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The book was actually written in 1938 but remained unpublished for decades because its ideas were considered too controversial at the time.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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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Good morning Grinder,

Every time the economy slows down, most people react the same way. They get scared. They cut spending. They wait. They hope things will "go back to normal." But here's the question very few people ask: what if recessions are actually the best time in history to build massive wealth?

Think about it. If economic downturns were only destructive, why did so many of the world's richest people make their fortunes during difficult times? Why did companies like Amazon grow explosively after the dot-com crash? Why did investors who bought stocks during the financial crisis become incredibly wealthy years later?

History shows a strange pattern. When the economy contracts, opportunities expand for the people who know where to look.

During recessions, businesses close, assets become cheaper, competition disappears, and markets reset. Fear spreads through the public. Investors panic. Companies cut costs and sell valuable assets for less than they are worth. To the average person this looks like chaos. To smart entrepreneurs and investors, it looks like a clearance sale on the future.

So the real question isn't whether a recession is coming. The real question is this: how do you position yourself so that when everyone else is struggling, you are quietly building wealth?

That is exactly what the video "How To Get Filthy Rich During a Recession in 2026" explores. Instead of treating a recession like a disaster, the video breaks down how downturns can become the single greatest wealth-building moment of your lifetime-if you understand how money, markets, and psychology work during economic contractions.

Why Recessions Create the Biggest Wealth Opportunities

Recessions are painful for the majority of people because income shrinks, jobs disappear, and uncertainty grows. However, this same environment creates powerful wealth opportunities for people who are prepared.

The key reason is that assets become deeply discounted.

During good economic times, assets like stocks, real estate, and businesses often become overpriced. Investors are optimistic, money flows easily, and prices climb quickly. But when a recession hits, that optimism disappears. Panic takes over.

People begin selling investments just to raise cash. Businesses shut down or sell at huge discounts. Real estate prices soften. Stocks fall dramatically.

For the average person, these falling prices look terrifying. But for experienced investors, they represent rare buying opportunities.

History proves this repeatedly. After the 2008 financial crisis, people who bought shares in companies like Apple or Amazon at depressed prices saw massive gains over the following decade. The same pattern occurred after the dot-com crash and even after the Great Depression.

Economic downturns are not simply periods of destruction. They are also periods of massive transfer of wealth from the unprepared to the prepared.

The Psychology of Fear and Why It Creates Opportunity

One of the most powerful ideas in the video is that recessions are driven as much by psychology as by economics.

When people feel uncertain about the future, they stop making rational decisions. They sell investments at the worst possible time. They abandon long-term plans. They hold cash out of fear rather than strategy.

This emotional reaction creates huge market inefficiencies.

Assets that should be worth a certain price suddenly become undervalued simply because people are afraid. Companies with strong fundamentals get punished alongside weak companies. Entire industries become discounted.

For patient investors and entrepreneurs, these moments create extraordinary opportunities.

Instead of following the crowd, wealthy individuals study the fundamentals. They ask different questions. Is this company still profitable? Is this property in a good location? Does this business solve a real problem?

If the answer is yes, then a recession can turn into the best buying opportunity available.

The wealthy understand that markets move in cycles. Fear eventually turns back into optimism. When that shift happens, assets that were purchased cheaply often multiply in value.

Why Businesses Built During Recessions Become Stronger

Another key lesson from the video is that some of the strongest companies in the world were built during economic downturns.

When the economy is booming, it is easy for almost any business to survive. Money flows freely, investors are eager, and consumers spend without hesitation. Weak businesses can survive simply because the environment is forgiving.

But during recessions, only the strongest companies survive.

Entrepreneurs who launch businesses during downturns are forced to operate efficiently from the start. They must control expenses, focus on real customer needs, and build resilient systems.

This creates stronger foundations.

Many legendary companies were started during economic downturns, including Microsoft and Uber. Their founders used difficult economic conditions as an opportunity to innovate while competitors were retreating.

The lesson is simple: when others stop building, builders gain an enormous advantage.

Why Cash Flow Becomes King During Economic Downturns

Another major concept emphasized in the video is the importance of cash flow during recessions.

Assets that generate steady income become incredibly valuable when the economy is unstable. Rental properties, dividend stocks, and profitable small businesses provide consistent cash even when markets fluctuate.

This stability allows investors to continue buying opportunities while others are forced to sell.

Cash flow also creates flexibility. When someone has income coming in, they can wait patiently for opportunities rather than reacting out of fear.

This is why many wealthy individuals focus on building multiple streams of income before a recession occurs. Those income streams become the financial engine that powers new investments when prices drop.

In other words, cash flow doesn't just help you survive a recession. It allows you to dominate it.

Why Patience and Long-Term Thinking Win

Perhaps the most important lesson from the video is that wealth created during recessions rarely happens overnight.

The real advantage comes from thinking years ahead rather than months ahead.

People who buy undervalued assets during downturns often hold them for long periods of time. As the economy recovers and growth returns, those assets appreciate dramatically.

This is the quiet strategy used by many wealthy investors.

While the public is focused on daily news headlines and short-term fear, successful investors are quietly accumulating assets and waiting for the economic cycle to turn.

When the recovery eventually arrives-and it always does-the rewards can be enormous.

The Hidden Pattern Behind Every Recession Millionaire

If you study the stories of people who built wealth during recessions, a clear pattern appears.

They prepared before the crisis. They remained calm during the panic. They bought assets while others were selling. And most importantly, they focused on long-term value instead of short-term fear.

Economic downturns expose weaknesses in the financial system, but they also reveal extraordinary opportunities for those who are ready to act.

The truth is that recessions do not simply destroy wealth. They redistribute it.

And for those willing to learn, prepare, and think differently from the crowd, a recession might just become the greatest financial opportunity of their lifetime.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

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Good morning Grinder,

What would you sacrifice to become a billionaire?

Would you work 16-hour days for decades if it meant financial freedom later? Would you take massive risks when everyone else was afraid? Would you miss birthdays, vacations, and time with the people you love in exchange for building something extraordinary?

These are uncomfortable questions, but they sit quietly behind nearly every great fortune in the world.

Most of us only see the highlight reel of success. We see the private jets, the yachts, the beautiful homes, and the headlines announcing billion-dollar companies. What we rarely see is the long road that leads there-the uncertainty, the pressure, the years where success is far from guaranteed.

Recently, I watched a fascinating interview that explored this reality in a very honest way. The interview featured a 76-year-old shipping billionaire who was asked a question that almost no one asks successful people directly: Was it worth it?

That billionaire was Michael Hudner.

Hudner is not a celebrity entrepreneur whose name appears constantly in the media. Yet within the world of global shipping and maritime logistics, he is known as a powerful force who built an enormous fortune by understanding one of the most important industries in the global economy.

To appreciate his journey, it helps to understand the scale of the shipping industry itself. Nearly everything we use in modern life travels across the ocean at some point. Cars, electronics, raw materials, food, furniture, and countless other goods move across the world in massive cargo vessels every single day. Shipping is the invisible infrastructure that keeps global trade functioning.

But while the industry is massive, it is also incredibly volatile. Freight rates can soar during economic booms and collapse during recessions. Entire companies rise and fall depending on global demand, oil prices, international conflicts, and economic cycles. In other words, it's an industry where fortunes can be made-or lost-very quickly.

