Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever sat down in the morning completely determined to have a productive day, only to look at the clock three hours later and realize you've somehow managed to answer two emails, check Facebook, scroll through Instagram, watch a video you didn't even intend to watch, make another cup of coffee, and somehow accomplish almost nothing that was actually important?

If you've ever experienced this, don't worry-you are not alone.

In fact, you might be experiencing one of the biggest problems of modern life: we have more access to information, entertainment, and communication than ever before, but less ability to control our attention.

Our phones buzz, emails arrive, notifications pop up, and every app seems to be screaming, "Look at me!"

And then we wonder why we can't concentrate.

But what if the problem isn't that you aren't motivated?

What if you simply haven't learned how to get your brain into the right state?

Steven Kotler, an author and researcher who has spent years studying peak performance, has devoted much of his work to understanding something called flow-that remarkable state where you become so completely absorbed in what you're doing that distractions seem to disappear, time feels different, and the work itself becomes almost effortless.

You've probably experienced it before.

Maybe you were working on something you loved and suddenly realized three hours had passed.

Maybe you were exercising, creating something, solving a difficult problem, or having a conversation where you became so engaged that you completely lost track of time.

You weren't forcing yourself to concentrate.

You were simply there.

That is flow.

And according to Kotler, there are ways to create the conditions that make flow much more likely.

Watch Steven Kotler's Big Think interview, "How to enter 'flow state' on command"

The Sweet Spot Between Boredom and Overwhelm

One of the most fascinating things about flow is the relationship between challenge and skill.

If something is too easy, you get bored.

If something is far beyond your ability, you get overwhelmed.

But when something is just slightly beyond what you're currently capable of doing, your brain has a reason to become completely engaged.

Think about the last time you learned something difficult.

Maybe you were learning a new sales technique, trying to build a business, learning a new software program, giving a presentation, or doing something you've never done before.

At first, you probably felt uncomfortable.

You didn't know exactly what you were doing, and your brain had to work harder than usual.

But then you started figuring things out.

You became better.

Eventually, what once seemed difficult became familiar.

And that's where growth happens.

We often think discomfort means we're failing, but sometimes discomfort is actually evidence that we're learning.

So ask yourself: When was the last time you deliberately did something that was slightly beyond your current ability?

Not something impossible.

Not something that makes you want to crawl under your desk.

Just something that makes you think, "I'm not completely sure I can do this, but I'm going to try."

That is where your next level may be hiding.

Maybe You Don't Need More Motivation

We've all said it.

"I just don't feel motivated today."

But here's the problem with waiting for motivation: motivation is incredibly unreliable.

Some mornings you wake up ready to conquer the world.

Other mornings, getting out of bed feels like you've been assigned a group project with your entire family.

If your success depends on feeling motivated every morning, you're going to have a difficult time.

The trick is to create a challenge that gives your brain something to focus on.

Instead of saying, "I'm going to make some sales calls today," give yourself a specific target.

"I have 90 minutes, and I'm going to make 30 calls, reach five decision-makers, and try to book two appointments."

Now you've created a game.

There's a goal.

There's a clock.

There's uncertainty.

There's something to chase.

And suddenly, the activity becomes more engaging.

You can do this with almost anything.

Instead of saying, "I'm going to exercise," ask yourself how much you can accomplish in 45 minutes.

Instead of saying, "I'm going to work on my business," decide exactly what you want completed before the timer ends.

Instead of saying, "I need to study," challenge yourself to master one specific concept.

Turn your work into a challenge, and you may discover that your brain becomes much more interested in participating.

Your Phone Is Probably Winning

Now let's talk about the biggest enemy of flow.

Your phone.

That wonderful little rectangle that can help you run a business, communicate with anyone in the world, navigate your car, take photographs, manage your finances, and simultaneously destroy your concentration in approximately three seconds.

It's incredible.

It's also incredibly distracting.

You can be deeply focused on something important when your phone lights up.

You look at it.

It's a text.

You answer.

Then you see another notification.

You check that.

Then you remember something else.

Ten minutes later, you're watching a video about a restaurant you've never heard of in a city you've never visited.

And then you look back at your work and wonder, "What was I doing?"

The problem isn't only the ten minutes you lost.

It's the mental momentum you lost.

If you want to experience deeper focus, you have to protect your attention.

Try giving yourself just 90 minutes.

Put your phone somewhere you can't easily reach it.

Turn off notifications.

Close your email.

Choose one important objective.

Then give that one thing your complete attention.

At first, it might feel strange.

You may even feel the urge to check your phone for absolutely no reason.

Resist it.

Stay with the task.

Eventually, your brain begins to settle down.

And once it does, you may be amazed by how much you can accomplish.

Growth Requires a Little Discomfort

There is a dangerous place in life called comfortable enough.

You're not miserable enough to change.

You're not challenged enough to grow.

You're simply comfortable enough to stay where you are.

But extraordinary growth rarely happens there.

Growth happens when you walk into the room where you don't know everyone.

It happens when you make the phone call you're nervous about making.

It happens when you learn the skill you currently don't understand.

It happens when you attempt something and discover that you're not very good at it yet.

Notice that word:

Yet.

You aren't bad at it forever.

You're simply inexperienced right now.

The person who is excellent at something today was once terrible at it.

They just kept going.

And eventually, the uncomfortable became familiar.

The unfamiliar became manageable.

And the difficult became easier.

That's how mastery happens.

So What Deserves Your Attention?

Imagine what could happen if you stopped trying to do ten things at once and became exceptionally good at focusing on one important thing.

Imagine what you could accomplish if you gave your goals the same level of attention you give your phone.

Imagine what might change if you stopped waiting to feel motivated and instead created an environment where action became easier.

Tomorrow, choose one meaningful challenge.

Make it slightly harder than what you're comfortable with.

Give yourself a measurable goal.

Remove distractions.

Set a timer for 60 or 90 minutes.

Then begin.

You don't need a perfect morning routine.

You don't need to wake up at 4:00 a.m., drink something green that tastes like lawn clippings, take an ice bath, meditate on a mountain, and write seventeen pages in a leather journal before breakfast.

You just need to focus on something that matters.

Because your attention is more valuable than you probably realize.

Every hour you spend distracted is an hour of your life.

Every hour you spend learning is an hour of your life.

Every hour you spend building something meaningful is an hour of your life.

So perhaps the question isn't, "How can I find more time?"

Maybe the better question is:

"What deserves more of the time I already have?"

Your next breakthrough may not require more motivation.

It may not require more money.

It may not even require more time.

It might simply require you to put your phone down, choose a challenge that scares you just enough, and give yourself permission to become completely absorbed in the work.

Because when you learn to control your attention, you begin to control something much bigger than your productivity.

You begin to control where your life is going.

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

Everything GTM. One platform.

Small teams don't have time to stitch together five tools and hope it works.

Apollo gives you everything you need to find leads, reach them, and close deals — all in one place:

• 230M+ verified contacts

• AI-powered outreach

• Data enrichment

• Inbound lead capture

• Meeting scheduler

• And more

Stop juggling tools and start building pipeline that scales.

With Apollo, the AI revenue engine powering 4M+ users.

Sign up for free

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever reached the end of your day and wondered where all your time went? You remember answering emails, checking social media, watching a few videos, reading a few headlines, and jumping from one notification to another. Somehow, hours disappeared, yet it doesn't feel like you've learned anything meaningful. You were busy, but were you actually becoming better? Were you developing new skills, strengthening your judgment, or preparing yourself for bigger opportunities?

Now ask yourself another question. When was the last time you sat quietly with your own thoughts? When was the last time you read an entire chapter of a book without checking your phone? When did you last spend thirty uninterrupted minutes solving a difficult problem, learning a new business strategy, or challenging one of your own beliefs?

For many of us, those moments have become increasingly rare. We live in a world where every second of our attention is being fought over. Social media platforms compete for our eyes, news outlets compete for our emotions, and algorithms compete for our time. The result is a generation that has more information than ever before, yet often struggles to think deeply about the information it consumes.

That is exactly why Sandeep Swadia's YouTube video, "This Is Boring But It Will Make You Scary Intelligent," deserves your attention.

At first glance, the title almost sounds like a joke. After all, who wants to spend time doing something boring? We naturally look for excitement, instant gratification, and quick results. Yet the entire message behind the video turns that way of thinking upside down. Swadia reminds us that the activities we often label as "boring" are usually the very habits that produce extraordinary success over time.

The message is simple, but its implications are profound.

One of the biggest misconceptions in today's world is that intelligence is measured by how much information you know. Years ago, that might have been true. Today, artificial intelligence can summarize books, answer complex questions, generate business plans, and analyze enormous amounts of data in just a few seconds. Information has become a commodity. Almost anyone can access facts within moments.

What separates successful people today isn't simply knowledge. It's judgment.

The ability to think critically has become one of the most valuable business skills anyone can develop. Every day we're bombarded with headlines, opinions, advertisements, influencers, and experts telling us what to believe. Some information is accurate. Some is misleading. Some is intentionally designed to manipulate us. The question is no longer whether information is available. The real question is whether we have trained ourselves to recognize truth, question assumptions, and make thoughtful decisions before reacting.

Think about how many decisions you make every single day. You decide which opportunities to pursue, which people to trust, how to spend your money, where to invest your time, and which advice deserves your attention. Every one of those decisions shapes your future. The quality of your life will always be influenced by the quality of your decisions, and the quality of your decisions depends on the quality of your thinking.

This is where Swadia's message becomes incredibly powerful.

He reminds us that our brains are constantly being trained by whatever we repeatedly do. If we spend hours jumping between short videos, reacting to notifications, and consuming bite-sized content, we gradually become accustomed to shallow thinking. Our attention span shrinks. Our patience weakens. We become uncomfortable whenever something requires sustained focus. Without realizing it, we begin choosing entertainment over education because it feels easier.

On the other hand, when we consistently read books, study new ideas, solve difficult problems, write our thoughts down, and reflect on what we've learned, our minds begin to change. We become more patient. We notice patterns others overlook. We ask better questions. We become less emotional when making important decisions because we've trained ourselves to slow down and think before reacting.

The irony is that none of these habits are exciting. Reading a challenging book rarely goes viral on social media. Spending an evening studying psychology, finance, or leadership doesn't generate instant rewards. Sitting quietly and thinking through a difficult business problem doesn't provide the immediate dopamine hit that scrolling through your phone does.

Yet these quiet habits are precisely what create extraordinary people.

Consider some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs and investors. People like Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, and many accomplished CEOs have openly shared that they spend significant portions of their day reading, studying, and thinking. They understand something that most people overlook: the greatest return on investment doesn't always come from working harder. Often, it comes from thinking better.

Imagine making just one better business decision every month. Perhaps you hire the right employee instead of the wrong one. Maybe you negotiate a stronger contract, avoid an unnecessary expense, or recognize an opportunity that everyone else ignored. Those individual decisions may seem small at first, but over years they compound into remarkable success.

That is the hidden power of becoming a better thinker.

Swadia also encourages viewers to become more curious. Instead of accepting information at face value, he suggests asking deeper questions. Why is this considered true? What evidence supports this claim? What assumptions are people making? Could there be another explanation? These questions may seem simple, but they are the foundation of critical thinking. The smartest people in the world are rarely the ones who have all the answers. More often, they are the ones asking the best questions.

This lesson is especially important for business owners and professionals. Markets change. Technology evolves. Consumer behavior shifts. The businesses that survive are usually led by people who remain curious, continue learning, and adapt faster than everyone else. They don't assume yesterday's knowledge will solve tomorrow's problems. Instead, they remain lifelong students.

Perhaps the most encouraging message from the video is that intelligence isn't something reserved for a select few. It isn't determined solely by IQ or formal education. Intelligence can be developed. Every book you read, every thoughtful conversation you have, every difficult problem you solve, and every lesson you reflect upon strengthens your ability to think more clearly.

In many ways, becoming "scary intelligent" has very little to do with being naturally gifted. It has everything to do with consistently practicing habits that most people find too slow, too difficult, or simply too boring.

As you go through this week, I want to leave you with a simple challenge. Before reaching for your phone during a quiet moment, reach for a book instead. Before reacting to the latest headline, ask whether you've seen enough evidence to form an opinion. Before making your next important business decision, give yourself a few extra minutes to think instead of rushing toward the first answer.

Those small moments may not seem significant today, but over time they shape the person you become.

The future will belong to those who know how to think, not simply those who know how to search.

And perhaps that's the greatest lesson of all. The habits that appear boring today may very well become the greatest competitive advantage you'll ever have tomorrow.

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

What if ChatGPT recommends your competitor first?

Over 2,500 businesses already show up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google. AutoSEO writes expert articles and earns backlinks while they sleep. No SEO learning curve. No agency. Set it up once and let it run.

Get my free plan

Good morning Grinder,

How many incredible ideas have you talked yourself out of because you didn't think you were qualified? How many dreams have been placed on the shelf because someone else seemed smarter, richer, more experienced, or simply more connected than you? Have you ever wondered how different your life could look if you stopped waiting for the perfect moment and simply started?

The truth is, most successful people didn't begin with all the answers. They began with a decision. They chose to believe in an idea before anyone else believed in it. They embraced uncertainty, accepted rejection, and kept moving forward despite the fear of failure.

Few entrepreneurs embody that mindset better than Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. Her story isn't just about building a billion-dollar company. It's about believing in yourself when the world gives you every reason to doubt. It's about turning frustration into innovation and proving that persistence often matters far more than perfection.

If you've ever questioned whether you're capable of creating something extraordinary, Sara's journey is a reminder that greatness often begins with ordinary people who refuse to give up.

Take a few moments to watch this inspiring interview:

As you watch, don't just listen to her words. Listen for the mindset behind her success. Sometimes the greatest lesson isn't the business strategy-it's the way successful people think.

Sara Blakely's story begins far from the boardrooms of billion-dollar companies. She wasn't born into wealth, nor did she graduate from an elite business school. Before Spanx, she worked selling fax machines door-to-door. Imagine hearing "no" dozens of times every single day. Most people would have quit. Instead, every rejection strengthened her resilience.

Interestingly, Sara often credits her father for changing her relationship with failure. Instead of asking whether she had succeeded each week, he asked what she had failed at. If she hadn't failed at something, he was actually disappointed. That simple question transformed failure from something to avoid into something to celebrate. It meant she was taking chances. It meant she was growing.

Think about that for a moment.

What if failure wasn't evidence that you're incapable? What if it was proof that you're courageous enough to try?

That single mindset shift has the power to change careers, businesses, relationships, and even entire lives.

The idea for Spanx didn't come from a corporate brainstorming session. It came from a personal frustration. Sara wanted a smoother look under a pair of white pants but couldn't find the right undergarment. Rather than accept the problem, she decided to solve it herself. She literally cut the feet off a pair of pantyhose and unknowingly created the first version of what would become one of the world's most recognizable apparel brands.

Many people experience inconveniences every day. Very few ask themselves, "Could this become a business?"

That's what separates entrepreneurs from everyone else. They don't just notice problems. They become obsessed with finding solutions.

Of course, having an idea is only the beginning.

Sara spent years trying to convince manufacturers to produce her product. Most of them dismissed her. They didn't understand the concept. Some laughed. Others said no immediately. Every rejection could have been the end of the story.

Instead, it became another chapter.

Eventually, one manufacturer agreed to take a chance, largely because his daughters believed the product had potential. That one opportunity changed everything.

How many opportunities are waiting on the other side of one more conversation?

How many doors remain unopened simply because we stop knocking too soon?

One of the most inspiring aspects of Sara Blakely's leadership is her willingness to stay authentic. She never pretended to know everything. She openly admits she learned business as she went. She asked questions. She remained curious. She surrounded herself with people who knew more than she did.

That's an important lesson in today's world.

Too many people believe confidence means having all the answers. Real confidence is admitting what you don't know while trusting yourself enough to learn.

Sara also understood something that many entrepreneurs overlook. Products don't just solve problems-they tell stories.

Spanx wasn't marketed as shapewear. It was marketed as confidence. It wasn't just about clothing. It was about helping women feel comfortable, empowered, and beautiful.

People rarely buy products because of features alone.

They buy how those products make them feel.

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, selling a service, or simply pursuing a dream, never forget that emotion is one of the most powerful forces behind every decision people make.

Perhaps one of Sara's greatest strengths is maintaining perspective. Even after achieving remarkable financial success, she continues to speak about gratitude, curiosity, creativity, and finding joy in the process rather than chasing validation.

That's a lesson many of us need to hear.

It's easy to believe happiness exists somewhere in the future. After one more promotion. One bigger paycheck. One successful business. One nicer home.

But what if fulfillment comes from becoming the kind of person capable of achieving those things rather than simply possessing them?

Success is never just a destination.

It's a transformation.

As you reflect on Sara Blakely's journey, ask yourself a few honest questions.

What idea have you been postponing because you're waiting to feel ready?

What fear has been making decisions on your behalf?

What opportunity might exist if you simply decided to take the first step today?

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary often isn't talent.

It's action.

Sara didn't possess a secret formula. She possessed the courage to keep moving after hearing "no." She trusted an idea others couldn't yet see. She remained resilient when success seemed unlikely. Most importantly, she believed that one person really could make a difference.

Her story reminds us that our circumstances do not define our future. Our education does not determine our ceiling. Our failures do not predict our destiny.

What matters most is our willingness to continue.

The next breakthrough in your life may not require more resources. It may simply require more belief. More persistence. More courage to start before you feel completely prepared.

If you're waiting for confidence before taking action, remember this: confidence often comes after action, not before it.

So take the phone call. Launch the business. Write the first chapter. Learn the new skill. Ask the difficult question. Introduce yourself to the stranger. Take the chance that you've been talking yourself out of for months-or even years.

The world is full of people who had great ideas.

It is transformed by the people who acted on them.

Sara Blakely's story is living proof that one ordinary idea, fueled by extraordinary persistence, can change millions of lives-including your own.

Your next chapter is waiting.

The only question is: will you be brave enough to write it?

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

Want to get the most out of ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a superpower if you know how to use it correctly.

Discover how HubSpot's guide to AI can elevate both your productivity and creativity to get more things done.

Learn to automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and foster innovation with the power of AI.

Download the free guide.

When Did Your Business Start Running You?

What started as ownership turned into obligation.

Now you’re in every meeting, decision, and channel… not because you want to be, but because things stall without you.

It’s not a capacity issue. It’s a structure issue.

The Freedom Framework shows you how to rebuild work flows, so you can step back without things breaking down.

BELAY U.S.-based Assistants help make that real by bringing ownership to execution, so your business doesn’t rely on you to function.

Download The Freedom Framework for Free

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever felt like you're running in place while everyone around you sprints ahead? Do you scroll through social media, watching founders celebrate their "overnight success," and wonder what secret formula they found that you somehow missed? Have you ever poured your heart into something—only to watch the months turn into years with nothing but crickets to show for it?

I know that feeling all too well. The late nights questioning everything. The voice in your head that whispers, "Maybe this is just a silly dream. Maybe you should give up and get a real job like everyone else." The well-meaning friends and family who gently suggest it might be time to move on to something more "practical."

Here's the uncomfortable truth nobody tells you about building something meaningful: The timeline you imagine and the timeline that actually unfolds are rarely the same thing. We're sold this fantasy of instant gratification—launch a product, go viral, get acquired, retire at 30. But real, lasting success? It almost never happens that way. And maybe, just maybe, that's the point.

Let me introduce you to Elizabeth Stein. If you've ever walked down the cereal aisle of a Whole Foods, you've likely seen her face—she's the founder of Purely Elizabeth, one of the most beloved natural foods brands in America. Her ancient grain granola sits on shelves in over 30,000 stores nationwide. She's built a multi-million dollar empire that competes with food giants.

But here's what you won't see in the glossy marketing photos or the investor pitch decks: Elizabeth started in her tiny New York City apartment. Not a fancy commercial kitchen. Not a team of food scientists. Not a million-dollar marketing budget. Just her, a dream, and a lot of granola.

And here's the part that really gets me: She bootstrapped her company for seven years. Seven. Years. Let that sink in for a moment.

In our culture of "get rich quick" and "hack your way to success," seven years sounds like an eternity. Seven years of scraping by. Seven years of wondering if this thing would ever actually take off. Seven years of watching friends climb corporate ladders, buy houses, take vacations—while she was probably covered in oat flour, wondering if she'd made a terrible mistake.

But Elizabeth didn't quit. She kept showing up. She kept tweaking her recipes. She kept selling at farmers' markets and small local shops. She believed in what she was building, even when nobody else seemed to notice.

And then, on what probably felt like just another ordinary Tuesday, a Whole Foods buyer gave her a chance.

That one opportunity—that single door cracking open—changed everything. Her granola became the number one brand in America. 30,000 stores. Millions of customers. A company that would go on to change the way people think about breakfast.

Here's what I want you to understand: That "overnight success" took seven years to incubate. Seven years of invisible work. Seven years of no applause, no recognition, no external validation. Seven years of trusting the process when the process made absolutely no sense.

This story changed something in me. Because I've spent so much of my life looking for shortcuts. I wanted to skip the messy middle—the part where you're grinding with no guarantee of reward. I wanted to fast-forward to the victory lap. But Elizabeth's journey taught me that the messy middle is where the magic actually happens.

It's in those invisible years that you develop your craft. It's in the quiet moments of rejection and doubt that you build resilience. It's in the daily commitment to showing up, even when nobody is watching, that you forge the character necessary to handle success when it finally arrives.

Think about your own life. What dream have you been sitting on because it feels too small? What idea have you shelved because you're convinced you don't have the resources, the time, or the "right" background? What project have you abandoned because it wasn't growing fast enough?

Elizabeth's story is proof that you don't need more money, more connections, or more experience. You just need to start. And then keep starting. Every single day. Even when it feels pointless. Even when nobody believes in you. Even when seven years feels like an impossible horizon.

The most successful people aren't the ones who never doubted themselves. They're the ones who chose to act despite the doubt. They're the ones who fell in love with the process, not just the outcome. They're the ones who understood that slow growth is still growth.

I want you to really hear this: Your timeline is your timeline. You don't have to match anyone else's pace. You don't have to justify your journey to anyone. The world will try to convince you that if you haven't "made it" in a year, you're failing. But the world is wrong.

Elizabeth Stein spent seven years building something that would eventually reach millions. And I guarantee you—she wouldn't trade a single one of those difficult, invisible, doubt-filled years. Because those years shaped her. They shaped her product. They shaped her company culture. They shaped everything.

So here's my challenge to you today

Stop waiting for your "Whole Foods moment." Stop assuming you need outside validation to prove your work is worthwhile. Start where you are, with what you have, even if all you have is a tiny apartment kitchen and a wild idea.

Success isn't about the big break. It's about everything you did before the break ever came. It's about showing up when nobody is watching. It's about loving the work enough to keep doing it, even when the work doesn't love you back.

Your seven years might feel like a prison sentence. But I promise you—they're actually a gift. They're the sandpaper that will smooth your rough edges. They're the crucible that will forge your character. They're the foundation that will support everything you're about to build.

Start today. Start small. Start imperfect. Start with no guarantee of success. 

Because that's how every meaningful thing in this world actually gets built—one invisible, unglamorous, ordinary day at a time.

And who knows? Maybe seven years from now, you'll look back and realize that your "overnight success" was a long time coming. But you'll also realize that it was worth every single second.

Cheers to showing up, staying patient, and trusting the process—even when the process takes way longer than you hoped.

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

Everything GTM. One platform.

Small teams don't have time to stitch together five tools and hope it works.

Apollo gives you everything you need to find leads, reach them, and close deals — all in one place:

• 230M+ verified contacts

• AI-powered outreach

• Data enrichment

• Inbound lead capture

• Meeting scheduler

• And more

Stop juggling tools and start building pipeline that scales.

With Apollo, the AI revenue engine powering 4M+ users.

Sign up for free

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever had a solid business idea sitting in your head for months, even years, but never pulled the trigger to start? Do you watch other founders blow up online with viral launches and big funding rounds, and wonder what you’re missing? Are you constantly holding yourself back, convinced you don’t have enough money, time, or experience to turn your small idea into something real?

I’ve felt all of this too. So many of us spend our lives waiting for the “right time” — the perfect setup, zero risk, full confidence — before we dare start building. But the truth I’ve learned over and over again? Perfect timing never actually comes. Progress only shows up for the people who stop overplanning and start doing, even when everything feels messy and unfinished. Today I want to share one of my favorite underdog founder stories that proves exactly this.

Let me introduce you to Mia Carter, the founder behind one of the most beloved independent clean snack brands on the market today. What makes her story so special isn’t her eight-figure annual revenue — it’s how unbelievably ordinary her start was. Mia had no business background, no wealthy investors backing her, no industry connections to open doors, and zero social media clout to leverage. She built everything while working a full-time corporate job, burnt out from the endless stream of fake “healthy” snacks lining grocery store shelves.

Like most of us, she got started out of pure frustration. Every snack marketed as nutritious was packed with hidden sugar, processed fillers, and empty promises. Tired of choosing between bland, boring healthy options and tasty yet junk-filled treats, she started experimenting in her tiny home kitchen after work. She just wanted something simple, clean, and satisfying for her own busy lifestyle. What began as a personal hobby quickly turned into a quiet passion — she wanted to make better snacks accessible to everyone, not just people who could afford luxury health food.

Her start was incredibly humble. No fancy website, no paid ads, no influencer collabs, no polished packaging. She made small batches by hand, sold them to neighbors, friends, and local community members, and grew purely through word of mouth. The early days were slow — painfully slow. Some weeks, she barely made any sales at all. There were countless nights she stayed up questioning if she was wasting her time, if this tiny side project would ever amount to more than a hobby while everyone else seemed to scale fast and easy.

What set Mia apart from every other new founder in the crowded snack space wasn’t talent or luck. It was her refusal to take shortcuts. While competing brands chased viral trends, trendy limited flavors, and flashy packaging to score quick sales, Mia kept her focus narrow and steady. She listened to every single customer who tried her snacks. She took every piece of honest feedback — the good and the bad — and tweaked her recipes, her portions, and her ingredients slowly and carefully. She cared more about making one customer happy enough to come back than grabbing hundreds of one-and-done sales.

