Hard Work Builds Early Judgment

Shaan Puri believes that hard work is overrated as a success factor—it's probably the fourth or fifth most important variable, not the first. While successful people often credit hard work, he argues this narrative provides convenient "air cover" and suggests everyone had an equal shot. In reality, other factors matter far more.

Key Points:

• Project Selection is #1:

  • Choosing what you work on is far more important than how hard you work
  • Example: Working in the restaurant industry limits outcomes no matter how hard you work
  • The right project selection dramatically increases your probability of success

• Other Critical Variables (in order):

  • Who you work with - matters a ton
  • Timing and luck - significant factors
  • Hard work - somewhere around third, fourth, or fifth place

• Where Hard Work Actually Matters:

  • Skill development: Hard work is excellent for building skills
  • Early career advantage: In your twenties, it's easy to throw hours at problems when you don't have good judgment yet
  • Skills are permanent: Projects fail but skills stick with you—they can't be inherited, bought, or taken away

• The Flywheel Effect:

  • When you enjoy something → you do it all the time → you get really good at it → you get results
  • Without enjoyment, you only work to the extent of willpower/motivation → only get so-so at it → get so-so results
  • No flywheel without genuine interest

• Skills as Transferable Assets:

  • Example: His sushi business failed, but he learned After Effects, iMovie, and Photoshop
  • Those skills served him well in Silicon Valley—could mock things up himself
  • Once you pick a better project, you still have the skills you developed

• Network Value Over Incremental Dollars:

  • Being in good networks (like San Francisco for tech) is worth far more than saving on rent or taxes
  • Moving away just for taxes is foolish—you save 10% but lose 10x more money from being in the white hot center
  • Earlier in your career, network value has more time to compound
  • If you're good, you should be in good networks; if you're bad, you won't get value anyway

• Personal Reflection:

  • If he had been more intentional about project selection and who he worked with earlier, he'd be further ahead
  • The key is being intentional—not doing nothing, but choosing wisely where to apply effort