Ones and Tens Cities
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A framework for evaluating cities based on their characteristics being either exceptional (10/10) or terrible (1/10) versus consistently average (6-7/10).
The Ones and Tens Concept
- Cities like New York and San Francisco operate on extremes
- Everything is either a 1/10 or a 10/10
- No middle ground experiences
- Contrasts with cities like Austin that stay in the 6-7/10 range
- Consistently good but rarely exceptional
- Never terrible but never amazing
New York/San Francisco Examples
-
10/10 Aspects:
- Beauty
- Energy
- Excitement
- Makes you feel "alive"
- Inspiration
-
1/10 Aspects:
- Crime
- Homelessness
- Can feel like a "third world country" at times
- Need for space
- Need for quiet
Austin-Type Cities (6-7/10)
- Everything is "mostly pretty good"
- Never blows you away with inspiration
- Consistently pleasant experience
- Lacks extreme highs and lows
- Always feels "nice"
Key Life Question
- What makes a better life?
- Surrounding yourself with 1s and 10s
- Or living consistently with 7s
- No clear answer, but important to consider when choosing where to live
- Depends on personal tolerance for extremes versus desire for consistency
Sam Parr
Host of MFM and fitness influencer
Sam Parr is a serial entrepreneur and business media pioneer.
In 2016, he founded The Hustle, a business news media company that started in his kitchen with just $12 and grew to eight figures in revenue.
Sam led the charge in making newsletters popular when few believed in their potential.
After four successful years, he sold The Hustle to HubSpot, a publicly traded company. Now operating as HubSpot Media, The Hustle reaches 3 million readers daily, employs a team of nearly 100, and has been the launchpad for dozens of its staff to found their own media companies and newsletters.
Sam remains the host of the popular business podcast, My First Million, and continues to start and sell companies. He also co-founded Hampton, a highly vetted community for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs, and teaches people to write better through his platform, Copy That.