Michael Hudner entered this world with a mindset that would eventually define his success: patience.

Unlike many entrepreneurs who chase rapid growth, Hudner focused on understanding the long-term cycles of the shipping market. He studied how supply and demand moved over time. He watched how companies expanded too aggressively during boom periods and then struggled when the market inevitably slowed down.

Instead of following the crowd, Hudner developed a strategy that many of the most successful investors use but very few people have the discipline to follow.

He bought when others were afraid.

During downturns in the shipping market, when companies were desperate to sell vessels and assets at steep discounts, Hudner stepped in and acquired ships at bargain prices. When global trade accelerated again and freight demand surged, those ships became incredibly valuable assets.

Over time, this strategy allowed him to build a massive fleet and accumulate a fortune in the shipping industry.

But the interview that sparked this newsletter wasn't focused only on the mechanics of building wealth. It explored something deeper: the human cost of extraordinary success.

The interviewer asked Hudner a question that many entrepreneurs rarely stop to consider while they are in the middle of the climb.

After decades of building a business empire… was it worth it?

Hudner's answer was thoughtful and honest.

Yes, the journey had been exciting. Building something large, navigating global markets, and creating wealth on such a scale brought a sense of achievement and freedom that few people experience.

But the road there was far from easy.

Like many entrepreneurs who build massive businesses, Hudner spent decades immersed in work. Shipping is not a simple nine-to-five industry. It operates around the clock, across continents and time zones. Decisions involving millions-or sometimes billions-of dollars had to be made quickly and often under intense pressure.

There were market crashes to survive, deals to negotiate, and constant uncertainty about where the industry would move next.

Hudner explained that one of the most important lessons he learned was that success is rarely just the result of hard work. Timing plays an enormous role.

The shipping industry experienced explosive growth during certain periods as global trade expanded and emerging economies demanded more resources and goods. Being positioned in the industry at the right time allowed entrepreneurs like Hudner to benefit from those massive waves of economic growth.

Hard work matters, but being in the right place at the right time matters too.

Another insight from the interview was the importance of financial discipline. Many shipping companies fail during downturns because they take on too much debt during boom times. When the market slows down, those debts become crushing burdens.

Hudner survived multiple shipping cycles because he maintained a more conservative approach. He kept reserves, avoided overextending his business, and waited patiently for opportunities that appeared during periods of economic stress.

In many ways, his strategy reflects a timeless investment principle: the best opportunities often appear when everyone else is panicking.

When markets are booming and optimism is everywhere, assets tend to become expensive. When fear spreads and people rush to sell, assets become cheap. The individuals who are prepared during those moments often build the greatest fortunes.

But perhaps the most powerful part of the interview came near the end.

Hudner acknowledged that while financial success brings security and freedom, it does not automatically bring happiness.

Money can solve many problems. It can provide comfort, access, and opportunities that most people never experience. But it cannot replace time, relationships, or health.

Looking back on his career, Hudner recognized that the pursuit of extraordinary success required sacrifices that are difficult to fully understand when you begin the journey. Long hours, constant stress, and years of intense focus on business inevitably come at a cost.

And time, once spent, cannot be bought back.

That reflection does not mean Hudner regrets his journey. Building a global business, navigating economic cycles, and achieving financial independence gave him experiences that few people ever have. But his perspective carries an important message for anyone chasing success today.

The goal should not be wealth alone.

The real goal is building a life that includes financial security, meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose.

Stories like Michael Hudner's remind us that extraordinary wealth is rarely created overnight. It is built through years of discipline, strategic thinking, and the ability to stay calm when others panic.

They also remind us that success is more than numbers on a balance sheet.

As you think about your own goals-whether in business, investing, or life-it may be worth asking yourself a simple question.

If you achieve the financial success you are pursuing today, what kind of life will be waiting for you when you get there?

Because in the end, the most valuable asset any of us truly have isn't money.

It's time.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

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Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever paused in the middle of a normal day and wondered why some people seem to handle life's big questions - money, fear, failure, purpose - with confidence while the rest of us are still trying to catch up? What separates a life lived in the shallow waters of "security" from one that plunges headfirst into uncertainty - and comes back not just surviving, but thriving? Have you asked yourself what you really believe about money: is it a tool, a measure of success, or a mark of worth?

These aren't abstract questions. They're real, deep, soul-searching questions - the kind that can keep you up at night. And they were exactly the kinds that Dovid Lichtenstein explored on a recent episode of the Kosher Money podcast when he sat down to share the story of his life - not just the highs, not just the wealth, but the raw reality behind both.

Because here's the thing: when a man who built his fortune from almost nothing opens up about the moments that shaped him - the fears he faced, the philosophical choices he made, the values he held onto when the world around him was falling apart - there's something worth listening to.

Let's dive into the journey that took Dovid from knocking on strangers' doors selling encyclopedias to standing on stages as a self-made billionaire - and more importantly, to a place of insight that touches money, identity, faith, and purpose in ways most of us rarely consider.

A Background Worth Knowing - Before the Billionaire Title

To truly understand the value of the lessons Dovid shares, you have to start with the beginning of his story - a beginning that looked nothing like what most people imagine when they hear the word "billionaire." Born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, Dovid grew up with deep spiritual roots but without financial abundance. His father was an itinerant rabbi, a role filled with meaning but not with money - and as a result, money was something the family rarely had in surplus and often didn't talk about.

His early life wasn't defined by privilege, opportunity, or connections. Instead, it was marked by a sense of enough - having food, shelter, family, and faith - but also by an awareness of comparative lack, the nagging feeling that comes when you see others thriving while you struggle just to get by.

After marriage and years of Jewish study in yeshiva, Dovid faced the same struggles many of us know all too well: bills, responsibilities, doubt, and the longing for something more. One of the most striking moments from his story - and one he recounts with both humility and resolve - is the day he literally tore up a food-stamp application. It wasn't an act of pride; it was a symbol of a decision to refuse to be defined by fear.

Instead of taking the safe route, he chose to take control of his narrative. He started by knocking on doors selling encyclopedias - a brutal, humbling task that most people would hate - but it taught him lessons about rejection, perseverance, and the importance of having a personal vision for life.

That experience planted seeds that would eventually grow into real estate deals, investments, businesses, and a worldview grounded in persistence, curiosity, and belief in one's own story.

Lessons That Money Can't Buy

When you listen to Dovid speak - especially for over an hour as he did in that podcast episode - a few themes begin to emerge that go far beyond the usual "get rich" talk. Here are some of the deeper, more meaningful takeaways that make his story resonate with anyone, regardless of income level:

One: Fear is real, but it doesn't have to be your compass.

Dovid talks about those early days with honesty - he didn't start with confidence or certainty. But he learned that fear only controls you if you let it. Facing fear head-on instead of avoiding it eventually became a habit that allowed him to take calculated risks others wouldn't consider.

Two: Your identity shouldn't be tethered to your bank account.

He warns against defining yourself by how much you earn, own, or accumulate. Money is a tool - not a measure of your worth as a human being. That shift in identity frees you to pursue purpose rather than approval.

Three: Success isn't linear.

One of the most dramatic moments in his story is when he talks about losing $100 million - and how he rebuilt after that massive setback. Most people never share losses that big publicly. He did - and what makes that moment powerful isn't the loss itself, but the come back, the resilience, and the philosophy that no failure is final if you learn from it.

