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watch this if you wish your life had more meaning

Alex Hormozi・89 minutes read

Olympians often experience depression after achieving success, emphasizing the fleeting nature of happiness. Pursuing subjective well-being is not a priority for the speaker, who values meaningful work over personal happiness.

Insights

  • Happiness is a continuous process, not a one-time achievement, and obsessing over it can lead to unhappiness by creating a gap between oneself and the goal.
  • Being useful to others leads to self-improvement and societal respect, emphasizing a more fulfilling life than focusing solely on personal happiness.
  • Mastery in skills requires perseverance through challenges, with confidence and quality stemming from repeated practice and preparation.

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Recent questions

  • How can Olympians experience depression despite success?

    Olympians often face depression post-success due to the fleeting nature of happiness. Achieving a goal, like winning a medal, may bring temporary joy, but the absence of a new goal or challenge can lead to a sense of emptiness. This highlights the importance of continuous growth and finding fulfillment beyond momentary achievements.

  • What is the speaker's view on pursuing happiness?

    The speaker values meaningful work over personal happiness, viewing happiness as a continuous process rather than a one-time achievement. They emphasize the importance of engaging in activities one enjoys with people they like, finding joy in being useful to others, and creating a balanced routine that optimizes daily life for long-term contentment.

  • How does the speaker suggest achieving fulfillment in life?

    The speaker advocates for focusing on being useful rather than solely pursuing happiness to lead a more fulfilling life. By emphasizing self-improvement, meaningful work, and finding joy in daily activities, individuals can cultivate a sense of contentment that transcends temporary happiness and aligns with long-term fulfillment.

  • What is the importance of perseverance in skill development?

    Perseverance is crucial for mastering skills, as seen in examples like athletes transitioning to new skills or public speakers improving through practice. The ability to persist through challenges, endure initial difficulties, and consistently practice leads to skill improvement over time, ultimately resulting in proficiency and confidence in performance.

  • How does the speaker approach goal-setting and achievement?

    The speaker highlights the significance of setting and sticking with goals, drawing from personal experiences of writing books and preparing for the GMATs. They stress the importance of enduring challenges, refining work gradually, and transitioning from external motivators to intrinsic rewards in the pursuit of mastery. By focusing on continuous improvement, perseverance, and the value of hard work, individuals can excel in their chosen endeavors and find long-lasting fulfillment.

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Summary

00:00

"Finding Happiness Through Meaningful Work"

  • Olympians often experience depression after achieving success, highlighting the fleeting nature of happiness.
  • Pursuing subjective well-being is not a priority for the speaker, who values meaningful work over personal happiness.
  • The speaker's goal is happiness, which is not achieved by treating it as a one-time achievement but rather as a continuous process.
  • Obsessing over happiness can lead to unhappiness, as it creates a gap between oneself and the goal.
  • The speaker finds joy in meaningful work and has optimized their daily routine based on past experiences of good and bad days.
  • Engaging in activities one enjoys with people they like is a key formula for happiness for the speaker.
  • Being useful to others is emphasized as a goal, as it leads to self-improvement and attracts respect from society.
  • The speaker suggests that focusing on being useful rather than happy can lead to a more fulfilling life.
  • The speaker's personal experience shows that accepting unhappiness can eventually lead to a content and fulfilling life.
  • The speaker advocates for a shift from a binary view of good and bad to a continuum, emphasizing the importance of balance in all aspects of life.

13:24

Mastering skills through perseverance and practice

  • The difference between video games and life lies in the absence of a set interval for success in life, requiring perseverance until a breakthrough occurs, typically at a higher level.
  • Athletes, especially college athletes, excel in transitioning to new skills due to their understanding of the prolonged period of struggle before mastery is achieved.
  • Learning the skill of hard work is deemed the most valuable asset, with the ability to persist through challenges being crucial for success.
  • Repetition and practice are highlighted as essential for skill development, as seen in the example of public speaking improvement through extensive preparation and practice.
  • The concept of mastering a skill is emphasized, with the necessity of enduring through initial difficulties before reaching a level of proficiency.
  • The importance of identifying the input-output equation for each skill is stressed, with consistent practice leading to improvement over time.
  • Confidence is portrayed as a result of repeated practice and preparation, leading to a sense of certainty and ease in performance.
  • The significance of continuous improvement through editing and refining work is highlighted, with the process of repetition leading to mastery and quality.
  • Creating an environment conducive to focused work on the essential skill is recommended, with the elimination of distractions and prioritization of dedicated time for practice.
  • The journey towards mastery is described as transitioning from external motivators to finding intrinsic reward in the work itself, signifying a shift towards true mastery.

