Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

How to break out of autopilot and create the life you want | Graham Weaver (Stanford GSB professor, founder of Alpine Investors)

Jan 16, 2025

Graham Weaver, a Stanford GSB professor and founder of Alpine Investors, shares his journey of helping students uncover their true paths. He discusses the importance of breaking free from autopilot living and embracing intentional decision-making. Listeners learn about the 'genie methodology' for identifying passions and the transformative 'Nine Lives' exercise for exploring different life possibilities. Graham also highlights the power of overcoming limiting beliefs and the role of resilience in personal growth, offering a fresh perspective on achieving fulfillment in one's career.

01:12:13

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Episode guests

Graham Weaver

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Quick takeaways

Breaking out of autopilot is essential for aligning daily actions with deeper values and intentions, leading to a more fulfilling life.

Facing discomfort and challenges is crucial for achieving personal aspirations, as significant goals often require enduring initial hardships.

Overcoming limiting beliefs by identifying and reevaluating them can transform fears into actionable steps toward pursuing true goals.

Deep dives

The Importance of Finding Your Path

One of the main insights emphasizes the significance of actively determining what you want to do with your life, rather than operating on autopilot. The concept is illustrated through an analogy involving a magic lamp and a genie that grants you one wish regarding your career and life pursuits. This exercise encourages individuals to think deeply about their true desires, suggesting that many are unaware of their limitations and voice internal fears that prevent them from pursuing their passions. Ultimately, this realization is crucial for embarking on a fulfilling life journey.

Intro

2min

Breaking Free from Autopilot: A Guide to Finding Life's Purpose

5min

Pursuing Your Genie Goals

6min

Breaking Free from Autopilot

3min

Pursuing Passion Over Fear

18min

Fostering Resilience in Parenting and Personal Success

3min

The Power of Accountability and Self-Discovery

21min

Lessons from Failure and Personal Growth

15min

Graham Weaver teaches a top-rated course at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB), where he often unexpectedly ends up helping students figure out what to do with their lives. He is also the founder and CEO of Alpine Investors, a people-driven private equity firm. In our conversation, we discuss:

• Why everything worthwhile requires suffering

• Why most people operate on autopilot, and how to break free

• The “genie methodology” for discovering your true path

• The Nine Lives exercise for exploring different life possibilities

• How to overcome limiting beliefs that hold you back

• Why “not now” is often just another way of saying “never”

• More

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