Four: Curiosity is one of your greatest assets.

Instead of asking "Why not?" out of defiance, he learned how asking better questions - the kind that dig deeper into assumptions - opened up new opportunities and fresh thinking. This is a mindset that serves in business and life.

More Than Money - A Life of Purpose

Perhaps the most striking thing about Dovid's message isn't what he says about wealth - it's what he says about meaning. He stresses that even after achieving financial success, he continues to work because purpose still drives him. He talks about faith, family, community, and contribution in ways that remind us prosperity isn't just about accumulation - it's about significance.

Some of the richest people in the world retire early, seek comfort, and disengage from intense effort. Dovid's story defies that pattern. He continues to pursue growth, learning, and impact because those elements - not money itself - are what truly motivate him.

So what's the real lesson here - the one that matters whether you're running a business, raising a family, chasing a dream, or just trying to make sense of life's ups and downs?

It's this: Your story isn't written by your fear, your setbacks, your bank account, or your circumstances. It's written by the choices you make when no one's watching - the decisions you make about courage, curiosity, growth, and purpose.

And listening to someone who's walked that path - from selling encyclopedias to talking about the meaning of work after massive success - gives you not just lessons, but permission to think differently about your own life.

Because if one man can change his narrative from struggle to strategy, from fear to purpose, so can you.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever wondered what separates someone who dreams about success from someone who actually builds it?

Have you ever asked yourself, "Is it luck? Is it connections? Is it some secret elite only top entrepreneurs know?"

What if I told you that the barrier to your first successful business isn't talent, education, or funds - but mindset?

Imagine a man who didn't come from Wall Street, didn't inherit wealth, and didn't have an MBA from an Ivy League school. Instead, he started with a simple belief: "If I can figure it out, anyone can."

That man has launched more than 75 businesses, some earning seven figures, others failing spectacularly - but all teaching lessons no classroom ever could.

Today, I want to share his story - not because it's a fairy tale of overnight success, but because it's a powerful mirror for all of us who are still asking the big questions: "What now? Where do I start? What really matters?"

He’s name is Chris Koerner.

From Average to Endless Trial

The first thing you should know is this: Chris didn't start with brilliance - he started with action.

He didn't wait for the perfect idea or the perfect moment. He simply started. Each business began like a question: What if I try this? What if I learn as I go? What if the first failure teaches me something vital?

That's one of the deepest lessons he shares with anyone willing to listen:
Your journey isn't defined by the successes you celebrate - it's defined by the lessons you collect from every misstep along the way.

This isn't a message about luck. It's about persistence. It's about getting your hands dirty in the weeds of your business long before you can delegate anything. It's about understanding the foundation before building the roof. This is a founder's truth many never learn - you must know the game to win the game.

The "Make It Happen" Gene

There's a phrase he uses that sticks with you:
"MIH - Make It Happen."

Think about that for a moment. It's not about talent. It's not about environment. It's about attitude.

When a customer walked into his first phone repair shop with a broken device he had never fixed before, he didn't say, "I don't know how." He said, "Give me a few hours." And then he learned how. He taught himself under pressure - with the customer's device in hand. That level of commitment is the kind that builds real businesses, not fantasies.

MIH isn't a slogan. It's a muscle. And it's something you develop by doing, not planning.

What Nobody Tells You About Entrepreneurship

Here's something that shakes most first-time founders:
Entrepreneurship isn't glamorous.

People imagine big launches, viral moments, and exponential growth. They don't imagine the uncertainties, the pivots, the moments where you have to choose between urgency and patience.

Chris learned things many successful founders only share late in life:

You have to know every aspect of your business before you can hand it off.

You need to protect your people and your culture, especially when the numbers are good - because when they turn bad, that's the real test.

Running multiple businesses doesn't mean doing everything at once - it means mastering the fundamentals so you can replicate success.

These aren't sexy truths. They're lessons forged in real adversity.

The Role of a "CEOwner"

One of the most eye-opening ideas Chris shares is his redefining of leadership. He calls it "CEOwner" - Chief Everything Owner.

Why?

Because in early businesses, you don't have a team. You don't have assistants. You don't have departments. You have you. You are the sales team, the customer service rep, the marketer, the bookkeeper, and the problem solver.

Being a CEOwner means you don't just delegate - you understand. You dive into the weeds so deeply that when a challenge arises, you don't outsource the solution - you own it, first.

And paradoxically, once you understand every part of your business, only then can you effectively let go of it.

Fail Fast, Learn Faster

Here's something that might surprise you:
Some of his ventures that seemed successful on paper weren't smart moves at all. One business hit huge revenue numbers but was fundamentally built on a model that could never sustain profit. Another exploded because of timing and external conditions rather than strategy - and then flipped overnight when the environment changed.

These experiences taught him something critical:
Vanity metrics don't matter. Revenue without profit and sustainability is just noise.

This lesson is gold for anyone building a business right now. The world is filled with shiny numbers. Don't be distracted. Focus on what matters - customers who pay, systems that scale, fundamentals that endure.

Why This Matters to You

Many people feel stuck, not because they lack ideas, but because they haven't been told what really matters:

Your business isn't a reflection of luck.
Your ideas aren't judged by educators or peers.
Your path isn't dictated by perfect timing.

Your likelihood of creating something meaningful depends on one thing:
Your willingness to start, learn, adjust, and keep going.

If you walk away from this story with just one insight, let it be this: Every business starts with courage and a willingness to begin - imperfectly.

And if someone who started 75 of them can do it - with lessons learned, mistakes survived, and wisdom gained - then you, yes you reading this, can begin yours today.

Good luck,

N. Amadeus

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Good morning Grinder,

Let me start with a question that might feel a little uncomfortable.

Why is it that two people can work just as hard, be just as smart, and yet end up in completely different financial positions?

Why do some people seem to attract money, opportunities, partnerships, and leverage-while others feel stuck trading time for dollars, no matter how disciplined they are?

And here's the question most people avoid.

What if the difference isn't effort… but positioning?

I recently watched a YouTube interview that stopped me in my tracks-not because it was flashy or dramatic, but because it quietly explained something many wealthy people understand instinctively and most of us were never taught.

The video is titled "Going Viral Isn't Luck. I Make $1M/Month With 31-Second Videos." At first glance, it sounds like it's about social media.

It's not.

It's about leverage.

Who Daniel Bitton Is-and Why People Listen to Him

The interview features Daniel Bitton, a short-form content strategist and entrepreneur who has helped scale brands, personal businesses, and offers using extremely short videos-often under a minute.

Daniel isn't known for chasing trends or internet fame. His background is rooted in direct response thinking, digital marketing, and understanding human behavior at scale.

What makes him interesting isn't that he uses social media.

It's that he understands how attention converts into trust, trust into demand, and demand into predictable income.

In the interview, he explains how his systems generate seven figures a month-not through virality, but through consistency, structure, and intentional messaging.

That distinction matters more than most people realize.

Why Wealth Has Always Followed Attention

Here's the part that clicked for me.

Wealth has always followed attention.

Long before social media, the businesses that won were the ones people remembered. Billboards, television commercials, magazine spreads-none of that was accidental. Visibility has always been expensive because it has always been valuable.

What's changed is access.

