Loops, in other words, are what lead to sustainable, compounding, growth. In a career context, this means asking: “What are the things you can do today which make it easier to obtain your desired resources and career opportunities tomorrow, in a way that’s defensible and compounds overtime?”

networks are heat-seeking missiles for value. Provide the value, and the network is there.

It’s one thing to be widely networked. Another thing to be strategically networked. And yet another to have created networks that compound over time (e.g Thiel Fellowship, Paul Graham and YC).

Respect — this is a loop that most enables other loops, but you can't go after it directly.

You’ll need the “minimum viable money” to keep going and not have to take a job that doesn’t increase your specialized knowledge & skills. You’ll want the “minimum viable network”, to know the right people to help, and the “minimum viable legibility (reputation)” to get them to care.

Product Mistakes that Apply to Careers: focusing on acquisition instead of retention (focusing on networking instead of relationships & reputation). Or working in a space that doesn’t get more valuable over time (e.g working in a dying industry), or building another “me-too” product without differentiation (not taking enough career risk). Choosing... See more

do find your tribe of collaborators and go deep with a handful, involving them in the value building process — developing skills, building something together, etc.)

four different types of career loops, or assets: * Specialized Knowledge / Skills (“Get So Good They Can’t Ignore You”) * Financial Capital ($) * Brand / Legibility (ability for your skills/assets to be widely recognizable) * Unique Network Access/Strength

Every great product should have a moat, and careers are no different.

Product Tropes that Apply to Careers: Capitalize on unfair advantages, insights, or relationships. Disrupt orthogonally, often from below—try not to compete head on. When you’re younger, take more market risk; when you’re more experienced, take execution risk.