Modern Wisdom – #683 – Shaan Puri – 7 Semi-Controversial Rules For Success

Intro

In this episode of the “Modern Wisdom” podcast, host Sean Puri interviews entrepreneur, former CEO, podcaster, and angel investor, Shaan Puri. They discuss seven semi-controversial rules for success and explore topics such as the myth of hard work, the power of enthusiasm and storytelling, and the importance of choosing the right goal. Puri shares his insights and experiences, challenging conventional wisdom and offering unique perspectives on achieving success.

Main Takeaways

Importance of Goal Selection

• Success is influenced by factors such as genetics and environment.
• Project selection is critical to success.
• Picking the right projects makes a huge difference.
• Being a billionaire is a stupid goal.
• Choose a delusion that’s going to be beneficial to you.

Undervalued Skills for Success

• The most undervalued skills in the world are empathy and communication.
• Enthusiasm is an underrated skill.
• Storytelling is another important skill that can help people to connect and inspire others.

Questioning Assumptions and Beliefs

• Controversial opinions can help us question assumptions and beliefs we hold.
• Honesty about what actually works and what doesn’t might annoy people.
• It’s all just stories anyways, pick the ones that serve you.

The Myth of Hard Work

• Hard work is massively overrated.
• Hard work is a story we have been told, but it may not always lead to success.
• Who you work with is more important than how hard you work.
• Hard work is not the most important factor in success.
• The myth of hard work is pervasive because it is a form of virtue signaling.

Enthusiasm and Storytelling

• Enthusiasm is contagious and can change the way everybody feels.
• Enthusiasm is a massively underrated skill that is important for most people who go on to do interesting things.
• Enthusiasm is a skill that can be developed and is a source of fuel that is completely underrated.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool for encoding information and knowledge.

Optimism and Emotional State

• Train your brain to default optimism rather than default pessimism.
• Feel unbeatable, untouchable, like the best to ever do it.
• Enthusiasm often dips in relationships as people retreat back to their emotional home and become less attentive and loving.
• If you do what you did at the beginning, there would never be an end to a relationship.

Learning from Failure and Decision Making

• Many people learn the wrong lessons from failure.
• Sometimes success is achieved through a few critical decisions, rather than hard work.
• People tend to assign credit to their actions for success and offload accountability for failure.
• Establishing a system for yourself to assess your decisions can help increase the rate of learning on your decision making.

Choosing Experiences and Personal Growth

• Being a billionaire is a stupid goal, as beyond a certain point, the accumulation of money doesn’t matter.
• Success is not just about accumulating wealth, but also about having a good relationship with family and loved ones.
• It’s important to take advantage of experiences during the right season of life for maximal impact.
• Personal growth is a gradual process, not a sudden event.

Maximizing Time and Mental Minimalism

• Changing the body can change the mind, and exercise can reset mood more than a good night’s sleep.
• Mental minimalism involves distilling down why you’re doing something to one reason.
• Effective people have a small number of operating principles and one orientation.
• Taking a longer-term orientation can lead to better decision making.

Summary

Importance of Goal Selection

Shaan Puri emphasizes the importance of selecting the right goals for success. He argues that being a billionaire is a stupid goal, as the accumulation of money beyond a certain point doesn’t necessarily lead to fulfillment. Instead, he encourages individuals to choose goals that bring them joy, abundance of time, and meaningful experiences. Puri also highlights the significance of project selection, as picking the right projects can make a significant difference in achieving success. By choosing goals and projects that align with one’s values and passions, individuals can increase their chances of finding fulfillment and happiness.

Undervalued Skills for Success

Puri challenges the notion that hard work is the most important factor in success. He believes that empathy and communication are the most undervalued skills in the world. Developing these skills can greatly enhance one’s ability to connect with others, build strong relationships, and navigate the complexities of the business world. Additionally, Puri emphasizes the power of enthusiasm and storytelling. Enthusiasm is contagious and can inspire others, while storytelling is a powerful tool for encoding information and knowledge. By honing these skills, individuals can stand out and make a lasting impact in their chosen fields.

Questioning Assumptions and Beliefs

Puri encourages individuals to question assumptions and beliefs they hold. He believes that controversial opinions can help challenge conventional wisdom and open up new possibilities. By being honest about what actually works and what doesn’t, individuals can break free from limiting beliefs and explore alternative paths to success. Puri also emphasizes the importance of choosing empowering stories that serve one’s goals and aspirations. By selecting narratives that align with one’s values and desires, individuals can shape their mindset and create a positive trajectory towards success.

The Myth of Hard Work

Puri challenges the myth that hard work is the key to success. While hard work is often glorified, he argues that it is massively overrated as a factor in achieving success. Instead, Puri suggests that who you work with is more important than how hard you work. Surrounding yourself with the right people and choosing the right projects can have a significant impact on your success. He also highlights the role of factors such as genetics and environment in influencing success. By questioning the myth of hard work and recognizing the importance of other factors, individuals can approach their journey to success with a more holistic perspective.

Enthusiasm and Storytelling

Puri emphasizes the power of enthusiasm and storytelling in achieving success. Enthusiasm is an underrated skill that can fuel individuals to pursue interesting and fulfilling endeavors. It is contagious and can change the way everybody feels. Additionally, storytelling is a powerful tool for connecting with others and inspiring action. By mastering the art of storytelling, individuals can effectively communicate their ideas, build strong relationships, and leave a lasting impact. Puri encourages individuals to develop these skills and harness their power to create meaningful and successful journeys.

Optimism and Emotional State

Puri highlights the importance of optimism and managing one’s emotional state. He suggests training the brain to default to optimism rather than pessimism, as optimism tends to be rewarded in Silicon Valley and can lead to better outcomes. Puri also emphasizes the value of enthusiasm and maintaining a positive emotional state in relationships. He encourages individuals to bring the “honey, I’m home” energy, which is bursting with love, affection, playfulness, and charm, to maintain enthusiasm and affection in relationships. By consciously managing one’s emotional state and embracing optimism, individuals can enhance their overall well-being and success.

Learning from Failure and Decision Making

Puri discusses the common misconceptions around failure and the importance of learning the right lessons. Many people tend to assign credit to their actions for success and offload accountability for failure. Puri suggests that success is often achieved through a few critical decisions, rather than solely relying on hard work. He encourages individuals to establish a system for assessing their decisions and learning from them, as our memories of our own thoughts and emotions can be unreliable. By regularly assessing decisions and revisiting past thoughts and emotions, individuals can gain insights into their personal growth and make better-informed decisions in the future.

Choosing Experiences and Personal Growth

Puri challenges the notion that accumulating wealth is the ultimate goal of success. He argues that beyond a certain point, the accumulation of money doesn’t bring true fulfillment. Instead, he suggests focusing on experiences, relationships, and personal growth. Puri advises individuals to take advantage of experiences during the right season of life, as certain opportunities may only be available at specific times. He also emphasizes the importance of having a good relationship with family and loved ones, as success should encompass more than just financial achievements. By prioritizing experiences, personal growth, and meaningful relationships, individuals can lead fulfilling and successful lives.

Maximizing Time and Mental Minimalism

Puri discusses the importance of maximizing time and adopting a mindset of mental minimalism. He suggests that changing the body can change the mind, and exercise can reset mood more effectively than a good night’s sleep. Puri advocates for distilling down the reasons behind one’s actions to a single principle, as effective people often have a small number of operating principles and a clear orientation. By adopting a longer-term orientation and focusing on key principles, individuals can make better decisions and lead more purposeful lives. Puri also emphasizes the importance of taking care of one’s physical well-being and avoiding mental clutter to enhance productivity and creativity.

Conclusion

In this thought-provoking episode, Shaan Puri challenges conventional wisdom and offers unique insights into achieving success. He highlights the importance of goal selection, the undervalued skills of empathy and communication, the power of enthusiasm and storytelling, and the need to question assumptions and beliefs. Puri also challenges the myth of hard work, emphasizes the importance of optimism and emotional state, and discusses the significance of learning from failure and making informed decisions. Additionally, he encourages individuals to prioritize experiences, personal growth, and meaningful relationships over the accumulation of wealth. By embracing these principles, individuals can navigate their own paths to success and fulfillment.