Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset by having a bias to action, learning from what you do, and iterating to improve. This involves taking intelligent risks and asking for critical feedback (“what won’t work about my idea?”) to learn and adjust quickly.
Cultivate curiosity as a fundamental life virtue for continuous learning, imagining a better future, and understanding others’ humanity. It is critical for high-performance careers, enabling adaptation to changing markets and competition.
Learn effectively through active doing, focusing on the quality of learning per hour rather than just accumulating hours. Prioritize learning what truly matters and is repeatable, especially by engaging directly with prospective customers to understand their needs.
Adopt a “fail fast” approach by tackling difficult problems early to learn quickly and adjust. The goal is to celebrate learning from failures, not failure itself, enabling rapid iteration and improvement.
Recognize that while short-term sacrifices may be necessary, consistent self-care and happiness are crucial for long-term performance and good decision-making. Treat a demanding career as a “marathon of sprints” requiring sustained well-being.
Prevent burnout by prioritizing good sleep, managing your emotional state, and actively seeking ways to minimize suffering and maximize quick happiness boosts. Engage with friends and loved ones, as even brief connections can be hugely charging.
Approach networking by seeking mutuality, shared interests, and genuine alliances, treating others as human beings you respect, rather than transactional assets. Proactively diversify your network to include underrepresented minorities, fostering a “life team” for mutual support and high performance.
Design corporate culture based on the problem, talent, and desired health for human beings, focusing on “cultural evolution” rather than mere “fit.” Codify values, onboard new hires, and integrate culture into performance reviews, always inviting positive contributions and challenges to the mission.
Provide clear, direct feedback by stating performance bars and discussing solutions collaboratively, always respecting the individual. Approach conversations with a positive intention and a forced-ranked list of “goods” (e.g., company success, team, individual) to guide your message, setting aside ego.
When firing someone, approach the conversation as one human being to another, showing respect and acknowledging their emotional difficulty. The goal is to allow them to learn and move forward, rather than seeking their agreement or placing blame for personal emotional reasons.
To make capitalism more compassionate, advocate for shareholders to agree on and demand common, audited metrics for social impact (e.g., climate, labor, community) from companies. This allows shareholders to make informed choices and pressure companies for positive change.