On April 13, 2016, Kobe Bryant played his final game as a Los Angeles Laker. — On April 13, 2016, Kobe Bryant played his final game as a Los Angeles Laker. That game is legendary, not just for the number of points he put on the board, but for what it represented. Everyone in that arena had heard legends about Kobe Bryant’s 4 a.m. workouts and…

The $575 billion success story that revolutionized an industry. — In 2005, a group of four entrepreneurial mentors led by Paul Graham changed the world of venture capital. They built the startup incubator Y Combinator. Through lots of trial, error, and explosive growth, Y Combinator took over the world of early-stage investing. Need proof? YC’s top 30 companies are currently…

For a few years, Tim Tebow was the center of the sporting universe. His popularity has been hashed and rehashed millions of times, but it boils down to a few things. First, Tebow was a great leader and seemed to always find ways to win, despite not passing the eye…

Zuckerberg doesn’t code every day, and neither will you. — The market for entrepreneurship has become overcrowded. Swarms of people are fighting to become the next Zuckerberg or Bezos — even the next Brian Chesky. Obviously, this leads to a lot of companies with no potential. Not everyone has what it takes to be a world-class tech entrepreneur. However, this…

How to understand billionaires, social democracy, and the financial climate of today. — In November 2021, Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted, “We must demand that the extremely wealthy pay their fair share. Period.” Elon Musk had a few interesting responses for Sanders, including: “I keep forgetting that you’re still alive.” “Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word.” “Bernie is a…

Degrees in computer science, electrical engineering, economics, and marketing are worthless. — Thirty years ago, MBAs were the standard amongst corporate leadership. A boardroom would seem incomplete without a few people from Wharton and one or two from Harvard. However, the rise of Silicon Valley also brought about the rise of the engineer, with coding geniuses like Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and…

Scattered vacations are crucial to good ideas and simple writing. — I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say my writing quality doubles each time I take a break. I’ve tried taking a writing vacation twice now, and the results have been astounding. This is rare advice among writers. There are a few who advise moderation and pacing yourself, but most…

The Black Mamba had one objective late in life: to pass on his wisdom to each of us. — A generation of athletes looks to one source above all for inspiration: Kobe Bryant. The late, great Black Mamba is revered for his mindset just as much as for his skills and rings. The outward success is easy to see, but the cause of it — the mindset — is…

How to turn a popular cliche into a life strategy. — A growth mindset is more powerful than any amount of money or fame. To illustrate, let me share a little story. There were once two brothers named Luke and Joseph. Throughout their childhood, Luke consistently beat Joseph in everything they did. Luke was the star quarterback in high school, the…