Gary Vaynerchuk's Blog, page 8
February 17, 2022
What NFTs Does GaryVee Own? Here’s How to Find Out
Today’s blog is my personal PSA. If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen me tweeting lately about what has become a major vulnerability in the NFT space: people aidropping NFTs into my account and other people’s accounts and then running ads saying we own them to convince other people to mint. It sucks, it’s tricking people, and it’s just not kind.
That being said, I’m writing this blog for a few reasons. One, to end the confusion on what I’ve actually bought vs BS that scammers airdrop me and then try to use my name to trick others. Two, to remind you that buying a project just because I or anybody else bought it is 100% always a bad idea.
Getting very frustrated with so many projects trying to trick people into buying their bullshit rug project by airdropping nfts into accounts and then claiming that those people own them. I’m asking nicely, pls don’t do that. Tricking people is such a sad trait
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) February 12, 2022pic.twitter.com/ewJK6jkOk2
NFT P.S.A … fake ads .. don’t buy what others buy … pic.twitter.com/5yfS631aYX
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) February 16, 2022
I’m aware that the scammers won’t listen to me, but what I hope is that this reminds all of you reading this right now to do your own homework on NFTs. The more educated you are, the less likely you are to be naive and fall for this trap. As always, remember to always buy on your own conviction, never invest more than you can afford to go to zero, and please understand that a majority of projects out there will fail in the macro.
I hope this helps.
Unless you hear me talk about it, don’t assume I bought itUnfortunately, the amount of people that are airdropping NFTs into my account and then running fake ads saying that I “own” them – and thus you should mint them – is at an all-time high. This is just the latest in a variety of scams either impersonating me with fake usernames, or using my actual name to try to steal or convince people to invest in garbage. For more details on these types of scams and how to look out for them, read this article.
Fake adsHere’s an example of an ad using my name to get others to mint NFTs:
Let there be no confusion. This is simply a BS tactic, but can be convincing to many who aren’t aware. From now on, unless you explicitly hear me talk about supporting a specific project, don’t assume that I bought it. Even better… don’t make your personal NFT investment decisions based on which projects I choose to support – but more on that later.
For now, let’s go over how you can actually know for sure which projects I – or anyone else – have bought.
What NFTs do I Actually Own?Again, none of this information is to be used as investment advice. There are a lot of different factors that go into what projects I support, from me just liking the artwork to generally believing in a project or that project’s creator. Also, remember that you should never put in more than you can afford to lose, and that amount is different for different people.
My only purpose in sharing this information is to clear up any misconceptions. Just because something was airdropped to me, does not mean that I bought it or that I support or even know of the project.
Fortunately, thanks to Web3 and the transparency of the blockchain, everything is there for anyone to see in perpetuity. This means you can actually look up a record of exactly which NFTs I’ve purchased. Here’s how.
Search “Gennady” or “GaryVee” on OpenSeaGo to opensea.io and search “Gennady” or “GaryVee” under accounts. These are my two wallets where anyone can go and look up my NFT collection. Both will have a blue verified checkmark next to the account name.
If you click on the “Activity” tab, you will see a record of all my wallet transactions and when they happened. Notice the frequency of NFTs being sent to my wallet. Most of these are random airdrops.
Now, click the “Sales” button on the left hand side of the screen. This will take you to the record of NFT purchases I have made myself.
Alternatively, I may sometimes share projects and creators I’m supporting or interested in on social media, like in this tweet where I featured a guest on my Twitter Spaces show, DNA with GaryVee.
here is what i have collected of @mumbot .. https://t.co/sk8FhN0GB1 she is on now with me on twitter spaces ..on my show called DNA (Discover New Artists )
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) November 20, 2021
There you have it. Unless you heard about it directly from me or saw a public sale record on OpenSea, please don’t assume my support for specific projects.
More importantly…
Don’t buy what others buyThe other really important lesson here is that you should never buy an NFT – or make any type of investment – just because someone else does. I make plenty of “wrong calls” with NFTs, and so do many other people with big portfolios. There is always risk involved with investing, so it’s always important to make moves on your own convictions.
i beg people to know these things
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) January 15, 2022
#1 98-99% are gonna get crushed
#2 dont buy what i buy i am playing long, post “winter”
#3 dont spend what u cant afford to lose and go to 0, i say it DAILY!
Also keep in mind that a large amount of action right now is based on “day trading NFTs,” or people wanting to make a quick bag. This is why I never want people to buy what I buy… I am only making decisions on 5 to 15 year windows, which is very different and could hurt a day trader if they buy what I buy.
TakeawayAt the end of the day, spaces that bring lots of opportunity unfortunately also bring lots of people with bad intentions. Always do your homework, beware of scammers, and stay smart.
The post What NFTs Does GaryVee Own? Here’s How to Find Out appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
January 12, 2022
Twelve and a Half: A Taste of the Ingredients
Modern society’s definition of a “smart business decision” is disproportionately predicated on analytics. Business leaders tend to find safety in the “black-and-white.” They find safety in the academics, math, hard data, and what looks good on spreadsheets…
Unfortunately, the bias toward short-term metrics can also make emotional intelligence a “nice to have” rather than a requirement. It creates a scenario in which a leader looks the other way when one employee makes everyone else in the office miserable, just because that employee happens to be bringing in the most revenue. It makes people think negative behavior and poor EQ (emotional quotient) are just side effects of being “good at business.”