Today, attention is no longer controlled by a few gatekeepers. It's earned moment by moment. Second by second.

Daniel explains that short-form content isn't powerful because it makes people famous. It's powerful because it allows ordinary people to build recognition and trust at scale-without massive capital.

That's not social media strategy.

That's wealth strategy.

Why Time Alone Can No Longer Build Real Wealth

Most people are still trying to earn more by doing more.

More hours.
More effort.
More exhaustion.

But time-based income has a ceiling. Leverage-based income does not.

In the interview, Daniel breaks down how a single short video can work for you long after you've made it-bringing in leads, opportunities, conversations, and credibility while you're living your life.

That's the same principle real estate investors, business owners, and asset builders have always used.

The difference is the asset today isn't just property or capital.

It's attention.

The Video Isn't the Asset-Your Reputation Is

This is where most people misunderstand content.

They think the goal is views.

The real goal is positioning.

When people repeatedly see you explain ideas clearly, confidently, and simply, something powerful happens. You become familiar. You become trusted. You become remembered.

Trust accelerates money.

It shortens sales cycles.
It increases perceived value.
It attracts opportunity instead of chasing it.

Daniel makes it clear that he doesn't rely on one viral moment. He relies on a system that compounds.

That's how wealth is actually built.

Why This Matters Even If You Don't "Create Content"

You don't need to be an influencer for this to apply.

If you sell services.
If you run a business.
If you want financial independence.
If you want optionality.

Understanding how attention works is no longer optional.

The people building wealth fastest today aren't louder-they're clearer.

They communicate value simply. They show up consistently. And they let systems do the heavy lifting.

The Opportunity Most People Will Ignore

Most people will watch that interview and focus on the wrong thing.

They'll think, "I could never do that."
Or, "That only works for certain people."
Or, "I'll look into it later."

But wealth has never rewarded comfort.

It rewards those who see shifts early and position themselves before the crowd catches on.

Short-form content is not a trend. It's infrastructure.

And those who learn to use it intentionally are quietly building leverage most people don't even see yet.

The biggest lesson from Daniel Bitton's message isn't about social media.

It's about ownership.

Owning your message.
Owning your visibility.
Owning a system that works for you even when you're not working.

Wealth today isn't just about how hard you work.

It's about how intelligently you position yourself in a world driven by attention.

And once you understand that, everything changes.

Talk soon,

N. Amadeus

What Will Your Retirement Look Like?

Planning for retirement raises many questions. Have you considered how much it will cost, and how you’ll generate the income you’ll need to pay for it? For many, these questions can feel overwhelming, but answering them is a crucial step forward for a comfortable future.

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Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever watched a private jet lift off and felt that mix of curiosity and disbelief? Not envy exactly, but a deeper question: How does someone actually build a life like that? Not inherit it. Not win it. Not stumble into it. But deliberately construct it over decades, decision by decision.

What if the person behind that jet didn't come from Silicon Valley, didn't create a viral app, didn't ride crypto at the right moment, and didn't sell motivation from a stage?

What if his wealth was built the old-fashioned way - through sales, patience, structure, and an obsessive understanding of how businesses really work?

That's why the Wall Street Journal Money Interview with Kenn Ricci is so compelling. It doesn't feel like a performance. It feels like a conversation with someone who has already proven everything and no longer needs to impress anyone.

This is not a story about overnight success. It's a story about staying power.

Who Kenn Ricci Is - And Why His Story Matters

Kenn Ricci is the chairman of Flexjet, one of the most respected private aviation companies in the world. Flexjet operates hundreds of aircraft and serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, executives, and corporations who expect precision, privacy, and reliability at the highest level.

But what makes Ricci interesting isn't the jets. It's the path that led to them.

He is also the founder of Directional Aviation Capital, the parent company behind Flexjet and several other aviation businesses. Over time, he built, acquired, restructured, and scaled companies in one of the most capital-intensive industries imaginable. Aviation is unforgiving. Margins are thin. Mistakes are expensive. Ego is punished quickly.

Ricci didn't buy his way into this world. He worked his way in, learning each layer of the business until he understood not just how to grow, but how to survive.

Listening to him speak in the interview, you notice something immediately. There's no hype. No inflated confidence. No urgency to sound brilliant. Just calm, deliberate clarity. That tone alone tells you this is someone who has lived inside big decisions for a long time.

The Early Years: Sales, Cash Flow, and Reality

Kenn Ricci didn't start with jets. He started with sales.

Early in his career, he sold used cars and aircraft parts. On paper, it doesn't sound glamorous. In reality, it was the perfect training ground. Sales taught him how people think, how trust is built, and how cash flow keeps a business alive long before reputation does.

Instead of chasing image or status, Ricci focused on understanding fundamentals. How money moves through a business. How deals are structured. Where risk hides. Why downside matters just as much as upside.

This period shaped how he would operate for the rest of his career. He learned that confidence alone doesn't build wealth. Systems do. Structure does. Discipline does.

Most importantly, he learned how to stay in the game long enough for experience to compound.

Seeing the Opportunity Others Overlooked

Ricci's first major breakthrough came with fractional jet ownership. At the time, private aviation was still viewed as something you either fully owned or didn't access at all. Ricci saw a different future. He saw that wealthy clients didn't want assets - they wanted access, flexibility, and service.

He co-founded Flight Options, which quickly became one of the largest fractional jet companies in the world. Growth came fast, but not easily. Scaling an aviation business meant navigating massive financing requirements, operational complexity, and constant pressure.

In the interview, Ricci speaks candidly about this phase. Success didn't bring freedom. It brought weight. Every decision carried consequences. Every expansion carried risk.

Eventually, Flight Options was sold to Raytheon. This wasn't just a win. It was proof. Proof that Ricci could build something valuable and exit intelligently.

Many entrepreneurs never reach this stage. They grow, but they don't control. Ricci did both.

The Berkshire Hathaway Chapter Few People Know

One of the most fascinating moments in Ricci's journey involves Berkshire Hathaway. Flexjet was once owned by NetJets under the Berkshire umbrella. When Berkshire decided aviation didn't fit its long-term strategy, an opportunity emerged that most people couldn't see or couldn't handle.

Kenn Ricci stepped in and bought Flexjet back.

This wasn't luck. This was preparation colliding with timing. Ricci knew the assets. He knew the customers. He knew the risks and the upside. While others saw complexity, he saw leverage.

Under Directional Aviation, Flexjet was rebuilt, refined, and repositioned. This move became one of the defining wealth-creation decisions of Ricci's life, not because it was flashy, but because it was precise.

How Kenn Ricci Actually Thinks About Money

What stands out most in the WSJ interview is how unromantic Ricci is about wealth. He doesn't sell hustle. He doesn't glorify burnout. He doesn't pretend money fixes everything.

Instead, he talks about structure. About thinking long-term. About knowing when not to grow. About protecting capital with the same intensity used to make it.

Ricci explains that money didn't change who he was. It magnified it. His habits scaled. His decision-making scaled. His discipline scaled.

That insight alone is worth the watch.

Why This Interview Is Worth Watching Slowly

This isn't just an interview about jets or billionaires. It's a lesson in how grown-up money actually works. It's about patience, timing, and understanding systems deeply enough to operate inside them instead of being crushed by them.

