Superpower Identification Questions

Shaan Puri's framework for identifying your natural strengths and what you should focus on in life.

The core problem with "hard work"

• Hard work is overrated - probably the 4th or 5th most important variable for success
• Most important factors in order:
  1. Project selection - what you work on
  2. Who you work with
  3. Timing/luck
  4. Hard work (somewhere around here)
• Hard work gives you "air cover" - sounds good, can't disagree with it, but it's not the main driver
• Working in the wrong industry (like restaurants) means hard work won't change your limited outcomes

When hard work actually matters

• Good for developing skills in your twenties when you have time and energy
• Skills stick with you even when projects fail
• As you get older with less time, judgment needs to replace hours thrown at problems
• Early on, use hard work intentionally for skill building, not just grinding

How to identify your natural strengths

Ask others who know you well

• "What's my superpower - what comes easy to me that's harder for others?"
• Other people spot your strengths before you do
• Naval's mom example: He wanted to be a physicist, but she noticed he was always thinking about business naturally - analyzing restaurants, fixing business problems without realizing it

The "play vs work" test

• Where do you spend time on things that feel like fun to you but would feel like a grind to others?
• Example: Reading Nevada casino annual reports at 11pm for fun
• Example: Playing NBA 2K franchise mode for hours, managing the team rather than playing games - practicing being a CEO without knowing it
• Example: Wife bedazzling phones in high school (seemed useless) turned into celebrities paying her thousands in college

Look for your oddities

• Don't point at them, hide them, or try to fix them
• Ask: "What superpower does this give me? Where would this be extremely useful or valuable?"
• Your weird interests and behaviors are clues to your natural advantages

The importance of being "serious"

• Most people are not serious about what they claim to want
• Being serious means making real commitments and changes
• Example: Changing phone number to SF area code before moving, telling everyone, signing lease, buying one-way ticket
• Ask yourself: "Am I serious about this?" - forces honest self-assessment

Proximity is power

• If you're serious about something, go where the serious people are
• Example: Moving to San Francisco because that's where serious startup founders go
• Being around people doing what you want to do provides blueprints and examples
• Seeing more lifestyles and activities in your area of interest helps you figure out what to actually do