Be an idea expander

To be a founder, you have to be world-class in something. Make sure you’re spending the majority of your time doing that thing; this is your ‘zone of genius’. Not compromising will allow you to be a valuable contributor for a much more extended period of time and avoid burnout.

Let yourself become more ambitious—figure out the most interesting version of where what you’re working on could go. Then talk about that big vision and work relentlessly towards it, but always have a reasonable next step. You don’t want step one to be incorporating the company and step two to be going to Mars.

(6) Create a repeatable system for yourself so that you can “upcycle” (make a better version of) each seed of an idea you develop. Publish each idea into better formats (essays/books/evergreen workshops, etc.) and important publications in your industry (to get your ideas in front of the right people and give you extra credibility).

Find a way to connect every project to something much bigger: a higher order value, a truth, a courageous goal, or a larger question. Then, if your efforts start to lag or feel mundane, return to that larger ideal that inspired you in the first place. It works.