Loading...
July 8, 2024 • 27min
How To Go Beast Mode As A Founder
My First Million
In this episode, Shaan Puri delivers an impassioned monologue on the power of intensity in business and life. He argues that most people are not operating at their full potential, and by understanding what true high-intensity effort looks like, we can dramatically improve our results. Through stories of successful entrepreneurs and companies, Puri illustrates how a singular focus combined with relentless execution separates the great from the good.
How To Go Beast Mode As A Founder
0:00
-0:00
Key Takeaways
- Intensity is a formula: Focus x Common Sense x Insanity
- Most people think they're operating at level 10 intensity when they're really at a 6. Understanding what level 12 looks like allows you to dial up your intensity.
- Focus on one priority at a time. Trying to juggle multiple priorities leads to mediocrity.
- Solutions may not be clear, but the paths to excellence and value are - through singular focus.
- Big things come from an accumulation of smaller actions done with intensity.
- There are rarely silver bullet solutions. Success usually comes from firing many "lead bullets" - taking consistent action on common sense strategies.
- Recognize when it's time to "sprint" and dial up intensity for key opportunities or challenges.
Introduction
In this episode, Shaan Puri delivers an impassioned monologue on the power of intensity in business and life. He argues that most people are not operating at their full potential, and by understanding what true high-intensity effort looks like, we can dramatically improve our results. Through stories of successful entrepreneurs and companies, Puri illustrates how a singular focus combined with relentless execution separates the great from the good.
Topics Discussed
Peter Thiel's One Priority Philosophy (02:12)
Puri begins by discussing Peter Thiel's management philosophy at PayPal:
- Everyone in the company had to identify their single top priority
- This forced clarity and focus
- If anyone tried to discuss something other than their one priority, Thiel would leave the room
Thiel's philosophy was that "If you allow yourself to have more than one focus, you've already blinked. You've determined that mediocrity is an acceptable outcome."
Puri argues this singular focus is powerful because:
- The brain can really only handle solving one problem at a time
- Multitasking is largely a myth
- Success comes from loading one priority into your brain and letting it sit there until solved
Defining Intensity (06:12)
Puri clarifies that intensity does not mean working 24/7. He defines intensity as a formula:
Intensity = Focus x Common Sense x Insanity
He uses a quote from Conor McGregor to illustrate the "insanity" component:
"I've lost my mind to this game. Like Vincent van Gogh, he dedicated his mind to his art and lost his mind in the process. That's what's happened to me. But f**k it. When that gold belt is around my waist...then it will pay off."Puri argues most people think they're operating at level 10 intensity when they're really at a 6. Understanding what level 12 looks like allows you to dial up your intensity.
Mark Zuckerberg's Acquisition of Instagram (08:12)
Puri tells the story of how Mark Zuckerberg acquired Instagram to illustrate high-intensity execution:
- Instagram had offers from Twitter ($550M) and Sequoia to stay independent
- Zuckerberg invited the founders to his house on Good Friday
- Offered $1B - double their current valuation
- Said the deal had to close that weekend
- Worked for 48 hours straight to close the billion-dollar acquisition
- By Monday when others returned to work, the deal was done
Puri quotes Zuckerberg: "I have to act with a certain level of intensity when we find a deal that's like this."
WhatsApp's Focus (12:13)
Puri discusses how WhatsApp operated with intensity and focus:
- Founder had a note on his desk: "No ads, no games, no gimmicks"
- Focused solely on doing messaging better than anyone else
- Compared to Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out - doing one thing with high intensity
- Zuckerberg pursued them for 2 years before acquisition
Stripe's Customer Acquisition (14:14)
Puri shares how Stripe founders operated with unusual intensity in customer acquisition:
- Would immediately onboard interested customers on the spot
- Manually installed for first 100-200 customers
- Paul Graham called this the "Collison Installation"
Graham noted most founders don't do this due to shyness or fear of rejection. He observed:
"Big things come from an accumulation of smaller things...Startups take off because the founder makes them take off."Lead Bullets vs Silver Bullets (16:15)
Puri discusses Ben Horowitz's concept of "lead bullets, not silver bullets":
- When facing challenges, founders often look for a magical solution or pivot
- Usually, success comes from improving the core product/business
- Need to fire many "lead bullets" (consistent actions) vs searching for a silver bullet
Puri argues the pie chart of success is:
- 10-20% strategy/ideas
- 80-90% execution and "blood, sweat, and tears"
When to Sprint (18:15)
Puri discusses the importance of recognizing when to "sprint" - periods of extreme intensity:
- Can't sprint all the time, but crucial to dial up intensity for key opportunities
- Uses example of Sylvester Stallone writing Rocky script in 3 days
- Stallone painted windows black, unplugged phone to eliminate distractions
Three Actions to Increase Intensity (20:15)
Puri provides three key actions to increase intensity:
- Narrow your focus - Stop giving your brain many different priorities
- Write down your common sense solution - Should be simple, executable strategy
- Ask "What would level 12 intensity look like?" - As a thought experiment
He uses the example of getting in shape:
- Most people think they've tried their hardest
- Jesse Itzler hired Navy SEAL David Goggins to live with him for 30 days
- Trained 2-3 times daily, followed exact diet and instructions
- This was "level 12" intensity most can't even conceive of
Conclusion
Puri concludes by encouraging listeners to seek out examples of true high-intensity effort in their field. By understanding what "level 12" looks like, we can push ourselves beyond our perceived limits and achieve breakthrough results. The key is combining laser focus on top priorities with relentless, common-sense execution - and being willing to dial up the intensity to extreme levels when opportunities arise. While we can't sprint all the time, recognizing when to go all-out can be the difference between mediocrity and excellence.