Thread by @thejustinwelsh

I'm a 43-year-old entrepreneur.

If you're still in your 20's, read this:

1. The biggest difference between success & failure is getting started.

The majority of people I know fantasize about things that actually can be accomplished.

They just never get started.

2. The 2nd biggest difference between success & failure is persistence.

Most people give up in the "I suck at this" phase without considering the journey from a 30k ft view.

Successful friends & peers of mine have almost always been doing their "thing" for decades.

3. 99% of people are out for themselves, even if it doesn't appear that way.

Most people might find this pessimistic, but I just find it realistic.

Curious about someone's motivation?

Look at how they are incentivized.

4. Comparing yourself to others is the easiest way to get distracted.

You can only control how successful you are, not how successful someone else is.

Be the best version of yourself, not a better version of someone else.

5. It's difficult to build a work ethic without the right environment.

Everyone talks about "hard work" and "outworking the competition".

It's tough to force this behavior.

Curate your environment and the behavior is a more likely outcome.

6. The most important skill to learn is how to learn on your own.

Mentors are great, but they are overrated.

Mentors work well when you've reached a ceiling of teaching yourself everything possible.

Learn to learn and you're unstoppable.

7. Your 10-year plan should be flimsy.

When I look at the people in my network who are on top, most have embraced pivots, chance, and randomness.

They had a plan. They had milestones.

They changed them when data and feedback suggested doing so.

8. Getting 1% better at something means leaping millions.

1% of the total internet-connected population is 49M people.

Continue to get 1% better each month, quarter, or year, and you're making significant strides in the overall ecosystem.

9. Everyone has knowledge that other people will pay for.

The idea that you have to be an "expert" or have a certificate to teach or sell something is false.

You can make a living helping those 2-3 steps earlier in the journey than you.

10. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being selfish.

Can you be selfish to a fault? Of course.

If you always put the needs of others over yours (and your family's), life will be more difficult.

Give and take. Or get taken advantage of.

11. 10% of people will hate what you do no matter what.

There is a group of people that will always dislike you and your mission. No matter what.

Focus on the 90%.
Not the 10%.

12. If you can't teach yourself, you're a liability.

If people have to spend their time teaching you simple things that you can learn on the internet, you'll always be considered a liability.

Being auto-didactic is a differentiator.

13. Don't spend time with people who don't reciprocate.

My therapist put it best when she told me this:

"Reciprocity is an indicator that someone is invested in the relationship."

14. You won't do anything special without a little risk.

Winners nearly always took some risk.

- Risky idea.
- Risky execution.
- Risky go-to-market.

Don't be catastrophic. But take chances.

15. Divorce from anyone who drains you.

Your environment is critical to success.

People either add to your energy or subtract from it.

You'll spend 10x more time dealing with the subtractors. Cut early.

16. Time is the single greatest asset.

It's a cliche for a reason.

Of all of the things I wish for, having more time is number one by a long shot.

I wish I would have appreciated time at a much younger age.

17. Money is not the root of all evil.

Money is simply the key to unlocking who you are as a person.

Get some money so you can be the best version of yourself.

Help other good people get theirs too.
Bad people with money are what's evil.

18. You can't say yes to everyone.

I've learned that saying yes to everyone means saying no to yourself and the people you care the most about.

A 15-minute brain pick with a stranger or 15-minutes more with your spouse?

It should be that easy of a choice.

19. Consistency wins.

There are lots of skills you can learn.

But as a pure trait? Consistency is tough to beat.

Do your thing every single day and reap the rewards downstream.

20. Nearly everyone is winging it.

Are some people light-years ahead when it comes to their thing? Of course.

But most people who you admire are still figuring it out.

Every day, just plugging along. As nervous as you are.

Well...that's a wrap. I hope you got some benefit from this. If you enjoyed this thread:

1. Give me a follow (@thejustinwelsh)
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2. Reshare it with your audience.

Have a great Friday.