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Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and former president of Y Combinator, believes that achieving significant accomplishments in the world boils down to three essential factors: focus, personal connections, and self-belief. These elements, according to Altman, form the foundation of how things get done.
"The way things get done in the world are through a combination of focus and personal connection," Altman states.
But there's an additional critical factor: self-belief.
"You really have to have a deep-seated personal conviction that this thing you're going to do, that a lot of people say is really stupid, is going to work and going to be important."
Altman emphasizes that focus allows you to hone in on what's important, personal connections provide the network and support needed to push forward, and self-belief keeps you driven even when the odds seem stacked against you.
He also highlights the importance of starting early in one's career.
"If you work really hard at the beginning of your career, and you get a little bit better at what you do every day, every week, every year, and you learn more, and you meet more people, and you just get more done, there's a compound effect," Altman explains.
This compounding effect means that the benefits of hard work and learning accumulate over time, providing greater rewards the earlier you start.
This idea resonates with insights from other successful entrepreneurs. For instance, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, often talks about the importance of long-term thinking and continuous improvement. He encourages focusing on what won't change over time and investing efforts there. "If you double the number of experiments you do per year, you're going to double your inventiveness," Bezos has said, emphasizing the compounding benefits of persistent effort and innovation.
Similarly, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, attributes much of his success to relentless focus and the willingness to take risks.
Musk once said, "When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor."
This aligns with Altman's point on self-belief—having the conviction to pursue your vision despite skepticism from others.
In summary, Sam Altman’s formula for getting things done—focus, personal connections, and self-belief—combined with the insights of other successful entrepreneurs, paints a clear picture. Start early, work hard, build meaningful relationships, and believe deeply in what you are doing. The rewards of this approach will compound over time, leading to significant achievements and lasting impact.
Listen to Altman: