922 In Order to Be Successful You Must Do This: James Altucher

Mar 2, 2020

James Altucher, an American hedge fund manager, author, and podcaster, shares his candid insights on embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. He recounts his personal struggles, including living on his sister's couch and the lessons learned from numerous business failures. Conversations highlight the transforming power of storytelling and the shift from valuing financial success to finding personal worth. Altucher emphasizes resilience, navigating trauma, and the crucial balance between passion and financial security in one’s journey.

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ANECDOTE

Mastermind Talks Memory

Lewis Howes and James Altucher reminisce about a past Mastermind Talks competition.
Howes' inspiring talk about overcoming hardship contrasted with Altucher's more pessimistic approach.

ANECDOTE

Missing His Daughters

James Altucher shares a touching moment of reflection on his daughters.
He expresses sadness over missing them and concern for their well-being, leading him to tears.

ANECDOTE

Fatherhood Reflections

Altucher expresses regret for not cherishing moments with his daughters more fully.
He's proud of his oldest daughter for dropping out of college to pursue acting in New York City.

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Want to be successful? You gotta fail first.

If you want to accomplish anything great in life, it's most likely not going to be an easy path to get there.

Sometimes, things fall into place for us. But more often than not, things fall out of place, and we find ourselves sitting in failure. Sometimes it's our fault, sometimes it's not, but whatever the case, failures are hard to handle.

I myself understand failure. I used to live on my sister's coach. My injury immobilized me, and for months, I wallowed in self-pity. Finally, I realized that my failures and hardships didn't hinder me from greatness. My sister kicked me out, and I learned to fight for myself again.

My guest today knows all about failure and how it can set you up for success.

In addition to having incredible hair, James Altucher is an American hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and podcaster. He has published 20 books, and he is a contributor to publications including The Financial Times and The Huffington Post. He is also the host of The James Altucher Show in which he interviews innovators, creators, and just all around amazing people. James has founded or cofounded more than 20 companies, 17 of which have failed, but he hasn't let this slow him down.

Failure is a big part of James' story. In fact, I believe that anyone who is remotely successful has probably experienced an extraordinary amount of failure in their life. Why? Because overcoming failure is a step towards success.

At one point, James lost almost all his money. He was completely broke. He had less than two hundred dollars in his bank account. But somehow, he was able to build his business back up, and change that two hundred dollars into fifteen million.

Want to learn his secret? Then tune into Episode 922 and get ready to be blown away by entrepreneur, author, and hair inspiration, James Altucher.

When was the last time you cried? (6:01)
What are you proud of yourself for and what do you regret as a father? (10:08)
What is the one thing that has changed your life the most drastically? (13:06)
What do you attach your self-worth to now? (30:17)
Why do people either love or hate money? (34:06)
What is the pathway to becoming financially free without letting money control you? (42:30)
What’s the best investment you’ve made over the last 5 years? (46:10)
Is there anything you are afraid of people knowing about you? (54:48)

What James remembers experiences the attack on 9/11 in the streets of New York City (13:06)
What to do when you make a lot of money (24:37)
How to manage major fears that stick with you (26:18)
How to healthily think about your money (31:15)
The best place for a Millennial to invest their money right now (50:00)
Plus much more...

If you enjoyed this episode, show notes and more at http://www.lewishowes.com/922 and follow at instagram.com/lewishowes

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