I wrote Twelve and a Half to help change that.
The twelve and a half ingredients I describe in this book are some of the traits that have led to my success and happiness over the years, in addition to others that I’ve observed and admired: gratitude, self-awareness, accountability, optimism, empathy, kindness, tenacity, curiosity, patience, conviction, humility, ambition, and kind candor. The black-and-white is still wildly important, but in my opinion, it’s a distant second to mastering soft skills.
In part two of the book, you’ll see me combine these twelve ingredients into complete “meals” and show you how they can be used together when you face different challenges in business. Since we’re kicking off the new year, I created the deck below with the help of my team to give you just a little taste of what to expect from my sixth and best book yet.
You’re about to have the best year of your life! I hope this deck helps 
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December 30, 2021
GaryVee’s Top 10 Instagram Videos of 2021
Here are the top 10 reels you need to watch before 2022…starting now!
#1View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#2View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#3View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#4View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#5View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#6View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#7View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#8View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#9View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
#10View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
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December 29, 2021
9 Reminders to take into 2022
In today’s blog, you’ll find some of the quotes that resonated most with my community across social in 2021 – hope these “hit” for you as we head into the new year!
What You Listen To and Who You Listen To is What You BecomeView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
That toxic parent. That toxic significant other. That toxic friend(s). That toxic content on main media. That toxic content on social media…Get your mind right! Start listening to practical, optimistic, solution-oriented, accountable content that makes you feel in control.
Life is how you see it. That starts with how you hear it 
If You Wake Up and Everyone You Care About is Healthy, It’s a Great DayView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
Simplify your life. We get caught up in worrying about dumb shit … please don’t. There’s so much to be happy for, especially the health of your loved ones.
I Made Thousands of Pieces of Content Before Anybody Even Began to Give a ShitView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
You haven’t not “made it,” you’re just early in your journey. It takes years – YEARS. Too many want it in days or get discouraged when they slow down or are stuck. Make content you want to make – that you value – the rest can fall into place over time.
Stop Hanging Around People Who Don’t Want You to WinView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
You don’t have to cut people out of your life, but you should consider limiting your time with people who are bringing you down and also reply with compassion to the hurt they are feeling (which is likely leading to them bringing so much negativity and cynicism to every conversation).
I was 30 Years Old Before I Made a Single Piece of ContentView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
I was also 32 when I made my first business content and really not until 34, 35, 37 did I really talk about business. People are out here worried they aren’t growing or are losing followers or are behind…or they look at the influencer who is 4 years younger than them but has a million followers …
These are all distractions. Don’t worry about anyone else…All of you are ahead of me 
Patience and execution and practice and time … you’ve got way more time than your insecurities tell you.
Just Do What Fucking Feels RightView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
As long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. So many are scared to do what they actually want to do because they are worried about the ridicule from others … THAT FUCKS ME UP. Fuck them, LIVE YOUR LIFE.
Practicality in life matters, but often people don’t realize they are living in fear and defense and no culture. Life is longer than you think – try to mix up your behavior if you feel unhappy and change the patterns.
Looking Backwards Fucks With Your NeckView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
IT’S OVER! Stop dwelling on some shit that happened in 2018, 2012, 2019 or fucking 1999 …. Yesterday is over – learn from it but please stop bringing up how you got wronged or fucked.
It’s ruining tomorrow.
I’d Rather Smile in my Toyota than Cry in my FerrariView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
Had to go to the streets to really get the message across to the people. People talk about choosing money over happiness and mental peace, but It’s a silly, naive convo and it needs to stop. Money is great and all, but when you focus on peace of mind and happiness, so much good shit happens.
Please think more and more about happiness and reply self awareness to what makes you happy and what are you good at and try to bring them together!
You’re About to Have the BEST Year of Your Life!View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
Excited for your 2022! You’re gonna smash it with patience, kindness, optimism and execution … I can feel it.
The post 9 Reminders to take into 2022 appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
December 10, 2021
KIND CANDOR and Why HOW You Deliver the Medicine Matters: Road to Twelve and a Half (series)
Today’s blog brings us to the final stop on the Road to Twelve and a Half series. So far, we’ve covered twelve of the traits that have helped me build a successful career and a happy life. The final trait — kind candor — is a little bit different.
While it’s technically the thirteenth ingredient, I named the book Twelve and a Half for a reason. Out of all the traits I included, kind candor is the one I’m still working to develop…it’s a “half” because it’s a vulnerability, or the biggest weakness among my strengths. Unlike some other traits like gratitude and tenacity which were a major part of my DNA growing up, kind candor doesn’t come as naturally to me. In fact, I’m still learning to deploy it in life and business every day.
I really believe that Twelve and a Half has the potential to help so many people be better leaders, bosses, parents, older siblings and overall human beings. That being said, it was important for me to hold myself accountable by sharing the trait that I myself am still working on. I hope both this blog and the book as a whole inspire you to take a look within and identify your own “halves.”
Now, let’s explore kind candor a little deeper.
What is Kind Candor?We all know what it means to be kind, but feel free to check out this blog on why I think kindness is the ultimate strength. Before we can understand kind candor, however, we first need to define the second term in the phrase.