26:25

"Mastering goals through perseverance and focus"

  • The speaker prepared extensively for the GMATs, taking tests weekly, with their English score peaking before their math score.
  • Recognizing patterns after multiple attempts, the speaker reached a point where simplifying content too much led to loss of essential material.
  • A thought exercise involving adding more time to a task revealed the importance of refining work gradually to achieve better outcomes.
  • The speaker emphasized the significance of sticking with goals, drawing from personal experiences of writing books and receiving positive feedback over time.
  • Mastery in pursuing goals is developed through past experiences of perseverance and seeing the benefits of long-term efforts.
  • The speaker highlighted the challenge of selecting and focusing on one goal to excel in, as achieving excellence demands significant time and dedication.
  • The "one of zero" concept involves pushing boundaries by undertaking tasks that are unprecedented and require immense effort.
  • Enduring the arduous process of creating exceptional products, like writing books, brings a sense of fulfillment and long-lasting rewards.
  • Joy is associated with being present in the moment, allowing for a deeper experience of life beyond mere pleasure-seeking activities.
  • The speaker discussed the concept of desire as a contract with oneself, creating deprivation to motivate behavior towards achieving goals, emphasizing the importance of wanting challenges over material rewards.

40:12

Embrace challenges, growth, and relentless effort.

  • Gold sees the outcome as a foregone conclusion and is eager to move on to the next challenge.
  • Focusing solely on achieving the gold can leave individuals lost without a clear direction post-achievement.
  • Winning can be achieved regardless of the approach, but it impacts the duration one can engage in the pursuit.
  • The enjoyment lies in the challenge itself, not just the gap between goals.
  • Continuously setting new goals creates a cycle of challenges and growth rather than a static endpoint.
  • The fallacy of completion in life is debunked, emphasizing the perpetual nature of growth and challenges.
  • Personal experiences, like the period before selling Gym Launch, highlight the importance of work in maintaining mental well-being.
  • The concept of Heaven as a perpetual state of satisfaction is critiqued, emphasizing the necessity of work and challenges.
  • The essence of work being the ultimate goal is stressed, with self-improvement and hard work as the primary focus.
  • Three impactful statements from various individuals underscore the value of relentless effort, pushing boundaries, and leaving nothing behind in one's pursuits.

53:55

Navigating Success: Embracing Challenges, Seeking Independence

  • The speaker didn't pursue a career as a physician due to concerns about being overshadowed by their successful father's reputation.
  • They emphasize the importance of proving oneself independently, rather than relying on external validation.
  • Viewing hardships as opportunities for self-improvement is highlighted, with the idea that challenges shape one's character.
  • The speaker discusses the concept of giving advice versus following it, noting that people often struggle to adhere to their own advice.
  • They express skepticism about traditional therapy models, preferring to engage with their future self for advice.
  • Future self is seen as a reliable source of advice due to shared information and aligned incentives.
  • Therapy sessions with future self are flexible in length, tailored to the specific needs of the moment.
  • The speaker reflects on past decisions and the importance of learning from experiences to refine decision-making frameworks.
  • The analogy of a rare baseball card collector losing a valuable card is used to illustrate accepting and learning from setbacks.
  • The speaker values their collection of gym equipment as positive reinforcement, emphasizing the personal enjoyment and significance of each piece.

01:07:20

"Effort and Excellence in Craftsmanship"

  • In the iron game, passing down nuances is crucial for apprenticeships and craftsmanship.
  • Excellence is universally respected, regardless of the craft, old or new.
  • Effort is the universal currency of respect, irrespective of background or identity.
  • Many individuals have untapped potential due to not learning how to work hard.
  • Learning the skill of effort is essential for success, not the actual success itself.
  • Distinguishing between work that counts and mere activity is vital.
  • Monitoring work output quality and speed is crucial for self-assessment.
  • Expect initial junk work when learning a new skill, as it leads to improvement.
  • Iterative work processes, even if discarded, contribute to overall progress.
  • Finding the input-output equation for skill improvement is key to success.

01:20:39

Career Path: Money, Data, Computers, Success

  • Choosing a career path involves considering preferences for money, data, or computer-related tasks, leading to numerous potential career options.
  • Developing skills in a specific field, such as data analysis, can provide transferable skills for future career changes, offering unique advantages.
  • Learning diverse skills and gaining varied experiences can lead to unexpected benefits in future endeavors, as seen in Steve Jobs' calligraphy experience influencing Mac fonts.
  • Emphasizing the value of continuous learning and skill acquisition, even if seemingly unrelated, can provide a competitive edge in problem-solving and decision-making, as illustrated by personal experiences in the fitness and investment industries.
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