If you're in sales, business, real estate, finance, or entrepreneurship, this interview offers something rare. Not motivation. Not theory. Reality.

It shows what happens when someone commits to mastering an industry instead of chasing attention.

Kenn Ricci's story is a reminder that you don't need to be loud to be successful. You don't need to be flashy to be wealthy. And you don't need shortcuts if you understand structure.

Sometimes the most dangerous thing isn't failure. It's success without discipline.

If you haven't watched the Wall Street Journal Money Interview with Kenn Ricci yet, watch it with intention. Listen to how he thinks, not just what he says.

That mindset is the real private jet.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

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Good morning Grinder,

Most people believe billionaires are born confident, polished, and certain of their path. Larry Ellison proves the opposite.

Before Oracle became one of the most powerful software companies on the planet, before Ellison became one of the richest people alive, he was a college dropout who bounced between jobs, questioned authority, and openly disliked being told what to do. He wasn't chasing approval. He was chasing control over his own ideas.

The YouTube documentary "Business God | Software Billionaire" doesn't paint Ellison as a feel-good success story. It shows something far more interesting: a man driven by competition, obsession, and an almost uncomfortable level of intellectual honesty. This is not a story about confidence. It's a story about persistence, ego, vision, and timing - and why those traits matter more than motivation posters ever will.

From Outsider to Industry Disruptor

Larry Ellison didn't follow a traditional path into technology. He dropped out of college twice. He wasn't backed by elite networks. He learned programming largely on the job, absorbing information quickly and questioning everything around him.

What separated Ellison early on was not technical genius alone, but his ability to recognize leverage. While working as a programmer, he noticed something subtle but powerful: governments and large institutions were drowning in data, and existing systems couldn't handle it efficiently. Most people saw complexity. Ellison saw opportunity.

Oracle was born from that insight. The idea was simple but revolutionary at the time - build a relational database that could scale, adapt, and outperform competitors. While others were selling software like a product, Ellison sold it like a weapon. Faster. Better. More dominant.

Competition Was the Fuel, Not the Byproduct

One of the most striking themes in the documentary is Ellison's unapologetic competitiveness. He didn't just want Oracle to succeed - he wanted competitors to lose. Publicly. Decisively.

In today's culture, that mindset can sound harsh. But Ellison understood something most founders don't: markets reward clarity, not politeness. He studied rivals obsessively, attacked weaknesses aggressively, and positioned Oracle as the inevitable choice for enterprises that couldn't afford failure.

This wasn't arrogance without substance. Oracle's products delivered. That combination - confidence backed by execution - allowed Ellison to dominate industries that are notoriously difficult to penetrate, including government systems, global finance, and large-scale enterprise operations.

Why Larry Ellison Doesn't Fit the "Motivational" Mold

If you're expecting inspirational quotes about balance, passion, or "following your heart," you won't find them here. Ellison's mindset is far more pragmatic.

He believed work should be intellectually stimulating, strategically aggressive, and deeply competitive. He didn't chase happiness. He chased winning. Ironically, that pursuit brought him both wealth and freedom.

The documentary subtly challenges the modern obsession with confidence. Ellison often acted before he felt ready. He argued before consensus. He moved before permission. His success wasn't built on self-assurance - it was built on action, learning, and relentless iteration.

The Real Lesson: Control the Infrastructure, Control the Game

Perhaps the most valuable takeaway from Ellison's story is this: true power isn't flashy. It's foundational.

Oracle doesn't sell consumer apps that trend on social media. It sells infrastructure - the invisible systems that governments, banks, airlines, hospitals, and corporations rely on every single day. Ellison understood early that whoever controls infrastructure controls outcomes.

This is why Oracle endured while countless tech companies rose and fell. Trends change. Infrastructure compounds.

That insight alone makes Ellison's story incredibly relevant today, especially in conversations around AI, data, and automation. The companies shaping the future aren't always the loudest - they're the ones building the backbone.

What Makes Larry Ellison's Story Timeless

Larry Ellison's rise wasn't smooth, ethical in every sense, or universally admired. And that's exactly why it's worth studying.

He didn't wait to feel confident. He didn't ask for permission. He didn't aim to be liked. He aimed to be unavoidable.

The "Business God | Software Billionaire" documentary reminds us that success often comes from traits society feels uncomfortable celebrating: obsession, competitiveness, stubbornness, and an unwillingness to accept the status quo.

Ellison's legacy isn't just Oracle. It's proof that you don't need a perfect background, a clean narrative, or universal approval to build something world-changing. You need clarity of vision, tolerance for conflict, and the discipline to keep going when comfort would be easier.

And maybe that's the most powerful lesson of all.

Best,

N. Amadeus

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever noticed how money feels different depending on how much-or how little-you have?

Not just in your bank account, but in your body. In your thoughts. In the way you make decisions.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem calm even during chaos, while others feel constantly stressed no matter how hard they work? Why financial pressure can shrink your world, while financial stability quietly expands it?

And here's a more uncomfortable question: at what point does money stop being about survival and start being about choice?

These questions came rushing in after watching the YouTube interview "Ray Dalio: Everything Changes After $15,000 (Why Nobody Tells You This)." It's not loud. It's not flashy. And it's not selling you a dream. Instead, it delivers something far more valuable-clarity.

Ray Dalio doesn't talk about money the way influencers do. He talks about it the way someone does who has seen entire economies rise and fall, fortunes evaporate overnight, and success destroy people who misunderstood what it was really for.

This interview isn't about getting rich fast. It's about understanding how money actually works in your life-and why crossing certain financial thresholds can quietly change everything.

Who Is Ray Dalio and Why Should You Listen?

Ray Dalio is the founder of Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest and most successful hedge funds in the world. He started Bridgewater in 1975 out of a small apartment with nothing but curiosity, handwritten notes, and a relentless desire to understand how the world really works.

Dalio didn't grow up wealthy. His journey was shaped by mistakes-big ones. Early in his career, he famously lost almost everything after making the wrong call on the economy. That failure forced him to rethink not just investing, but decision-making itself. Out of that came his obsession with principles, radical truth, and radical transparency-ideas that later defined Bridgewater's culture and his bestselling book Principles: Life & Work.

What sets Dalio apart isn't just his net worth. It's his systems thinking. He studies patterns-how people behave under pressure, how money flows during crises, and how emotions distort judgment. When he talks about money, he's not giving opinions. He's describing patterns he's watched repeat for decades.

Why $15,000 Is Not About the Number

One of the most intriguing ideas in this interview is Dalio's point that "everything changes" after around $15,000. At first glance, it sounds oddly specific. Why not $10,000? Why not $50,000?

But Dalio isn't talking about wealth. He's talking about stability.

That $15,000 represents a psychological and practical threshold. It's the difference between constantly reacting and finally breathing. When you don't have even a small financial cushion, every decision becomes emotional. You can't think long term because you're stuck managing the immediate threat-rent, groceries, emergencies.

Once you cross that threshold, something subtle happens. Your nervous system calms down. You gain optionality. You can say no. You can wait. You can make better decisions-not because you're smarter, but because you're less afraid.

Dalio makes it clear that money's first job is not luxury. It's security. And without security, even brilliant people make terrible decisions.

The Hidden Cost of Financial Stress

One of the most educational parts of the interview is how Dalio connects money to psychology. When people are under constant financial stress, their world narrows. They take short-term risks. They chase quick wins. They become reactive instead of strategic.