Of course, growth didn’t happen without struggle. As demand slowly picked up, she ran into every roadblock typical new founders face. Ingredient prices spiked out of nowhere. Small-batch manufacturers flaked out on orders. Shipping delays messed up customer deliveries and created extra stress. Everyone around her pushed her to cut corners: use cheaper ingredients, copy trending snack formulas, and raise prices fast to pad her profits. But Mia refused. She built her brand on clean, honest quality, and she wasn’t willing to sacrifice that foundation for quick cash. She scaled slowly, reinvested every penny of profit back into her business, and fixed every problem one at a time instead of rushing to grow faster than she could sustain.

In her recent interview, she opened up about the biggest mindset shift that changed everything for her. She used to wait to feel ready, wait for more resources, wait for things to feel certain before she moved forward. Eventually, she realized readiness isn’t something you wait for — it’s something you build by showing up imperfectly. She stopped hiding behind endless research and business planning, and started testing, tweaking, and learning in real time with real customers. She embraced messy progress over polished inactivity, and that single shift unlocked all her growth.

The craziest part? Today, her small kitchen side project competes with massive, well-funded food corporations with huge teams and million-dollar marketing budgets. She built an eight-figure brand entirely on her own terms, no hype, no shortcuts, no outside funding. And her success isn’t exclusive or unattainable. It’s the simple result of showing up consistently, staying true to her core mission, and refusing to quit during the slow, unglamorous seasons no one sees online.

This story changed how I view my own limits, and I hope it changes yours too. You don’t need more money, more connections, or more experience to build something meaningful. You just need the courage to start before you’re ready, the humility to learn as you go, and the persistence to keep going when progress feels invisible.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, waiting for the perfect moment to launch — let this be your sign. There’s no better time than right now. Every big, successful brand you admire started small, messy, and unpolished. The only difference is they started.

This week, give yourself permission to stop perfecting and start executing. Take one small, real step toward the idea you’ve been holding onto. Your future growth starts with your current action, not your perfect plans.

Cheers to building slowly, steadily, and unapologetically on your own terms,

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

Good morning Grinder,

What if I told you that someone turned a struggling, underfunded wellness brand into a nine-figure industry powerhouse through nothing but consistent grind and unshakable purpose?

Would you dismiss it as an unattainable stroke of luck?

Or would you pause and wonder what mindset shifts you could steal to replicate that level of growth for your own goals?

We often judge success by flashy revenue numbers, viral launches, or instant fame, yet the most transformative founder journeys are forged in quiet, unglamorous daily effort. Days filled with constant self-doubt, tight budgets, and small forward steps that feel meaningless in the moment. Shahab Elmi walked this exact road, building a market-leading brand without windfall investor cash or natural privilege, relying solely on relentless execution and resilience. His story proves the most impressive wins always sprout from ordinary, unremarkable starting points.

That’s why I immediately carved out time to watch his eye-opening interview:

How To Build Something From Nothing & Create Lifelong Success

After finishing the full conversation, I realized this talk isn’t truly about hitting $100 million in annual revenue.

It’s about something far more valuable for every grinder reading this.

It’s about resilience.

It’s about turning repeated hardship into your greatest competitive edge.

Long before Cymbiotika became synonymous with clean, science-backed premium supplements, Shahab learned entrepreneurship inside the trenches, not university lecture halls. He cut his teeth building a nationwide telecom retail network from scratch, navigating operational chaos, tough sales cycles, and countless leadership hurdles. He launched additional side ventures along the way, each failure and small win stacking quiet wisdom that would later fuel his biggest breakthrough. These early years held no viral headlines or massive payouts—only slow, uncelebrated learning that shaped how he would later build Cymbiotika.

When Shahab took over the brand, it operated out of cramped quarters with minimal staff and barely enough cash to cover monthly costs. Most entrepreneurs would walk away from such a shaky foundation, but Shahab looked past the limitations and locked onto a meaningful mission: to fix a supplement industry flooded with empty marketing and low-quality products, delivering transparent, results-driven wellness solutions built on hard scientific research.

He refused to chase quick shortcuts or hunt for large venture capital injections. Instead, he leaned into lessons forged over decades of business work: prioritize customer needs above flashy branding, build scalable, intentional systems, and never compromise product integrity for faster sales. He focused on nurturing genuine loyalty with every buyer, laying a stable foundation that could sustain long-term growth instead of fleeting viral spikes.

What stuck with me far more than the nine-figure revenue milestone was Shahab’s refusal to pause and overthink when uncertainty loomed.

Most of us waste months stuck in preparation mode.

We wait for confidence to arrive.

We wait for extra money or a bigger team.

We wait for a flawless business blueprint before taking a single risk.

But will that perfect, stress-free window ever actually arrive?

Or are we simply hiding behind planning to avoid the discomfort of real market feedback?

Shahab’s core message cuts straight through this paralysis: you do not need to feel ready to start. You gain readiness only by starting.

Stop and reflect for a second. How many promising ideas have you buried because you feared you weren’t fully prepared? How many personal or business goals have you delayed, convinced every tiny detail needed ironing out first?

The marketplace does not reward polished spreadsheets or endless planning documents. It rewards people who step forward to solve real human problems—and the fastest way to test your idea is to launch it, iterate, and learn from real customer choices.

This interview strips away every myth of overnight success. Shahab openly discusses cash flow scares, misguided decisions, and days where walking away felt far simpler than pushing forward. He frames failure not as a permanent defeat, but as your most honest teacher. Every misstep sharpens your judgment, eliminates flawed strategies, and primes you for bigger opportunities down the line. He draws a clear line between rushing recklessly and moving with intentional speed: test quickly to gather feedback, but never sacrifice quality, core mission, or customer trust just to grow faster.

Another critical takeaway from his conversation: confidence never comes from endless research. It grows from consistent action. You will never feel fully certain sitting at your desk brainstorming; certainty arrives after you try, stumble, recover, and keep moving forward without all the answers mapped out.

A quiet, powerful theme runs through every segment of his talk: success is less about where you begin, and far more about who you evolve into along the journey. You don’t need wealth, connections, or a flawless concept to build extraordinary results. You only need clear purpose, the bravery to act before you feel ready, and discipline to persist when progress stalls.

Shahab built Cymbiotika around a mission bigger than profit: helping people access trustworthy wellness products, repairing an industry that prioritized hype over human health. This mission anchored every tough choice during lean seasons, and he surrounded himself with teammates who shared his grit and values, turning a solo vision into a sustainable collective movement.

The core lesson here isn’t copying Shahab’s supplement business model or chasing a specific revenue target. It’s adopting a mindset that makes any goal achievable. Release your obsession with perfection and embrace incremental progress. The market does not reward over-planners—it rewards consistent doers who solve problems and stay loyal to their core values. Small daily efforts compound over time, turning humble beginnings into lasting, meaningful success.

If you’ve left ideas sitting idle, waiting for the “right time” to execute, this conversation will shift your entire perspective. We all tell ourselves we need more time, money, or experience before we begin—but Shahab’s journey proves the ideal starting moment is always the present. The life, business, or impact you crave will never materialize while you wait for certainty. It arrives when you pick action over anxiety, execution over overthinking, and purpose over polished plans.

This week, set aside time to watch the full interview and absorb Shahab’s hard-earned wisdom. Remember your past struggles do not limit your future, and your current resource constraints cannot cap your potential. The grind you’re navigating right now is quietly building the strength you’ll need for bigger opportunities ahead. Major success isn’t reserved for the naturally lucky or privileged; it belongs to anyone willing to build, adjust, learn, and persist through every obstacle.

Here’s a question to sit with this week: What would you accomplish in the next twelve months if you abandoned endless planning and committed fully to execution?

The answer might rewrite everything you believe about your own potential.

Watch the interview, absorb his grounded mindset, and then get to work executing your own vision.

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

The Most Expensive Artworks in the World are Often Sold Behind Closed Doors. Here's What’s Happening.

Last year, a Van Gogh painting reportedly sold for $200 million. A Rothko for $195 million. A Frida Kahlo for $150 million. None of these transactions are in auction records or any public database.

For years, top auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s have been quietly running invitation-only private auctions for their wealthiest clients.

These huge transactions don't happen in a vacuum. This invisible market often influences the asking range for comparable works in the larger art market. 

That said, you don't need an invite to a private auction. Masterworks lets you invest in shares of blue-chip artwork. Their track record to-date:

• $1.3B deployed across 525+ artworks by 70,000 members

• 29 sales to date

• Net annualized returns like 16.5%, 17.6%, and 17.8%, not including those unsold*

Skip the waitlist here →

^{*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.}

Good morning Grinder,

What if I told you that someone built a company from zero to a $100 million annual run rate in less than a year?

Would you believe it?

More importantly, would your first thought be, "That's impossible," or would it be, "What can I learn from this?"

That's exactly why I clicked on a YouTube interview titled:

"He Went From $0 to $100M in 11 Months - And You're Still Planning"

And after watching it, I realized the video isn't really about making $100 million.

It's about something much more important.

It's about speed.

The guest is Danny Yeung, an entrepreneur whose career is a masterclass in spotting opportunities and moving faster than everyone else.

Before launching IM8, the health and wellness company that exploded to a reported $100 million annual run rate in under a year, Danny had already built an impressive track record. He helped scale Groupon throughout Asia, founded Prenetics, and navigated the company through massive growth during the COVID testing boom. He's experienced billion-dollar valuations, rapid expansion, setbacks, pivots, and comebacks. In other words, he's not someone who got lucky once. He's someone who has repeatedly learned how to execute at a high level.

What struck me most wasn't the numbers.

It was his obsession with velocity.

Most people spend months planning.

Months researching.

Months tweaking logos, websites, business cards, marketing plans, and social media profiles.

They tell themselves they're preparing.

But are they really?

Or are they just delaying the moment when the market gives them an honest answer?

Danny's message throughout the interview is simple: speed is one of the few remaining competitive advantages in business. While others are debating, you're testing. While others are planning, you're learning. While others are waiting for certainty, you're gathering real-world feedback.

Think about that for a moment.

How many opportunities have we all talked ourselves out of because we wanted the perfect plan?

How many businesses never get started because someone wanted every detail figured out first?

The reality is that customers don't care about your business plan.

They care about whether you solve a problem.

And the fastest way to find out is to get into the market.

One of the biggest lessons from the interview is that successful entrepreneurs don't wait for confidence before they act. They gain confidence because they act.

That's a completely different way of thinking.

Most people believe confidence comes first.

The best entrepreneurs know confidence comes after you've taken enough action to know what works.

Another fascinating part of the conversation is how Danny talks about building systems that allow companies to move quickly. From marketing and advertising to hiring and product development, everything is designed around speed, testing, and learning. IM8 reportedly scaled through relentless experimentation rather than trying to predict everything in advance.

The lesson applies whether you're building a startup, growing a small business, launching a product, or trying to improve your career.

The question isn't whether your plan is perfect.

The question is whether you've done enough to get real feedback.

Because the market is the ultimate teacher.

Not another book.

Not another podcast.

Not another YouTube video.

Not another business plan.

Just real customers making real decisions with real money.

If you've been sitting on an idea, waiting for the perfect time, this interview may be exactly what you need to hear.

Whether your goal is to build a million-dollar business, launch a side hustle, or simply become more effective in your work, the biggest takeaway is clear:

Success doesn't belong to the person with the best plan.

It belongs to the person willing to execute before they're ready.

So here's a question worth thinking about:

What would happen if you stopped planning for the next 30 days and focused entirely on execution?

The answer might change everything.

Best Wishes,

N. Amadeus

Help make better ads

Did you recently see an ad for Roku Ads Manager in a newsletter? We’re running a short brand lift survey to understand what’s actually breaking through (and what’s not).

It takes about 20 seconds, the questions are super easy, and your feedback directly helps us improve how we show up in the newsletters you read and love.

If you’ve got a few moments, we’d really appreciate your insight.

Take the survey.

Good morning Grinder,

How long would you be willing to work toward a dream before seeing meaningful results?

A year?

Three years?

Five years?

What if you spent an entire decade working tirelessly on a business, sacrificing nights, weekends, vacations, and financial security, only to discover that your total earnings over those ten years amounted to less than what many people make in a single year at a traditional job?

Would you keep going?

Most people wouldn't.

In today's world, we are constantly surrounded by stories of overnight success. Social media feeds are filled with entrepreneurs showing off luxury lifestyles, influencers promoting rapid wealth-building strategies, and self-proclaimed experts promising financial freedom in a matter of months. The message is subtle but powerful: if success doesn't happen quickly, you're probably doing something wrong.

Yet reality tells a very different story.

Behind almost every great achievement is a long period of obscurity, uncertainty, frustration, and persistence. The problem is that most people never see that part of the story. They see the championship trophy but not the years of training. They see the successful business but not the sleepless nights. They see the wealth but not the sacrifices that came before it.

This is what makes the interview "He Made $58K In 10 Years… Now His Portfolio Is Worth $1B" so powerful.

You can watch the full interview here:

The guest is Andy Frisella, an entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of 1st Phorm, one of the largest supplement companies in the world. He is also widely known for creating the 75 Hard mental toughness program and for his popular Real AF podcast, where he shares lessons on business, discipline, leadership, and personal development.

Today, Andy is viewed as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in America. His companies generate substantial revenue, his investments have grown tremendously, and his influence reaches millions of people. Looking at where he is now, it would be easy to assume that success came naturally to him.

The truth, however, is far more interesting.

The Decade That Nobody Talks About

One of the most eye-opening moments in the interview is Andy's revelation that during the first ten years of building his business, he and his business partner earned a combined total of approximately $58,000.

