Tony Robbins' mentor Jim Rohn taught him that economic disparity isn't unjust; it's a reflection of value added. To increase your income, you must stop focusing on effort and instead focus on becoming more valuable by solving bigger problems for more people.
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You cannot consistently achieve an income level that you don't subconsciously believe you deserve. Your internal self-worth dictates your confidence and ability to make the necessary asks to reach higher earnings.
Instead of viewing problems as setbacks, Jacobs sees them as the very raw material for creating value. Solving obstacles for customers, employees, or within operations is how money is made. This mindset transforms stressful challenges into opportunities for growth and profit, preventing burnout.
The greatest predictor of entrepreneurial success isn't intellect or innate skill, but simply caring more than anyone else. This deep-rooted ambition and desire to succeed fuels the resilience and skill acquisition necessary to win.
Hard work is an overrated success factor, ranking fourth or fifth in importance. The most critical variables are project selection (what you work on) and people selection (who you work with). Working hard in a bad market or with the wrong team yields limited returns. Choose your playing field first.
The term "earn" can be fraught with psychological baggage related to self-worth. In a business context, view "earning your elevation" as having put in the required work, built something real, and lived the lessons you want to teach—completely separate from your inherent value as a person.
Significant career advancements often stem from changes in self-perception and belief. Adopting a mindset where you believe you belong at the next level and can own your value changes how you act and how others perceive you, creating opportunities that skills alone cannot.
Instead of competing to be the best in a crowded field, find a unique niche or combination of skills where you have no substitutes. This is the key to long-term success, as demonstrated by the PayPal Mafia members who each carved out their own distinct paths.
The pursuit of wealth as a final goal leads to misery because money is only a tool. True satisfaction comes from engaging in meaningful work you would enjoy even if it failed. Prioritizing purpose over profit is essential, as wealth cannot buy self-respect or happiness.
Blaming external factors like a "bad market" or "no good talent" makes you powerless. Rephrasing the problem as a personal skill deficit—e.g., "I lack the skill to attract talent"—immediately makes it solvable because you can learn new skills. This puts you back in control of the outcome.
Elon Musk's advice for entrepreneurs is to focus on being a 'net contributor to society' by making more than you take. Financial success is a natural consequence of providing useful products, not something to be pursued directly, much like happiness is a byproduct of a fulfilling life.
