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Bet on Yourself 🍀
Luke Nowell
April 05, 2022
Hello everyone and welcome to Gains Theory, where our aim is to help you level up your life, knowledge and career 1% at a time.
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Alright, let’s get right into it...
One Big Decision
If it's not an easy yes - it's a hard no.
Derek Sivers has plenty of phenomenal ideas - but this one is easily our favorite.
It’s easy to view life as short - but the reality is that many decisions you make will have secondary effects that ripple out for a long, long time.
Adam Singer (a great follow, btw) summed this concept up quite nicely here…
Naval also provides a great framework in this regard; suggesting that you prioritize the most impactful overall life decisions (career, location, partners, etc.) and consider whether you would be happy sticking with that choice over the longest time horizon imaginable.
If life really is a single player game - try thinking of yours as a series of at-bats. The best hitters aren’t usually prone to swing at the first pitch they see, they wait for the right one. Decisions of any size are no different. Wait for your fat pitch.
Business Bets
On the importance of shot taking.
Whether it is with games, your career, or any other outlet - pushing yourself (well) out of your comfort zone is a necessary step towards outsized gains and development.
We know that leaning into randomness and optionality can give you an opportunity at an asymmetric outcome, but what does that actually look like in practice?
First things first - let go of results and check your ego at the door.
One of the biggest factors that holds people back from taking shots in their own life is worrying about what others might think if they fail. News flash: no one really gives a fuck. At all. Read that again.
Everyone is too caught up with their own problems to care if your DTC candle brand fell flat on its face. So if you’re really passionate - do that shit! At worst you end up back at square one, having learned valuable lessons, and your extended social network has completely moved on roughly 3.5 minutes later.
Not to mention - what if things go right?!
This approach has the potential to supercharge your growth both personally and professionally. You'll have no choice but to hyper-focus on the task at hand in the moment, and can learn more about yourself in the process than you ever imagined.
Start doing this consistently and watch what happens over time.
More to Explore:
One Final Thought
Don’t be afraid to take risks. The only way to find success is to be uncomfortable with just getting by.
Until next time, take care, and stay curious.
- G.T.