Podcast Summary
Transforming a home into an Airbnb brings in extra income and new connections: Being proactive and making opportunities happen can lead to additional income and new experiences
Turning your home into an Airbnb not only brings in extra income but also allows you to share a piece of your world with others. Jen and the speaker, inspired by their travels, have transformed their home into an Airbnb with a spare bedroom and personal touches to make guests feel welcome. This not only brings in additional income but also creates new connections and adventures. Alex Benaian's story further emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and making opportunities happen. He reached out to successful people to learn from them, leading to the creation of his book and speaking career. Both stories highlight the importance of being proactive and making the most of the resources available to you.
From naive beginnings to successful interviews: Believe in your idea, stay persistent, and recognize the role of luck in achieving success
Starting a project or business, especially for younger generations, can be done quickly and without extensive planning, as seen in the story of this podcast host who naively attempted to call and interview influential figures like Bill Gates and Lady Gaga. However, the reality is that success often requires persistence and a long-term commitment, as it took the host years to secure interviews with these individuals. Another key takeaway is the role of luck in achieving success, as the host discovered that many influential people didn't have open schedules for interviews, but those who did were often open to sharing their wisdom without any promotional agenda. Overall, the story highlights the importance of believing in the potential of an idea, staying persistent, and recognizing the role of luck in achieving success.
The Role of Luck in Success: Hard work and intelligence are crucial, but luck and timing can also significantly impact success. Utilize resources effectively and create opportunities to maximize chances of success.
While hard work and intelligence are crucial factors in achieving success, the role of luck should not be underestimated. This was highlighted in the discussion about Bill Gates and Microsoft, where access to resources at the right time played a significant role in their success. However, the story of Chi Lu, a man who grew up in poverty in China and rose to become a president at Microsoft, illustrates the importance of creating opportunities and utilizing resources effectively, even when faced with significant disadvantages. Chi recognized the importance of giving himself an edge and researched sleep patterns of famous figures to create a system that allowed him to function effectively on fewer hours of sleep. On a Sunday night when he was in college, he happened to be in his dorm room instead of riding back to his village, which led him to attend a lecture that ultimately changed the course of his life. These examples demonstrate that while hard work and intelligence are essential, luck and timing can also play a significant role in success.
Preparation meets Opportunity: Being prepared increases the likelihood of making the most of lucky opportunities. Mindset, habits, and knowledge play a role in experiencing good luck.
Being prepared is the key to making the most of lucky opportunities. Chi's story is a prime example of this concept. Despite the seemingly random encounter with a Carnegie Mellon professor, Chi was able to take advantage of the situation because he had extensive knowledge and research on the topic. His preparation was his "fee to get on the bus" of opportunity. This idea contradicts the common notion of luck as a random, uncontrollable event. Instead, scientific studies suggest that some people are more likely to experience "good luck" due to their mindset, habits, and preparation. By understanding the science of luck, we can increase our chances of making the most of fortunate circumstances.
Reflecting on lucky moments can make us believe we're lucky: Consistently writing about and reflecting on lucky moments in your life for 30 days can rewire your brain to believe you're lucky, leading to positive self-perception and future outcomes.
Our mindset and the narratives we tell ourselves about luck can significantly impact our perception of the world and our career outcomes. A study showed that people who believe they are lucky are more likely to find information they're looking for, like the number of times a word appears in a newspaper. This internal narrative of being lucky keeps them open to possibilities. To cultivate this mindset, we can reflect on past experiences and write about moments in our lives where we felt lucky. By doing this consistently for 30 days, we can rewire our brains to believe we are lucky, which can lead to subtle changes in our self-perception and future outcomes. This concept is similar to Dean Kamen's idea of an internal bias, where our past experiences shape our beliefs about ourselves. So, if you want to be more lucky, start by writing about and reflecting on the lucky moments in your life.
Practice telling yourself positive stories to believe in your luck and opportunities: Consistently write about positive experiences to change beliefs and open up to new opportunities
Our subconscious mind responds strongly to stories and narratives. Telling ourselves positive stories about our abilities and experiences can help us believe in our luck and opportunities. Repetition is key to making this belief stick. This principle, known as the "Lucky Mindset," can be practiced through journaling or other means. By consistently writing about our positive experiences and internalizing a narrative of being lucky, we can change our beliefs and, in turn, our reality. This is not a magic trick, but a scientifically proven method for rewiring our brains. It takes consistent effort and repetition, ideally for at least 30 days, to see significant results. By changing our beliefs about what is possible, we open ourselves up to new opportunities and experiences.
Asking for advice instead of mentorship: Start by asking for a small piece of advice and show its value to build a positive mentor relationship
Explicitly asking someone to be your mentor is a major mistake. Instead, starting with a simple question for advice and showing the value of that advice through implementation and gratitude is a more effective approach. The mentor-mentee relationship is a significant commitment, and cold emailing someone asking for a large time investment can come off as presumptuous. By asking for a quick piece of advice and demonstrating its impact, you can create a positive subconscious narrative for the mentor and potentially open the door for further guidance.
Approaching Mentorship the Right Way: Build relationships, ask for specific advice, be urgent and committed, and seek mentors who have the time and expertise to help you grow.
When it comes to seeking mentorship, asking for too much too soon or approaching high-profile individuals can be counterproductive. Instead, it's important to build a relationship and understand the value of the mentor's time. The speaker emphasizes the importance of starting small, asking for specific advice, and being urgent and committed in implementing it. Additionally, seeking mentors who may not be in the limelight but have the time and expertise can lead to exponential growth. The speaker's impatience and the importance of taking action immediately are also key themes. Overall, the takeaway is to approach mentorship with respect for the mentor's time and commitment to implementing the advice received.
