Today is my 30th birthday!
In my first 30 years of life, I've had two exits, worked at a startup now valued at $4B, gotten engaged, bought a house, created a TON of content, and built a great little following of readers and listeners.
Here are 30 lessons learned (thread) 🧵...
In my first 30 years of life, I've had two exits, worked at a startup now valued at $4B, gotten engaged, bought a house, created a TON of content, and built a great little following of readers and listeners.
Here are 30 lessons learned (thread) 🧵...
1. Access is easier than you think.
The people you think you could never meet or talk to? Chances are you can.
Your timing and approach are important, but it's never been easier to get in front of just about anyone you'd want to online.
The people you think you could never meet or talk to? Chances are you can.
Your timing and approach are important, but it's never been easier to get in front of just about anyone you'd want to online.
2. Build your network.
Budget time every week to meet and have conversations with someone new.
Meet them with no agenda. Meet them to build a bond and learn about them as a person.
The world runs on relationships – build some!
Budget time every week to meet and have conversations with someone new.
Meet them with no agenda. Meet them to build a bond and learn about them as a person.
The world runs on relationships – build some!
3. The difference between a big outcome and a small outcome is usually relationships.
Behind every decision is a person, even if it's override power over an automated system.
In most cases, there are people who can make a big difference for you.
Behind every decision is a person, even if it's override power over an automated system.
In most cases, there are people who can make a big difference for you.
4. Design matters a lot.
We trust things that LOOK trustworthy. We distrust things that LOOK untrustworthy.
For right or wrong, we often conflate trust with design, so you might as well invest in good design.
We trust things that LOOK trustworthy. We distrust things that LOOK untrustworthy.
For right or wrong, we often conflate trust with design, so you might as well invest in good design.
5. Distribution matters as much as (or more than) product.
If you have a great product and no way to get it in front of people, it doesn't matter.
Average products with great distribution win out all the time.
Build your own distribution or partner with someone else.
If you have a great product and no way to get it in front of people, it doesn't matter.
Average products with great distribution win out all the time.
Build your own distribution or partner with someone else.
6. Selling is the most important skill you can learn.
We are selling every day – products, services, even ideas.
Learning how to ethically sell to another human is a skill you can use in any context.
...and ethical selling is rooted in empathy.
We are selling every day – products, services, even ideas.
Learning how to ethically sell to another human is a skill you can use in any context.
...and ethical selling is rooted in empathy.
7. Storytelling is the key to selling.
We make decisions on emotion and our own rationale. Our rationale is usually the story that seems the most plausible (or desirable).
If you master storytelling, you master selling.
And remember what I said about selling?
We make decisions on emotion and our own rationale. Our rationale is usually the story that seems the most plausible (or desirable).
If you master storytelling, you master selling.
And remember what I said about selling?
8. People buy from whom they know, like, and trust.
If you have something to sell, why not start with people who already know, like, and trust you?
Otherwise, expect to spend some time building the relationship before a sale is made.
If you have something to sell, why not start with people who already know, like, and trust you?
Otherwise, expect to spend some time building the relationship before a sale is made.
9. Balance your ambition with patience.
Ambition is important, but patience is often required. Sometimes things take time!
"You can't get nine women together and have a one-month pregnancy."
Ambition is important, but patience is often required. Sometimes things take time!
"You can't get nine women together and have a one-month pregnancy."
10. It's easier to sell to people with money. And it's easier to help people who don't *really* need your help.
It's probably less impactful and fulfilling, but you don't *always* have to fight uphill.
It's probably less impactful and fulfilling, but you don't *always* have to fight uphill.
11. Resilience makes up for any deficit.
The most common denominator I see between entrepreneurs is resilience.
You will fail a lot. You'll be wrong a lot.
But those who succeed are those who persevere. You can make up for a lot of knowledge or skill gaps with resilience.
The most common denominator I see between entrepreneurs is resilience.
You will fail a lot. You'll be wrong a lot.
But those who succeed are those who persevere. You can make up for a lot of knowledge or skill gaps with resilience.
12. Writing is at the core of ALL creative work.
No matter what the final medium of expression, writing is typically a core component to the process.
Don't feel confident writing? It's not too late to get better.
No matter what the final medium of expression, writing is typically a core component to the process.
Don't feel confident writing? It's not too late to get better.
13. Protect your creative work from financial pressure as long as you can.
You make different, short-sighted decisions when revenue is a factor.
The longer you can shield your creative expression from financial constraints, the better the product will be.
You make different, short-sighted decisions when revenue is a factor.
The longer you can shield your creative expression from financial constraints, the better the product will be.
14. Focus less on time management and focus more on energy management.
Time management assumes that all time is created equal. But we all have different times of day where we perform certain aspects of our work better.
Design your days to optimize for your best energy.
Time management assumes that all time is created equal. But we all have different times of day where we perform certain aspects of our work better.
Design your days to optimize for your best energy.
15. The system is perfectly designed to achieve the results it achieves.
The results you see are a direct result of the system in place.
Don't like the results? Change the system.
The best way to change the system? Change the inputs.
The results you see are a direct result of the system in place.
Don't like the results? Change the system.
