Rules for Life: Want Money, Ask for Advice; Want Advice, Ask for Money

Almost every founder has heard of that saying in the title. But it bears repeating. If you want money ask for advice, if you want advice, ask for money. This is not just a comment to slash on the weirdness and wishy-washiness of venture capitalists. It is. But the more I’ve thought about it, the more it is just a good rule for life. 

For me when I’ve tried to optimize for money, it almost never works out. Maybe you come off desperate and needy. Maybe I self-sabotage because of a weird relationship I have with money. 

But when I’ve chased curiosity and followed the rabbit hole of my interests, the money or opportunities just kind of showed up. It sounds a little bit esoteric. Yet it has worked for me. 

My hypothesis is that when chasing knowledge & interest, you work at a very different frequency. You get into a zone or flow. Time passes quickly in a good way. You fall in love with the process. And as you share everything you learn publicly through conversations, through writing and on social media, the opportunities just inevitably appear. It’s almost like magic. 

Earlier in my career this happened through going to many meetups, attending conferences, going to a lot of parties and having lots of coffees. Now when you add the magic of the Internet, newsletters, podcasts, blogs and social media you end up with what David Perell calls a “serendipity machine”. 

So for anyone starting their career, I challenge you to pursue your interests and share what you learn. You never know what exciting place you will end up in your life. Net net: be in a learning mindset, not an earning one.