This isn't a character flaw. It's biology.

Dalio explains that when survival is at stake, your brain prioritizes immediate relief over long-term outcomes. That's why people sabotage themselves financially even when they "know better." Knowledge doesn't matter when fear is driving the wheel.

That's why the first goal isn't to invest aggressively or chase returns. It's to build a buffer. A small amount of savings that protects your ability to think clearly.

In other words, before money can grow, it must stabilize.

How the Wealthy Think Differently-and Why

Another powerful insight from the interview is how wealth changes your relationship with time. When you're financially stretched, time feels urgent. Every delay feels dangerous. But once you have a cushion, time becomes an ally.

Dalio emphasizes that successful investors-and successful people-play long-term games. They don't panic during downturns because they've prepared for them. They understand cycles. They expect setbacks. And because of that, they're rarely surprised.

This is why Dalio constantly talks about principles. Not tactics. Not trends. Principles allow you to make consistent decisions across changing environments. They protect you from emotional swings and herd behavior.

Money, in this sense, is not the goal. It's the tool that allows you to follow your principles without being forced into compromises by fear.

The Real Lesson Most People Miss

What makes this interview so refreshing is what Dalio doesn't say. He doesn't promise freedom at a certain income. He doesn't glorify excess. He doesn't suggest that more money automatically equals happiness.

Instead, he draws a quiet but powerful line: money solves money problems. Nothing more.

Beyond a certain point, your challenges become internal. Purpose. Meaning. Relationships. Contribution. Dalio has seen people win financially and lose personally. He's watched wealth amplify both wisdom and dysfunction.

That's why his message feels grounded. Build stability first. Learn how the system works. Understand yourself. Then grow-carefully, intentionally, and with humility.

Why This Interview Matters Right Now

In a world filled with noise, hustle culture, and unrealistic expectations, Ray Dalio's perspective is a reset. It reminds us that progress doesn't start with millions. It starts with margin. With breathing room. With the ability to pause instead of panic.

If you're early in your journey, the lesson is simple but profound: focus on stability before sophistication. If you're further along, it's a reminder not to forget why money mattered in the first place.

Everything does change after $15,000-not because it makes you rich, but because it gives you something far more valuable: clarity.

And clarity, when paired with patience and principles, is how real wealth-financial and personal-is built.

That's the quiet truth nobody tells you.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

What Will Your Retirement Look Like?

Planning for retirement raises many questions. Have you considered how much it will cost, and how you’ll generate the income you’ll need to pay for it? For many, these questions can feel overwhelming, but answering them is a crucial step forward for a comfortable future.

Start by understanding your goals, estimating your expenses and identifying potential income streams. The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income can help you navigate these essential questions. If you have $1,000,000 or more saved for retirement, download your free guide today to learn how to build a clear and effective retirement income plan. Discover ways to align your portfolio with your long-term goals, so you can reach the future you deserve.

Get The Guide

Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to rise no matter how hard they fall?

Why two people can face the same setback-bankruptcy, rejection, humiliation-and one stays stuck while the other turns it into the foundation of a billion-dollar empire?

Have you ever asked yourself whether success is really about intelligence, timing, or luck… or whether it's about something deeper-something internal that most people never master?

I asked myself these questions after watching the YouTube interview "From Broke to Billionaire: Stephen Cloobeck's $3.3B Mindset." And I'll be honest: this wasn't one of those flashy "get rich quick" stories. It was uncomfortable. It was raw. And it forced me to look at my own mindset in a very real way.

Stephen Cloobeck doesn't just talk about winning. He talks about losing-publicly, painfully, and expensively. He talks about being more than $20 million in debt. He talks about fear, responsibility, and the moment when excuses stop working. And what struck me most is that his story isn't about money. It's about ownership-of your decisions, your standards, and your life.

This newsletter isn't about idolizing a billionaire. It's about extracting lessons from someone who has been to the bottom and climbed all the way to the top without pretending the climb was easy.

Who Is Stephen Cloobeck, Really?

Stephen Cloobeck is best known as the founder and former CEO of Diamond Resorts, a global vacation ownership company that eventually sold for approximately $3.3 billion. He later became a recognizable face on Undercover Boss, where his leadership style-direct, demanding, but deeply human-stood out.

But before the private jets, boardrooms, and billion-dollar exit, Cloobeck was something most people don't associate with success: financially underwater and personally exposed.

Early in his career, Cloobeck made aggressive business moves that didn't work out. Deals collapsed. Markets shifted. Debt piled up. At one point, he was personally on the hook for roughly $20 million. Not theoretical debt. Not "paper losses." Real money, real pressure, real consequences.

Most people would have folded. Many would have blamed the economy, partners, timing, or bad luck. Cloobeck did something different. He took responsibility-fully-and decided that if he was going to fail, it wouldn't be because he quit on himself.

The Moment That Separates Winners From Everyone Else

One of the most powerful takeaways from the interview is how Cloobeck frames failure. He doesn't romanticize it. He doesn't sugarcoat it. He treats it as a debt-something you must pay off with discipline, effort, and humility.

When he was $20 million in the hole, he didn't ask, "Why me?" He asked, "What do I need to do next?"

That question alone is life-changing.

Instead of chasing shortcuts, Cloobeck doubled down on fundamentals. He worked relentlessly. He studied people. He learned how to negotiate, how to read situations, how to manage emotions-his own and others'. He focused on creating value, not appearances. And slowly, deal by deal, relationship by relationship, he rebuilt.

This wasn't overnight success. This was years of showing up when no one was clapping.

Mindset Over Intelligence

One thing Cloobeck makes clear is that he doesn't believe success is about being the smartest person in the room. He believes it's about being the most accountable.

He talks openly about emotional intelligence-EQ-as a competitive advantage. Knowing how to listen. Knowing when to push and when to pause. Knowing how to lead people without needing to dominate them.

In a world obsessed with credentials, Cloobeck's story is a reminder that mindset outperforms resumes. He didn't rely on elite degrees or perfect timing. He relied on discipline, resilience, and standards-especially when no one was watching.

That's an uncomfortable truth, because it means we can't hide behind excuses.

Building Diamond Resorts and Thinking Long Term

Cloobeck didn't build Diamond Resorts by chasing quick wins. He built it by thinking long term, even when the short term hurt. He focused on systems, customer experience, and culture. He treated employees as assets, not expenses, and believed that how you treat people eventually shows up on your balance sheet.

One thing that stood out to me was how seriously he takes leadership. Not as a title, but as a responsibility. He believes that if something goes wrong, it starts at the top. That mindset alone explains why so few people ever scale past a certain level-because accountability becomes heavier as success grows.

By the time Diamond Resorts reached its peak, Cloobeck wasn't just running a company. He was running an ecosystem. And when the company sold for billions, it wasn't luck. It was the compound effect of years of disciplined decisions.

What You Can Learn From His Story

The most important lesson from Stephen Cloobeck's journey is this: your worst moment does not define your ceiling.

Being in debt, behind, or overwhelmed doesn't disqualify you from success. What disqualifies people is refusing to take ownership of where they are.

Cloobeck teaches us that success isn't about avoiding failure. It's about refusing to let failure make your decisions for you. It's about standards-how hard you work when things are uncomfortable, how you treat people when you have power, and how honest you are with yourself when no one else is listening.

