Digital Gold Foundation

There is, it seems, a surprising value in being a cockroach that survives. Most people would not want to call themselves cockroaches. In fact, most would not want to spend the time simply surviving. But the fact of the matter is this, timing, more than any other thing, makes the biggest apparent fools, and geniuses of us all. Don't get me wrong. That's not to say we are not impressive fools from time to time. Of course we are. But that is part of life. The big lesson here is that a sharp awareness of timing, matters so much, that in many cases it may be the sole thing that dramatically changes an entire outcome. What then, is a good lesson for us? And what may be a good lesson for builders everywhere? A few points come to mind. Find a giant market (or one rapidly and significantly expanding), with a secular trend unfolding around it. And build a kickass product to serve it. Attune yourself to the rhythm of seasonality. Nature, markets and humans, all have a rhythm. Learn to lean into that rhythm. There are moments to rock the boat, and moments to conserve the energy, and wait the storm to pass. Do the hard work. Luck will favor the prepared mind. Let luck find you ready when it strikes. Have the homework done, be the one ready for the wave to unfold. Understand the value of survival. A ship navigating the sea in the middle of a storm will have one and only one goal, and that’s survival. Once the storm has passed, the ship can carry its mission forward. The last few years have taught me many invaluable lessons, but none so counterintuitive and difficult to live by, as being aware of timing. So what does this mean in practice? Well, it may be as simple as asking this one question: is this the time for attack, or is this the time for energy conservation? Look around. Do a temperature check. When nothing seems to make sense anymore, take a step back, and ask this simple question. Dose your energy. Keep your head down. And let the storm pass. If needed. Once it does, show the world what you got. The real thing you’ve been cooking all this time. The reps and homework you have done. Be a cockroach that is hard to kill, and survives. If you survive long enough, rewards will find their way to you.