đŁPodcast version of this Memo
Peter Thielâs Zero to One starts out with the question: âWhat important truth do very few people agree with you on?â My answer is that everyone is a founder. At the very least, everyone is an investor of their time and energy, the most precious asset.
Similar to revolutionary industry transformations of great companies (think Airbnb for traveling, Apple for work), we are each capable of bringing transformations into our own lives by establishing a founder mentality. The founder mentality asks: âHow can I do this completely differently? How can I 10x this project or relationship? What are the givens? What is the old way of doing things? How can I bring about a complete change for the better? A personal transformation is led by a vision for a new reality, an intense commitment to its fulfillment, and the curation of resources around that vision.
Similar to how starting a company is about taking a leap of faith into a new reality, founding a personal transformation is also âfaithful.â It all starts out with this idea that things can be not just somewhat but radically different. I can look very different through physical transformation. I can feel different by training my mind. I can live differently by creating sustainable sources of income. Whatever I have right now is a byproduct of my and my familyâs past decisions. Yet itâs not a cap on what I am capable of. Things donât have to stay this way, they are capable of being transformed. The change wonât happen on its own. But it is this sense of power and confidence that a founder has that allows us to relentlessly pursue a reality drastically different from the present.