From: alexhormozi
Achieving success, particularly in one’s early career, is often attributed to a combination of relentless action and strategic patience. The speaker, who achieved his first million at 26 and a $100 million net worth by 31, advocates for a roadmap centered on these principles [00:00:00].
Impatience with Inputs: The Power of Action
A core tenet for success is to be impatient with inputs and patient with outputs [00:05:16]. This means focusing intensely on controllable actions while allowing time for results to materialize.
Embracing a Strong Work Ethic
A 6-day, 12-hour work week is normalized for men between 16 and 28, emphasizing that personal value is derived from utility [00:00:11]. When young, individuals possess ample energy which should be traded for experience points to become useful [00:00:27]. This aligns with the value of hard work and persistence.
Resourcefulness Over Resources
The first rule of entrepreneurship is to “use what you’ve got,” prioritizing resourcefulness over existing resources [00:00:34]. Instead of being hindered by a lack of capital or connections, one should leverage available energy to gain experience and prove competence in a skill [00:00:41].
Financial Discipline for Investment
For those with less than $100,000 in savings, practical financial recommendations include [00:01:25]:
- Stopping eating out, opting for discount groceries [00:01:44].
- Avoiding new clothes, buying only from Goodwill [00:01:46].
- Attending only free friend events, as friends who don’t support your goals may act as “enemies” [00:03:51].
- Using remaining time to apply for higher-paying jobs, take side hustles, or learn high-value skills [00:04:26].
- Outworking the hardest worker in the room by doubling their input [00:04:45].
Being financially defensive allows individuals to build a stockpile of money, which in turn enables them to take strategic “bets” on education, opportunities, or business ventures [00:02:22]. This stockpile fosters long-term thinking, shifting from survival mode to “thrive mode” [00:03:10].
The Power of Repetitions and Feedback
Skill development happens through volume and a feedback loop [00:07:56]. It’s about performing many repetitions and making incremental improvements between them [00:08:00]. One gets good at a skill by being bad at it, failing, and consistently repeating the process [00:01:07].
For example, in content creation, it’s not enough to just make and post videos; one must analyze top-performing content and bottom-performing content to identify what works and what doesn’t, then adjust behavior accordingly [00:08:20]. This continuous self-appraisal and adaptation illustrate the role of failure and perseverance in achieving success. This is a key aspect of the process for success in various life areas.
Action Alleviates Anxiety
The speaker emphasizes that “action alleviates anxiety” [00:17:36]. When impatience arises due to a lack of desired outcomes, the solution is to increase inputs and take more action. This constant doing, especially with the intention to improve, fills the gap between one’s current self and ideal self [00:17:55]. This highlights the value of actions over intentions in achieving success.
Patience with Outputs: The Delay of Gratification
While being relentless with inputs, it’s crucial to be patient with outputs. Significant life changes, though triggered by a single decision, take time to bear fruit [00:05:21].
The 36-Month Rule
After implementing aggressive input strategies, one should wait 36 months for significant changes to manifest [00:05:11]. This extended timeframe is essential because outcomes are delayed; unlike poisoning a tree quickly, growing one takes time [00:05:31]. This is a practical application of patience in achieving success and the importance of compounding and patience in accumulating wealth.
Delaying Gratification as a Meta-Skill
The ability to delay gratification is a crucial meta-skill that overshadows all others [00:45:10]. It’s the capacity to perform tasks without an immediate reward, holding out for a larger, later payoff [00:45:07]. The first significant reward acts as a powerful reinforcement, encouraging continued effort and potentially leading to obsession with the pursuit of goals [00:45:24].
Understanding Time Perception
Younger individuals might find it harder to be patient because their perception of time makes a few years feel like a very long duration [00:46:17]. However, as one ages, time perception speeds up, making patience in achieving success easier to exhibit because the “meantime” passes more quickly [00:46:50].
Overcoming Obstacles through Action and Humility
Success is not just about raw effort, but also about smart work, which involves continuously tweaking and improving one’s approach [00:21:02].
Learning from Others and Humility
Seek advice from those ahead of you [00:18:56]. Young individuals, especially, can leverage the desire of more experienced people to feel important by asking for mentorship [00:22:29]. Humbly admitting a lack of knowledge can unlock years of valuable wisdom for free [00:22:58]. The speaker himself joined a mastermind for gym owners before opening his gym to learn from their mistakes [00:19:02]. This demonstrates the importance of focus and perseverance in entrepreneurship and the power of external learning.
”Demons” as Skill Deficiencies
Personal struggles, often labeled as “demons” or “self-sabotage,” are reframed as a lack of skills in behaving ideally under certain conditions [00:53:17]. For example, inability to be consistent or losing interest when a task becomes boring are skill discrepancies to be overcome [00:54:19].
A three-step framework for addressing these issues is proposed [00:59:11]:
- Logic: Define the problem in terms of observable behavior (“What does that mean?“) [00:59:20].
- Evidence: Quantify or verify the behavior (“How do you know that?“) [00:59:31].
- Utility: Assess its relevance to goals (“Who cares? Why does this matter?“) [01:00:38]. This process helps in identifying achieving success through consistent behaviors by pinpointing specific areas for improvement.
The Only Wrong Answer: Doing Nothing
The world has many “right” paths to success, but only one wrong answer: doing nothing [00:47:48]. Fear of failure or disapproval from others often paralyzes action [00:48:40]. However, true strength lies in appearing weak and having more than expected, not in impressing others with superficial displays of wealth [00:41:49]. This concept aligns with understanding the role of urgency and taking action.
Conclusion: The Interplay of Patience and Action
Ultimately, success is achieved by those with the “balls to start, the brains to learn, and the heart to never quit” [00:42:18]. The problem isn’t knowing what to do; most people already know. The problem is delaying action under the guise of finding a “better plan,” when plans are inherently fluid and will change with new information [00:43:31].
Personal excellence is the “ultimate rebellion” against a world designed to distract and prevent action [00:44:25]. By consistently asking whether a person or activity increases or decreases the likelihood of hitting goals, one can make clear decisions that prioritize long-term aspirations over short-term comfort or fleeting relationships [00:38:05]. This dedication makes one an “exception,” not “normal,” leading to a period of solitude but ultimately to profound achievement [00:35:48].