An investor's career has a finite number of deals. Calculating this number (e.g., 2 deals/year for 20 years = 40 deals) creates a sense of scarcity, encouraging more deliberate investment decisions and greater appreciation for each opportunity.
Junior investors often feel pressure to contribute in meetings. However, the most effective path is to actively listen and learn for an extended period. This builds a deep understanding, ensuring that when you do speak, your contributions are insightful and impactful, not just noise.
The venture industry has outliers who seem to 'walk on water' and others who get lucky. Constantly measuring your progress against theirs leads to dissatisfaction. The better approach is to focus on executing your job, which leads to long-term, sustainable success and pride.