The Algebra of Happiness

Show up early. Have good manners. Follow up.

Most of us understand how compound interest works with money, but don’t recognize its power in other parts of our lives. The app 1 Second Everyday reminds you to take a second of video each day, a small daily nuisance/investment.

Opportunity is a function of density. Get to a place that’s crowded with success.

Two-thirds of economic growth over the next fifty years will be in supercities. Opportunity is a function of density. Get to a place that’s crowded with success. Big cities are Wimbledon—even if you aren’t Rafael Nadal, your game will improve by being on the court with him. And you’ll either get in better shape or learn you shouldn’t be at Wimbledo

experiences. Invest in experiences over things.

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Don’t think of it as saving—think of it as magic. Put $1,000 into a magic box, and when you’re ready for it in forty years, presto: that thousand dollars is now $10,000 to $25,000. If you could have this magic box, how much would you put in it?

Take a ton of pictures, text your friends stupid things, check in with old friends as often as possible, express admiration to coworkers, and every day, tell as many people as you can that you love them. A couple of minutes every day—the payoff is small at first, and then it’s immense.

The slope of the trajectory for your career is (unfairly) set in the first five years post-graduation. If you want the trajectory to be steep, you’ll need to burn a lot of fuel. The world is not yours for the taking, but for the trying. Try hard, really hard.