Very Simple Obvious Things

I find myself trying very hard to glean non-obvious hidden lessons about the world. But I think that being able to articulate very obvious, very simple learnings about the world probably has an immense amount of value as well. This is an exercise to combat "schlep blindness" in which the obviousness of certain things overwhelms our ability to perceive their importance. This is not an exhaustive list by any means and is probably something I will continually add to over time.

  1. Focus on the fundamentals. Nothing else works until you get the core processes right.
  2. Luck is super important. If you think of it as a multiplier, its anywhere from the range of zero to ten thousand.
  3. Magic bullets don't exist.
  4. Its really hard to make things happen. Even small things - especially when you are building.
  5. Those around you influence who you are.
  6. Copying is very effective.
  7. Simple is better and faster.
  8. There is a lot of bullshit in the world. Get good at detecting it or creating bullshit yourself.
  9. Self confidence makes you more ambitious.
  10. The more times you can iterate on something, the better it gets.
  11. Inertia is hard to stop both when stationary and in motion.
  12. Always look for low hanging fruit first. Path of least resistance!
  13. Prioritize for things that compound.
  14. Thinking long term is hard but important.
  15. Don't lie to yourself.
  16. Copying what is working for others first. Come up with your own ideas later.
  17. Most important things are unsexy.