I skipped school (again) to fly to Austin

Welcome to Curious Jay, a weekly newsletter where I share actionable ideas on life, work, & business.

This past week, I spent 5 days in Austin with a group of multi-millionaire entrepreneurs.

The group’s net worth was over half a billion dollars—but while my old self would have been starstruck by their financial success, my new self was more interested in the deeper layers of their being.

I came away from the event with many non-obvious insights and a rekindled drive to continue on my path.

My 10 key learnings (on mastery, big decisions, and meeting your heroes):

#1: Stop waiting for permission

Growing up, we’re conditioned to ask for permission to do things.

As kids, those rules and boundaries help guide us to the right actions.

But when I look back at the periods where I had the most growth, they were all sparked by taking initiative and not waiting for permission.

• Writing online

• Building a digital product

• Cold emailing Tyler Denk at beehiiv

• Cold messaging Noah Kagan’s YouTube director

In life, business, and relationships—you grow 10x faster when you stop waiting for others’ permission. Act first, ask for forgiveness later.

#2: Bring the kitchen into the restaurant

One of the core principles we applied to the launch of Noah Kagan’s new book was sharing behind-the-scenes content. We made it a point to share Noah’s:

• Goals

• Stories

• Lessons

• Mistakes

• Milestones

People follow people—not brands. They want to feel involved in the process. So take them on your journey. Share the highs and the lows. The wins and the losses. Give people something to root for.

#3: Volume + Iteration = Mastery

After Noah hosted the virtual launch party for Million Dollar Weekend, I asked him how he became such a charismatic public speaker. “Reps,” he replied, “Lots and lots of reps.”

The secret you’re looking for is in the reps you’re avoiding.

Just because you can’t see the fruits of your labor doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. Compounding is invisible until it’s not.

Patience isn’t the absence of work—it’s the wisdom to realize that great things take time. Do more reps. Then do ‘em better.

#4: There are no wrong choices

One of the best reframes I made this past week was realizing that there are no wrong choices, only tradeoffs. I asked many of the entrepreneurs at the event about their thoughts on college/career.

Many of them offered insight from their experience. “But ultimately,” They said, “The fact that you’re even in this room and asking these questions at your age means you’re ahead.”

Whether I go to college, take a gap year, or do something completely different, I know I’ll be more than fine. Why? Because I have a stack of undeniable proof that I am who I say I am.

I know that I don’t need a piece of paper to define my worth. My skills, relationships, and portfolio of work speak for themselves (but more on this in a future newsletter 😉).

There are no wrong choices, only tradeoffs.

#5: Optimize for freedom

Too many people spend years on the chase without knowing what they’re chasing after.

To me, the purpose of business isn’t to own a yacht or have a car for every day of the week. It’s to have the freedom to do more of what you want and less of what you don’t.

Instead of starting with a revenue goal. Start with a lifestyle design goal.

Start with how you want to spend your days. Then strive for your revenue goal with that constraint.

#6: Treat yourself like a product

At the book launch party, I spoke with Noah Kagan’s business partners who had known him for several decades.

What they all said?

He was constantly seeking (and implementing) feedback.

He’d ask:

1. What are 3 things I’m doing well?

2. What are 3 things I can improve on?

Just like startups constantly iterate on their product, constantly iterate on yourself. Read books. Lift weights. Have tough conversations. Try. Fail. Try again.

Everyone has room to improve. Few seek feedback. Fewer implement it.

#7: Distribution is king

Nearly all of the entrepreneurs at the event had their own YouTube channels, podcasts, and blogs.

Why? Because content creation is an integral part of every business.

A business needs two things:

1. An offer

2. People to see that offer

Instead of relying on paid ads or traditional media, entrepreneurs are realizing the power of owning their distribution.

When you control (1) what you offer and, (2) how many people see that offer, you control your business. When you control your business, you control your future.

#8: Win offline to win online

At the event, it was apparent that the entrepreneurs there had earned their success. They weren’t posing as gurus or thought leaders. They had the results to back their success.

While all of them had their own media channels, they weren’t spending all day creating content. They were focused on doing stuff offline and then sharing their results and learnings online.

The best content is the content only you can create, and that starts by living the life only you can live. Do stuff. Learn stuff. Share stuff.

#9: Nobody has it all figured out

Harsh Truth: You’ll never know what you want to do with the rest of your life.

Many of the entrepreneurs at the event couldn’t imagine being in the position they were in. For many, the internet didn’t even exist when they started.

Instead of trying to predict the future, focus on improving your current position. Work hard. Acquire skills. Stay humble. Avoid stupid mistakes and don’t interrupt compounding unnecessarily.

Stack the odds in your favor so no matter what happens you’re prepared to take advantage.

#10: Surround yourself with people who inspire you

I came away from the event with two realizations:

1. They’re all human. Online, it’s easy to put people on pedestals and idolize people with large followings. It was refreshing to know that the people I looked up to were just like me but a little further ahead.

2. These are my people. You could tell the people at the event had undergone significant personal development. They had earned their dopamine. Those are the people I want to surround myself with. People who are committed to excelling in ALL areas of their lives.

Looking ahead, I have a big decision coming up… college.

The next few newsletters will reveal how I’m thinking about the future of my life and career.

See you next Sunday,

Jay “The city of Austin is incredible” Yang

PS — A few pictures from the trip :)

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