Industries are small

The world is big, but industries are small. After a few years, everyone comes to know the quality of your work. Reputation matters.

On funerals, loss, grief, friendship, and support

It's not about knowing what to say. It's about being there when nobody knows what to say. People only need to hear, "You are not alone." And that doesn't require words. It just requires your presence.

The only thing that matters now

A surefire way to make a bad situation worse is to continue replaying it in your mind. The damage is done. The only thing that matters now is making the best choice given your current position.

Adaptability is the way of consistency.

Consistency is about being adaptable. Don't have much time? Scale it down. Don't have much energy? Do the easy version. Find different ways to show up depending on the circumstances. Let your habits change shape to meet the demands of the day.

You should continuously have mentors

In any aspect of life, if you can pull it off, you should continuously have mentors and offer mentorship. This can be as formal or informal as you want.

I know how to spot real confidence

I know how to spot real confidence. Look for people who are fluid with status—who allow themselves to be the butt of a joke, or accept criticism, but also avoid false modesty, and inhabit the spotlight when it falls on them. One might call this a balance between dignity and humility. Pro tip: people who always cling to high status aren’t confident in the normal sense, they are cult leader types, which is a different animal.

Radically change your environment

Environmental influence is the most effective form of behavioral control. Accordingly, if you want radical change, radically change your environment. Being in the wrong city will cancel out years of self-improvement.