He also reminds us that money is a result, not a goal. The real work happens in your habits, your mindset, and your willingness to do the unglamorous work consistently.

Why This Matters Right Now

If you're building something-whether it's a business, a career, or a new chapter of your life-Stephen Cloobeck's story is a powerful reminder that the path isn't supposed to feel safe.

You don't need perfect conditions to move forward. You need clarity, responsibility, and resilience.

From negative $20 million to a $3.3 billion outcome, Cloobeck's journey proves that setbacks are not stop signs. They are tests of character.

The real question is not whether you'll face challenges. You will. The question is whether you'll let them shrink you-or sharpen you.

And that decision, more than anything else, determines where you end up.

If you can adopt even a fraction of Stephen Cloobeck's mindset-radical ownership, emotional discipline, and long-term thinking-you won't just change your income. You'll change how you see yourself.

And that's where real success begins.

Best wishes,

N. Amadeus

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Good morning Grinder,

Why do some people rise after losing everything - while others never recover from far less?

Why do some individuals build extraordinary lives from chaos, while others with advantages, education, and opportunity remain stuck waiting for their moment?

And more importantly, what if the thing you believe is holding you back is actually the very thing that could set you apart?

As we step into a new year, it's tempting to focus on goals, resolutions, and fresh starts. But before any real progress can happen, there's a harder question that must be asked: Are you willing to become the kind of person success actually requires?

That question sits at the heart of Tom Bilyeu's interview with Glenn Stearns on Impact Theory, titled "Undercover Billionaire Glenn Stearns on What It REALLY Takes to be SUCCESSFUL."

This conversation doesn't sell motivation. It delivers truth - uncomfortable, clarifying, and deeply empowering.

Glenn Stearns Wasn't Supposed to Win

Glenn Stearns didn't grow up with stability, guidance, or confidence. He grew up poor, often homeless, surrounded by uncertainty. School wasn't a place of success for him - it was a reminder of what he lacked.

By traditional standards, his future should have been limited.

Instead, Glenn built one of the largest privately held mortgage companies in America and became a self-made billionaire. Not through brilliance or privilege, but through resilience, humility, and an uncommon tolerance for discomfort.

To prove that success wasn't tied to money or status, Glenn agreed to Undercover Billionaire. He gave up his wealth, his network, his reputation - everything people assume is necessary to succeed.

What followed was not glamorous. It was exhausting, humbling, and painful. And that's exactly why the lesson matters.

The Myth of "Being Ready"

One of the most powerful ideas Glenn reinforces in this interview is that readiness is a myth.

Most people wait. They wait until they feel confident. Until conditions improve. Until fear disappears. Until someone gives them permission.

Glenn never waited.

He acted while uncertain. He made decisions without guarantees. He trusted that clarity would come through movement, not thought.

This is where most people fail - not because they lack ability, but because they refuse to move without certainty.

But success doesn't reward hesitation. It rewards action taken in imperfect conditions.

Losing Everything Reveals Everything

When Glenn was stripped of his resources, something important happened. He stopped relying on external validation and started relying on internal standards.

That's when you discover who you really are.

Without money, titles, or credibility, Glenn had to build trust one conversation at a time. He had to listen more. Serve more. Adapt faster. Lead without authority.

That's a lesson few people ever learn - because few are willing to lose enough to learn it.

Struggle isn't punishment. It's training.

Why Failure Is a Requirement, Not a Risk

Glenn speaks openly about failure - not as something to fear, but as something to expect.

Failure sharpens judgment. It exposes weak habits. It builds emotional endurance.

People who succeed don't avoid failure. They build a relationship with it.

They stop personalizing setbacks. They stop interpreting difficulty as a sign to quit. They understand that growth often feels like falling before it feels like rising.

If you're afraid to fail, you're afraid to succeed.

The Loneliness of Choosing More

Another quiet truth in Glenn's story is that success often separates you before it rewards you.

When you raise your standards, not everyone comes with you. When you work while others rest, the gap widens. When you think long-term, you start feeling alone in short-term conversations.

This loneliness isn't a warning sign. It's confirmation.

It means you've stepped off the crowded path and onto one that demands discipline, self-trust, and patience.

And over time, that path changes everything.

What This Interview Demands of You

Glenn Stearns' story doesn't ask you to admire him. It asks you to examine yourself.

Are you waiting for permission you'll never get? Are you protecting comfort at the cost of potential? Are you confusing preparation with procrastination?

Success doesn't require perfection. It requires commitment - especially when motivation fades and progress feels invisible.

This interview reminds us that the ability to endure is more valuable than any talent, and that starting from zero isn't a disadvantage if you're willing to learn fast and work harder.

The New Year Isn't a Reset - It's a Decision

A new year doesn't change your life. Decisions do.

And the most important decision isn't what goal you set - it's what standard you refuse to compromise.

Glenn Stearns didn't succeed because life was kind to him. He succeeded because he refused to quit when life was difficult.

That's the real takeaway.

If this year asks more of you than the last, take that as a sign.

Because the people who build extraordinary lives aren't waiting for things to get easier.

They're becoming stronger.

And that changes everything.

Keep grinding,

N. Amadeus

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Good morning Grinder,

"Two roads diverged in a wood,

and I- I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

Those words have endured for more than a century because they speak to a quiet truth most people sense but rarely embrace: the path that changes your life is almost never crowded.

As you read this, I want you to pause and ask yourself a few honest questions.

Have you ever felt like your goals are pulling you away from the people around you? Have you ever wondered why choosing growth sometimes feels isolating instead of exciting? Have you ever questioned whether the discomfort you feel is a sign you're lost - or a sign you're exactly where you need to be?

Loneliness has a way of showing up at crossroads. Not when life is easy, but when decisions matter. Not when the road is obvious, but when you choose depth over comfort and purpose over approval.

This idea is powerfully explored in a message shared by Ed Mylett in the video "Turn LONELINESS into FUEL | How loneliness can help you SUCCEED."

At its core, the message echoes the same truth Robert Frost captured so simply: the road less traveled is often quiet - and it changes everything.

Standing at the Fork in the Road

Most people never consciously choose the crowded path. They drift onto it. They follow routines, expectations, and familiar voices because it feels safe. It feels connected. It feels validated.

The road less traveled, by contrast, often feels lonely. It requires saying no more often than yes. It demands discipline when no one is cheering. It forces you to trust your own standards before anyone else understands them.

Ed Mylett speaks directly to this moment - the moment when you realize that growth will cost you something. Not just time or effort, but comfort and familiarity. And sometimes, companionship.

Why Ed Mylett's Perspective Matters

Ed Mylett is a performance coach and entrepreneur who works with elite athletes, executives, and high achievers. His work isn't about hype or shortcuts. It's about becoming the strongest version of yourself - mentally, emotionally, and professionally.

When Ed talks about loneliness, he does so from experience and observation. He's seen it appear again and again in people on the edge of major breakthroughs. Not as a flaw, but as a filter.

Loneliness, in this context, isn't abandonment. It's separation. It's the natural distance that forms when your standards rise faster than your environment.

The Road Less Traveled Is Often Quiet

One of the most compelling ideas in the video is that loneliness creates space - space to think clearly, to refine habits, and to build resilience without distraction.

