MWB #8 - Hard Things
Doing hard things put you in a place of advantage that you wouldn't otherwise have
Hello, my good friend,
Today’s newsletter is untypical.
Unlike other days where each newsletter tend to address at least things, today is about just one thing, HARD THINGS.
I trust you’ve had a great week so far.
Thank you to all those who shared this newsletter from last week or who forwarded the content to their friends. I can feel the impact and I sincerely appreciate. It is not too late for you to share as well.
I have a powerful mental filter when it comes to my information digest. You see, in a world where information exists in abundance, the highest leverage you can have is to ensure that everything that you consume is high signal. The filter is what I called
reading what they are reading
The idea is best summarised in this thread:
So when all the smartest people that I know where sharing a link to the same article some days ago, in my usual manner, I chose to read the same article as well. And oh my my, I wasn’t wrong in my assumption. Plus it was a testament again to the quality of the filter. You should learn to apply it as well.
Paul Graham quoted a section of the article,
"It is, of course, much easier to complain about how things are bad rather than do anything about it, which is why people prefer to complain. 1/100th the satisfaction, but 1/1000000000000th the effort."
The article, “Commenting vs. Making” strike a point about finding the balance between those that make comments and those that build things. The truth is making is 1000x harder than commenting if not more.
And you know what, it is those who build over those who criticize or comment that deserves the accolades.
Reading the article threw me in nostalgia about my journey. So I wrote all the narrative below. I hope you find it inspiring
Making is so much harder. Harder than commenting or giving opinions.
That's why I like "making"
When I have conversations with people, my default is to use my life as an example or point of reference. That's because I don't bluff, I have done and failed or done it and succeeded. It's also why I have empathy where it is needed. And I kinda know where it is usually needed.
Talk is cheap.
The man in the arena is the real deal. Not those outside the arena with a list of 1001 things that the man in the arena could do better.
I like hard things and I do them.
I like to be different. That's my reason. I know you won't do the hard things and I know your friend won't do it as well. So I go after it.
Truth is that I fail more than I can recount success. But that's what I expected as well.
While I was in school, 200 level was the last year I did a serious reading of my academics book. After 200L, it as all vibes and Insha Allah. However, the moment I realize that a topic is tough and everyone is complaining about it, I quickly get on and establish my authority on the topic.
The result: I'll go about teaching as many people that still don't know it. With time, they will come to me with the assumption that David knows it. And I never said I don't know even I don't. Hard things 💪🏾
When I made my first investment in the stock market all before technology companies democratized access to it, it was driven by the same quest. Doing hard things. None of my mate or colleagues then have done it that I am aware of.
All I was looking for was an advantage. I can only do that with superior knowledge. I went hard after it. Never holding back. As I said, I met more failures than success.
When I was writing my ICAN exam, the only time you will find me in class with maximum concentration is when the tutor is teaching a topic that everyone considers hard. That's my favourite.
Performance Management was that course at the first level and Strategic Financial Management and Corporate Reporting at the advanced level. I was the tutor of those courses. I passed them conveniently. Of course, I failed those other courses that could be considered very easy. In my book, hard is the new easy and easy is the new hard.
By the way, I'm a Chartered Accountant in case you don't know.
The thing is just that, since my 200L I've had that inclination to run towards the hard things. And I do so simply because I know others won't do it.
The result again is obvious, I grew to have advantages that some people may never have or that I wouldn't have had but for the path I chose.
Haaaa, that reminds me.
I got a nickname in my ICAN class, it was "final answer man". Some people in the class still call me by that name.
I didn't set out with the goal of being noticed or something. It just happens that when people have difficulty in a subject, I take it on myself to master it and make myself available to help them through the difficult problem.
That attitude is the reason why I have found myself so deep in the world of personal finance and investing again now.
I observed that people can't figure it out clearly. So I went the rabbit hole, accumulate superior information and I've been using it to help others. If I ask for the actual number, I should have helped people to make more than N5 million in that past 12 months.
Hard things excite me.
Paul Graham wrote a beautiful essay about the importance of hard things. I could immediately understand him and regretted not doing enough hard things but resolved to tow the path of hard things.
PG’s essay - "What You'll Wish You'd Known"
I've written about doing hard things before here
The beginning of doing hard things is ensuring you read and finish this those two articles.
Yes, one of the hard things I do is read what others won't read as well. They won't read for various reasons including it is too long.
And I was never the best at anything. I just happen to be that person who can take 10 shots at a thing and won't mind succeeding only on 1/10.
I graduated with second class upper but it was nothing close to a first-class. It had 4.0 of 5.0. In fact, my GPA never at any point reach 4.5 the threshold of first-class. But I think that flair of "first class" always followed me. And even if I didn't have it, I always believe I am a first class student. Don't worry that I couldn't prove that academically.
When I was in JSS 1, my secondary school used to give double promotion to students who had up to 80% I think. This can also happen if you are in JSS 2. Throughout the 3 terms that I could qualify for this, I had classmates coming to give me a secret about how they saw my name as part of those who got the double promotion. 😂
Truth is that I never for once came close to getting it. Like the highest I think I made was about 70+% and that didn't even bring me to the top 10 positions. I think the highest i came close to then was 9th position in a class of 60+.
But as I grew the predisposition to do hard things made all the difference.
Seeing failure as a feature and not a bug.
Showing up every day and "not stopping"
Those things are more determinant of success than any other thing society may seem to measure.
That’s it my friend for this week.
I hope you were able to pick a thing or two from my story. When you do hard things, society will also reward you for your value.
This part of Naval’s thread is also related.
Until next week.
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