The most critical concept in life is self-reliance. Emerson wrote a fantastic essay on the matter. A politically correct society harms one's personal growth. A man is revealed in how he reacts during difficulty. It is easy to be excellent in peaceful times.
"Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
I see that frequently. Instead of celebrating business greatness, some-investors opt to celebrate diversity before celebrating competence. One should be able to do both. It is not hard, but it is possible. Recently I have seen biases towards both ways. You shall never celebrate race or gender before competence.
Instead of conforming to social expectations, work on being a well-mannered misfit. Follow your voice rather than an intermediary while being honest with others.
When something adverse happens to you, connect with God and ask yourself: was this a product of my behavior? What could I have done to prevent it from happening? What is the best course of action? Know that you are not alone. Trust your inner voice.
The holiday season is one of my favorites as it brings everything out. A time to reflect upon your year, do deep work, catch up on sleep, exercise more, etc.
Shoe Dog, the recently published book by Phil Knight (Nike's founder), is a fantastic read that demonstrates how challenging it is to build a global business.
An important realization that happened this week: what happens when you go at life with 110% intensity all the time? You will most likely crash and burn.