Candor
(noun)
The quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness.
I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt, my core weakness in 25 years of business has been a lack of candor. To some of you, I’m sure that comes as a surprise. Let me explain.
A lot of people see my content and my communication style and assume that candor comes easily to me. They see me ranting about the latest social media platform or strategy and they might think I’m just a know-it-all who always tells it like he sees it. The truth is that there’s a difference between “Garyvee” the brand and Gary Vaynerchuk the manager and operator. The first is good at candor; the second has struggled.
As “garyvee” it’s easy to be candor -ish I am@speaking to the masses, as Gary Vaynerchuk I struggled (still do) with it and the worry it scares people, the word “kind” in front of it has really helped me and I hope others https://t.co/Zr7x8CMqg1
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) November 16, 2021
It’s easy to deploy candor when I’m on video, recording a podcast, or on stage addressing hundreds or thousands of people. It’s much harder when I’m sitting down one-on-one with an employee that I really care about, having a difficult conversation.
My relationship with candorI decided early on that I didn’t want to run my businesses on fear…in fact, creating fear in my companies became my greatest fear.
I had a visceral reaction to candor and confrontation for a long time because I thought it scared people; I thought they couldn’t handle it. My inability to separate being candid from being mean or nasty then led me to make a ton of decisions that negatively impacted me and those around me. My lack of candor caused me to withhold critical feedback and build resentment toward several employees which ultimately led to me surprise-firing people once I finally got fed up.
Basically, my inability to deploy candor when necessary was not sustainable for my success or the success and happiness of my employees…until I woke up.
Rebranding candorFour or five years ago, I finally woke up and realized that I was actually making my biggest fear come true. Instead of eliminating fear, my lack of candor was creating a ton of fear at VaynerMedia because people didn’t know where they stood. I realized that if I truly wanted to maintain the “honey empire” I created for my companies, I had to find a way to address this vulnerability.
So, what is kind candor? It’s a hybrid term I created to rebrand the idea of candor for myself, and hopefully for leaders everywhere. By adding kindness to candor, we can become better operators and leaders, we’ll have more secure, accountable employees, and companies will be much healthier, happier places to work.
Finding the Right BalanceToday, I think kind candor is a much better target to aim for. The problem is, a lot of people use “honesty” as an excuse to be jerks. They call it being blatantly honest or being a “straight-shooter,” when in reality, far too many leaders are actually poisoning their workplace cultures with negativity.
That’s where kind candor comes in. Watch this video twice to understand:
The truth is that running a team or company with fear will work…but it’s not the best or most practical approach long-term. Too many people are greatly underestimating the power of kindness. Why? I think it’s because people have this idea that being nice somehow makes you weak. They’re afraid that if they don’t bring down the hammer, people won’t respect them or they’ll get taken advantage of. I want to change that idea.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
Candor is not an excuse not to be nice…and being nice doesn’t prevent you from being an effective leader. Just like you can be patient and ambitious, or have both great humility and great conviction, you can be both honest and kind. The trick is in finding the right balance.
Too much kindnessWith all twelve emotional ingredients, it takes balance to make your meal. My problem was that I used to be all kindness and no candor.
“I realized that kindness without candor was creating entitlement within my organization. By giving positive reinforcement again and again without critical feedback, I created delusion, which lead to entitlement.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
The problem with this approach is that it’s not sustainable. As a leader, when you’re too kind and you struggle with being candid about mistakes or room for improvement, you start to build a resentment toward the people who work for you. Sometimes that resentment is subconscious, sometimes it’s conscious, but either way, it’s toxic. Mistakes continue to be made and employees can fall into a trap of complacency because there’s a lack of candor from you and a lack of accountability from themselves.
Too much candorOn the other hand, just telling your employees that they suck is cruel. Have you taken the time to understand the context behind the mistake that was made? Have you been curious and empathetic to what might be going on in their lives that’s affecting their performance, or are you just rushing to judgment with zero information? Too much candor without kindness only creates more problems. When you come in too “hot” with your criticism, the person on the other end is only gonna react “hot” in return.
How You Deliver the Medicine MattersKindness 
Candor. It’s not about either-or, it’s about “and.” You should be able to speak candidly with your employees about performance, but you should also be able to do so without humiliation or aggression. Just like you have expectations of them, they have to be able to expect a safe culture and environment when they come to work every day.
“There’s a reason why I added the word kind in front of candor. How you deliver the medicine matters.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
Just like a good doctor has good bedside manner, a good leader knows how to handle hard conversations with care. Compassionate communication heals everything, and it’s when you’re the most upset that you actually have to deploy the most kindness and compassion to the person on the other side.
Key IngredientThe intent behind the candor is the key for it to be “good”
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) January 13, 2020
As a leader, finding that balance between kindness and candor is a really important play, and it’s something that I’ve stood up recently in my own life and within VaynerX. The last 18-24 months, my kind candor game has gone from about a ten out of 100 to maybe a sixty…but that fifty point jump has been monumental in my success.
Don’t get me wrong, the work is far from over. For me and for all of you reading, working on these “halves” takes real time and dedication. So, please, remember to be patient with yourself as you explore these traits and figure out which ones you have to work on.
