The Hard Truth About Success

"Hardworking, motivated people find diversification a natural outlet for their energy and drive. Diversification feels like the right thing to do. Enter a new market, apply for a job in a new area, start a new sport. And yet the real success goes to those who obsess." - Seth Godin, The Dip

Here's the brutal reality: being the best in the world has exponentially greater returns than being second or third.

The difference between #1 and #2 isn't linear—it's exponential. Think about it:

• Who remembers the second person to walk on the moon?
• What's the second most popular search engine?
• Who's the second richest person in the world?

The Diversification Trap

Most ambitious people fall into the same trap: they spread themselves thin across multiple projects, thinking more activity equals more success.

Wrong.

You don't have the time, passion, or resources to be world-class at multiple things simultaneously. And what's the point of doing ten mediocre things when you could dominate one?

The Quitting Paradox

The most successful people aren't afraid to quit. In fact, they're strategic about it.

Smart quitting is a superpower.

You need to know when to walk away from projects that won't lead to world-class results. Not because you're lazy, but because you're focused.

Sam Altman's Rule

"I am willing to take as much time as needed between projects to find my next thing. But I always want it to be a project that, if successful, will make the rest of my career look like a footnote."

This is the standard. Your next project should have the potential to eclipse everything else you've done.

The 4 Questions That Matter

Before starting any new project, answer these questions honestly:

1. Define Success and Failure

• What does winning look like?
• What does losing look like?
• Why are you really doing this?

2. Identify the Hardest Challenge

• What's the biggest obstacle you'll face?
• Can you realistically overcome it?
• Do you have the resources and skills?

3. Talk to Customers Early

• Who will actually use this?
• What do they really want?
• Are you solving a real problem?

4. Set Your Quit Conditions

• Under what circumstances will you walk away?
• What's your timeline for evaluation?
• What metrics will you use to decide?

The Art of Strategic Quitting

The best quitters decide in advance when to quit.

Persistent people can see light at the end of the tunnel when others can't. But the smartest people are also realistic—they don't imagine light when there isn't any.

The Bottom Line

If you're going to quit, quit before you start. Don't play a game you can't win.

Better to quit than to be mediocre.

Choose one thing. Go all in. Be the best in the world at it.

Or don't play at all.