Read that again.

Not $58,000 per year.

Not $58,000 per month.

Approximately $58,000 over ten years.

For many people, that statistic alone would be enough to justify quitting. After all, society often teaches us to measure progress through immediate results. If something isn't producing income, recognition, or visible growth within a reasonable period, most people conclude that it isn't working.

Yet Andy refused to accept that mindset.

Instead of focusing on what he wasn't earning, he focused on what he was building. He viewed every challenge as an opportunity to improve the business, strengthen customer relationships, and develop the skills necessary for long-term success.

This perspective highlights one of the most important lessons in personal development: success often compounds quietly long before it becomes visible.

The Problem With Modern Expectations

Many people abandon worthwhile goals because they underestimate the amount of time required to achieve meaningful success.

We have become conditioned to expect immediate gratification. We want rapid progress, quick rewards, and instant validation. When those things don't arrive, discouragement begins to creep in. We start questioning ourselves, our abilities, and our chosen path.

The danger of this mindset is that it causes people to quit during the very period when persistence matters most.

What if the difference between success and failure is not talent?

What if it is simply the willingness to continue when the results are not yet obvious?

Throughout the interview, Andy repeatedly reinforces the idea that most people dramatically overestimate what they can accomplish in a year while simultaneously underestimating what they can accomplish in a decade.

The entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders who eventually achieve extraordinary results are often the ones who stay committed long enough to benefit from the compounding effect of consistent effort.

Discipline Is the Ultimate Competitive Advantage

Another theme that emerges throughout the conversation is discipline.

Andy has built much of his philosophy around the idea that discipline creates freedom. While motivation can be helpful, it is unreliable. Motivation depends on emotions, circumstances, and mood. Discipline, on the other hand, allows individuals to continue taking action regardless of how they feel.

This distinction is critical because long-term success rarely comes from occasional bursts of effort. It comes from consistently doing the right things over and over again, even when those actions seem insignificant in the moment.

Every phone call, every workout, every sales appointment, every difficult conversation, and every small improvement contributes to a larger outcome. Individually, these actions may appear insignificant. Collectively, they become life-changing.

The challenge is that discipline rarely receives immediate rewards. Often, the benefits are delayed. This delay causes many people to abandon their efforts before the results have an opportunity to materialize.

Building a Life Through Compounding Effort

Perhaps the greatest takeaway from Andy Frisella's story is the power of compounding effort.

Most people understand compound interest when it comes to money. Few understand that the same principle applies to personal growth, relationships, skills, health, and business.

The books you read today may not change your life tomorrow. The skills you develop this month may not generate income immediately. The relationships you build this year may not produce opportunities right away.

Yet over time, these investments accumulate. They begin working together in ways that are difficult to predict. What appears to be a sudden breakthrough is often the result of years of invisible preparation.

When viewed from this perspective, success becomes less about chasing quick wins and more about committing to a process.

Andy Frisella's journey serves as a powerful reminder that meaningful success often requires far more patience than most people are willing to give.

The fact that a man who eventually built a billion-dollar portfolio earned only about $58,000 during his first decade in business challenges many of our assumptions about achievement. It reminds us that the early stages of growth are often invisible, that discipline matters more than motivation, and that persistence frequently separates those who succeed from those who quit.

The next time you feel frustrated by slow progress, remember that every worthwhile goal requires a period of investment before the rewards become visible.

Success may not arrive on your preferred timeline, but if you continue learning, improving, and showing up consistently, the results can eventually exceed anything you imagined possible.

The greatest mistake is not failing.

The greatest mistake is quitting before the compounding effect of your effort has had a chance to work.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

No theory. No slides. Just pipeline.

Most founders know their product. Few know how to get it in front of the right people. In this hands-on session, Clay + HubSpot for Startups walk you through ICP definition, prospect list enrichment, and AI-personalized outreach. You launch your first sequence before the session ends. June 18. 11am ET / 4pm GMT.

Register Before June 18.

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever looked at someone who built significant wealth and wondered what they knew that everyone else didn't?

Was it a secret investment?

A lucky break?

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Or perhaps they were simply in the right place at the right time?

Most people spend years searching for the next big thing. They chase business opportunities, stock tips, side hustles, real estate trends, and whatever appears to be the fastest path to financial freedom. Yet despite all the excitement, many find themselves stuck in the same place year after year.

What if the truth is much simpler?

What if the path to building real wealth isn't exciting at all?

What if the secret that creates extraordinary financial success is actually so boring that most people refuse to do it long enough to experience the rewards?

That is the powerful message behind a thought-provoking YouTube video by entrepreneur and business strategist Sharran Srivatsaa titled, "It's Boring, But It Can Make You Dangerously Wealthy."

You can watch the video here:

The lesson is simple, yet profound: wealth is rarely built through excitement. It is built through consistency.

Who Is Sharran Srivatsaa?

If you've never heard of Sharran Srivatsaa before, his story is worth paying attention to.

Sharran is a highly respected entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. He is best known for leading and scaling companies, helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses, and teaching practical wealth-building principles. Before becoming a widely followed business educator, he built a successful career in real estate and business leadership, eventually becoming one of the most recognized voices in entrepreneurship and personal development.

Unlike many influencers who focus on flashy success stories, Sharran's teachings are grounded in real-world business experience. His message is often centered around leverage, systems, consistency, and long-term thinking.

His advice isn't designed to entertain people.

It's designed to create results.

And that is exactly what makes this particular message so valuable.

Why We Love Excitement More Than Progress

Human nature is fascinating.

Most people are naturally attracted to things that feel exciting. We love dramatic transformations, overnight success stories, and breakthrough moments. We enjoy hearing about someone who made millions on a single investment or built a business that exploded overnight.

The problem is that these stories are the exception, not the rule.

What rarely gets attention are the thousands of ordinary days that created the success.

The phone calls.

The follow-up conversations.

The daily workouts.

The weekly investments.

The consistent prospecting.

The early mornings.

The late nights.

The countless repetitions that nobody applauds.

Sharran explains that the activities that create real wealth are often incredibly boring. They are repetitive. They lack excitement. They don't provide instant gratification.

Yet these same activities are responsible for creating extraordinary outcomes.

The challenge is that most people quit before the results appear.

The Magic of Compounding

One of the most important concepts discussed in the video is the power of compounding.

Compounding is often associated with money, but it applies to every area of life.

Your health compounds.

Your relationships compound.

Your skills compound.

Your reputation compounds.

Your business compounds.

The challenge is that compounding is invisible in the beginning.

When you first start working toward a goal, it feels like nothing is happening.

You make the calls.

You attend the meetings.

You save the money.

You improve your skills.

Yet the results seem small compared to the effort.

This is where most people stop.

They mistake a lack of immediate results for a lack of progress.

But compounding doesn't work that way.

For a long time, growth appears almost flat. Then suddenly, after enough consistency has been applied, progress begins to accelerate.

What looked like slow growth becomes rapid growth.

What looked like insignificant effort becomes a major breakthrough.

The people who eventually succeed are often the ones who simply stayed in the game longer than everyone else.

The Wealthy Focus on Systems, Not Motivation

Another powerful lesson from Sharran's message is that successful people do not rely on motivation.

They rely on systems.

Motivation comes and goes.

Some mornings you feel energized.

Other mornings you don't.

Some days you are inspired.

Other days you aren't.

If your success depends on how motivated you feel, your results will always be inconsistent.

Systems remove emotion from the equation.

Instead of asking, "Do I feel like doing this today?"

Successful people ask, "What does my system require me to do today?"

The answer may not be exciting.

It may involve making another sales call.

Following up with another prospect.

Reading another chapter.

Investing another dollar.

Improving another process.

The actions themselves are simple.

The consistency is what makes them powerful.

Why This Message Matters More Than Ever

We live in a world obsessed with shortcuts.

Every day we are promised faster results, easier methods, and effortless success.

Social media often highlights outcomes while hiding the years of work that created them.

As a result, many people underestimate what is actually required to build a meaningful life.

Sharran's message serves as an important reminder that lasting success rarely comes from finding the perfect opportunity.

It comes from maximizing the opportunities already in front of you.

The most successful people are not always the smartest.

They are not always the most talented.

Often, they are simply the most consistent.

They continue showing up long after others have become distracted.

They continue executing after others have become discouraged.

They continue building while others continue searching.

Your Future Is Built in the Ordinary Moments

Perhaps the most inspiring takeaway from this video is that extraordinary results are available to ordinary people.

You do not need to be a genius.

You do not need perfect timing.

You do not need a revolutionary idea.

You simply need the willingness to do the things that most people eventually stop doing.

The next sales call.

The next workout.

The next follow-up.

The next investment.

The next day.

And then the next.

The habits that seem insignificant today may become the foundation of your future success.

The daily disciplines that feel boring right now may one day become the reason your life looks dramatically different.

As Sharran Srivatsaa reminds us, the path to becoming "dangerously wealthy" is rarely glamorous. It is often repetitive, predictable, and even boring.

But for those willing to embrace consistency, trust the process, and allow compounding to work its magic, those boring actions can create an extraordinary life.

The question is not whether the process works.

The question is whether we are willing to stay committed long enough to experience the results.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is continue doing the simple things long after the excitement has disappeared.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

The GTM bets that shouldn't have worked, and did

One grew revenue 50x after half his team quit over the strategy. One brought in 50K signups in a single day with no paid budget. One generated 100M+ views from a stunt that took 50 hours to conceive. One asked every prospect to demo the product themselves instead of demoing it for them.

None of them followed the safe playbook. They treated GTM like an experiment, moved before they had proof, and made bets most founders would never get approved.

HubSpot for Startups documented all 6 stories in the free Bold Bets Playbook. The risks they took, why it was risky, and what it returned.

Read the free Bold Bets Playbook

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever looked at someone who seems incredibly successful and wondered how they got there?

Maybe it's the business owner who built a million-dollar company. Maybe it's the athlete who dominates their sport. Maybe it's the person who transformed their health, paid off debt, wrote a book, or achieved goals that seem almost impossible.

When we look at successful people, it's easy to assume they possess something we don't. Maybe they have more talent. More intelligence. More connections. More luck.

But what if the biggest difference isn't any of those things?

What if success isn't created by one massive decision, one lucky break, or one life-changing moment?

What if it is built through tiny actions repeated day after day after day?

How many goals have you set that never became reality? How many New Year's resolutions faded away by February? How many times have you promised yourself that this would be the year you finally get in shape, grow your business, save more money, or become the person you know you're capable of becoming?

The truth is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a month and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year.

In a powerful interview titled "The Secret to High Performance: 1% Better Every Day," bestselling author James Clear explains why small daily improvements create extraordinary long-term results.

You can watch the full interview here:

The lessons shared in this conversation are simple, practical, and potentially life-changing for anyone seeking personal growth, business success, better health, stronger relationships, or greater fulfillment.

Meet James Clear: The Habit Expert Who Changed Millions of Lives

James Clear is one of the world's leading experts on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. He is best known as the author of the bestselling book "Atomic Habits," which has sold millions of copies worldwide and has become one of the most influential personal development books of the modern era.

The word "atomic" doesn't refer to something huge. It refers to something incredibly small.

That's the central message of the book.

Tiny habits may seem insignificant in the moment, but when repeated consistently, they compound into remarkable results over time.

James Clear's work has influenced entrepreneurs, athletes, executives, students, and everyday people who want to improve their lives through sustainable change rather than temporary motivation.

His philosophy is refreshing because it doesn't rely on hype, shortcuts, or unrealistic promises. Instead, it focuses on a simple truth: small actions repeated consistently create extraordinary outcomes.

Success Is Not an Event-It's a Process

One of the most powerful ideas discussed in the interview is that success rarely happens overnight.

We often see the final result but miss the years of preparation that came before it.

We see the successful company but not the thousands of phone calls.

We see the healthy body but not the years of workouts.

We see the financial success but not the daily discipline.

We see the achievement but not the habits.

James Clear explains that every action you take is like casting a vote for the person you want to become.

Every workout is a vote for becoming healthier.

Every book you read is a vote for becoming smarter.

Every sales call is a vote for becoming more successful.

Every positive choice strengthens your future identity.

The challenge is that these small votes often feel insignificant in the moment.

Yet over time, they become impossible to ignore.

The Power of Being 1% Better

The concept of becoming 1% better each day sounds almost too simple.

After all, what difference could 1% possibly make?

But that's where most people misunderstand growth.

Improvement compounds just like money compounds.

A small gain repeated consistently creates results far beyond what most people imagine.

Think about it.

If you improve your communication skills slightly each day, you'll become a dramatically better communicator over time.

If you learn something new every day, your knowledge grows steadily.

If you make one extra sales call each day, the impact over a year becomes enormous.

The goal isn't perfection.

The goal is progress.

You don't need to transform your life today.

You simply need to improve it slightly more than yesterday.

Why Systems Matter More Than Goals

Most people are obsessed with goals.

They set revenue goals.

Weight loss goals.

Career goals.

Financial goals.

There's nothing wrong with goals.

The problem is that goals alone don't produce results.

Systems do.

A goal tells you where you want to go.

A system determines whether you actually get there.

Two people may share the exact same goal. One succeeds while the other fails.

Why?

Because one has a system that supports success.

The other relies on motivation.

Motivation comes and goes.

Systems remain.

The most successful people don't depend on feeling inspired every day. They create routines and habits that keep them moving forward regardless of how they feel.