Thank you for reading. Whether you’ve followed along for the whole Road to Twelve and a Half series, bought the book, or received a copy for free, I am so excited to have you here and so grateful to get this message out into the world. Please don’t forget to tweet me @garyvee to share your thoughts!
The post KIND CANDOR and Why HOW You Deliver the Medicine Matters: Road to Twelve and a Half (series) appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
December 2, 2021
AMBITION, Patience, and the Insecurity Trap: Road to Twelve and a Half (series)
Having ambition is great, but similar to tenacity and conviction, it can potentially become a double-edged sword if it is not balanced out with other ingredients. While having the drive to go after something you really want is incredible, if it goes unchecked, it can lead to things like anxiety, burnout, and unhappiness.
I have ridiculous ambitions for my life from VaynerX to VeeFriends and buying the New York Jets…but every ounce of ambition I have is balanced out with equal amounts of patience and humility. This not only protects me from the harmful side-effects of ambition, but it also makes the process of going after my goals way more fun.
My goal for this blog and my new book is to help change the way people think about ambition as a whole. I hope it brings you value.
What is Ambition?
Ambition
(noun)
A strong desire to do or achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.
Ambition is extremely important. What I want for everyone reading this is to follow their dreams — it’s YOUR fucking dream! That being said, you should also understand that big ambitions take time. The sooner you can deploy the right balance of ingredients to approach your ambitions, the more practical you’ll be and the sooner you’ll learn to enjoy the game.
Be As Patient As You Are AmbitiousI am both wildly content and equally ambitious. Why? It’s because I’m incredibly patient. While my ambitions are insanely big, I’m in no rush to achieve them by a certain time or age. That’s why I wasn’t fazed when I was still working at my dad’s liquor store until the age of 34. I knew exactly why I was there but I also knew I wouldn’t be there forever. Today, at 46 years old, I still know that I have so much time to execute. Whether I buy the Jets in a few years or when I’m in my seventies, I’ll be just as happy.
The bigger the ambition the slower you need to go
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) July 26, 2018
Your goals should not come with scary deadlines that hang over your head — they should be something that gets you excited, motivated, and ready to play the long game.
Ambition is a healthy carrotAmbition as a “healthy carrot” means that your biggest goals should be a healthy incentive, not a burden. It’s about what you’re moving towards, and not what you’re running away from in order to reach some definition of success you got from someone else.
“Life is a joy when you have good relationships with your ambitions. I wake up every morning and chase my dream, yet I’m so not in need of achieving it. It’s a beautiful blend of conviction and humility. I fully believe I’ll make it, yet I don’t need to make it. Ambition is like a healthy ‘carrot.’” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
Your ambition should push you to play the game and strive for more without losing sleep or sacrificing your well-being. It makes me sad to see so many young people who fail to balance their ambition with patience. If more of you truly understood that you really do have time, you’d realize that being patient and going at your own pace doesn’t make you any less “hungry.” It makes you smart.
Check the Motivations Behind Your AmbitionsIn addition to impatience, people also struggle with the “why” behind their ambition. Do you want to do it for you…or do you want to do it for them? Are you operating from curiosity and self-awareness of what you’re actually interested in…or are you being motivated by your insecurities around what family, friends, and strangers on the internet say you “should” be doing? At the end of the day, no matter what your goals may be — to launch a successful NFT project, to start a business, to become a famous YouTube vlogger, etc. — your ultimate motivation needs to be happiness.
Happiness needs to be the ambition.
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) June 16, 2019
It’s about learning to operate from your passions instead of other people’s opinions. I’m not driven by what other people think is right or smart…if that were the case, I wouldn’t “waste my time” on things like garage-sailing or sportscards. Instead, I center my ambitions around my own interests, the things I love to do. If that means that I have ambitions around things that others don’t understand, so be it.
I know my “why” and it’s good enough for me. What’s yours?
The trap of insecurityUnfortunately, many people fall into a trap where their “why” comes from someone or something outside of themselves. They have insecurities around being “successful enough” or getting to their goals “quickly enough,” but that only ever comes from putting too much importance on what other people think.
Be careful not to base your ambitions on other people’s goals. This is how you get so many people thinking they want to be CEOs and entrepreneurs just because it’s the “cool” thing to do right now. If you want to run a business to prove something to your parents, old school friends, or social media followers but you don’t actually enjoy it — you don’t like taking risks, you hate managing people, you don’t get a thrill from the the barrage of “no’s,” then you need to seriously rethink your priorities.
“People tend to have an unhealthy relationship with ambition partly because they use it as a cover-up for their insecurities.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
Basing your ambitions on your insecurities sets you up for unhappiness. Live your life for you. Set your ambitions around what you actually like and what’s going to make you happy to get to work every single day. If you’re making tons of money and buying tons of stuff but you’re miserable, guess what? You’re doing it wrong.
Ambition Doesn’t Have to be CruelEarlier in the Road to Twelve and a Half series, I talked about how tenacity doesn’t have to equal burnout. Similarly, being ambitious doesn’t have to mean being a jerk. Sadly, too many people equate business success with a “dog eat dog” mentality. They think it’s about winning by any means necessary, even if it requires stepping on others to get to the top. I’m about the opposite.
