life won't suddenly be built for freedom and enjoyment later. Either design it into your life now or live with regret later.

11. "Be realistic" is the single worst piece of advice.

It’s impossible to fly with your feet on the ground. It’s not up to anyone else to decide what's possible for you or your life. Sometimes, you need to be unrealistic.

12. Anxiety loves idleness.

Stress and anxiety feed on idleness. When you take action, you starve them of the oxygen they need to survive. When in doubt, act.

13. You are the sum total of the actions you take.

You may have positive thoughts and intentions, but your actions are all that matters in the end. And no matter what anyone tells you, your actions are always within your control. You get to choose your next action. If it isn't one you're proud of, that's on you.

14. Choose your hard.

It's hard to build deep, meaningful relationships. It's also hard to live on the surface with everyone. It's hard to build the body you want. It's also hard to see your body atrophy from lack of use. It's hard to build a life of purpose. It's also hard to live without one. Choose your hard.

15. No one has it all figured out.

No one knows what they're doing. Even the people you admire. Everyone is stumbling along. Some are just willing to stumble enough that they find their way into something magical.

16. You don't plan your future. You plan your actions today, and those actions create your future.

A question to reset your focus: If I repeated this day for 100 straight days, would my life be better or worse? Planning your future can quickly spiral into procrastination in disguise. Focus on the actions in the present and let the future take care of itself.

17. The people you choose to surround yourself with will determine your outcomes.

The Pygmalion Effect says that we rise to the level of other people's expectations for us. If you surround yourself with people who believe you are capable of more, who want you to think bigger, who push you to grow, you will prove them right. Remember: Someone is either holding you back or pushing you forward. There is no in between.

18. Life is more fragile than you think (even when you account for that statement).

You never know when it will be the last time you get to hug that friend, tuck your kid in for bed, kiss your wife, take a walk with your parents, or see that crazy family member. Hug your people with everything you have. Always make them let go first.

19. Inputs may be trendy, but outputs get you paid.

No one cares about your deep work ritual or morning routine if you don’t get sh*t done. Focus on your inputs, but never lose sight of the fact that the world will judge you based on your outputs. If the quality of the outputs doesn't match the quality of the inputs over a long time horizon, you need to adjust the inputs.

20. Stress is a tax on extreme ambition.

When you care deeply about something, you will experience feelings of stress that accompany the non-linearity of your progress. The goal isn't to have no stress, but to stress about things that actually matter to you.

21. The good old days are happening right now.

Every single thing you do today is something that your 90-year-old self will wish they could go back and do. Slow down, look around, embrace the present.

22. Adaptability is the single most important trait for life.

The explorer doesn't set out on his voyage trusting that the seas will remain calm and that he will stay perfectly on course; but rather, in his ability to adapt when the inevitable storms and chaos arrive. You are the explorer and life is your voyage. You don't need to trust in your plan or your intelligence. You need to trust in your ability to adapt.

23. Dopamine from information gathering is a dangerous drug.

Your entire life will change the moment you stop looking for more information and start acting on the information you already have. Get your dopamine from action.

24. Happiness is found in the becoming.

Real happiness is found in the anticipation. It’s the quest. It’s the hunt. It’s the process. It's the journey. It's the moment right before you achieve it. Happiness is not in the having, but in the becoming.

25. The things you want most in life will come to you, but only when you're ready for them.

Mario Quintana once wrote, "Don’t waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and the butterflies will come." Your external reality is often a manifestation of your internal reality. Don't look out, look in.

26. The word "yet" will change your life.

"I'm not good enough" becomes "I'm not good enough...yet." "I don't know how to do it" becomes "I don't know how to do it...yet." "I'm not capable of that" becomes "I'm not capable of that...yet." "Yet" is your one word reminder that you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. You are dynamic and capable of so much more than you realize. Embrace the "yet" and change your life.

27. Success always follows interest.

Most people focus too much on being interesting and not enough on being interested. Being interested is how you become interesting. When you're interested, you're prone to deep focus, which cultivates a depth that is impossible to fake. That depth is a necessary ingredient of success.

28. Winning can be problematic for your social life.

Drake once said, "People like you more when you working towards something. Not when you have it." I felt that.

29. You should always cringe at your former self.

If you look back at yourself from a year ago and you don't cringe at your outputs, habits, behaviors, or actions, you should be worried. That "cringe" sensation is a sign of your growth. It should always exist.

30. Work hard first, then smart later.

When you're young, all you have is time. You don't have the skills, money, knowledge, experience, or networks that would allow you to work smart. You have to trade your time to acquire those things. Once you have them, you can pick and choose your opportunities, but until then, work hard.

31. 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. 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. Identify a problem, create a solution, scale the solution. Simple, not easy.

32. Everything matters.

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. If you want to win, your responsibility is to show up with energy and enthusiasm for the little things just as much as you do for the big things.

33. It's not supposed to be easy.

The most valuable things in life are hard to earn. They will take longer than you ever imagined. And that’s precisely why they’re so valuable.

34. The climb prepares you for the summit.

If you got dropped at the top of Mount Everest, you'd immediately pass out from the altitude. You can't skip the climb in life, it physically and mentally prepares you for the summit. Never intentionally seek to avoid the climb. Be grateful for the struggle and what it builds within you.

If you enjoyed this, you're going to love my book, The 5 Types of Wealth. It's a guide to building a life around the things that you truly care about.

Reject the default. Live by design.

Get your copy here: the5typesofwealth.com/#order

P.S. Order a copy and DM me the receipt and I'll send you a personalized video with some thoughts on the book.Image
It should be said, all of these life lessons became clear with the benefit of hindsight.

One of my favorite quotes:

"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards." - Soren Kierkegaard
More on the first lesson…

You can get pretty damn far in life by just doing the "old fashioned" things well:

• Look people in the eye
• Be reliable
• Stand up straight
• Be on time
• Hold the door
• Have a confident handshake

Some things will never go out of style.
Read 4 tweets
Dec 28, 2024
I used to struggle to fall asleep every single night.

The 4-7-8 method fixed it for me:

- 4-second nose inhale
- 7-second hold
- 8-second mouth exhale
- Repeat 3-5x

It works by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and recovery.

Next time you find yourself staring at the ceiling, mind racing, give it a shot.

Screenshot is from my book (in the Physical Wealth Guide section).

Order here: amazon.com/gp/product/059…Image
To be honest, I used to think breathwork was nonsense, but then I tried it, and completely changed my mind.

Kudos to @hubermanlab and others who created content on it that helped me understand the science.

My book shares three breathing practices that help promote a calm state.
Here's the piece in the Physical Wealth Guide that shares the three breathing protocols.

Important to remember that stress is good when managed appropriately.

You want to learn to "turn on" when you need to and then "turn off" when it's recovery time.

Breathwork helps. Image
Read 5 tweets

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