608: Anthony Pompliano - (How To Live an Extraordinary Life) Luck Is Not Real, Surround Yourself With Compounders, Fire Your Boring Friends, Get On The Plane, Practice Simplicity, & Taking Big Risks608: Anthony Pompliano - (How To Live an Extraordinary Li
Anthony Pompliano, an entrepreneur and investor, shares insights on living an extraordinary life. He argues that luck is a mental construct and emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with ambitious people. Anthony advises firing boring friends to cultivate growth and encourages taking risks. He presents a compelling story about the importance of asking for what you want, showcased in his meeting with his future wife. With a focus on optimism and accountability, he advocates for a proactive mindset in both personal and professional endeavors.
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Quick takeaways
Luck is a mental construct that can be created through positive thinking and self-belief, helping to counteract fear and self-doubt.
Surrounding yourself with ambitious individuals, known as 'compounders', is essential for personal growth and fostering a mindset for success.
Advocating for yourself by asking for what you want can lead to unexpected opportunities and results, overcoming the fear of rejection.
Deep dives
The Silent Killer of Fear
Fear is identified as a significant barrier to achieving dreams and goals, often paralyzing individuals from taking action. It prevents many from pursuing opportunities because of the fear of rejection or failure, creating a cycle of self-censorship. The recognition is made that both luck and fear are constructs of the mind, which means they can be reframed or overcome through perspective shifts. By choosing to confront fear instead of avoiding it, individuals can reclaim their agency and move forward in their lives.
Leadership as Service
True leadership derives from the ethos of service to others rather than seeking personal gain or recognition. The principle that 'leaders eat last' emphasizes the priority of caring for team members before oneself, showcasing that leadership is about responsibility and support. This lesson is further supported by experiences gained during military service, where prioritizing the needs of others can define effective leadership. By adopting a service-oriented mindset, leaders can foster loyalty and commitment within their teams.
The Mindset of Luck
The concept of luck is explored with a focus on its psychological aspects, suggesting that people can create their own luck through positive thinking. The idea that luck is often perceived as a random phenomenon overlooks the importance of agency and mindset in interpreting life experiences. By re-evaluating how outcomes are viewed, individuals can cultivate a more optimistic outlook, enabling them to see opportunities instead of obstacles. This reframing allows for a proactive approach to challenges, reinforcing that one's perspective can significantly influence real-life results.
Surrounding Yourself with Compounders
Building a network of ambitious and growth-oriented individuals, termed 'compounders,' is crucial for personal and professional development. These individuals not only strive to grow their own success but actively inspire and challenge those around them to reach their potential. Acknowledging the detrimental effects of negative or unambitious friendships leads to the practical decision to minimize time spent with those who do not contribute positively to one's goals. Maintaining these compound relationships helps create an environment that nurtures ambition and fosters exceptional performance.
The Power of Asking
The importance of advocacy for oneself is underscored with the maxim that 'you don’t get what you don’t ask for.' A personal anecdote illustrates how asking for what you want can lead to valuable opportunities, including significant personal connections. This concept highlights the notion that fear of rejection should not overshadow the potential for positive outcomes that result from asking. By embracing the idea that a rejection carries no real cost, individuals can open themselves up to new possibilities that would otherwise remain uncharted.
Luck is not real – “Luck is something we conjure in our minds to grapple with the consequences of whatever life may throw our way. Luck is a physiological concept. It’s determined by how we view a situation. Academic studies show that you can become luckier simply by telling yourself that you are lucky.” Pessimists sound smart, but optimists change the world. Believe in yourself. Have agency. Strive to make something happen.
"Luck is the flip side of risk. They are mirrored cousins, driven by the same thing: You are one person in a 7 billion player game, and the accidental impact of other people’s actions can be more consequential than your own." - Morgan Housel
Surround yourself with compounders and fire your boring friends– Being around other ambitious people who are willing to push you will make you better. Strike the balance between being loyal to longtime friends, and doing anything for them, but spending the bulk of your time around people who will push your edges and make you think bigger.
Fire your Boring Friends - “If you are optimizing for living an extraordinary” life, you have to fire all the boring friends and find people living extraordinary lives.”
You don’t get what you don’t ask for. I love the story of Anthony meeting his future wife, Polina, for coffee and asking for the next date for that same night. The answer is NO if you don’t ask. It’s worth the potential rejection because the upside is so great. In this case, they got married and have two children. The people who sustain excellence are not afraid to make the ask.
Get on the plane -- When in doubt, go see them in person.
"Experience is a liability when it comes to setting expectations." Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. Not knowing that something is supposed to be hard can be useful.
Respect other people's time - “When I was playing football in college one of our coaches used to say, “5 minutes early is on time and on time is late.” By respecting other people's time they will realize you are a serious person.
Childhood is not a crutch — Don't have a victim mindset to use childhood as a crutch for poor behavior. “It’s easy to use your childhood as a crutch instead of seeing it as a chisel.” - Cameron Hanes
Simplicity signals mastery — Tim Urban is the master at this. As a writer and/or teacher, your writing should make the reader feel smarter, not dumber. Using big complicated words and sentences shows that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
The world seems to separate itself into two groups - the people who never stop learning and everyone else.
Document Good Ideas – Ideas run the world. “I created a system that works well for me. I broke everything down into four areas where I could find a good idea. Books, social media, conversations, and audio/video content.
Advice: "Seek risk. What is the riskiest thing you can do? The greatest returns are on the other side of risk. Run towards the risk."
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