Ambition doesn’t need to be cruel .. in fact it’s more effective with kindness … it’s not how we see it today .. but I hope it can evolve
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) October 26, 2021
Just build the tallest building…“…leaders drunk with ambition destroy everything in their path on the way to their goals. It’s what I’m trying to change with this book. Winning at all costs has consequences.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
I say it all the time…I believe you build the tallest building in town by building it — not by tearing other people’s buildings down. When you master this mentality, there’s no longer a need to step on toes.
You don’t have to be mean to “make it.” In fact, kindness is a much better companion to ambition than cruelty. When you see other businesses within your industry killing it, be happy for them. Be competitive, be an executor, be tenacious, yes…but be happy for others because there is enough success to go around.
When you recognize that we live in a world of abundance, you’re not threatened by other people doing well around you. In fact, it should only inspire you to take your ambitions that much further.
Key IngredientAmbition is one of the most obvious key ingredients to living a successful life and career, but it’s not as straightforward as most people think. Making sure your ambition is balanced out with other traits like patience and humility will make your journey to success more enjoyable and sustainable in the long run.
Thank you for reading. We are almost at the end of our Road to Twelve and a Half series, and I’d love to know how you’ve been liking it. Shoot me your thoughts on Twitter @garyvee !
The post AMBITION, Patience, and the Insecurity Trap: Road to Twelve and a Half (series) appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
November 30, 2021
Twelve and a Half: Audiobook and Kindle versions now available
Today is the day! My new book Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success is officially out in US and Canada!
As many of you know, the book was initially slated to come out on the 16th of this month – however there were many supply chain issues in the world that pushed back the release date. I’m so excited to hear what you think and I’m looking forward to you finally reading this book – hit me up on Twitter and let me know your thoughts!
A lot of you already ordered 12+ copies as part of the token drop offer period back around 8/28, but depending on how you like to consume information, you might want to also consider getting the Kindle or Audiobook versions (you’ll find the links below). Just like every one of my books, the audiobook is narrated by me and there are plenty of off-script moments and add-ons to what’s written on the pages.
Check out the links below, and if you have any questions about your orders, the pre-sale, or the token drop, DM @RaghavHaran on Twitter.
USAudiobook linkKindle linkCanadaAudiobook linkKindle linkUK Audiobook linkKindle linkThe post Twelve and a Half: Audiobook and Kindle versions now available appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
November 29, 2021
My Personal Definition of HUMILITY: Road to Twelve and a Half (series)
Humility. I’m aware that this may not be the first trait that comes to mind when people think of me, mostly because it’s the least obvious ingredient in my content. When you have tenacity, conviction, and a communication style like mine, it’s easy for people to confuse your passion for ego. Actually, humility has been a ridiculously key ingredient for me, and it’s equally key for any leader who wants to sustain success.
As many of you know, legacy is something that’s incredibly important to me, and I believe that having humility is a core component of building a lasting legacy and positive reputation. Sure, many can be “successful” in terms of money and achievements, but how successful are you really if you’re leading with ego and the people who know you the best think that you’re the worst?
For me, humility is about having an accurate view of yourself. Despite all the cheers and praise, I never think that I’m any better than anyone else. Humility allows me to have all-time ambitions for my career, while still understanding just how little I — or any human being — mean in the grand scheme of things. It allows me to take risks and change my mind because I don’t place too much importance on being “right.” It helps me to not dwell on mistakes because I understand everything I do isn’t gonna be successful and I can change directions at any time.
Basically, humility adds a necessary balance that’s especially important for the super-ambitious.
What is Humility?Humility
(noun)
A modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.
I actually hate this definition. I agree that humility is about having a modest view of yourself, one that’s fair… but I don’t like the idea of this being a “low” view. Fuck that.
“My definition of humility would be ‘a comfort in one’s own understanding of one’s position in the world.’ I feel that’s more accurate.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
You don’t have to think “low” of yourself to have humility; I’m a perfect example. People often misunderstand several of these emotional ingredients as opposites…for instance, humility and conviction. Take it from me, you can have both, and in fact, it’s deploying these traits in the right balance and the right context that makes all the difference.
Humility doesn’t work against my ambitious nature — in fact, it works with it. When you’re humble enough not to put yourself on a pedestal, you follow your curiosities, you’re accountable to your mistakes, and you remember that no matter how much you’ve accomplished, you’re still “just getting started.” It’s funny, people who come across my content might identify me most strongly with the more aggressive traits — the ones that have more teeth, like tenacity and conviction. Funnily enough, I think the opposite is true! I don’t want to…but if I were forced to rank the ingredients in Twelve and a Half, I’d actually place humility and curiosity above those two!
Humility Makes Me Feel Safe to LoseOf course, I’d rather win than lose…but I think it’s my willingness to lose that means I’ll always win.
A lot of people say they will do “whatever it takes” to follow their dreams, but how far are you actually willing to go? Are you willing to spend three hours to learn something new that might not work out? Are you willing to do your homework on NFTs or a new social platform? If you are, then you have a real shot of making your dream work, but most people aren’t willing to get that dirty. Why? Because they don’t want to “lose.”
I’m the opposite. Humility actually makes me feel safe to lose. If I woke up tomorrow and all my businesses went to zero, I’d be totally okay. I’d have no problem taking accountability for however I got there, downgrading my lifestyle, and starting over from the bottom to rise like a phoenix…In fact, I’d even enjoy it. The truth is that when you don’t listen to the cheers or the boos, you have nothing to lose. It makes it easier to follow your passions and take calculated risks. Most importantly, it makes it easier to deploy self-love even when those risks don’t work out.
