Have you got scars?

Have you got scars?

Life is all about risk taking. All about the outliers. All about having skin in the game. People relate to other people having scars. Superman requires Clark Kent to make him relatable. If he continued being invincible, no one would be able to relate.

That’s what you need to think about. That’s what you need to do. That’s what I need to do. Take on risk. But at the same time set the system up so you always win.

How?

Take advantage of Cunningham’s Law (if you want the right answer on the internet, don’t ask a question, post the wrong answer). You take risk by sharing your work and it potentially being wrong. You open yourself for criticism. But it’s win win. Your work goes out, others see it and either gain value, their win, or point out where you’re wrong, your win, since now you know where you could improve.

Setting the system up so you always win means you’ve got very small downside (some potential criticism) but unlimited upside (gain of knowledge, wealth, purpose). Those are the systems I like. When you’re involved in a system of someone else’s you’re capped. You don’t have leverage. That’s the opposite of what I want. A job has a cap. You’re capped by the person above you, above them, above them again.

Working for yourself has no cap. You decide the effort you put in, you decide what to work on. You can find the tailwinds of society and put a sail up. A man who rows a boat uses effort, the one who puts a sail up uses magic. And the internet is one almighty tailwind.

And if you fail?

You get the scars. Something relatable. You get your Clark Kent and a story to tell.