Mutual growth and understanding in mentoring relationships: Mentors and mentees both benefit from sharing knowledge and expertise, fostering a strong and mutually beneficial relationship
Successful mentoring relationships are built on mutual growth and understanding. Cal Fussman, a magazine writer who changed the speaker's life before the digital age, showed him the value of sharing his expertise with someone eager to learn. The speaker, in turn, provided Cal with knowledge about the internet and entrepreneurship. The mentor-mentee dynamic is not one-sided; mentors seek to learn from mentees as well. A mentor may not only want to help the mentee succeed or be more like them, but also to rediscover their own enthusiasm and curiosity. To effectively seek a mentor, the speaker advises considering their interests and trying to find someone who shares similarities, whether physical or professional, to establish a strong and mutually beneficial mentoring relationship.
Consider factors for successful mentoring relationships: Find mentors with shared backgrounds or expertise, ask for advice on relevant topics, and bring value to the relationship to create a mutually beneficial partnership.
When seeking advice from potential mentors, it's crucial to consider several factors for a successful and meaningful relationship. First, look for mentors with shared backgrounds or expertise that aligns with your goals. Second, ensure you're asking for advice on topics within their area of expertise to make the interaction enjoyable and productive for both parties. Lastly, consider what value you can bring to the relationship, as it's essential to recognize that mentoring relationships are mutually beneficial. By being thoughtful and empathetic, you can identify potential needs of your mentor and create a symbiotic partnership. Remember, doing your research and understanding the unique circumstances of potential mentors can make a significant difference in the success of your mentoring relationship.
Effective Communication: Preparation and Understanding: Prepare by researching recipients, respect their time, and tailor messages to their interests for successful communication.
Effective communication and outreach require preparation and understanding of the person you're trying to reach. Jordan Harbinger shared an experience of receiving numerous cold messages from people without proper research or consideration for his work. He emphasized the importance of spending time learning about the recipient before reaching out. Tim Ferriss, a mentor to Jordan, provided a valuable cold email template as a solution to this issue. This template includes acknowledging the recipient's busy schedule and keeping the email short and concise. Jordan shared his own embarrassing story of persistently emailing Tim, ultimately meeting him in person, and learning this valuable lesson. Overall, the key takeaway is that genuine and successful communication involves preparation, respect for the recipient's time, and a clear understanding of their interests.
Acknowledge recipient's busy schedule and keep it short: Showing respect for recipient's time by acknowledging their busy schedule and keeping emails short can increase response chances
Crafting a thoughtful and respectful email can increase the chances of receiving a response. According to the podcast guest, Tim Ferriss, starting an email by acknowledging the recipient's busy schedule and keeping it short can create curiosity and show respect for their time. Instead of the common "thanks in advance" closing, try expressing gratitude for any potential response, no matter how brief. The guest shared his personal experience of using this approach to successfully email Tim Ferriss and win tickets to The Price is Right to fund his book project. By understanding the recipient's reality and showing respect for their time, you can make your email stand out and potentially lead to a valuable response.
The Power of Preparation and Understanding the System: Thorough preparation, understanding the odds, and knowing the hidden selection process can help turn seemingly impossible goals into reality.
With determination and thorough preparation, seemingly impossible goals can be achieved. The speaker shares a story of how he proved to himself that attending "The Price is Right" was a bad idea by making a list of worst-case scenarios, but instead ended up winning a sailboat and funding his dream. He achieved this by not only understanding the odds but also figuring out the hidden selection process. He spent his all-nighter researching the producer's interview process and behavior, and when he arrived, he put on a show to stand out. He knew the producer's name, background, and even his tweets. By the time he reached the front of the line, he already knew if he was a contestant or not. This story demonstrates the power of preparation, persistence, and understanding the systems at play to turn a seemingly impossible situation into a successful one.
Persistence pays off, even with unconventional methods: Staying determined, thinking creatively, and embracing unexpected outcomes can lead to success, even if it comes with unconventional methods or consequences.
Being persistent and creative, even in seemingly impossible situations, can lead to unexpected success. The speaker in this story went on a wild journey to get on The Price is Right, using unconventional methods like making a handshake with a contestant and focusing on human connection. Despite some cringe-worthy moments, his persistence paid off, and he ended up winning a sailboat and turning it into a valuable asset. However, the experience came with a price – a 10-year ban from the show. Instead of giving up, the speaker shared his experience with friends and inspired them to try their luck on the show as well. This story highlights the importance of staying determined, thinking outside the box, and embracing the unexpected twists and turns in life.
Seizing Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges: Persistence, creativity, and a bit of luck can lead to unexpected success. Seize opportunities, reach out to mentors and influencers, and have a system in place to execute plans.
With determination, creativity, and a bit of luck, one can achieve unexpected success. The speaker, Alex, shares his experience of using unconventional methods to secure funding for his book launch by appearing on a little-known game show, "The Price is Right," and winning a brand-new car. This story underscores the importance of seizing opportunities, reaching out to mentors and influencers, and having a system in place to execute plans, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Alex's book, "The 3rd Door," emphasizes the role of persistence, chutzpah, and adaptability in overcoming obstacles and realizing goals. By sharing his personal journey, Alex encourages listeners of all ages to believe in their abilities and go for what they want, no matter the circumstances.