On McLarens, satisfaction and surviving"

Hi, troublemakers! 👋

Here’s an impactful quote I’ve highlighted this week, along with a thought for you to reflect this weekend.

Take care and unwind!
Tom

1 Quote

From Walter Isaacson’sElon Musk:

“When Musk eased into the driver’s seat of his new million-dollar McLaren, he said to the CNN reporter taping the scene, “The real payoff is the sense ofsatisfaction in having created a company.”

1 Thought

I’ve always believed that a hunger for satisfaction is the best, long-term motivation for startup founders.

Why?

• It’s sustainable — it springs from deep within. When you’re driven by your inner motives, doing what you enjoy, there’s a greater chance you’ll stay the course.

• It’s robust — this inner engine is subjected to rigorous stress tests constantly. As such, it has to be a sturdy fixture to which you can reliably return during tough days, months, and even years.

• It’s healthy (and safe) — anchoring your drive internally is far better than being propelled by dreams of billion-dollar exits. To quote Nassim Nicholas Taleb, “(…) they miss the strong logical precedence of survival over success. To make profits and buy a BMW, it would be a good idea to, first, survive.”

Lessons learned:

• Find a robust motivation engine. Money is almost always a poor choice.

• Always put yourself in a position for high gains and low losses. In a high-stress environment, this approach saves the soul in the long run.