The home run theory of careers: What matters is eventually hitting a home run, and the way to do that is training hard and a lot of at-bats. You only have to be right once, and it's ok to be wrong a lot of times. Be bold. Move fast. Work hard. Ignore haters. Keep swinging.

Aug 1, 2020 · 7:42 PM UTC

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Replying to @sama
💯 = the only thing I'd suggest adding to that prescription is "go for growth" in every career choice (over titles, comp etc) = a growing entity (of any size/stage) is more likely to end providing that home run opportunity
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Replying to @sama
What matters is doing work that matters (to you). If you hit a home run in the process, so much the better. But hitting a home run is not worth spending your one wild and precious life doing work that doesn’t light you up.
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Replying to @sama @spakhm
The only nuance I would add here is that some changes in order can make a big difference for living a good life, in addition to having a great career: - I.e creating a nest-egg can have you failing a bunch of at-bats with a magnitude less worry.
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Replying to @sama
Surround yourself with great teammates and coaches
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Replying to @sama
Just don’t risk it all on any one swing. Avoid blow up risk (bankruptcy) and you’ll be fine. In other words don’t sign personal guarantees on debt or max out 10 credit cards.
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Replying to @sama
"..the world is a slot machine that doesn't ask you to put money in. All it asks for is your time, focus and energy to pull the handle over and over. You can fail 99% of the time.. All you need to do is stay in the game." @ScottAdamsSays
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Replying to @sama
The YouTube sellers kinda forgot that. You catch a rocket and you carry it as far as it will go. Take a small secondary to solve the money problem.
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Replying to @sama
Worth noting that a home run isn't an overnight success - it'll often take a long time. And career choices are also a lot less independent from each other than investment decisions.
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Replying to @sama
Investing in early stage startups also allows you to be on base when/if someone else hits a home run.
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Replying to @sama
Reading comments....seems like most assume home run is billion dollar business (or something in that ballpark). I read this Tweet completely different. “Homerun” like “success” is ambiguous. Needs to be personally defined. With that in mind, the home run theory is GOLD.
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Replying to @sama
This sounds like a good way to end up Dave Kingman.
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Replying to @sama
🚀🙏🏾🚀
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Replying to @sama
Hmm - I'd probably go with batting .400 (or even .300) if going for a baseball analogy. ⚾️
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Replying to @sama
I’ve heard someone say “our society immensly undervalues failure and overvalues success”. I guess it’s not applicable here, but the context was hiring someone whos startup failed vs hiring someone from bigco.
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Replying to @sama
@readwiseio save
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Replying to @sama @mandystadt
Gotta say. I like this a lot. Like... a ton. Great thought here, Sam. It's true. Especially for creative careers.
Replying to @sama
Not sure hitting a home run is what matters eventually. Finding joy: purpose & meaning in relationship, in pain & suffering. Losing yourself in serving others, a purpose bigger than us is what matters. Living a life of consequence. You can do that hitting singles all day long. ⚾️
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Replying to @sama
Playing is fun. Enjoy the swing. When you hit the home run you’ll get a sugar high... But then you’ll miss the game.
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Replying to @sama
“He who jumps into the void owes no explanation to those who stand and watch.” — Jean-Luc Godard
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Replying to @sama
It’s perfectly possible to make many contributions each small in size, enjoy the challenges, make a good living, and even be part of something greater. Home runs are great but it would be myopic to say they are the only things that matter.
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Replying to @sama
Contrary to #VC investments where you can make several bets in parallel, career moves do require being made one at a time without the ability to do so in parallel. You also have limited amount of attempts given lifespan is not infinite.
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Replying to @sama
Extending the same baseball analogy.. if you get on base 3 out of every 10 at bats you are considered a good hitter. You are going to strike out a lot more times than you hit the ball/get on base. No one can bat 1000 (get on base every time) consistently. Keep swinging.
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Replying to @sama
“Undertake projects that can make rest of your career look like a footnote”. This thought of yours has had profound impact on me. Thanks @sama
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Replying to @sama
It's a strong analogy. I wrote a stream of thought a few weeks ago related. "You find that it just takes one run to win the game" notion.so/The-many-baseballs…
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Replying to @sama
Not only is this very obvious advice, it's also harmful. People can be left to their to make decisions, of course, but this idea that you can keep failing ("a lot of at-bats") without repercussion only works if you always have enough $ or someone to fallback on
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Replying to @sama
Love this. Geeta says something similar in a famous Shloka:
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Replying to @sama
How about just doing your job well. Consistently. For a long time. Forget the home run and just be good at running your business over the long term. Why does it have to be about home runs ?
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Replying to @sama
Unless you are in a startup or have some equity otherwise this doesn’t work. The company banks your home run, perhaps gives you a nominal pay on the back, and then you’re still a plebe slugging it out day by day.
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Replying to @sama
Love this perspective! Easy to visualize the entrepreneur learning from failure, being traded to another team, leading other more junior players. And if the muscle you are training is your mind, your potential is always not yet reached.
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Replying to @sama
In the careers game, most people wouldn't even get a hit off of major league pitching, let alone hit a home run at some point. Only a small percentage should attempt this strategy.
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Replying to @sama
Or get really good and consistent at hitting singles and doubles, driving in the runs. Depends what game you want to play.
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Replying to @sama
@readwiseio save
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Replying to @sama
Interesting. If it’s ok to to be wrong — then why does Silicon Valley have a 90%+ homogeneity of ideas ( according to @peterthiel ) ~~ I would imagine if techies are truly into contrarian ideas and attitudes then there would be less homogeneous thinking 🤦‍♂️
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Replying to @sama
Does this assume an inherent optionality to swing a lot of times? If so, how to achieve that first and to what extent?
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Replying to @sama
Before you do any of that, make sure you have athlete-sport-fit. It’s way easier to succeed if you align your pursuits to your nature.
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Replying to @sama
I did not understand the reason to move fast... personally in my career! but mixing it with work hard = be alert and log alll your mistakes, reflect and revlabrate (this gave me a strong drive)... keep going and don’t give in! Thx @sama
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