Today, I want to talk about something seemingly obvious, but most of us completely misunderstand.
Most of us think that we gotta learn before starting.
That is, we learn to be the boss before becoming the boss.
Or, we learn how to drive a car before driving a car.
But in reality, it’s the opposite, isn’t it? We learn 100x more from experience than from books. That might be unpopular, but it’s true.
Here’s the bigger issue: Our assumption that we must learn FIRST prevents so many of us from taking that first step.
From starting.
B.S. excuses: “I’m not ready.” “I’m unqualified.”
Are you sure about that?
That’s not what millionaires do. They don’t look for excuses not to start.
Let’s talk about a millionaire habit that’s terrifying to a lot of people.
Start, Then Learn
Let me tell you a story.
It was a Friday, and I was just called into my boss’s office. This was 12 years ago, right in the middle of my career. And I was scared to death of what was about to happen.
I read people get fired on Fridays.
And it was a Friday.
And I was supposed to have a chat with my boss.
And HR was in the room, too.
“Well crap, I’m getting canned,” I thought to myself.
I sat down and prepared for the worst. Sensing my concern, my boss gave me the news.
“Today, we fired the Director of IT, the Director of System Operations, and the CIO. We want you to take over as the Director of IT.”
…the F?
Here I was, a 30-year-old software developer with zero leadership experience to my name, and I was just asked to become the Director.
Every bit of me wanted to say no. Clearly, I wasn’t ready.
I had so much to learn about leadership. About corporate budgets.
“Great, let’s do it,” I said.
I jumped in head first, took the opportunity, and learned along the way.
I didn’t learn how to be a Director by reading or studying. Or by getting a management degree.
I dove in and figured it out.
Think back to when you were a kid. You learned by starting, didn’t you?
- You learned to ride a bike by riding a bike
- You learned what you’re good at by just trying shit
- You learned to push your boundaries by pushing your boundaries
Millionaires spend more time starting than stacking knowledge.
Reading is great, but don’t use reading as an excuse not to start.
Dive in. Get started. Make mistakes and learn as you go. Experience is 100x more valuable than anything you’d read in a book.
Millionaires learn by starting, not the other way around.
Challenge: It’s Saturday. Next week, start something new. That thing you didn’t feel ready for? Yeah, that. Start that new fitness routine. Start that side hustle. Start training for that marathon.
Just start.
Chat next week!
– Steve
