My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Emotional Piggy Bank for Difficult Projects
Every struggle and setback you push through deposits a quarter in an emotional piggy bank, which you get to break open when you finally succeed - the more struggle, the more joyous the victory
Decision Rule
When facing difficult periods, reframe struggles as investments in future emotional payoff rather than just obstacles to endure
How It Works
Human psychology makes victories proportionally more meaningful based on the difficulty overcome to achieve them, creating compounding motivation from struggle itself
Failure Modes
Giving up right before breakthrough when piggy bank is fullest
Not recognizing that struggle itself has value beyond just reaching the goal
Comparing your journey to others who had easier paths
Example Decision
“During Boom's near-death moments, team members stayed motivated by viewing each crisis as adding to the eventual joy of seeing supersonic passenger flights, making success more meaningful than if it had been easy.”