My friend @ryanleslie once told me a story about Jay-Z that forever changed my perspective on hard work and success.

Time for a thread

1/ Before the Watch The Throne album was released, Ryan was in Australia with Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and a few others.

He found himself in the living room with Jay-Z late one night.

2/ Jay-Z had already done the Oprah Winfrey show that morning in the Sydney Opera House.

He then took Beyoncé out for some sight-seeing and meals.

Jay-Z finished the day opening for U2.

3/ It was real late into the night.

Only Ryan, Jay-Z, and a sound engineer in the living room.

All of a sudden, Jay-Z abruptly stands up.

4/ Jay-Z starts yelling, “Who is going to catch up to me??”

Ryan then asks, “What do you mean?”

Jay-Z then explains that everyone else is asleep, but even though he is already rich, successful, and powerful, he is still working late into the night.

5/ Jay-Z continues to reiterate the point:

“Who is going to catch up to me??”

6/ This story has stuck with me ever since @ryanleslie told it to me.

It doesn’t matter how successful and rich the greats are, they continue to outwork everyone else.

7/ Jay-Z was already doing Oprah appearances, dating Beyoncé, and opening for U2 — he kept working his ass off though.

Nothing could stop him in his pursuit of excellence.

8/ Somehow hard work has become a taboo subject these days.

The secret to success has, and always will be, hard work though.

Put in the work. Ignore the haters. Never stop. You’ll earn the future you deserve.

9/ If Jay-Z can do it, so can you.

He had millions of reasons to relax and enjoy a comfortable life.

He kept hustling though.

Now Jay-Z is a billionaire and one of the greatest to ever do it.

10/10 If you enjoyed this story and learned something today, you should subscribe to the daily letter that I write to more than 50,000 investors every morning. http://www.pompletter.com