Define personal success as maintaining continuous curiosity, allowing it to be the primary driver in your life and work.
The moment you become aware of an ethical breach or incident, recognize that ’the clock is ticking’ and you become absolutely responsible for every subsequent action taken.
Actively combat cynicism and prevent past experiences from corrupting your basic instincts, striving to maintain a degree of naivete to make better decisions.
Actively seek out and embrace environments where passionate people engage in confrontational arguing of ideas, as listening closely in such settings can reveal deeper truths and better insights.
Recognize that success teaches nothing, but failure provides significant lessons, so view failures as opportunities for profound learning.
Actively seek opportunities for insatiable learning, as this intense pursuit of knowledge can ignite a strong sense of ambition and purposefulness.
Instead of setting rigid career goals, identify your broad interests and find any entry point to get on that general path, trusting that subsequent steps will naturally unfold.
When given a position you don’t have experience for, simply commit to doing the work, as the effort and dedication will naturally impress others and lead to further opportunities.
Embrace the ‘fake it until you make it’ mindset by believing in your capabilities and acting accordingly, even when tangible evidence is lacking, as this can be crucial for success.
Seek out and accept jobs that others don’t want if they provide unique opportunities for deep learning and skill acquisition, allowing you to gain valuable knowledge.
For businesses, especially in media, focus on building strong, clearly differentiated brands and creating content that resonates directly with people to ensure enduring value and engagement.
Seek out and invest in assets or businesses that cannot be easily disintermediated by technology, as these possess unique and enduring value.
When a compelling opportunity presents itself, especially when an asset’s value is temporarily decreased but its long-term viability is clear, act decisively.
Compensate employees on a cash basis for the value they create within a given period, ensuring they directly share in the enterprise’s success annually.
To retain talent, focus on providing genuine opportunities and fostering an enjoyable work environment, rather than relying on retention schemes like stock vesting.
Reward employees with a share of the growth they provide to the business, and if they desire ownership, empower them to use their cash compensation to buy stock.
Structure compensation and incentives to align risk with reward, ensuring that those who take valuable risks and succeed are appropriately compensated.
Do not fear presenting or considering ‘dumb, stupid, or wrong’ ideas, as they are often necessary steps that lead to better, smarter ideas.
When faced with an uncomfortable situation, acknowledge your commitment and directly engage with it to overcome initial apprehension and eventually become accustomed to the exposure.
For long-term projects, cultivate discipline to consistently return to the work, even if it means setting it aside and revisiting it over extended periods, rather than waiting for dedication.
Communicate directly, sincerely, and sometimes bluntly, as this straightforward approach can help build trust with people.
Approach interactions and relationships by defaulting to trust, requiring significant actions from others to break it, rather than starting from a place of distrust.
When trust is inevitably broken in business, avoid holding onto vengeance or remembering past betrayals, as this can contribute to personal well-being.
If you lack a sense of self or confidence, leverage the drive to please others in the early stages of your career to gain momentum, and then sustain that forward movement.
Recognize that you are ultimately responsible for your own protection and well-being, which can foster a necessary sense of independence.
If you believe your life has a good story and you can tell it truthfully, commit to the effort of documenting it, even if it takes a long time.
Dedicate yourself to being exceptionally good at your current role, no matter how junior, as this commitment can spur you on and impress others.
Avoid engaging in ‘pro forma’ networking or rigidly structured career steps, as career progression is often more naturalistic and driven by genuine engagement and performance.