Setting Yourself Up For Success by NGAF
I Don't Give a F***, Hence I am successful - Unknown.
They say birds of a feather flock together. You are often judged by your circle of friends, who you hang around with, and what your actions are. I have done so many things I had no business dabbling in this year that I look back and I really wonder how I did it... I had dinner with people who operated in the gray and black, chatted with Goldman Sachs partners about VC in emerging asian countries in a house worth more than my whole fund, had personal lunches with billionaires that have watches worth more than my annual salary and all sorts of crazy things an upstart analyst turned fund manager should not have been able to dabble in. What I attribute to this? The fact that I literally do not give a Fuck.
When was there a written rule that said I had to REALLY be a VIP to go to the VIP dinner? I thought who ever attended the conference was automatically a VIP! Whoever said I had to agree with a partner's point of view just to kiss ass? He was applying his western market knowledge and obviously did not understand the emerging asian markets at all. And who said I had to obey the conventional rules in making friends?
No one did.
To me, guts is the single most important thing for someone who wants to succeed. Without guts, you can only succeed so much. If you are bound by the conventions of what people tell you, you are limiting yourself. That's why they say the typical Alpha male personality are the most successful ones because they are gutsy and ambitious. They will use whatever method necessary to get that step ahead and not afraid to fight in the trenches for it.
Don't get me wrong here, when i say don't give a f***, I don't mean it in a disrespectful, cocky or arrogant way. I like to project my self as a confident upstart professional, respectful but aggro with an attitude. I have plenty of substance, know my stuff and I'm not afraid to show off the kind of accomplishments I hustled my ass to achieve. Shit, even my suit brand is called Combatant Gentleman. Looking to set myself apart? I'm never going to involve myself with shameless flattery. When it's deserved, I will respond with genuine adoration and respect. When needed, I will command the attention of the room - whether it's in my place to or not. It's as much an art as it is science to control how people view you.
Was I really on that VIP list? Hell no. My net worth was off by several 0s to be able to attend that dinner. But I waltzed to the front like I naturally belonged and talked my way in. What did I say to the partner that was talking out of his ass? I engaged him in a intensive debate that led me to understand that he was not a complete bullsh**ing ah*** and learned a lot from the conversation. We still bounce ideas off of each other to this day.
Seriously. What's the worst that can happen? You get rejected at the door and you have to go home? You are embarrassed and people call you out? Compared with the upsides, you're telling me you're not willing to do that? So go out and try to be unconventional. All you need is some guts.
Some of these posts recently jeezus. I'd rather listen to this song than read this crap:
this song is fucking awesome and probably the only good thing that will come out of this thread.
hey OP..go fuck yourself and take down the mirror in front of your bed, jackass
what the fuck...
When I was reading this, all I could think about was this. *edited, it was actually this. I think everyone could benefit from watching this video again.
Since Blastoise is no longer with us I figure I should thread jack with the following:
IDGAF either.....about this post.
Boooooooo.
Omg you went to and expensive dinner and talked to a guy with an expensive watch!? Please share your secrets!
Hilarious thread. Love the first vid.....nut in dat bish
Not very well written but I agree with the general message. When you really get down to it, I don't really give a flying fuck either. It's also very closely related to one of the Laws of Power..."enter action with boldness".
Let's take a look at the successes you say you've had this year:
1) I had dinner with people who operated in the gray and black 2) chatted with Goldman Sachs partners about VC in emerging asian countries 3) had personal lunches with billionaires
You realize those are just meetings, right? Good start, sure, impressive even depending on how old you are. But, by themselves, they're not successes. Now, after you so graciously corrected the partner on his erroneous view on emerging Asian markets, did he cut a check for the fund you manage? How about those billionaires? Any of them cut your fund a check? I assume none of them did. I mean, you mentioned that you're email buddies with the partner you spoke with; I have to imagine that getting any amount of money would've been worthy of note.
So, what are we left with? Meetings that resulted in absolutely no action. I would not call that success.
@"mikesswimn" Actually, these meetings did end up resulting in LPs in my fund, either directly or indirectly. I will admit none of the billionaires cut me a check but the people I met as a result of these meetings did.
I see too many talented people limit how far they can go in life. Be more bold, and hustle your ass more. Cliche? Douchy? Judge how you want to judge but it's just reality.
Great song choices in this thread. That is the only positive thing that I came away with.
Cool story OP...though you just sound like you like to ride your own dick hard.
Now how do I fucking SB Cookies with Milken for posting that Yung Lean vid haha
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