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Ultimately, humility means that I’m not devastated by the losses and I also don’t get “high” off the wins.
Ask yourself, are you humble enough to take a step backwards?Are you willing to take a step backwards in your lifestyle to take a huge step forward for the rest of your life?
There are too many people out there working jobs they hate just to pay for a lifestyle to impress others. They have fancy houses, fancy cars, and take fancy trips, but they hate their lives Monday through Friday just because they won’t deploy the humility to downgrade. Sometimes less money now means more happiness later. Sometimes it means more time to spend working towards your actual dreams of starting a YouTube channel, or launching a podcast, or starting a business.
So many of you are standing in the way of your own happiness because you lack the humility to look like you’ve “lost” in front of family and friends. You’re willing to put off your actual dreams just to flex for other people. But let me ask you this…it’s your dream. What the fuck does that have to do with anyone else?
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Humility leads to happiness …when you realize that you don’t mean shit (I sure don’t), then you aren’t worried about people’s judgement over your losses. I mean it — the world will always turn regardless, and that’s a good thing! It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t strive for greatness, but it does mean you shouldn’t overthink shit. In the end, none of it matters, and that’s why humility is a super power that leads to calmness. Use it!
Humility Gives You a Competitive EdgeLet there be no confusion…I feel safe to lose, but I still love to win. Whether in sports or in business, I get a huge rush from the “I told you so,” and humility is actually a seriously underrated tool. When you have humility, you have speed. You’re quicker to take calculated risks in business, you’re quicker to say “yes” where other people say “no,”, and you’re quicker to pivot when you need to.
Having the humility to address and acknowledge your mistakes allows you to move quickly and make decisions, which in turn gives you enormous advantages in business and more importantly life overall.
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) April 28, 2019
Everyone is worried about their mistakes, not yours, stop overthinking it
“When you have a fair, modest view of yourself, you have a significant advantage over others, because you’re willing to do what they aren’t.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
Every day, I am stunned by how many people don’t match their actions to their aspirations. They say they have aspirations to win, to crush it…but they live in the world of “no.” At this point, I have achieved enormous things, and still, every day I deploy humility to keep saying “yes.” I’ll download a new app just to taste it. I’ll learn about NFTs and research countless projects, even when the world is still saying it’s “just a fad.” Having the humility to “waste my time” has been how I’ve won throughout my entire career.
You don’t decide…the market doesPart of my humility comes from understanding that the market always decides. You can think you’re the best entrepreneur alive, but if people aren’t buying your product or service, they’re right and you’re wrong. You can think your content is the best out there, but if no one’s watching or listening, the truth is that it must suck. Of course, it takes a real commitment of time and effort before you can make the final call, but if you’ve been working at something for years and years and no one’s interested, you have your answer.
If the market decides you’re crap, it doesn’t mean it’s time to beat yourself up or dwell on your failures. All it means is that you get to do things differently. Having humility gives you the freedom to start things many won’t, but it also gives you the freedom to start over.
“Because of my humility, I don’t feel the need to stay consistent with decisions I’ve made. I can change my opinion in two seconds, and I do it all the time.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
This mentality goes for everything — even the things I’m excited about. Everyone knows I’m bullish on NFTs, but if my priorities change one day, I’m 100% willing to shift my focus.
Key IngredientWhen you come from a family and beginnings like mine, you can never forget where you came from…but no matter how much success I have, I will never overestimate my importance in the grand scheme of things. For all those with big ambitions and big conviction, remember that humility is the trait to balance you out.
Thank you for reading. I would love to know what you thought about this week’s blog post. Leave me your two cents on Twitter @garyvee.
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November 23, 2021
Why I Believe in CONVICTION Over Convincing: Road to Twelve and a Half (Series)
Why was I so big on social media when everyone told me it was “just a fad”? How did I have the confidence to invest my savings into Twitter and Facebook — now Meta — when everyone said that it was insane? What makes me so bullish about NFTs and how they will revolutionize the future when it’s still so ridiculously early? The answer is simple: conviction.
People often ask me how I “know” certain things before they happen. The truth is that I don’t really “know”…I just have amazing conviction backed by tenacity and humility. Once you’re able to master that balance, things get really good.
What is Conviction?Conviction
(noun)
A firmly held belief or opinion.
For me, conviction is something that comes very naturally. Once I believe in something, I believe it, and the noise of the crowd — whether cheers or boos — doesn’t change my mind. As strong as my own conviction is, I know it isn’t the same way for many others, so let me try to explain.
“I’m living in a constant state of curiosity and empathy, which lay the path toward strong convictions.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
It’s easy for me to have conviction in things because I’m incredibly curious. It’s in following my curiosities that I get to actually test the ideas I have, learn new things, and form my own opinions. That, plus the empathy to actually understand others and the market, optimism about the future, and the patience to play the long game allow me to hold onto that deep conviction in the things I believe in.
Any time you’re doing something that other people don’t understand — your friends, your parents, etc. — deep conviction is a must. You have to have the belief and tenacity it takes to fight against the obvious and persevere around a cloud of judgment from others to actually spend time on your craft or your passions. In a lot of ways, this is what separates true entrepreneurs from fake ones. A lot of people have “hope” that their ideas will work out or an ambition to be cool or successful…Not many have that real unwavering conviction in themselves or their dreams.
