For the last three months, I am (kind of) doing a show by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs. I know, I know you are going to tell me that “everyone is doing a podcast or has a YouTube channel nowadays”. And I agree. But hear me out.
There are tons of podcasts out there and more YouTube channels about Startups and hustling that I won’t even bother looking for a link to back this up with some data. Trust me on this one. But 99% of those, talk to the same people about the same freaking thing.
Oh, you graduated from Stanford, had an idea, raised money and then the company got acquired? How awesome!
But what about the underdogs? The people that for one reason or another cannot go through that path?
Long live the underdogs
I love being the underdog, the outsider. The person that has the least chances of succeeding.
My friends told me that I thrive in that state because it removes the anxiety of failure.
If you fail, it is expected. And if you succeed, you are 🚀.
I believe that being the underdog forces you in a continuous state of competition. You take nothing for granted and you need to keep fighting. Hustling. You have to keep finding ways to come on top so you innovate. You pivot. You take more chances and you cannot stop because you are not Number 1. Hell, you are not even in the first ten places!
And you know what, sometimes everything just works. You get in that flow and things are starting to click.
The underdog mentality
For me, getting to that state is pretty easy. I just start something new that probably will fail majestically (like a book, a podcast or planning to become the Major of Los Angeles) that I have no idea how to do and I try to do it. Succeeding doesn’t matter (in the beginning) because I get to learn SO many cool skills and I get to get over my “everything has to be perfect” plague.
Some people love to watch Netflix or read a book. I just like to fail :)
Or as Ice-T said in one of my episodes:
If you are good at something, you learn how to get good at something else.
We are all awesome
Jon
PS: If you want to be involved in the show (audience, help with our social media, come to one of our shootings) just let me know!
PS2: Hit the comment/reply button below and I’ll reply to every single one of you.
Great read. Love your approach, V.
This article arrived in my inbox just in time :-)! As always Jon V, a great and well-writen article that resonates. The easiest answer you hear nowadays is NO, it's been done before, there are so many around! So what are people supposed to do, sit there because everything has been done :-)? But if there is an angle and chances to pivot, left or right, then there is a chance. I think being an entrepreneur, the very best, is like being a top athlete. The very best reach those levels more because of attitude and mindset than skill. Of course, there has to be a strong skillset but their mentality is the key.