My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Intensity is the strategy - winners don't usually have better strategies, they execute obvious strategies with more intensity
The Reasoning
Most successful strategies are well-known; competitive advantage comes from willingness to execute at higher intensity levels than others
What Needs to Be True
- Most strategies are accessible to everyone
- Execution quality varies dramatically between people
- High intensity execution is rare and sustainable
Counterargument
Strategy matters enormously and smart strategy can beat intensity alone
What Would Change This View
Examples where clearly superior strategy beats intense execution of inferior strategy
Implications for Builders
Stop searching for secret strategies and focus on execution
Benchmark your intensity level against top performers
Choose simple, proven strategies and execute them violently
Example Application
“Rather than seeking the perfect marketing strategy, take a proven approach like cold outreach and execute it at 10x the volume and persistence of competitors”
Related Knowledge
Two Millimeter Shifts
Small adjustments in approach that create massive changes in outcomes, like a golf club being 2mm off causing the ball t
Play/Work Overlap Framework
Finding activities that feel like play to you but appear as work to others, creating a sustainable competitive advantage
Fat Pitch Strategy
Waiting for high-probability, high-reward opportunities rather than swinging at every chance that comes along
Get informal mentorship from successful people
Person regularly responds to your questions and you have ongoing informal advisory relationship
Asymmetric Risk/Reward
Seek opportunities where you can lose small amounts but win large amounts, or where you have information others lack
Wealth building is a learnable skill
Anyone can learn wealth-building skills regardless of current financial position