Some things I believe

Things I've noticed

• Real advantage comes from doing boring work when nobody's watching. The stuff that looks effortless probably took years of messy attempts , terrible first tries, getting up before dawn. Everyone wants the shortcut—maybe the shortcut is just showing up every day.
• What goes in determines what comes out, usually. Lifting weights, writing something clear, getting good answers from AI—it all starts with inputs. Focus on what you can control: books read, questions asked, problems worked on. Everything else might sort itself out.
• Shipping fast and being kind don't have to be opposites. In fact, they can make each other stronger. Something imperfect in the world usually beats something perfect that never ships. Time doesn't come back — so move fast, but with empathy. And sometimes, the best things begin by doing what doesn't scale . That's where the real magic often starts.

Stuff That Feels True

• Agency, earnestness, and integrity feel incredibly rare these days. Naval on leverage & integrity . Saying "let's figure it out" instead of "it's impossible" usually works better. Same with admitting when you're clueless and doing what you say you'll do.
• There's probably good stuff where everyone else stays shallow. Forgotten corners hide interesting things—random blog posts from 2015, footnotes nobody reads, awkward questions at the end of presentations. Showing up early or staying late tends to work.
• Energy feels precious and finite. Good sleep, real sunlight, cold water, one perfect cup of coffee—these seem to keep heads clear. Tired brains lie about productivity a lot.
• Weird humor might unlock creative thinking. A stupid joke or random meme can completely reset how you see a problem. Some of the best insights come from goofy, unexpected moments.
• Kindness builds compound interest over decades. Being clever has natural limits, but being kind keeps paying dividends somehow. Reputation might be the only asset that appreciates forever.
• Everyone will have similar AI tools soon, so human judgment becomes more important. The magic isn't in the technology—it's in knowing what to ask and what to ignore.
• Code turns wild ideas into reality faster than ever. One person with decent internet can build what used to need entire companies. The constraint isn't permission anymore, it's imagination.
• Clear usually beats clever. If you can't explain something in casual conversation, you probably don't understand it yet.
• Curiosity opens more doors than networking ever will. "Why does this work?" leads to places you never planned to go.
• Boredom tells you what you actually care about. Mindless scrolling is often your brain saying you're avoiding something important.
• Taste develops before skills catch up. Hating your early work means you're growing. Keep making stuff anyway.
• Consistency destroys motivation in the best way. Small daily habits outlast every weekend warrior burst of inspiration. Atomic Habits .
• "I have no idea" is where interesting work begins. Confusion means you're at the edge of learning something new.
• Comfort makes you soft without you noticing. A little intentional discomfort keeps your edge sharp.
• Information diet shapes thoughts like food shapes the body. What you read, watch, and discuss matters more than you think. Digital Minimalism .
• Remembering you'll die clarifies everything instantly. Limited time makes choosing easier.
• Beautiful things reveal that someone cared. Clean design, thoughtful details, even how someone sets a table—it all says "this mattered."
• Be kind—to yourself, and to the world.