How can you tell the difference? Those who lack conviction love to convince. 
To me, having conviction means that I’m not in the business of convincing others. Even if it’s something I believe in with my whole heart, I’m not interested in getting people to agree with me just for the sake of being “right.” I’m interested in executing and putting in the work. In other words, I don’t need to convince you — I’m gonna show you.
When I launched VeeFriends back in May, for example, I put out a lot of educational content. This was not to convince people to get on board or persuade them to buy my tokens, but to help position my community for what I fully believed would be a major opportunity. I wanted you guys to do your own homework so you could build your own conviction, and become early players in a game most people were still unaware of, or too busy saying “no” to.
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“Conviction is the north star that keeps you on track, helping you be tenacious throughout your journey, despite the inevitable difficulties.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
Developing conviction means saying “yes” even when others are saying “no.” Get this concept down, and I promise it will change your life!
Deep Conviction and Wild HumilityThat being said, please do not confuse my conviction and my passion for a lack of humility. Humility — the next trait coming up in this series — is incredibly important to me and another core part of how I operate.
You know why? I don’t think that everything I’m gonna do is gonna succeed — even today. I’m very grateful to be where I am, and I’m at a point in my career now where a lot of people are saying lovely things about me in real life and in my comments sections, but these things don’t make me feel more special. I’m not any more special than anyone else.
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Even though I have crazy conviction in myself and my ability to execute, I also deploy wild humility. I literally think that I could be the greatest of all time…and equally know that I mean nothing! Deep conviction mixed with wild humility — this is a staggeringly unusual combo but very powerful and can lead to a lot of happiness.
Conviction versus egoUnfortunately, having intense conviction is often misunderstood. I see this a lot in the way some people react to me. I have a natural tendency to get very excited and loud when I know something, which can come with a lot of potential baggage. The way I talk may work for some, but I’m quite aware that for some people, it’s an instant turnoff — a little too much, too aggressive.
People may feel like my conviction and passion sometimes comes across as egotistical or as a know-it-all, but I’m honestly empathetic to that feedback. I respect it, and I also know that it is the furthest thing from my intent.
I think for everyone else who is bullish on something and believes like I do, you have to remember that this is about you…not anybody else. Don’t worry about what other people think or if they “get it.” As long as you get it, that’s all that matters. After all, it’s your fucking dream. Do your dream! Have conviction and go out and execute.
If you don’t take it from me, take it from Logic:
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As important as conviction is, it’s important not to slide into delusion. Just because you believe in something doesn’t mean you’ll always be right. I’ve been wrong about a lot of shit, but still, that doesn’t keep me from being confident in the decisions I make today. Why? Because I’d rather die on my own sword.
“I prefer dying on my own sword over dying on someone else’s. I hold on to my convictions until the market tells me I’m wrong. And when I’m wrong, I make adjustments with conviction too.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
When you have conviction in yourself above everything else, you don’t need to be “right” and being “wrong” won’t destroy you. You won’t dwell on your mistakes or “failures” because the conviction comes from your belief in yourself to execute more than anything else. In ten years, if I’m wrong about NFTs, that will be completely fine. I won’t need to feel ashamed because at least I won’t die with the regret of never trying. Also, if I’m wrong, I’ll know that I was wrong about something that actually made me excited.
This is an important lesson, especially in the current explosion of the NFT world. What I want more than anything is for you guys to do your own homework and make your own decisions based on the projects and artists you actually love. Too many are making purchases based on the hot new projects instead of their own beliefs about which projects have long term potential. If you listen to anything, please understand how important it is to do your own research and make decisions based on your own conviction.
Key IngredientAt the end of the day, having conviction means tuning out the noise of what other people think — positive or negative. It means not being discouraged by the booing, but also not getting high off the cheering. Ultimately, it means having so much belief in yourself that you don’t have anything to “prove.” Your execution speaks for itself. If you can get this down, you’ll be so much happier.
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, I’d love it if you shared it with a friend or on your favorite social media platform.
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November 19, 2021
What You’re Misunderstanding about PATIENCE: Road to Twelve and a Half (series)
The next stop on the Road to Twelve and a Half brings us to a trait I’ve talked about an insane amount over the years: patience. Funnily enough, it’s also a topic that I think can sometimes confuse people as they get deeper and deeper into my content. On the one hand, people hear me talk about being patient and playing the long game, but on the other, they see how much I value speed and execution. At first glance, this might seem like a contradiction, but it’s really not.
What many people are misinterpreting is that it’s not about either-or…it’s about both. Macro patience and micro speed — in my opinion, that’s the winning combination. Unfortunately for a lot of people, their messed up relationship with time leads to a lot of rushed decisions, bad priorities, and unhappiness.
If you take anything away from this blog, I hope it’s the fact that you can be both patient and ambitious. In fact, building true patience is one of the most practical ways to reach your life goals…and enjoy yourself in the process.
What is Patience?Patience
(noun)
The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.
From 2007 to 2011, I replied to every single email and tweet I got until four in the morning. Nobody knew who I was at the time, so I would go into Twitter search, look up wine terms, and jump into conversations with my advice, questions, and recommendations. For example, someone would tweet, “Having this pinot noir,” and I would reply, “That’s a good one. Did you try the year before?”
