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the returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest.
Specific knowledge is found by pursuing your genuine curiosity and passion rather than whatever is hot right
When specific knowledge is taught, it’s through apprenticeships, not schools.
“Escape competition through authenticity.” Basically, when you’re competing with people, it’s because you’re copying them. It’s because you’re trying to do the same thing. But every human is different. Don’t copy. [78]
The most important skill for getting rich is becoming a perpetual learner.
When you’re dating, the instant you know this relationship is not going to be the one that leads to marriage, you should probably move on.
When someone spends too much time talking about their own values or they’re talking themselves up, they’re covering for something. [4]
Julius Caesar famously said, “If you want it done, then go. And if not, then send.” What he meant was, if you want it done right, then you have to go yourself and do it.
If I’m faced with a difficult choice, such as: Should I marry this person? Should I take this job? Should I buy this house? Should I move to this city? Should I go into business with this person? If you cannot decide, the answer is no.
If you find yourself creating a spreadsheet for a decision with a list of yes’s and no’s, pros and cons, checks and balances, why this is good or bad…forget it. If you cannot decide, the answer is no. [10]
If you’re evenly split on a difficult decision, take the path more painful in the short term.
Anticipation for our vices pulls us into the future. Eliminating vices makes it easier to be present.
“All of man’s troubles arise because he cannot sit in a room quietly by himself.” If you could just sit for thirty minutes and be happy, you are successful. That is a very powerful place to be, but very few of us get there. [6]
Doing something because you “should” basically means you don’t actually want to do it. It’s just making you miserable, so I’m trying to eliminate as many “shoulds” from my life as possible. [1]
At the end of the day, you are a combination of your habits and the people who you spend the most time with.
Pick one big desire in your life at any given time to give yourself purpose and motivation.
All you should do is what you want to do. If you stop trying to figure out how to do things the way other people want you to do them, you get to listen to the little voice inside your head that wants to do things a certain way. Then, you get to be you.
Your goal in life is to find the people, business, project, or art that needs you the most. There is something out there just for you. What you don’t want to do is build checklists and decision frameworks built on what other people are doing.
harder the workout, the easier the day.
Time spent undistracted and alone, in self-examination, journaling, meditation, resolves the unresolved and takes us from mentally fat to fit.
“Set up systems, not goals.” Use your judgment to figure out what kinds of environments you can thrive in, and then create an environment around you so you’re statistically likely to succeed.
If there’s something you want to do later, do it now. There is no “later.”
“Nope. I’m just going to do my own thing. Regardless of the social outcome, I will learn anything I think is interesting.”
The hardest thing is not doing what you want—it’s knowing what you want.
Everyone makes it up as they go along. You have to find your own path, picking, choosing, and discarding as you see fit. Figure it out yourself, and do it. [71]
“Be exactly who you are.” Holding back means staying in bad relationships and bad jobs for years instead of minutes.
long as you’re doing what you want, it’s not a waste of your time. But if you’re not spending your time doing what you want, and you’re not earning, and you’re not learning—what the heck are you doing?
Anyone around whom I can’t be fully honest, I don’t want to be around.
“To find a worthy mate, be worthy of a worthy mate.” [4]
“Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now, and we will never be here again.” —Homer, The Iliad
Inspiration is perishable—act on it immediately.
