“Startup CEOs should not play the odds. When you are building a company, you must believe there is an answer and you cannot pay attention to your odds of finding it. You just have to find it. It matters not whether your chances are nine in ten or one in a thousand; your task is the same.” —Ben Horowitz, The Hard Thing About Hard Things
We are not meant to compare ourselves to eight billion people. I know I’m not the first to remind you that social platforms are status games on globalized steroids. With so much exposure to people who are (actually) smarter, funnier, prettier, and/or fill-in-the-blanker, the logical conclusion would be not to jump in. Right?
In Zero Sum Logic, this is correct. If you can’t be the best author, the best podcaster, the best thinker about your topic, the prettiest/skinniest/curviest/strongest in physical appearance, why try?
Today's post is a crossover from my newest project, Rolling in D🤦🏻♀️h: Divine disaster diaries from a bread-winning business owner living in New York city. This is a paid Substack where I share personal essays about the nitty-gritty aspects of running a business, especially when sh*t hits the fan. My friend Leanne calls it “business reality TV.”
*Check out my profile page to see what I’m publishing across ‘Doh, Free Time, and Pivot at http://substack.com/@jennyblake.*
📝 Permission
To be magnificently in the middle.
✅ Do (or Delegate) This Next
Publish something you’re unsure about, especially if you’re overthinking it; let your audience give feedback on whether it was helpful or not.
🔗 Resources Mentioned
Articles: Rolling in D🤦🏻♀️h—Ignore the Odds
Gnostic Gospel of Thomas
New York Times—Tip of the Iceberg (A Litany of Clichés)
Apps: Substack
📚 Books Mentioned
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
My Body by Emily Ratajkowski
Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas by Elaine Pagels
Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton
🎧 Related Episodes
Free Time: 223: The Confidence Trap: Why You Don’t Need It to Do Big Things (SPARKED Crossover)
226: Is your business a hot mess? If yes, let's celebrate — Rolling in D🤦🏻♀️h
The Examined Life with Khe Hy: Should You Play Status Games? With Jenny Blake
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✍️ Check out Jenny’s personal business essays on Substack, Rolling in D🤦🏻♀️h
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