When you step onto the less traveled road, fewer people walk beside you. But fewer voices also means fewer excuses. Fewer opinions. Less noise.

That quiet can feel uncomfortable at first. But it's also where focus sharpens and self-trust develops. It's where you stop outsourcing your confidence and start earning it.

Ed's message reminds us that loneliness is often the companion of clarity.

When Loneliness Becomes Confirmation, Not Doubt

The final message of the spoken poem in the video lands with a powerful reframe. Loneliness is described not as something to escape, but as evidence that you're willing to stand apart long enough to become something different.

It's in those moments - when there's no applause, no validation, and no reassurance - that discipline is forged. The work done there doesn't look impressive to others, but it compounds quietly.

That's the difference-maker.

That's the road Frost was talking about.

Making Peace With the Path You Chose

If you're feeling lonely right now, it may not mean you're disconnected. It may mean you've chosen growth over comfort, depth over distraction, and intention over imitation.

The road less traveled doesn't promise ease. It promises alignment. And over time, it changes not just what you achieve, but who you become.

Ed Mylett's message is a reminder that loneliness, when understood, can be fuel - not friction.

Two roads will always diverge. One will be crowded, loud, and familiar. The other will be quieter, harder, and deeply personal.

If you've chosen the second - even without fully realizing it - trust that choice.

Sometimes the road less traveled doesn't just make all the difference.

Sometimes, it makes you.

Best wishes, 

N. Amadeus

Good morning Grinder,

As the year comes to a close, there's a certain quiet that settles in - even if life itself feels loud. The holidays pass, the celebrations slow down, and suddenly we're left staring at a new calendar with old thoughts still echoing in our heads.

Did this year turn out the way you thought it would? Did you make the right calls - or the ones you're still second-guessing? Did you push forward, or did something knock the wind out of you along the way?

Most people won't admit it out loud, but many of us reach the end of the year carrying a mix of hope and regret. That's why a recent interview I watched stayed with me far longer than I expected. It wasn't inspirational in the typical sense. It was uncomfortable, reflective, and deeply real.

The video is titled "Bill Ackman Shares His Journey of Resilience and Rebuilding After Total Loss." You can watch it here

This isn't a story about easy wins or overnight comebacks. It's about what happens when someone who was once certain - even celebrated - is forced to confront doubt at the highest level.

The Rise That Made the Fall So Painful

To understand why this interview matters, you have to understand who Bill Ackman is. Ackman is not a background figure in finance. He is one of the most visible hedge fund managers of the modern era, the founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, and someone known for taking bold, high-conviction positions when others hesitate.

Early in his career, that boldness worked. He became known as a sharp thinker with strong opinions and the confidence to defend them publicly. Investors trusted him not because he played it safe, but because he didn't. His reputation was built on clarity and conviction.

But conviction can be a double-edged sword. When you're right, it makes you look brilliant. When you're wrong - and the stakes are enormous - the fall is brutal.

Ackman's losses weren't quiet or contained. They were public. They were dissected in headlines. They were debated on television. And over time, they began to erode not just capital, but confidence - both from investors and within himself.

Losing More Than Money

One of the most striking aspects of the interview is how Ackman talks about loss. He doesn't frame it purely in financial terms. He speaks about identity.

When you've spent years being praised for your judgment, your thinking, your ability to see what others don't - what happens when that narrative collapses? What happens when the thing you're known for suddenly feels unreliable?

Ackman describes moments of intense scrutiny, both external and internal. Every decision questioned. Every move analyzed. And perhaps most difficult of all, the creeping sense of self-doubt that follows prolonged failure.

This is the part of the story that resonates far beyond investing. Many people experience a version of this in their own lives - when a career stalls, a business fails, a relationship ends, or a dream doesn't materialize. The loss isn't just what you see on paper. It's the loss of certainty.

The Discipline of Sitting With Failure

What makes Ackman's journey compelling is not that he "bounced back," but how he chose to sit with failure rather than run from it.

In the interview, he talks about slowing down. About revisiting assumptions he once held tightly. About listening more carefully to opposing viewpoints - not as threats, but as information. He didn't abandon his principles, but he did refine them.

This wasn't about reinventing himself for appearances. It was about doing the internal work required to rebuild credibility - with others and with himself.

There's a subtle but powerful lesson here: growth doesn't always come from adding more. Sometimes it comes from removing ego, impatience, or the need to be right.

Ackman didn't rush the process. He accepted that trust, once broken, takes time to repair. That mindset shift alone changed the trajectory of his recovery.

Rebuilding Something Stronger Than Before

Eventually, the work paid off. Pershing Square stabilized. Performance improved. Investors returned. But Ackman emphasizes that the success that followed felt different from the success that came before.

It wasn't fueled by the same kind of certainty. It was steadier. More thoughtful. Less reactive.

What he rebuilt wasn't just a portfolio - it was a process. A way of thinking that accounted for risk, human error, and the limits of even the smartest analysis.

That's what makes his comeback meaningful. It wasn't about proving critics wrong. It was about proving to himself that he could learn, adapt, and lead again without repeating the same mistakes.

What We Can Learn From This Interview

There are several lessons embedded in this conversation, and none of them require managing billions of dollars to apply.

One is the importance of separating outcomes from self-worth. Failure doesn't define you unless you let it replace curiosity with shame.

Another is patience. Real rebuilding doesn't announce itself. It happens quietly, often when no one is watching, and usually without immediate validation.

There's also a lesson about humility - not the performative kind, but the private willingness to admit you might be wrong and stay open long enough to learn why.

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway is this: resilience isn't dramatic. It's consistent. It's the decision to stay engaged when it would be easier to withdraw.

Why This Story Matters at the Turn of the Year

As we approach a new year, many people are setting goals without fully processing what the last year took from them - or taught them.

Bill Ackman's story is a reminder that reflection is not weakness. It's preparation.

Before rushing into resolutions, it may be worth asking deeper questions. What patterns need to change? What beliefs no longer hold up? What version of success are you actually trying to build?

The new year doesn't require reinvention. Sometimes it requires refinement.

If you're entering the new year feeling uncertain, disappointed, or quietly questioning yourself, this interview is worth your time.

Bill Ackman's journey reminds us that setbacks don't mean you've failed - they mean you've been tested. And often, what comes next isn't a return to who you were, but the emergence of someone better equipped for what's ahead.

As the calendar turns, may the coming year be one of clarity, patience, and thoughtful rebuilding - whatever that looks like for you.

Happy New Year,

N. Amadeus

Someone just spent $236,000,000 on a painting. Here’s why it matters for your wallet.

The WSJ just reported the highest price ever paid for modern art at auction.

While equities, gold, bitcoin hover near highs, the art market is showing signs of early recovery after one of the longest downturns since the 1990s.

Here’s where it gets interesting→

Each investing environment is unique, but after the dot com crash, contemporary and post-war art grew ~24% a year for a decade, and after 2008, it grew ~11% annually for 12 years.*

Overall, the segment has outpaced the S&P by 15 percent with near-zero correlation from 1995 to 2025.

Now, Masterworks lets you invest in shares of artworks featuring legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso. Since 2019, investors have deployed $1.25 billion across 500+ artworks.

Masterworks has sold 25 works with net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%.

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_{*Per Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd}