Read on Twitter
I remember watching @bgurley& #39;s "Running Down a Dream" when it came out. At the time, I thought I was playing my own game — I wasn& #39;t.
Rewatching it strongly resonated with me.
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧵" title="Thread" aria-label="Emoji: Thread">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten"> Here& #39;s what stuck...
Rewatching it strongly resonated with me.
"Life is a use it or lose it proposition"
You only get one shot, so do what makes you the most happy. Use frameworks like regret minimization (popularized by Bezos) & ask yourself, "what will I regret NOT doing?"
You only get one shot, so do what makes you the most happy. Use frameworks like regret minimization (popularized by Bezos) & ask yourself, "what will I regret NOT doing?"
Bill introduces us to three luminaries who all pursued unique paths of passion and played their own game.
Each with a unique story, but shared threads.
Each with a unique story, but shared threads.
1. Bobby Knight.
Obsessed with basketball. At 22, he was an Asst. coach at Army, then Head Coach at 24. He befriended 5 of the top coaches. Built relationships; kept learning & leveling up.
Now: 902 D-1 wins, 11 Big-10 & 3 NCAA Championships, College Ball Hall of Fame.
Obsessed with basketball. At 22, he was an Asst. coach at Army, then Head Coach at 24. He befriended 5 of the top coaches. Built relationships; kept learning & leveling up.
Now: 902 D-1 wins, 11 Big-10 & 3 NCAA Championships, College Ball Hall of Fame.
2. Bob Dylan.
Obsessed with folk music. Hitchhiked from MSP to NYC with $10 and a guitar. He put himself in an environment w/ all the other folk artists. Surrounded himself with greatness & learned as much as he could.
Now: 100M albums, 11 Grammies, Oscar & a Nobel Prize.
Obsessed with folk music. Hitchhiked from MSP to NYC with $10 and a guitar. He put himself in an environment w/ all the other folk artists. Surrounded himself with greatness & learned as much as he could.
Now: 100M albums, 11 Grammies, Oscar & a Nobel Prize.
3. Daniel Meyer.
Obsessed with food. Worked in sales; LSAT planned until his uncle asked, "Why? You know you& #39;re supposed to open a restaurant"
Changed course. Quit job. Made a list of ppl to meet. Took schlep jobs in food.
Now: Founded @shakeshack + 16https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌟" title="Leuchtender Stern" aria-label="Emoji: Leuchtender Stern"> restaurants in NYC.
Obsessed with food. Worked in sales; LSAT planned until his uncle asked, "Why? You know you& #39;re supposed to open a restaurant"
Changed course. Quit job. Made a list of ppl to meet. Took schlep jobs in food.
Now: Founded @shakeshack + 16
restaurants in NYC." title="3. Daniel Meyer.Obsessed with food. Worked in sales; LSAT planned until his uncle asked, "Why? You know you& #39;re supposed to open a restaurant" Changed course. Quit job. Made a list of ppl to meet. Took schlep jobs in food. Now: Founded @shakeshack + 16 https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌟" title="Leuchtender Stern" aria-label="Emoji: Leuchtender Stern"> restaurants in NYC." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
Each of these luminaries exemplified 5 shared threads.
Note: none are about about status or money — they& #39;re about finding your lane and being relentless.
The sharper your approach, the more you& #39;ll attract the people and the resources to help you.
Note: none are about about status or money — they& #39;re about finding your lane and being relentless.
The sharper your approach, the more you& #39;ll attract the people and the resources to help you.
1. Find your Passion.
This should be a path that YOU choose, not what someone else chooses (e.g. parents). If you& #39;re chasing $ or status, you& #39;ll burn out (shout out to all you ex-mgmt consultants!)
You have to enjoy the schlep, not just the wins. It shouldn& #39;t feel like work.
This should be a path that YOU choose, not what someone else chooses (e.g. parents). If you& #39;re chasing $ or status, you& #39;ll burn out (shout out to all you ex-mgmt consultants!)
You have to enjoy the schlep, not just the wins. It shouldn& #39;t feel like work.
2. Hone Your Craft.
Choose your field. Study the greats & know the pioneers. Consider yourself an "expeditionary" & gather more information than everyone else.
Be obsessive & put yourself in the right environment. Always be learning.
Choose your field. Study the greats & know the pioneers. Consider yourself an "expeditionary" & gather more information than everyone else.
Be obsessive & put yourself in the right environment. Always be learning.
3. Develop Mentors.
Make a list of the people in your industry; read everything they write, watch every talk they give, listen to every interview.
Take every chance you can to meet them; ask questions, take notes, share this knowledge. Never stop.
Make a list of the people in your industry; read everything they write, watch every talk they give, listen to every interview.
Take every chance you can to meet them; ask questions, take notes, share this knowledge. Never stop.
4. Embrace Your Peers.
Seek deep friendships with those on the same journey (and prune those that aren& #39;t). If you& #39;re playing your own game, you won& #39;t need to worry about competition.
Discuss & debate ideas, celebrate wins, share best practices. Strive together.
Seek deep friendships with those on the same journey (and prune those that aren& #39;t). If you& #39;re playing your own game, you won& #39;t need to worry about competition.
Discuss & debate ideas, celebrate wins, share best practices. Strive together.
5. Be Gracious & Humble.
Give away the credit & show appreciation. Send gifts, write thank you notes, send over a @loom.
Pay it back when you can & do so relentlessly. It& #39;s a virtuous cycle.
Give away the credit & show appreciation. Send gifts, write thank you notes, send over a @loom.
Pay it back when you can & do so relentlessly. It& #39;s a virtuous cycle.
In the talk he gives a few more examples, but the points remain the same: play your own game.
In the spirit of the name of this talk, it& #39;s fitting to, as Bill did, end with a quote from Tom Petty.
In the spirit of the name of this talk, it& #39;s fitting to, as Bill did, end with a quote from Tom Petty.
If you want to watch the whole talk, check it out here: https://youtu.be/xmYekD6-PZ8 ">https://youtu.be/xmYekD6-P...
And all the slides are here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tkdua8mhwx0zpv9/Runnin%20Down%20a%20Dream%20%28PDF%20slides%29.pdf?dl=0">https://www.dropbox.com/s/tkdua8m...
Bill also highly recommends Danny& #39;s book on hospitality and management, Setting The Table. https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Transforming-Hospitality-Business/dp/0060742763/">https://www.amazon.com/Setting-T...
Lastly, if you& #39;re a fan of @bgurley and want to, as he recommends you do for mentors, consume everything he& #39;s written & watch all of his talks, you can view his index on http://waitwho.is"> http://waitwho.is !
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👉" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach rechts"> https://waitwho.is/bgurley/ ">https://waitwho.is/bgurley/&...
