Episode 263: Professor Scott Galloway: Why Following Your Passion is Only For The Rich

Is following your passion really the way to go if you want to become rich? 

In this episode of Habits and Hustle, I chat with Professor Scott Galloway, our esteemed guest on this episode, who turned a major disappointment – being turned away from UCLA tryouts – into a driving force that sparked profound personal growth and transformation. A renowned author and motivational speaker, Tony shares tales of his struggles and successes, unearthing invaluable insights about commitment, finding your niche, and embracing personal evolution.

Professor Galloway explains how success isn't merely about intelligence. It's a complex blend of risk-taking, aggression, sales skills, seizing opportunities, and living life to the fullest. He also explains how it's not all about personal journeys - we also navigate the broader societal landscape, examining the profound impact technology has on relationships, dating, and socialization, as well as the loneliness epidemic that’s silently wreaking havoc in our society.

Scott Galloway is a Professor of Marketing at NYU Stern School of Business where he teaches Brand Strategy and Digital Marketing to MBA students and is the author of the Digital IQ Index ®, a global ranking of prestige brands' digital competence. In 2012, Professor Galloway was named "One of the World's 50 Best Business School Professors".

What we discuss:

(0:00:01) - Following Passion and Personal Growth

(0:10:54) - The Correlation Between Intelligence and Success

(0:15:12) - Moving to London and Life Experiences

(0:26:50) - Evolution of Courses and Personal Reflections

(0:31:16) - Technology's Impact on Human Relationships

(0:44:04) - Challenges and Solutions for Young Men

(0:51:10) - Technology's Impact on Relationships and Mental Health

(1:03:36) - Social Media Impact, Fitness Importance

(1:10:50) - Coping With Depression and Hollywood Frustrations

(1:21:13) - Book Promotion and Appreciation

Key takeaways:

• The truth about the common advice of “following your passion” is that the person giving you this advice is already rich. They also most likely made their billions in iron or smelting. Ideally, find something you like that has 90 plus percent employment rate, which things like acting, modeling, sports do not have. Then, commit to becoming great at it. So if you find something you're good at and you start making money at it, the passion will follow. 

• The correlation between intelligence and success exists, but it tops out. A person who's got a 120 IQ is much more likely to be successful than someone at 80. But above that, it flatlines. Plus, when you get really, really smart, it actually turns on you and that is because you become so thoughtful and see so many downsides to everything. One thing that entrepreneurs have is they’re too stupid to know we're going to fail. 

To learn more about Professor Scott:

Website: https://www.profgalloway.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profgalloway/

My links:

Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/

Instagram: @therealjencohen