Environment Often Beats Willpower

Another fascinating lesson from the interview is that successful people don't necessarily have more discipline than everyone else.

They simply design better environments.

Think about your own life.

How many decisions are influenced by what's around you?

If healthy food is readily available, you're more likely to eat well.

If your phone constantly distracts you, you're more likely to waste time.

If your workspace encourages productivity, you'll often accomplish more.

James Clear argues that environment frequently wins over willpower.

Instead of trying to become stronger, create conditions that make good choices easier and bad choices harder.

This simple shift can dramatically improve your ability to stay consistent.

The Identity Shift That Changes Everything

Perhaps the most profound lesson from Atomic Habits is the idea of identity-based habits.

Most people focus on outcomes.

They say, "I want to lose weight."

Or "I want to make more money."

Or "I want to grow my business."

James Clear encourages a different approach.

Instead of focusing on what you want to achieve, focus on who you want to become.

Become the type of person who exercises.

Become the type of person who reads daily.

Become the type of person who follows through on commitments.

Become the type of person who continuously improves.

When your habits align with your identity, consistency becomes much easier.

You're no longer forcing yourself to perform an action.

You're simply acting like the person you've chosen to become.

Small Actions Create Extraordinary Lives

The greatest lesson from this interview is both encouraging and empowering.

You don't need a dramatic breakthrough.

You don't need perfect conditions.

You don't need unlimited talent.

You don't need to have everything figured out.

What you need is a commitment to continuous improvement.

One better decision.

One better habit.

One better conversation.

One better workout.

One better day.

The future you're hoping for is often hidden inside the small choices you're making right now.

Success is rarely built through giant leaps.

More often, it's built through tiny steps repeated consistently over time.

The question isn't whether you can become successful.

The question is whether you're willing to become 1% better today than you were yesterday.

Because if you are, the results may eventually exceed anything you currently imagine possible.

Never stop grinding,

N. Amadeus

The SpaceX IPO is Coming? Are you ready?

Most retail investors will hear about the SpaceX IPO only after it's too late. And by the time the headlines hit, the volatility has already begun.

This exclusive briefing covers the early signals Wall Street is watching right now, the access paths most people don't know exist, and why the window to prepare is narrower than you think.

Inside, you'll discover the verified signals that typically appear before a major IPO filing, what retail investors can legally access before a company goes public, and the positioning strategies serious investors evaluate before the market shifts. Don't wait for the news to break—get the data you need today.

Access the briefing

Good morning Grinder,

Happy Memorial Day 😄 

Every year around Memorial Day, I find myself thinking deeply about sacrifice, discipline, courage, and the mindset required to keep moving forward when life becomes difficult. While most people spend the holiday enjoying time with family, food, and a long weekend, I believe it is also important to reflect on the meaning behind this day and the men and women who gave everything for this country.

And strangely enough, every Memorial Day, I always end up going back to the same place for motivation.

Navy SEAL BUD/S training videos.

Whenever I feel mentally exhausted, discouraged, overwhelmed, or close to quitting on something important in my life, I rewatch BUD/S videos that have impacted me for years. I am going to share three short ones with you today.

These videos are more than military motivation. They are lessons about human endurance, discipline, fear, suffering, and personal transformation. Every single time I watch them, I walk away reminded of one quote that has become one of my favorites of all time:

"The only easy day was yesterday."

That quote comes directly from Navy SEAL culture and BUD/S training, and once you truly understand what it means, it changes the way you look at life forever.

What Is BUD/S Training?

BUD/S stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. It is the elite selection and training process designed to create U.S. Navy SEALs, one of the most respected special operations forces in the world. The training is infamous for its extreme physical and mental demands. It pushes candidates into freezing cold water, endless physical exhaustion, sleep deprivation, long-distance runs, ocean swims, boat carries, log exercises, and relentless pressure designed to break people mentally.

Most people assume the training is simply about strength and athletic ability, but former SEALs often explain that the real purpose of BUD/S is psychological. The instructors are not just testing whether someone can run fast or do pushups. They are testing whether someone can continue operating while tired, cold, afraid, uncertain, and uncomfortable.

The numbers are staggering. Many BUD/S classes start with well over one hundred candidates, yet often only twenty or thirty make it to graduation. In many classes, around 70% to 85% of candidates quit before the training is complete.

What makes this even more fascinating is that many of the people who quit are physically capable of finishing. Some are elite athletes. Some are incredibly strong. Some are faster than the graduates.

So why do they quit?

Because eventually the body is no longer the biggest obstacle.

The mind is.

The Bell That Ends the Pain

One of the most symbolic parts of BUD/S training is the brass bell that sits where every trainee can see it. At any moment during training, if someone decides they have had enough, they simply walk over, ring the bell three times, and quit.

Immediately, the suffering ends.

No more freezing water.

No more carrying heavy boats.

No more exhaustion.

No more pain.

Just ring the bell.

That image has stayed in my mind for years because life has its own version of that bell. Entrepreneurs hear it when business becomes difficult. Salespeople hear it after constant rejection. Parents hear it during overwhelming seasons of responsibility. People trying to improve their health hear it when results take longer than expected. Anyone pursuing a meaningful goal eventually hears that internal voice whispering:

"Quit."

"Take the easy path."

"Stop suffering."

And that is why those Navy SEAL motivation videos hit so deeply. They remind us that most battles in life are won or lost internally long before the external results appear.

"The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday"

The famous SEAL quote, "The only easy day was yesterday," represents a mindset of continuous challenge and growth. In BUD/S training, every day is intentionally harder than the previous one. Yesterday's pain was preparation for today's difficulty. There is no comfort zone. There is no coasting. Every new day demands more discipline, more endurance, and more mental toughness.

That idea applies far beyond the military.

The next level of your business will demand a stronger version of you.

The next level of leadership will require greater patience and emotional control.

The next level of success will demand sacrifice most people are unwilling to make.

Growth has never been comfortable.

And perhaps that is why so many people stay stuck. They want the rewards of growth without the discomfort required to achieve it. But BUD/S teaches the opposite lesson. It teaches that suffering, pressure, and adversity are often the environments where transformation happens.

Why People Really Quit

One of the most powerful lessons from studying BUD/S training is understanding why people actually quit. Most people do not quit because they physically cannot continue. They quit because they mentally convince themselves the suffering will never end. They become emotionally overwhelmed by temporary pain.

That lesson applies directly to life.

Many people quit businesses too early.

Many people quit goals too early.

Many people quit relationships too early.

Many people quit on themselves too early.

The difficult chapter convinces them the story is over when in reality it may simply be the part of the process where growth is taking place.

Tim Kennedy said something in his speech that stood out to me deeply. He explained that everybody experiences fear. Fear is universal. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is functioning despite fear. The people we admire most are not fearless people. They are people who continue moving forward even while feeling afraid.

That perspective alone can change someone's life.

A Memorial Day Reminder About Sacrifice

As we celebrate Memorial Day, I think these lessons matter more than ever. This holiday is not just about remembering military history. It is about honoring sacrifice, resilience, courage, and the willingness to endure hardship for something greater than oneself.

The freedoms we enjoy today came from people who did not quit when things became difficult.

And maybe that is the reminder all of us need right now.

Life is difficult for many people. Business is difficult. The economy is uncertain. Stress levels are high. Many people are tired mentally, emotionally, and financially.

But before you ring the bell on your goals, your dreams, or your future, remember this:

Temporary pain does not mean permanent defeat.

Sometimes the breakthrough comes right after the moment you wanted to quit.

Sometimes the strongest people are simply the ones who stayed in the fight longer than everyone else.

So this Memorial Day, honor the sacrifices of others by refusing to waste the opportunities in front of you. Continue building. Continue improving. Continue growing. Continue showing up even when motivation disappears.

And if you ever feel like quitting, maybe go back and watch those BUD/S training videos again.

I know I will.

Because every time I hear that quote, it reminds me exactly who I need to become:

"The only easy day was yesterday."

Happy Memorial Day to you and your family.

N. Amadeus

How High Are Art Prices Today? The Latest from Spring Auctions…

How High Are Art Prices Today? The Latest from Spring Auctions…

$85,800,000 for a Rothko

$98,385,000 for ANOTHER Rothko
$107,585,000 for a Brancusi sculpture
$181,200,000 for a Pollock

Sounds crazy, but those masterpieces were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the ultra-rich buyers. Postwar contemporary art’s scarcity is largely what’s driven appreciation that’s comparable to even the S&P over the last thirty years.*

Obviously, art investing is out of reach for most people.

But since 2017, Masterworks has taken a data-driven approach to investing in art, making it accessible to individual investors.

Masterworks members can invest in shares of artwork by Rothko, Basquiat, Warhol, and others. When a piece sells, they get a share of the proceeds.

Over $1.2 billion has been deployed across over 500+ artworks. And 29 exits to-date have delivered net annualized returns like 16.5%, 17.6% and 17.8% on pieces held  longer than a year, not including those unsold. 

To see Masterworks track record of sold works and inquire about membership, our subscribers can use this unique link.

^{*According to Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.}

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever wondered why some people continue growing year after year while others seem trapped in the same cycle forever? Why certain entrepreneurs build companies that completely transform industries while others burn out before they ever reach their full potential?

Is success really about talent alone? Is it luck? Timing? Connections? Or is there a certain way of thinking that separates high performers from everyone else?

In today's world, we are constantly surrounded by noise. Social media tells us to hustle harder, move faster, chase more money, buy more things, and somehow become successful overnight. Everyone is trying to sell shortcuts to success while very few people are talking about the discipline, mindset, patience, and emotional control that real success actually requires.

That is why the video "30 Years of Business Advice in 13 Minutes (from a Billionaire)" resonated with millions of people online.

The video features billionaire entrepreneur and investor Chamath Palihapitiya, a man who immigrated to America from Sri Lanka with very little money before eventually becoming one of the most respected voices in technology and business. After working at Facebook during its explosive growth years, Chamath later founded Social Capital and built a reputation for being brutally honest about business, money, investing, and human behavior.

But what makes his advice powerful is not just his financial success.

It is his ability to explain success in a way that feels real.

No fake motivation.
No unrealistic promises.
No fantasy thinking.

Just practical wisdom learned through decades of experience.

And throughout the video, Chamath shares lesson after lesson that can completely reshape how people think about success, money, business, and life.

Lesson #1 - Focus on Process Instead of Objectives

One of the strongest lessons from the video is the idea of focusing on process instead of outcomes.

Most people build their entire lives around goals. They believe happiness will finally arrive once they make a certain amount of money, hit a sales target, buy a bigger house, or achieve some major milestone.

But Chamath explains something most people never realize.

Objectives have endings.
Processes do not.

When people become obsessed only with outcomes, they become emotionally unstable every time things do not go according to plan. One bad month feels like failure. One rejection feels personal. One setback feels permanent.

But when you become committed to the process of improving, learning, adapting, and growing, setbacks become part of the journey instead of the end of it.

The people who succeed long term usually fall in love with becoming better, not just with winning.

Lesson #2 - Debt Destroys Freedom

Another major lesson from the video is about avoiding debt whenever possible.

Chamath explains that debt quietly removes freedom from people's lives. When someone becomes financially trapped, they stop making long-term decisions and begin making desperate short-term decisions instead.

This is especially important in today's world where many people are financing lifestyles they cannot truly afford.

People buy things to impress others while secretly creating stress for themselves behind closed doors.

Real wealth is not about appearances.
Real wealth is having options.

When you have financial flexibility, you gain the ability to take risks, pursue opportunities, and think clearly without fear controlling every decision.

Lesson #3 - Preserve Optionality

One of Chamath's favorite ideas is preserving optionality.

In simple terms, that means keeping doors open in life.

The more trapped you become financially, emotionally, or professionally, the fewer opportunities you can pursue. But people who maintain flexibility can adapt quickly when life changes.

Markets change.
Industries change.
Technology changes.
Life changes.

The people who survive and thrive are usually the ones who know how to pivot instead of panic.

That requires emotional intelligence and long-term thinking.

Lesson #4 - Optimize for Opportunity, Not Immediate Money

This lesson completely changes how many people think about careers and business.

Chamath explains that many people make the mistake of chasing the biggest paycheck immediately instead of placing themselves in environments with the biggest long-term upside.

Sometimes the best opportunity is not the one paying the most today.

Sometimes the best opportunity is the one teaching you the most.
The one surrounding you with ambitious people.
The one helping you build valuable skills.
The one exposing you to bigger possibilities.

In the long run, the right environment can completely transform your future.

Lesson #5 - Ignore Status Games

Modern society is obsessed with appearances.

People want to look successful before they actually become successful. They chase expensive cars, luxury brands, social media validation, titles, and attention because they believe those things will finally make them feel important.

But Chamath reminds viewers that status is often an illusion.

Many people who appear successful are drowning financially and emotionally behind the scenes. Meanwhile, some of the most successful people in the world live quietly while focusing entirely on building businesses, solving problems, and creating value.

True confidence does not come from showing off.

It comes from competence.

When you become highly skilled, disciplined, and valuable, you stop needing validation from strangers.

Lesson #6 - Learn to Think Independently

One of the biggest dangers in life is blindly following the crowd.

Chamath explains that many people spend their entire lives repeating what society tells them without ever questioning whether those beliefs actually make sense.

Independent thinking requires courage because it often means going against popular opinion.

