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A THREAD on insightful timeless ideas shared by @naval during 2011-13:
1/
To everyone saying that college is about connections and soft stuff - sure, but there are ways to do that without $200K and 4 years.
1/
To everyone saying that college is about connections and soft stuff - sure, but there are ways to do that without $200K and 4 years.
2/
Word of mouth is now online.
Great content creates its own distribution.
The speed to scale is what an online meritocracy looks like.
Word of mouth is now online.
Great content creates its own distribution.
The speed to scale is what an online meritocracy looks like.
3/
Intentions don't matter. Actions do. That's why being ethical is hard.
Intentions don't matter. Actions do. That's why being ethical is hard.
4/
95% of what you want to meet for can be easily handled in a 5-minute email exchange. Be efficient!
95% of what you want to meet for can be easily handled in a 5-minute email exchange. Be efficient!
5/
If you must do Business Development, do it via APIs.
If you must do Business Development, do it via APIs.
6/
Every dollar printed is a vote for Bitcoin.
Every dollar printed is a vote for Bitcoin.
7/
Three things in life - your health, your mission, and the people you love. That's it.
Three things in life - your health, your mission, and the people you love. That's it.
8/
Amazing how many people confuse wealth and wisdom.
Amazing how many people confuse wealth and wisdom.
9/
Imagine an online school where top scientists lecture a million kids at zero marginal cost.
Add rigorous testing, diplomas.
Goodbye college.
Imagine an online school where top scientists lecture a million kids at zero marginal cost.
Add rigorous testing, diplomas.
Goodbye college.
10/
The classical virtues are all decision-making heuristics to make one optimize for the long term rather than for the short term.
The classical virtues are all decision-making heuristics to make one optimize for the long term rather than for the short term.
11/
Management is the oldest, and most over-rated form of leverage.
Capital, Media, and Code are the modern forms.
Management is the oldest, and most over-rated form of leverage.
Capital, Media, and Code are the modern forms.
12/
Wealth is power law distributed.
If you halve the cost of building a company, the supply of potential investors multiplies quickly.
Wealth is power law distributed.
If you halve the cost of building a company, the supply of potential investors multiplies quickly.
13/
Startup valuation is not a science.
It's an art that combines current market valuations, your traction, and your negotiating leverage.
Startup valuation is not a science.
It's an art that combines current market valuations, your traction, and your negotiating leverage.
14/
Next time a VC asks "What if Google does this?" counter "What if Google enters the VC business?"
Next time a VC asks "What if Google does this?" counter "What if Google enters the VC business?"
15/
Highly recommend that every would-be investor start a company first.
It's hard to understand pain in the abstract.
Highly recommend that every would-be investor start a company first.
It's hard to understand pain in the abstract.
16/
Seems like too many people, public and private sector, are making a living slicing the pie rather than baking it.
Seems like too many people, public and private sector, are making a living slicing the pie rather than baking it.
17/
To make an original contribution, you have to be irrationally obsessed with something.
To make an original contribution, you have to be irrationally obsessed with something.
18/
The measure of how much you love something is what you sacrifice for it.
The measure of how much you love something is what you sacrifice for it.
19/
We didn't set out to build a product. We set out to solve a problem.
We didn't set out to build a product. We set out to solve a problem.
20/
It's never been easier to start a company.
It's never been harder to build one.
It's never been easier to start a company.
It's never been harder to build one.
21/
In a negotiation, whoever cares less, wins.
In a negotiation, whoever cares less, wins.
22/
If you can't decide, the answer is No.
If you can't decide, the answer is No.
23/
Society is not yet ready to deal with the productivity (and income) disparity between a leveraged hacker and a 20th century worker.
Society is not yet ready to deal with the productivity (and income) disparity between a leveraged hacker and a 20th century worker.
24/
We confuse equal opportunity & equal outcome.
Equal opportunity is a noble goal.
Free people make different choices & have unequal outcomes.
We confuse equal opportunity & equal outcome.
Equal opportunity is a noble goal.
Free people make different choices & have unequal outcomes.
25/
Money follows execution, not precedes it.
Money follows execution, not precedes it.
26/
Email needs a "like" button.
Email needs a "like" button.
27/
The secret currency of Silicon Valley is deals shared, talent referred, and acquirers introduced.
The secret currency of Silicon Valley is deals shared, talent referred, and acquirers introduced.
28/
Living things are those things which replicate, adapt, and locally reverse entropy.
Living things are those things which replicate, adapt, and locally reverse entropy.
29/
"Clear Thinker" is a better compliment than "Smart."
"Clear Thinker" is a better compliment than "Smart."
30/
With truly logical people, most arguments are very short and based mainly on differing assumptions.
With truly logical people, most arguments are very short and based mainly on differing assumptions.
