The man who popularized artificial intelligence around the world wrote 17 lessons that went viral in Silicon Valley.
He runs OpenAI, now valued at $500 billion, the largest private company in the world.
These lessons have become required reading for anyone who wants to build something big!
- The starting point is intensity.
Optimism, obsession, confidence, and good connections are what set any project in motion.
Nothing moves forward without energy and people driving you forward.
- What leads to failure is obsession and irrational commitment.
Aligned teams, a balance between calm and haste, and an unhealthy focus on the long term.
Stop worrying about what others think in the short term.
This disappears over time.
- Doing something difficult and important is more engaging than doing something easy and irrelevant.
It's easier to recruit, motivate, and retain good professionals when the challenge is great.
Likely commitments don't excite anyone.
- Incentives are superpowers
People do what they are rewarded for.
Get incentives wrong and the team's behavior will go off track.
Structure shapes behavior.
- Focus on a few high-conviction bets.
You don't need a lot of ideas, you need a few right ones.
Eliminate anything that isn't a top priority.
If you're not sure, the answer is no.
- Poorly communicated ideas die early.
Clarity in communication is one of the most underrated weapons in the real world.
Explain clearly. Speak simply.
If you can't, it's because you didn't understand properly.
- Fight bureaucracy wherever it appears.
And encourage others to do the same.
Don't let the organizational chart become an obstacle for those who want to work.
- Good intentions aren't enough.
You can follow all the right processes and still fail.
Results matter more than appearing to be on the right track.
- Spend more time hiring.
Look for people with a fast learning curve.
The ability to execute is more valuable than intelligence alone.
- Superstars are worth more than they seem.
However, a star that shines alone sometimes overwhelms the team.
Talent is important, but the net impact on the collective is even more so.
- Failing quickly is better than not acting at all.
Those who build great things test, fail, adjust, and move on.
You learn more by doing than by planning.
Plans need to be measured in decades, execution in weeks.
12- Don't fight the laws of physics.
Some limitations simply exist.
Ignoring them is a recipe for failure.
13- Inspiration has an expiration date.
It comes and goes.
You can't depend on it.
Life flies by.
Standing still, overthinking, is one of the greatest risks.
14- Scale brings effects that aren't apparent at first.
Things that didn't exist on a small scale begin to emerge as the business grows.
New dynamics emerge, as do new pain points.
If you're not careful, surprises become problems.
- Accumulated growth is magical.
If you build something that grows stronger as it grows, time is on your side.
- Get up and keep going.
Most people give up.
You just have to keep doing it.
- Working with good people is one of the best parts of life.
It's that simple.
And that's what makes it all worth it.