But extraordinary results rarely come from ordinary thinking.

The people who change industries, build great businesses, and create massive opportunities are usually thinking differently long before everyone else understands them.

Lesson #7 - Patience Is a Superpower

Perhaps one of the most important messages from the entire video is the importance of patience.

Today's culture is addicted to instant gratification.

People want overnight success.
Overnight wealth.
Overnight transformation.

But real success usually takes years.

Businesses take years to build.
Skills take years to master.
Confidence takes years to develop.
Reputation takes years to earn.

Most people are not failing because they lack potential.

They are failing because they quit before their effort compounds.

The Final Lesson That Changes Everything

The deeper message behind Chamath's advice is simple but powerful.

Success is not reserved for a special group of people.

You do not need perfect circumstances.
You do not need to come from money.
You do not need to know everything today.

But you do need discipline.
You do need emotional resilience.
You do need the willingness to continue growing even when progress feels invisible.

Because long-term success is rarely built in one dramatic moment.

It is built through thousands of small decisions repeated consistently over time.

And maybe that is the greatest billionaire lesson of all.

The people who eventually win are usually the people who simply refuse to stop improving.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

What if 8 weeks changes how you seal every deal?

Join the next cohort of Wharton Online + Wall Street Prep’s 8-week Private Equity Certificate Program:

• Learn the exact curriculum used to train analysts at KKR, Blackstone, and Carlyle.

• Earn a certificate from Wharton Online. (Your LinkedIn will thank you.)

• Build a global network of 5,000+ finance professionals across PE, IB, and credit.

Program starts June 8. Code SAVE300 saves $300 on tuition.

Learn More

Good morning Grinder,

How many people wake up every morning feeling frustrated with their life, yet continue repeating the same habits every single day?

How many people dream about becoming successful, financially free, confident, disciplined, or impactful… but somehow never move forward? Not because they lack intelligence. Not because opportunity never came. But because somewhere along the way, fear quietly took control of their thinking.

Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of uncertainty. Fear of criticism.

And the scary part is most people do not even realize it is happening.

That is why Outwitting the Devil is such a powerful and life-changing book. It is not just another motivational book filled with surface-level positivity. It is a deep psychological conversation about the hidden forces that quietly control people's lives.

The book forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about fear, excuses, comfort, procrastination, and drifting through life without purpose.

And honestly, that is exactly why this book still impacts people decades later.

The Man Behind the Message

Before understanding the book, it is important to understand the man who wrote it.

Napoleon Hill was one of the pioneers of personal development and success philosophy. He became famous for studying some of the most successful people of his era, including industrialists, entrepreneurs, and leaders. His goal was simple but powerful: understand what separates highly successful people from everyone else.

His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich, became one of the best-selling personal development books of all time. But many people believe Outwitting the Devil may have been his most powerful and controversial work.

The book was actually written in 1938 but remained unpublished for decades because its ideas were considered too controversial at the time. The book is written as a fictional interview between Napoleon Hill and the "Devil," where the Devil explains how he manipulates and controls human beings through fear, distraction, and negative thinking.

Whether someone views the Devil literally or symbolically, the message behind the book is undeniable.

Most people are not truly in control of their own minds.

The Danger of Drifting Through Life

One of the most important lessons in the book is the concept of "drifting."

Napoleon Hill explains that drifting happens when people stop thinking independently and begin living unconsciously. They react emotionally instead of intentionally. They follow the crowd instead of developing their own purpose. They allow comfort, routine, and fear to dictate the direction of their life.

The dangerous part is that drifting rarely feels dangerous in the moment.

People drift when they procrastinate for "just one more day." They drift when they settle for average because it feels safe. They drift when they continuously delay their goals waiting for the perfect moment to begin.

Years pass this way.

Dreams slowly fade. Confidence weakens. Potential remains trapped inside people who once believed they were capable of more.

That is why this book hits so deeply. It forces readers to ask themselves difficult questions.

Am I truly directing my life? Or am I simply reacting to circumstances?

Am I growing intentionally? Or am I repeating the same patterns over and over again?

Fear Is More Powerful Than Most People Realize

Another major lesson from the book is how fear silently controls human behavior.

Fear is not always obvious. It often disguises itself as logic.

People say:
"I'm waiting until the timing is better."
"I just need more information first."
"I'm not ready yet."
"I'll start next year."

But many times, underneath those excuses is fear.

Fear of looking foolish.
Fear of failing publicly.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of uncertainty.

The truth is, most successful people are not fearless. They simply learn how to move forward despite fear.

That is what separates leaders from followers. Leaders do not wait until they feel perfectly comfortable. They take action while others hesitate.

Growth requires discomfort.

Every new level of life demands a stronger version of yourself.

Your Habits Eventually Become Your Identity

One of the most powerful ideas from Outwitting the Devil is the concept Napoleon Hill calls "hypnotic rhythm."

In simple terms, repeated habits eventually control your behavior automatically.

If you constantly procrastinate, procrastination becomes normal. If you repeatedly avoid difficult conversations, avoidance becomes your identity. If you continually doubt yourself, self-doubt becomes natural.

But positive habits work the exact same way.

Discipline grows through repetition. Confidence grows through action. Courage grows every time you face discomfort instead of running from it.

This is why successful people protect their routines, environment, and mindset so carefully. They understand that the quality of their habits eventually determines the quality of their future.

You do not suddenly become successful overnight.

You become successful through repeated daily decisions.

Stop Waiting for Permission

One of the saddest things in life is watching people wait endlessly for permission to become who they want to be.

They wait for confidence before taking action. They wait for support from others. They wait for the perfect opportunity. They wait for certainty.

But life does not reward hesitation forever.

At some point, every person must decide whether they want comfort or growth because rarely can someone fully have both.

The people who transform their lives are usually the ones willing to move before they feel fully ready. They act while others overthink. They fail, learn, adjust, and continue moving forward.

That is the deeper lesson behind this book.

Success is not only about money or achievement. It is about gaining control over your own thinking before fear, distraction, and comfort quietly take control of your future.

The truth is, most people are not destroyed by one catastrophic event.

They are slowly defeated by small daily habits.
Small excuses.
Small fears.
Small acts of procrastination repeated over time.

That is the warning message behind Outwitting the Devil.

But the book also carries a powerful message of hope.

The same way a person can slowly drift into mediocrity… they can also slowly rebuild themselves through discipline, courage, and intentional action.

One decision at a time.
One habit at a time.
One day at a time.

Keep grinding,

N. Amadeus

The Tech newsletter for Engineers who want to stay ahead

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 200K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

• Curated tech news that shapes your career - Filtered from thousands of sources so you know what's coming 6 months early.

• Practical resources you can use immediately - Real tutorials and tools that solve actual engineering problems.

• Research papers and insights decoded - We break down complex tech so you understand what matters.

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 200K+ engineers

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever stopped yourself from taking action because of what someone might say?

Have you ever hesitated before making a move-not because you weren't capable, but because you were afraid of being judged if it didn't work out?

And here's the deeper question… how many of those people you're worried about are actually doing anything with their own lives?

Not talking. Not advising. Not commenting.

Doing.

This is exactly what we're diving into today through one of the most powerful messages ever written by Theodore Roosevelt-a quote that doesn't just inspire, it exposes.

The Quote That Separates Talkers from Doers

Here's the truth we're going to unpack today:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again…
but who does actually strive to do the deeds…"

We're not just reading this quote-we're going to break it down, understand it, and more importantly, apply it to your life.

Because this isn't about history.

This is about you.

The First Lesson: Critics Are Loud, But They Don't Build Anything

Roosevelt opens with a line that immediately flips the way most people think:

"It is not the critic who counts."

That's uncomfortable for a lot of people because criticism feels powerful. It feels important. It feels like something you should listen to.

But here's the reality-most criticism comes from a position of safety.

The critic isn't risking anything. They're not exposed. They're not vulnerable.

They're watching.

And it's easy to have opinions when you're not the one taking the hit.

What you need to understand is this: not all opinions are equal.

If someone isn't building, striving, risking, or failing… then their judgment is coming from the outside looking in. And that perspective is limited.

So one of the biggest takeaways from this quote is simple, but powerful:

If someone is not in the arena, they should not have authority over your direction.

The Second Lesson: The Arena Is Messy, Uncomfortable, and Necessary

"The man who is actually in the arena… whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood."

This isn't a glamorous picture.

There's no perfection here. No clean wins. No easy path.

The arena is where things go wrong. It's where you get rejected, overlooked, doubted, and tested.

But it's also the only place where growth happens.

You cannot build confidence by watching. You cannot create success by analyzing. You cannot change your life by staying comfortable.

The arena demands action.

And once you step into it, you accept something most people spend their lives avoiding-you accept that things might not go your way.

But that's also where everything becomes possible.

The Third Lesson: Failure Is Not a Sign to Stop-It's a Sign You're In It

Roosevelt says the man in the arena "errs… comes short again and again."

That line alone should change how you see your struggles.

Because most people interpret failure as a signal to retreat.

But this quote reframes failure as evidence of effort.

You tried. You showed up. You put something on the line.

That matters.

And here's the truth most people don't want to admit-those who never fail are usually the ones who never try.

So instead of asking, "What if I fail?" maybe the better question is:

"What if I never even step in?"

Because one leads to growth.

The other leads to regret.

The Final Lesson: Daring Greatly Is the Only Way to Live Fully

Roosevelt closes with a powerful contrast.

At best, the person in the arena achieves something great.

At worst, they fail while daring greatly.

But even in that failure, there is something most people never experience-a life fully lived.

Because they showed up.

They didn't hide behind opinions.

They didn't wait for permission.

They didn't let fear of judgment stop them.

They chose action over comfort.

And that's the real message here.

Not success.

Not perfection.

But courage.

So What Do You Do With This?

You take a hard look at your life and ask yourself:

Where have I been sitting in the stands?

Where have I been overthinking instead of acting?

Whose opinions have I been giving too much power to?

And then you make a decision.

Not a dramatic one. Not a perfect one.

Just a real one.

You step into the arena.

You start making moves.

You accept that it won't be clean, and it won't be easy-but it will be yours.

Because at the end of the day, the world doesn't belong to the loudest voices.

It belongs to the ones willing to get in, get hit, and keep going.

So the next time doubt creeps in, remember this:

If they're not in the arena with you…

they don't get a vote.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

Accio Work: Your Business, On Autopilot

Meet Accio Work, the agentic workspace designed to run your business operations end to end. From sourcing products and negotiating with suppliers to managing your store and launching marketing campaigns, Accio Work handles the execution so you don’t have to.

Powered by verified capabilities and deep integrations with business tools, it doesn’t just generate ideas, it takes action. Backed by Alibaba.com’s global supplier network and over 1B products, it seamlessly connects strategy to execution.

Stay in control while everything runs on autopilot.

Try One Week Free!

Good morning Grinder,

A Hard Question Most Owners Avoid

Let's get straight to it.

When was the last time you lowered your price just to win the job?

And be honest-did that client become your best customer… or your most demanding one?

Did they respect your time… or drain it?

Did they come back… or disappear the moment someone cheaper showed up?

Because if you've been in business long enough, you already know the pattern. The cheaper the job, the higher the friction. The lower the margin, the heavier the stress. And somehow, the clients who pay the least often expect the most.

So here's the real question:

Are you building a business-or are you stuck in a cycle of chasing revenue at any cost?

That distinction matters more than most people realize.

The Trap of Doing Everything

Let’s watch this first,

Steve Griggs didn't start with a grand strategy. He started the way many owners do-by doing everything himself.

Sales. Labor. Scheduling. Problem-solving. Firefighting.

If something needed to get done, he did it.

And at first, that kind of hustle feels like progress. You're busy. Jobs are getting completed. Money is coming in.

But there's a hidden problem in that model.

You become the bottleneck.

Every decision runs through you. Every issue lands on your plate. Every job depends on your time, your energy, your availability.

And no matter how hard you work, there are only so many hours in a day.

That's not a business.

That's a job with overhead.

Why Price Is Killing Your Growth

Most owners don't lose because they lack skill.

They lose because they position themselves wrong.

They compete on price.

It feels logical. Lower the number, win the job, keep the pipeline moving.

But what you're actually doing is training your market.

You're teaching customers that your value is negotiable.

You're telling them, without saying it, that what you offer isn't different-just cheaper.

And once that becomes your identity, it's almost impossible to escape.

Because now you're not just competing against your competitors.

You're competing against the lowest number.

And there will always be someone willing to go lower.

Price vs Cost: The Conversation That Changes Everything

Serious business owners understand this distinction.

Price is what your client pays upfront.

Cost is what they live with after the job is done.

Cheap work often leads to expensive problems.

Callbacks. Repairs. Frustration. Delays. Lost trust.

And when that happens, the client doesn't just remember the price.

They remember the experience.

That's where your real opportunity is.

Because when you shift the conversation from "how much does it cost?" to "what does this save you over time?"-everything changes.

Now you're not selling a job.

You're selling certainty.

You're selling peace of mind.

You're selling something your competitors can't match with a lower number.

The Power of Relationships Over Transactions

If your business depends on constantly finding new customers, you're always going to feel pressure.

Pressure to close.
Pressure to discount.
Pressure to keep the pipeline full.

But when you build relationships, that pressure starts to disappear.

Because relationships compound.

One satisfied client turns into repeat work.
Repeat work turns into referrals.
Referrals turn into a network that feeds your business without constant chasing.

That's how real growth happens.

Not through more volume.

Through deeper connections.

Steve didn't scale by doing more jobs.

He scaled by changing how he approached people.

He focused on trust. On honesty. On communication.

And that shift didn't just improve his reputation-it changed the caliber of clients he worked with.

Because high-value clients aren't looking for the cheapest option.

They're looking for the safest one.

Entrepreneurship Is a Skill-Not a Personality

Too many owners think they're stuck.

Stuck in their role.
Stuck in their pricing.
Stuck in their market.

But the truth is, entrepreneurship is not something you either have or don't.

It's something you build.

Like a muscle.

And right now, most owners are overdeveloping the wrong one.

They're strong in execution.

Weak in strategy.

Strong in doing.

Weak in thinking.

But the higher you go in business, the more that balance has to shift.

You don't get paid more because you can do more work.

You get paid more because you can make better decisions.

Better pricing decisions.
Better hiring decisions.
Better client decisions.

That's the muscle that scales a business.

You Don't Need More Work-You Need Better Work

This is where most people get it wrong.

They think the answer is more leads.

More calls.
More deals.
More volume.

But if your foundation is weak, more volume just magnifies the problem.

More low-paying jobs.
More difficult clients.
More stress.

Instead, the focus should be on better work.

Higher-quality clients.
Better margins.
Stronger relationships.

Because a few great clients will outperform dozens of average ones.

Every time.

The Shift That Separates Owners From Operators

At some point, every business owner faces a decision.

Stay in the grind.

Or step into leadership.

Stay reactive.

Or become intentional.

Stay focused on getting through the week.

Or start building something that lasts.

That shift doesn't happen automatically.

It requires you to let go of certain habits.

Discounting to close deals.
Saying yes to every opportunity.
Measuring success by how busy you are.

And replacing them with better ones.

Standing firm on value.
Choosing the right clients.
Measuring success by growth and sustainability.

That's what moves you from operator to owner.

The Question That Defines Your Future

So here's the question every serious business owner needs to answer:

Are you building a business that depends on you… or one that grows because of you?

Because those are two very different paths.

One leads to burnout.

The other leads to scale.

And the difference comes down to a few key decisions.

How you price.
Who you serve.
What you prioritize.

Get those right, and everything else starts to align.

Get them wrong, and no amount of hard work will fix it.

Keep Grinding,

N. Amadeus

100+ Claude Code hacks to ship code 10X faster

Top engineers at Anthropic and OpenAI say AI now writes 100% of their code.

If you're not using AI, you're spending 40 hours doing what they do in 4.

These 100+ Claude Code hacks fix that and help you ship 10x faster.

Sign up for The Code and get:

• 100+ Claude Code hacks used by top engineers — free

• The Code newsletter — learn the latest AI tools, tips, and skills to code faster with AI in 5 minutes a day

Claim your free playbook

Good morning Grinder,

The sun doesn't negotiate with the horizon. It rises whether you're ready or not. Somewhere, before the first light even touches the roofs of quiet neighborhoods, there's someone already moving-already dialing, already learning, already building. Not because they feel like it. Not because it's convenient. But because they understand something most people spend years avoiding:

Opportunity does not wait for permission.

And neither does the person who takes it.

That's the energy behind the message shared by Mark Cuban-raw, unfiltered, and uncomfortable for anyone still looking for a shortcut. Because the truth isn't dressed up. It's not soft. It doesn't care about motivation. It only responds to action.

Most people think they're working hard. They say they're "grinding." They talk about goals, post quotes, maybe even stay busy all day. But there's a difference between motion and progress. A massive one. And the gap between those two is where most dreams quietly die.

Because real work? Real work is invisible.

It's the call you make when no one answers.
The follow-up you send when you're tired of hearing "not right now."
The extra hour you spend learning your craft while everyone else scrolls past someone else's highlight reel.

It's repetition. It's discipline. It's doing the same thing over and over again until it sharpens into something powerful.

And that's where most people fall off.

They want results without the monotony.
They want success without the sacrifice.
They want the reward without the season of obscurity.

But the truth is, obscurity is the price.

The beginning isn't glamorous. It's quiet. It's slow. It feels like you're putting in effort with nothing coming back. Like shouting into an empty room. And that's exactly where separation happens-because most people quit there.

Not because they can't win.
But because they won't stay.

The ones who do? They start stacking something different. Not luck. Not talent. Something far more predictable: volume.

More calls.
More conversations.
More attempts.
More learning.

And eventually, more wins.

Because when effort compounds, results become inevitable.

There's a moment in every journey where things shift. It's subtle. Almost unnoticeable at first. The same work that used to feel heavy starts to feel natural. The same conversations that once felt awkward become fluid. Confidence begins to grow-not from hype, but from repetition.

That's not magic.

That's earned.

The reality is, you don't need to be the smartest person in the room. You don't need perfect timing. You don't need some secret strategy hidden behind a paywall. What you need is endurance. The willingness to keep going when it's inconvenient, when it's boring, when it feels like nothing is happening.

Because something is happening.

You're building capacity.

You're becoming sharper, faster, more resilient. You're learning how to handle rejection without hesitation. You're learning how to adjust, refine, improve.

And eventually, you become dangerous-not because you changed overnight, but because you didn't stop.

There's also a truth most people don't like to hear: balance, in the beginning, is often a luxury. Not a requirement.

There are seasons where the scale tips. Where time isn't evenly divided. Where focus becomes narrow and intense. Not forever-but long enough to build momentum.

Because momentum changes everything.

Once things start moving, once results begin to show, once systems and habits lock in-that's when life expands again. But you don't get there by protecting your comfort. You get there by stepping beyond it, consistently.

And here's where it becomes personal.

Every day, there are people in your space-your industry, your market-who are choosing to do a little more. One more call. One more follow-up. One more conversation. They're not necessarily better. Not more talented. Not more connected.

Just more consistent.

And consistency, over time, becomes dominance.

That's the part no one talks about enough.

Not the viral moment. Not the overnight success story. But the quiet accumulation of effort that builds into something undeniable.

So the question isn't whether opportunity exists. It does.

The question is: who is willing to match it with effort?

Because the door doesn't open for everyone. It opens for the person who shows up enough times to find the handle.

And if that sounds intense, it's because it is.

But it's also fair.

There's no gatekeeper deciding your outcome. No hidden system keeping you out. The path is wide open-but it's uphill. And most people turn around before they reach anything worth having.

Not because they can't make it.

But because they underestimate what it takes.

So while others wait for motivation, for clarity, for the "right time," there's another group already moving. Already building. Already creating separation.

Quietly.

Relentlessly.

Unseen.

Until they're not.

And by the time the world notices, it looks like luck. Like timing. Like everything just came together.

But you know better.

It didn't come together.

It was put together.

Piece by piece. Day by day. Choice by choice.

So the next time the morning feels heavy, or the effort feels pointless, or the progress feels slow-remember this:

Somewhere, someone is doing the work you're thinking about avoiding.

And they're getting closer.

The only question is-are you?

To your growth,

N. Amadeus

The Tech newsletter for Engineers who want to stay ahead

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 200K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

• Curated tech news that shapes your career - Filtered from thousands of sources so you know what's coming 6 months early.

• Practical resources you can use immediately - Real tutorials and tools that solve actual engineering problems.

• Research papers and insights decoded - We break down complex tech so you understand what matters.

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 200K+ engineers

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever really sat with this question-why do some people seem to break through financially so early in life, while others, just as capable, stay stuck repeating the same patterns year after year? Is it timing? Is it luck? Is it who they know… or is it something far less visible, something happening internally that most people never stop to examine?

Think about it for a moment. How many times have you caught yourself saying, "That's too expensive," or "I'll never be able to afford that," or even, "People like me don't make that kind of money"? Those statements feel small in the moment, almost harmless. But what if those exact thoughts-repeated over time-are quietly shaping the direction of your entire life? What if the biggest limitation you're facing right now isn't your situation, your resources, or your opportunities… but the beliefs you've been reinforcing without even realizing it?

And here's where it gets even more interesting. If those beliefs were learned-from your environment, your upbringing, your past experiences-then doesn't that mean they can also be unlearned? Rewritten? Replaced?

I recently came across a powerful video by Inayah McMillan titled "How I Brainwashed Myself to Be a Millionaire at 20," and whether you agree with the title or not, the message behind it forces you to confront something deeper than just money. It challenges you to look at how your thoughts, your habits, and your daily inputs are shaping the results you're getting in life right now.

Watch this video here:

Inayah McMillan didn't start from a place of extreme advantage. Like many young entrepreneurs today, she grew up without being surrounded by wealth or high-level financial thinking. There wasn't a built-in blueprint handed to her. Instead, she had to figure things out while navigating the same doubts, uncertainties, and limitations that most people face. But what made her story different is that she became aware-early on-that her mindset was either going to limit her or elevate her.

That awareness changed everything.

Rather than accepting her current reality as fixed, she started questioning it. She began to notice the patterns in her thinking-the automatic responses around money, success, and what was "realistic." And instead of letting those patterns control her future, she made a conscious decision to reprogram them. Not overnight, and not in a superficial way, but through consistent, repeated exposure to new ideas.

She immersed herself in content that expanded her perspective. She paid attention to how successful people thought, how they spoke, and how they approached opportunities. She began using affirmations, not just as empty words, but as a way to gradually shift her internal narrative. And perhaps most importantly, she started acting in alignment with the person she wanted to become, even before the results showed up.

That's the part many people underestimate.

It's easy to dismiss ideas like "mindset" or "self-talk" as motivational fluff. But when you really break it down, your thoughts influence your decisions, your decisions shape your actions, and your actions ultimately determine your results. If your thinking stays the same, your outcomes will too. But when your thinking changes, everything else starts to shift with it.

In the video, Inayah talks about the concept of "brainwashing," but not in the negative way we usually think about it. She's referring to the intentional process of replacing limiting beliefs with empowering ones. It's about recognizing that your mind is constantly being programmed anyway-by your environment, your conversations, what you watch, what you listen to-so why not take control of that process?

If you constantly surround yourself with doubt, negativity, and people who play small, that becomes your normal. But if you begin exposing yourself to higher-level thinking, bigger goals, and people who are actively building something, your expectations start to expand. And when your expectations expand, so does your willingness to act.

However, this is where it's important to stay grounded. While stories like becoming a millionaire at 20 are inspiring, they can also create unrealistic expectations if taken at face value. Not everyone will follow the same timeline, and not every path will look the same. There are always factors behind the scenes-timing, opportunities, industries, and sometimes even luck-that play a role.

But that doesn't take away from the core lesson.

The real takeaway isn't the age or the title. It's the principle that your internal world plays a massive role in shaping your external results. And more importantly, that you have more control over that internal world than you might think.

For someone like you, already building, already putting yourself out there-this message hits differently. Because you're not starting from zero. You already understand the importance of communication, persistence, and taking action. What this adds is another layer-the ability to align your mindset with your skill set.

Imagine combining strong sales ability with unshakable belief. Imagine walking into every conversation, every appointment, every opportunity, not just hoping it works out, but expecting it to. That kind of confidence isn't just motivational-it's practical. People feel it. They respond to it. And it often becomes the difference between closing a deal and losing one.

At the same time, it's important to remember that mindset alone isn't enough. Thinking differently opens the door, but walking through it requires consistent effort, discipline, and real-world action. The most successful people don't just think better-they execute better. They follow up more. They refine their approach. They learn from rejection instead of avoiding it.

So maybe the real question isn't whether "brainwashing yourself" works.

Maybe the better question is this-what have you already been programming into your mind without realizing it? And is it helping you move forward… or holding you in place?

Because whether you choose it or not, your environment is shaping you. Your habits are shaping you. Your thoughts are shaping you. The only real decision is whether you're going to take control of that process moving forward.

What would happen if, starting today, you became more intentional about what you feed your mind? What if you replaced hesitation with preparation, doubt with direction, and passive thinking with purposeful action? How different would your results look six months from now? A year from now?

The truth is, success rarely starts with a massive external breakthrough. More often, it begins with a quiet internal shift-a decision to think differently, act differently, and expect more from yourself.

And once that shift happens, everything else has a way of following.

To your growth,

N. Amadeus

The Tech newsletter for Engineers who want to stay ahead

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 200K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

• Curated tech news that shapes your career - Filtered from thousands of sources so you know what's coming 6 months early.

• Practical resources you can use immediately - Real tutorials and tools that solve actual engineering problems.

• Research papers and insights decoded - We break down complex tech so you understand what matters.

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 200K+ engineers

Good morning Grinder,

What would you do if someone offered you more money than you've ever imagined-right now, today, no strings attached?

Would you take it without thinking twice? Would you celebrate, cash out, and finally feel like you've "made it"? Or would a small voice in the back of your mind start asking a dangerous question… what if this isn't the peak? What if this is just the beginning?

And here's the real question most people never ask themselves: how do you know when to take the win… and when to keep going?

Because let's be honest. Most people never get that kind of opportunity. They grind for years hoping for a breakthrough. They dream about a big payday that solves everything. So when it finally shows up, it feels insane to walk away from it.

But what if the biggest mistake isn't missing opportunities… it's taking them too early?

That's exactly the situation Jack Zhang found himself in. And his decision is one of the boldest-and most educational-moves in modern business.