These people didn’t know me, but slowly and surely — after hours and hours and years and years — I built a foundation that later became the start of what people see now.
Patience is a lost artFast forward to today, and I can’t tell you how many comments, Instagram DMs, and emails I get from people telling me “it’s not working.” Either their business isn’t making any sales or their posts aren’t going viral or they’re not gaining followers quickly enough. People start a TikTok account, post 5 times, don’t go viral, and they’re like, “this sucks! I’m done.”
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It makes me sad to see that patience truly is a lost art. Part of it is because this is a trait that comes so naturally to me. For whatever reason — DNA, circumstance, or maybe seeing my immigrant parents work forever — I was gifted with both extreme patience and extreme ambition. As I got older, I came to realize that this wasn’t as common in others as I thought.
“Patience is a core ingredient to the lightness I feel inside. When you have a good relationship with time, the pressure is lifted and you can do so much more.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
One of the reasons I talk about patience so often is because I know the happiness it has brought to my life, and I want that for all of you as well. It’s why I approach my huge goals — like building VeeFriends IP for the next 45 years or buying the New York Jets — as a fun, exciting game instead of a crushing need or pressure.
At the end of the day, patience allows me to focus on playing the game while the score takes care of itself.
Patience and Ambition Go Hand in HandSimilar to kindness, patience is another trait that people don’t immediately think of when they think of business success — especially for the super-ambitious. They want the wins and they want them now, so patience can feel counterintuitive to the big goals they’ve set for themselves.
In my opinion, patience isn’t a hindrance to success — it’s a key component. Ambition and tenacity are amazing things to have, but if they go unchecked, they can lead to some negative effects like anxiety, lack of self-confidence, and burnout. The best way to keep your ambition under control is by having an equal amount of patience to balance it out.
“Those who are patient aren’t any less ambitious or tenacious. In fact, patience can give you permission to dream bigger.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
Not only does patience help you dream bigger, it also gives you the power and the perspective to endure the “losses.” It’s the lack of patience to accept small wins and in fact small losses that is holding so many back, clouding perspective, and adding anxiety to situations that don’t need it.
Make sure you deploy patience to give yourself the chance to practically achieve all of your ambitions, instead of being impatient and burning out too quickly. This is a long game, and if you play it like one, you will be more ambitious, happy, and fulfilled for a longer time.
Impatience and InsecurityIn general, I think that impatience comes from insecurity. People are insecure about other people’s opinions about where they are in life, what they’re doing, how they’re living, and how much stuff they have, so they want to rush to a level of success others will approve of.
“Insecurity festers without the fertilizer of patience. When you’re desperate to prove something to other people in the short term, you don’t give yourself a chance to enjoy the process. When you don’t enjoy the process, you become more vulnerable to burnout.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
They’re also often insecure about how much time they have left. So many young people think they need to have their lives all figured out or become millionaires by the time they hit 30, and if they don’t, they beat themselves up for being “behind.” I really want to help change the way we interact with time.
Yes, it’s true that you’re gonna die; anyone who consumes my content has heard me say that a hundred times. On the other hand, unless you’re gonna die soon, you should really only be playing long term. For example, I know that I’m gonna be a businessman for the rest of my life. That self-awareness allows me to act fast in the micro, or my day-to-day execution, but be patient in my macro, long-term goals. In other words, when you have the self-awareness to know who you are and what you want, you’re not insecure about the time it takes to get there.
You Have More Time Than You ThinkAnother thing I want people to realize is that they have way more time than they think. We get sold so many things, like “life is short,” but if you think about it, so many of the rules in society of when you’re “supposed” to have your life figured out — get married, accomplish different milestones — are predicated on a world where people lived to 45 years old.
So much of what we’re affected by now is still based on how our parents were affected by their parents and grandparents…but back then, people were dying much earlier! Of course you should have your life figured out by 30 or 40 when you’re dead at 47! The truth is that things are different today. Think about it. If life-expectancy is now close to 80 years old, doesn’t that mean we have even more time to reach our goals? Shouldn’t we be more patient?
“At forty-six years old as this book comes out, I’m still patient. I’m not in a rush to realize my dreams in the next few years — I’m excited about the next forty-six.” – Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success
What I want is for you to realize that yes, huge goals take time. In fact, I believe everything takes longer than you think, especially when you’re aspiring to levels of greatness most people don’t reach. On the other side of that, though, understand that you’re not “lost” or “stuck,” you’re just early in the process.
If it’s important to you, keep going, keep your head down, execute, and be patient. If I’m planning to execute for the next 45 years, you can do the same…and if you find yourself rushing the process, ask yourself why. Whose affirmation or approval are you looking for? Who are you looking for to say that you “did it?” Then put the focus back on you and get shit done.
Key IngredientI believe the disproportionate reason that most people will not win is actually not the hard work, it’s their lack of patience. If you find something you love to do and you want it to be your life, how can you possibly give up after a few weeks, a few months, or even a few years? Remember, there is no quick cure. The hard work matters and patience is what overrides it. Don’t worry about getting “there” by a certain time or a certain age — just enjoy the game.
Thank you so much for reading! I’d love to hear your two cents on Twitter.
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