They did something totally new. They did something provocative and controversial in some way. Finally they knew exactly who they were doing it for and where those people were located.
Always say less than necessary.
Ask yourself: “Am I saying this because I want to prove how smart I am or am I saying this because it needs to be said?” When you’re just getting started, it’s usually the former.
Most importantly, remember that you are not special. There were a million other kids on this path before you and there will be another million after. Most of them either went nowhere or turned out to be nothing. Even the successful ones might still flame out or be assholes. What does this mean? It means don’t get high on yourself. Don’t tell yourself a story. Be quiet, work hard, and stay healthy. It’s not ambition or skill that is going to set you apart—notice I didn’t mention those things a single time. It’s safe to assume you’ve already got them covered. What will set you apart, what is rare, is humility, diligence and self-awareness.
I forget who gave me the idea, but never buy in-flight Wifi. Go off the grid for the whole flight. Catch up on stuff. Think. Read.
spend it on going back to the lab and making something that’s really special, that’s provocative and interesting and unlike other things out there and it’s actually meant for a specific person that you can almost reach out and touch rather than for this vague idea of success and massive appeal that far too many people aim at and never end up hitting.
One might say that the ability to evaluate one’s own ability—and to look at themselves honestly and objectively— is the most important skill of all. Without it, improvement is impossible. It is certainly more pleasurable to focus on our talents and strengths, but where does that get us? Arrogance and self-absorption inhibit growth.
What I have found with the successful people I have worked with is that they are focused much more on the work then on themselves, at least early on. It’s only when success comes and you have people whispering in your ear how great you are, that that awareness begins to fade. When it does, these people begin to risk all they things they worked so hard to build.