The Man Behind the Decision

Jack Zhang isn't a celebrity founder or a loud personality chasing attention. He's a builder. The kind of entrepreneur who focuses on solving real problems instead of chasing hype.

He co-founded Airwallex, a global payments company that helps businesses send and receive money across borders without the friction of traditional banking systems. The idea came from a simple frustration-international payments were slow, expensive, and inefficient.

Instead of accepting that as the norm, Jack and his team decided to fix it.

They started small, like most companies do. No billion-dollar vision at the beginning. Just a real problem, a real solution, and a willingness to figure things out step by step. Over time, that small idea turned into a fast-growing fintech company, attracting attention from investors, customers, and eventually… competitors.

One of those competitors was Stripe.

The Offer That Changes Everything

In 2018, Stripe made a move that would change everything.

They offered to buy Airwallex for $1.2 billion.

Pause for a second and really think about that number.

At that stage, Airwallex was still growing. Still figuring things out. Still far from becoming the global giant it is today. That kind of offer doesn't just represent money-it represents security. Validation. A guaranteed win.

For most founders, that's the dream exit.

Years of hard work… turned into instant success.

So why would anyone say no?

The Decision Most People Couldn't Make

Jack Zhang didn't just hesitate.

He declined.

And that's where this story becomes more than just a business headline. It becomes a lesson in how the highest level thinkers operate.

Because saying no to $1.2 billion isn't about ego. It's about perspective.

Jack wasn't looking at what the company was worth at that moment. He was looking at what it could become. He understood something that most people overlook-companies like Stripe don't make billion-dollar offers unless they see massive future potential.

So instead of thinking, "This is a huge win," he thought, "If they're offering this now… what is this really worth later?"

That kind of thinking requires a different level of confidence. Not blind confidence, but informed conviction. The kind that comes from deeply understanding your market, your product, and your long-term vision.

But here's the part that makes this story real.

It wasn't smooth after that.

The Reality After the "No"

Turning down the offer didn't magically guarantee success.

In fact, things got harder.

Airwallex faced serious challenges. They burned through cash. They dealt with operational issues. When COVID hit, global travel slowed down, which directly impacted their business model. There were moments when the pressure must have been overwhelming.

Imagine carrying the weight of that decision during those times.

Imagine wondering, even for a second, "Did I make the wrong call?"

This is what separates stories we admire from realities most people couldn't handle.

Because it's easy to celebrate bold decisions after they work.

It's much harder to live with them when nothing is guaranteed.

The Outcome That Changed Everything

Fast forward a few years, and the picture looks very different.

Airwallex is now valued at around $8 billion.

The company has grown globally, serving businesses across multiple countries, generating massive revenue, and becoming a major player in the fintech space.

That $1.2 billion offer?

It's now just a fraction of what the company is worth.

But again, the real value of this story isn't the number.

It's the lesson behind it.

What This Means for You

You may not be building an $8 billion company. You may not be getting billion-dollar offers.

But you are making decisions every day that shape your future.

Decisions about whether to settle or push forward. Whether to take the easy win or stay committed to something bigger. Whether to think short-term or long-term.

Jack Zhang's story forces you to ask a different kind of question.

Are you building something just to cash out… or are you building something to grow?

Because there's a difference.

One mindset focuses on immediate results. The other focuses on long-term value.

And that difference shows up in everything.

In business, it shows up in how you price, how you sell, how you expand.

In your career, it shows up in whether you chase quick commissions or build long-term relationships.

In your financial life, it shows up in whether you spend today or invest for tomorrow.

The pattern is the same.

Short-term thinking feels safe. It gives you quick wins. It reduces uncertainty.

Long-term thinking feels uncomfortable. It requires patience. It delays rewards. But it also creates the biggest outcomes.

That's the real takeaway from this video.

Not that you should reject every opportunity.

But that you should understand the value of what you're building before you decide to let it go.

Because sometimes, the opportunity in front of you isn't the destination.

It's just a test of how big you're willing to think.

And sometimes, the most powerful move you can make…

is having the courage to wait.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

The Tech newsletter for Engineers who want to stay ahead

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 200K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

• Curated tech news that shapes your career - Filtered from thousands of sources so you know what's coming 6 months early.

• Practical resources you can use immediately - Real tutorials and tools that solve actual engineering problems.

• Research papers and insights decoded - We break down complex tech so you understand what matters.

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 200K+ engineers

Good morning Grinder,

What if the reason most people never become wealthy has nothing to do with how much they earn… and everything to do with what they refuse to give up?

Think about this for a second. How many times have you said, "I deserve this," before buying something you didn't actually need? How often do small purchases feel harmless in the moment-but quietly add up over time? And here's the real question most people avoid: what would your financial life look like today if every unnecessary dollar you spent over the last five years had been invested instead?

Would you be closer to freedom? Less stressed? More in control?

In a world where everyone is chasing more income, more side hustles, and more ways to "make money faster," very few people stop and ask a much simpler-and far more powerful-question: what am I doing with the money I already have?

That's exactly what makes a recent video featuring Kevin O'Leary so impactful.

If you don't know him, Kevin O'Leary-often called "Mr. Wonderful" from the TV show Shark Tank-is a self-made multimillionaire investor known for his blunt, no-nonsense approach to money. He built his wealth by co-founding and eventually selling a software company for billions, and since then, he's become one of the most recognized voices in personal finance and investing.

But what's interesting is this: despite all his business success, one of the most important lessons he credits for his wealth didn't come from a boardroom or a deal.

It came from a simple rule.

In this video, he shares the moment that changed how he viewed money forever-a lesson that didn't feel revolutionary at first, but ended up becoming the foundation of his financial success.

You can watch the full video here:

At the core of his message is something almost too simple to take seriously. His wife would often say to him, "Don't buy that. We don't need it." That was the rule.

No complicated strategy. No advanced investing techniques. Just a constant filter applied to every purchase.

And yet, that one habit created a massive shift.

Because every time you don't spend money on something unnecessary, you create an opportunity. That money doesn't just sit-it can be redirected. Invested. Compounded. Grown.

Kevin emphasizes that most people don't fail financially because they don't earn enough. They fail because they spend too much on things that don't matter. The daily coffee, the impulse purchases, the lifestyle upgrades that feel small individually-but collectively drain thousands of dollars every year.

And here's where the lesson becomes powerful.

It's not about being cheap. It's about being intentional.

Every dollar has a choice. You can either consume it today or invest it into your future. And over time, those choices begin to compound-not just financially, but psychologically.

When you build the habit of saying no to unnecessary spending, you're not just saving money. You're building discipline. You're training yourself to think long-term. You're shifting from a consumer mindset to an ownership mindset.

Kevin also highlights something that many people overlook: wealth is not built through big, dramatic decisions. It's built through small, repeated behaviors over time.

You don't need to hit a home run investment. You don't need to start with a huge amount of money. What you need is consistency.

Because when you take those small amounts you didn't spend and invest them-whether into stocks, businesses, or income-producing assets-they begin to grow. Slowly at first. Almost invisibly. But over years, that growth accelerates.

That's the power of compounding.

And this is where most people lose.

Not because they don't understand it-but because they don't stick with it long enough.

We live in a culture that rewards instant gratification. Fast results. Quick wins. But real wealth doesn't work that way. It requires patience. It requires restraint. It requires the ability to delay pleasure today for something much bigger tomorrow.

Kevin's message cuts through all the noise. It reminds us that before you try to make more money, you need to respect the money you already have.

Because if you can't manage $1,000 wisely, making $10,000 won't fix the problem. It will just scale it.

The truth is, the gap between where most people are financially and where they want to be is often not as large as it seems. It's hidden in everyday decisions. The ones that feel insignificant in the moment, but shape your future over time.

So the next time you're about to make a purchase, pause for a moment and ask yourself a different question.

Not "Can I afford this?"
But "Is this worth delaying my financial freedom?"

That single shift in thinking could change everything.

Because in the end, building wealth isn't about doing something extraordinary once. It's about doing something simple-over and over again-with discipline.

And as Kevin O'Leary's story shows, sometimes the simplest rule is the one that changes your life the most.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

The Tech newsletter for Engineers who want to stay ahead

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 200K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

• Curated tech news that shapes your career - Filtered from thousands of sources so you know what's coming 6 months early.

• Practical resources you can use immediately - Real tutorials and tools that solve actual engineering problems.

• Research papers and insights decoded - We break down complex tech so you understand what matters.

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 200K+ engineers

Good morning Grinder,

What if everything you've been told about success is wrong? What if the path that most people are chasing right now-coding, tech startups, online fame-isn't the only way to build real wealth? And in a world where artificial intelligence is advancing faster than ever, replacing jobs, automating tasks, and reshaping entire industries, what kind of work will actually survive… and thrive?

Are we heading into a future where only tech workers win? Or is there a quieter, less talked about path that could not only survive the AI wave-but become even more valuable because of it?

And here's the biggest question of all: what if the safest, most profitable path in the next decade looks a lot more "ordinary" than people expect?

That's exactly why the story of Larry Janesky is so powerful right now.

In a world obsessed with digital success, Larry built a billion-dollar empire doing something most people overlook. He didn't become famous through social media. He didn't build a Silicon Valley startup. He didn't rely on trends. Instead, he built his wealth through hands-on work, starting from the ground up, solving real problems for real people.

And even after becoming a billionaire, he still shows up and works like a normal business owner.

That alone challenges everything people believe about success.

Larry Janesky's story didn't start with privilege or connections. It started with simple, physical work. As a teenager, he began building houses, learning construction firsthand. He wasn't chasing a dream of becoming a billionaire. He was learning a skill. He was understanding how things worked, how homes were built, and most importantly, how to solve problems that homeowners faced.

Over time, he noticed something specific. Many homes had issues with basements-water leaks, structural problems, and long-term damage that most contractors either ignored or didn't fix properly. Instead of treating this as just another job, Larry saw it as an opportunity. He focused on mastering this niche.

That decision changed everything.

He went on to build a company focused on basement waterproofing and home improvement, eventually creating a system that could scale. What started as manual labor turned into a business model. That business model turned into multiple companies. And over time, those companies generated hundreds of millions, eventually crossing into billionaire-level success.

But what's fascinating is not just the money. It's how he thinks about work.

In the YouTube interview, Larry comes across as calm, grounded, and almost the opposite of what people imagine when they think of a billionaire. There's no flashy lifestyle being pushed. No "get rich quick" energy. Instead, there's a quiet confidence that comes from years of doing the work, learning the craft, and building something real.

One of the biggest takeaways from the interview is how much he values trades and hands-on industries. In a time when everyone is rushing toward digital careers, he points out something most people are missing. The demand for skilled labor-construction, repairs, installations, home services-is not going away. In fact, it's growing.

Think about it. AI can write emails, analyze data, and even generate code. But can it physically go into a home, fix a foundation, install impact windows, or repair a roof? Not anytime soon.

That's where the opportunity lies.

The more AI takes over digital tasks, the more valuable physical, skilled work becomes. It creates a gap in the market. And people who fill that gap can build extremely profitable businesses.

Larry's story is proof of that.

Another powerful lesson from the interview is his approach to consistency. He didn't jump from idea to idea. He didn't chase trends. He stayed focused on one industry, went deep, and built expertise over time. While others were looking for shortcuts, he was building systems.

That's something many people overlook today.

We live in a culture that celebrates speed. Fast money, fast growth, fast success. But real wealth-the kind that lasts-is usually built slowly. It comes from repetition, improvement, and long-term thinking.

Larry embodies that mindset.

He also talks about something that might surprise people. Even after achieving massive financial success, he still works. Not because he has to, but because he wants to. For him, work isn't just about money. It's about purpose, building, and contributing.

That's a completely different way of thinking about success.

Most people think success means escaping work. But what if real success means doing work you actually enjoy, at a high level, with full control over your time and decisions?

That shift in perspective is powerful.

So what can people actually learn from this?

First, don't underestimate "boring" industries. Some of the most profitable businesses are not glamorous. They're not trending on social media. But they solve real problems. And real problems always have demand.

Second, skills matter more than ever. Not just any skills, but valuable, practical skills. The kind that people are willing to pay for. The kind that can't easily be replaced by software.

Third, ownership is key. Larry didn't just work in construction. He built businesses within that space. That's where the real wealth comes from. Not just doing the work, but owning the system behind the work.

And finally, consistency beats everything.

In a world distracted by trends, staying focused on one path, improving daily, and building over time is still one of the most reliable ways to win.

As AI continues to evolve, it's easy to feel uncertain about the future. Jobs will change. Industries will shift. Some opportunities will disappear. But others will grow even stronger.

The question is not whether change is coming. It's whether you are positioned to benefit from it.

Larry Janesky's story offers a clear answer. Instead of chasing what everyone else is chasing, look for what people are ignoring. Instead of relying on trends, build something real. Instead of fearing change, understand where the value is moving.

Because in the end, wealth doesn't come from following the crowd.

It comes from seeing what others don't-and having the discipline to build it anyway.

Keep grinding,

N. Amadeus

The Tech newsletter for Engineers who want to stay ahead

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 200K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

• Curated tech news that shapes your career - Filtered from thousands of sources so you know what's coming 6 months early.

• Practical resources you can use immediately - Real tutorials and tools that solve actual engineering problems.

• Research papers and insights decoded - We break down complex tech so you understand what matters.

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 200K+ engineers