Question to build your career (and life):

Do I want this job, or do I want other people to see me having this job?

I was recently having a conversation a friend about the most non-obvious pieces of career advice that we had received—the advice that's rarely shared, but we wish more people heard.

He said that a mentor had once told him the following:

Take the job you want to have, not the job you want people to see you have.

That one hit me hard...

• The job you want people to see you have is about status.
• The job you want to have is about learning, growth, and energy.

When you slow down and think about it, there are many things in life that we start doing for the external clout, rather than the internal value:

• You take the job that sounds good in the LinkedIn post rather than the job you feel energized by
• You buy the thing that will look good in the photo rather than the thing you will actually get utility from
• You get the house in the fancy community rather than the house in the area you actually love

And unfortunately, chasing short-term clout is a recipe for long-term misery.

We think that these things—the impressive sounding job, the luxury purchase, the house in the fancy community—will bring us lasting respect and admiration, but ultimately, it's a race to nowhere.

As author C.S. Lewis once wrote, "You are trying to peel an onion: if you succeed there will be nothing left. Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain."

The lesson is simple: In your career (and life), take the "job" you want to have, not the one you want other people to see you have.

You'll find more energy on the journey—and more success will follow.

Quote on the beginner's mindset:

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso

Your entire life will change the moment you embrace the embarrassment of being a beginner.

Remember: Every expert started out as a beginner.

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Framework for independent thinking:

Sapere Aude

Sapere Aude is a Latin phrase meaning Dare to Know.

The phrase originated with the Roman poet Horace in his Epistles, where he wrote, "Dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet: sapere aude, Incipe."

Translation: "He who has begun is half done: dare to know, begin!"

Originally penned as an inspiring call-to-action, the phrase was adapted by philosopher Immanuel Kant in a 1784 essay entitled, What Is Enlightenment (emphasis mine):

"Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one’s understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere aude! Have the courage to use your own understanding!"

In this context, Sapere Aude is a call-to-action for independent thinking—the courage and willingness to question the defaults you've been handed and form your own perspectives and opinions.

It is a reminder that the greatest discoveries in life come not from finding the right answers, but from asking the right questions. That true wisdom comes from having the courage to sit with the questions long enough to form your own conclusions.

Embrace Sapere Aude in your life:

• Dare to question the definition of success
• Dare to ask what you truly want out of life
• Dare to push back on the patterns you've been told to follow
• Dare to reject the defaults
• Dare to live by your own design

Remember: The answers you seek are found in the questions you avoid.

Note: Sapere Aude is the phrase that best captures the ethos of my bestselling new book. Apple CEO Tim Cook called it, "a powerful call to action to think deeply about what lights you up—and a guide for how to build a life of meaning and purpose around those things." Get your copy now on a temporary big 30% sale.

Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Passage that I had to read twice:

This is a beautiful passage from my dear friend Yung Pueblo's newest book, ​How to Love Better​. His writing has a way of making me think deeply long after I've finished reading. I'm grateful for that.

The core idea here—that your nervous system doesn't lie to you when it comes to people—is a powerful insight. So many things make sense now...

P.S. ​His new book​ is perfect for anyone looking to build deeper romantic relationships. Highly recommend.

Powerful visual reminder:

Do hard things. Focus deeply, have tough conversations, run far, lift heavy, get cold, get hot, sit in silence. Hard now, easy later.