My mentors advice:
Design dictates function. Strive for an elegance that scales.
- This applies to your work style and output too. Are your presentations clear and impactful? Do you find efficient systems that help you as your responsibilities increase. Elegance here means finding ways to do things better, not just fancier. This helps you produce great work sustainably.
Ideas are easy. It's execution that matters.
- Focus on developing the organization, planning, and problem-solving skills needed to actually do the thing, not just dream about it.
Failure is a feature, not a bug. Those around you shape how you learn from it.
-Notice how your managers and colleagues react to setbacks. Do they foster a safe environment to analyze what went wrong, or do they resort to blame games?
The path to the extraordinary is paved with relentless iteration. Each step, each refinement, reveals not just possibility, but inevitability.
- No one achieves greatness on the first try. It's those who are willing to revise, improve, and try again that stand out. This is about building a tolerance for the 'not quite good enough yet' stage. If you crumble after every less-than-perfect result, you'll never stick around long enough to see the "inevitable" part happen.
Seek collaborators who question everything, even their own beliefs. Those locked in echo chambers offer only stagnation.
- It's good to have cheerleaders, but surround yourself with people who will also be constructively critical. Helps you stay open-minded and prevent groupthink, where everyone blindly agrees and bad ideas go unchallenged.
Talent attracts talent. Seek those who make you uncomfortable – they'll make you better.
- Don't just stick with people who make you feel good. Find colleagues who excel in areas you're weaker in and learn from them. This discomfort isn't abuse, but the stretch of getting better. It might mean a coworker whose directness stings but helps you be less defensive.
People will tell you what they want you to hear. Observe their choices, the unspoken tells you the truth.
- This helps you see who's reliable, who is simply placating you, and who might be actively trying to hinder your progress.
Seek insight, not comfort. Listen hardest to those who challenge your assumptions.
- It's easy to stay in bubbles. Actively seek viewpoints that clash with your own (within reason!). This helps spot your own blind spots, avoiding the type of costly tunnel vision that derails projects.
Fear delusion, not disagreement. Those tethered to bias have abandoned critical thought. They won't build, they'll infect.
- This is about protecting yourself from those who refuse to change, even when presented with evidence. These people exist in every workplace. Learning to spot them early saves you time and emotional energy.
Don't just help others, empower them. Spark a cycle of creation that elevates everyone involved.
- Instead of always being the fixer, teach a colleague how to troubleshoot on their own. This builds strong teams where everyone feels capable, not just reliant on one person.
VCs follow the money. Make your story, your product, the inevitable future of your industry. They can either get on board or be left behind.
- This assumes a venture capital context, which may not apply to everyone. Think of it broader: have confidence in the value you're creating, whether it's for investors, your boss, or customers. Passion is contagious. If you don't truly believe in what you're doing, it'll be hard to convince others to get on board.