Chapter Content
Okay, so, um, I really think that setting super specific goals, like, it's just not the way to go. You know? I heard this quote from Scott Adams, it's great, he said, "Build systems, don't set goals." Basically, figure out what kind of environment helps you, like, really thrive, you know? And then just create that environment around you. That way, you're just, like, upping your chances of success without even realizing it.
The thing is, your environment is always shaping your brain, right? But the cool thing is, a smart brain can also, like, choose and shape its *future* environment.
I'm not trying to be, like, the most successful person *ever*, you know? I just want to be the most successful *version* of myself, in the most, like, efficient way possible. I want a life where, if I could live it a thousand times, I'd be happy living it like, 999 of those times. Maybe I wouldnβt be a billionaire, but every single life would be pretty good. I can't make everything perfect, that's impossible, but I've built, like, systems that make sure bad stuff is pretty rare.
And remember, I started out as a poor kid from India, right? So, I think if *I* can do it, anyone can. I mean, sure, I had, like, all my limbs, my brain worked, I got an education. You need a few basic things, of course. But if you're, like, listening to this, chances are you already have what it takes to succeed, you know, like a working body and brain.
And if there's anything you want to do later? Do it now! There is no "later," you know? Life's short.
So, how do I even learn new stuff? Well, mostly I just stick to the basics. Even if it's physics or something, I read the really complicated stuff too, but just for fun. I'd rather do, like, arithmetic than calculus. I'm never gonna be a top physicist, you know? Maybe in another life, or my kids will do it. But for me, it's too late. I just wanna do what I enjoy.
For me, science is like the study of truth, right? It's the only real subject, because it makes predictions that we can actually disprove. And science is, like, *powerful*. Applied science becomes technology, and technology, it's what sets us apart from animals! It gives us phones, houses, cars, you know, heating, electricity...
So, yeah, science is the study of truth, and math is, like, the language of science and nature.
I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual, definitely. To me, studying the laws of the universe is the most spiritual thing I can do. People who are religious go to Mecca or Medina, right? To honor a prophet. But when I learn science, I get the same feeling of, like, awe and, and a deep sense of how small I am. It's incredible. And I only study the basics! That's the beauty of reading science.
Do I agree that if you read the same stuff as everyone else, you'll think the same stuff? Yeah, definitely. I think people mostly read stuff to get, like, social approval these days. A lot of people have read a hundred books on evolution but they haven't even read Darwin's actual book, "Origin of Species." There are tons of macroeconomists out there, and I bet most of them haven't even read Adam Smith.
It's, like, reading to fit in with the other monkeys, you know? To get along. But to actually get somewhere in life, you don't need to fit in, you need to stand out.
Social approval is, like, an internal thing. If you want it, read what everyone else is reading. But if you want to stand out, you need a bit of a rebellious streak. You need to be able to say, "Nope, I'm gonna do what *I* want to do, and learn what I want to learn, no matter what anyone else thinks."
Is that, like, a loss aversion thing? Because if you go off track, you don't know if you're going towards something good or bad, right? Yeah, totally. I think that's why a lot of the smartest, most successful people I know started out as failures. If you feel like a failure, like society's rejected you, and you don't fit in, you can focus on your own thing without worrying about being successful. And that actually makes you more likely to find a path to success. Itβs like, "I'm never gonna be popular, never gonna be accepted. I'm already a failure. I'm not gonna get what everyone else has, so I'll just do what makes me happy." That's a great mindset to start with.
To improve yourself *without* needing willpower, you gotta change your self-image.
Everyone has something that motivates them, right? It's different for everyone. Even "unmotivated" people suddenly get super motivated when they're playing video games. Motivation is relative. You just have to find what you're interested in.
So, you know, blood, sweat, and tears, hard work, facing your fears... that's all part of becoming an overnight success, right?
If I could give my kids just a couple of life principles, what would they be? The first is: read, read *widely*. Don't just read the socially approved stuff, and don't just read what *I* recommend. Read for the sake of reading, develop a love for it. Even if it's romance novels, detective stories, or comic books, it's all good! There's no such thing as "trash." Just read! Eventually, you'll find the stuff you should be reading and that you love.
And the second principle is to master math and persuasion. Those two skills are, like, your keys to navigating the real world.
Persuasion is important because if you can influence people, you can get a lot done. And it's a skill you can learn. It's not that hard.
And math helps you solve all the complicated problems in life. If you want to make money, if you want to study science, if you want to understand game theory, politics, economics, investing, computers... you need math. It's at the core of everything. Math is the basic language of nature.
So we can use math to reverse-engineer nature and understand it. We still only understand a tiny bit, though. But, luckily, we don't need to know *that* much math. Just the basics, like, statistics and arithmetic. You should know statistics and probability inside and out.