The best way to change the system? Change the inputs.
16. You don't need to share your opinions.
We all have opinions. Nothing wrong with that.
But remember that it's really hard to look intelligent, and really easy to look stupid.
So be careful when you open your mouth.
We all have opinions. Nothing wrong with that.
But remember that it's really hard to look intelligent, and really easy to look stupid.
So be careful when you open your mouth.
17. Think long-term.
We are wired for instant gratification. But the harder something is to build or achieve, the more rare and valuable it is.
Go against your instincts and build for the long term. You'll create something of higher value that is harder to replicate.
We are wired for instant gratification. But the harder something is to build or achieve, the more rare and valuable it is.
Go against your instincts and build for the long term. You'll create something of higher value that is harder to replicate.
18. Finding a partner* is game-changing.
When you have someone who loves and supports you unconditionally, it has a massive impact on your life and work.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
*Applies to both life and business partners!
When you have someone who loves and supports you unconditionally, it has a massive impact on your life and work.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
*Applies to both life and business partners!
19. People are wildly self-interested.
We get in our own heads a lot about what other people will think/are thinking about the decisions we make and the things we do.
Truth is, no one is tracking your actions.
We care about "What's in it for me?"
We get in our own heads a lot about what other people will think/are thinking about the decisions we make and the things we do.
Truth is, no one is tracking your actions.
We care about "What's in it for me?"
20. You don't get what you don't ask for.
Want something? Ask for it.
Got rejected? Well, you're no worse off than before, huh?
Want something? Ask for it.
Got rejected? Well, you're no worse off than before, huh?
21. Living cheaply is a skill.
Want to take risks and build your own destiny?
You have a LOT more options when your cost of living is low.
Pay off debt, cut costs, and suddenly you'll have a lot more flexibility.
Want to take risks and build your own destiny?
You have a LOT more options when your cost of living is low.
Pay off debt, cut costs, and suddenly you'll have a lot more flexibility.
22. Most habits are actually commitments.
We love the idea of habits because it makes hard things sound easy.
But behavior is hard to automate. Willpower is often a requirement.
Your environment can make the right choice the easy choice, but it all starts with commitment.
We love the idea of habits because it makes hard things sound easy.
But behavior is hard to automate. Willpower is often a requirement.
Your environment can make the right choice the easy choice, but it all starts with commitment.
23. Don't talk shit.
Your words have power and you can't put the genie back in the bottle.
The world rewards taking a polarizing stance. But talking shit is just never worth it.
Your words have power and you can't put the genie back in the bottle.
The world rewards taking a polarizing stance. But talking shit is just never worth it.
24. Friendships come and go (and that's OK).
You have friends for different seasons of life. You may outgrow friendships. It doesn't mean they weren't genuine or didn't serve a purpose.
Sometimes you let people go.
And if you don't want to let someone go, then make an effort!
You have friends for different seasons of life. You may outgrow friendships. It doesn't mean they weren't genuine or didn't serve a purpose.
Sometimes you let people go.
And if you don't want to let someone go, then make an effort!
25. Strive for detachment.
Suffering stems from cravings and aversions.
When you want something badly, or very badly DON'T want something, you're setting yourself up for suffering.
Suffering stems from cravings and aversions.
When you want something badly, or very badly DON'T want something, you're setting yourself up for suffering.
26. Stand out by being reliable.
The bar for reliability is shockingly low.
If you always do what you say you're going to do on the timeframe that you say you're going to do it, you'll stand out.
The bar for reliability is shockingly low.
If you always do what you say you're going to do on the timeframe that you say you're going to do it, you'll stand out.
27. Life is an individual game. You can be a power-up.
We're all so self-obsessed and we *ache* for love, attention, and support.
You've felt it and I've felt it too.
So uou can really stand out by supporting others, even in small ways (like retweeting this thread!)
We're all so self-obsessed and we *ache* for love, attention, and support.
You've felt it and I've felt it too.
So uou can really stand out by supporting others, even in small ways (like retweeting this thread!)
28. Life doesn't get less complex.
There's never PERFECT timing for anything...it's up to you to truly find time for things that are a priority.
And sooner is usually better!
There's never PERFECT timing for anything...it's up to you to truly find time for things that are a priority.
And sooner is usually better!
29. No one owes you anything.
We often get upset because we didn't get the result or outcome that we expected.
But expecting anything of anyone is often a recipe for disappointment.
Give without expectation and see how things come back to you!
We often get upset because we didn't get the result or outcome that we expected.
But expecting anything of anyone is often a recipe for disappointment.
Give without expectation and see how things come back to you!
30. If you want to have an extraordinary life, you need to make extraordinary choices.
If you want to have a different outcome than your peers, you need to build a different system than your peers.
You have to do things your way, and you usually have to take risks.
If you want to have a different outcome than your peers, you need to build a different system than your peers.
You have to do things your way, and you usually have to take risks.
Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting me in ways big and small by connecting with me here on Twitter.
If you enjoy hearing from me, consider joining my mailing list that I write to every Sunday ⬇️
jayclouse.com
If you enjoy hearing from me, consider joining my mailing list that I write to every Sunday ⬇️
jayclouse.com
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