22 lessons from 300 of the most inspirational people in the world

With the ongoing pandemic, the past several months have been a rollercoaster ride of uncertainty, marked by emotional highs and lows. Though I’m not normally a consumer of self-help books, I recently felt compelled to look to the wisdom of others to help guide my path. In Tools of Titans, by Timothy Ferriss, the author features tactics, routines and habits of billionaires, icons and world-class performers learned from more than 300 interviews. Insights came from actors such as Edward Norton and Jamie Foxx to chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin and serial billionaire Peter Thiel. It’s funny how one idea can stick in your head and change your perspective. It happened to me more times than I can count while reading this book, but these are 22 that stuck with me.

I found this book to be so intriguing that I read it twice, and pulled from it a list of 22 quotes I find to be most resonant with my life — and maybe you will too. I added in my perspective for each. What’s yours?

Quote: “Cultivate the habit of putting something in everyday. Can’t think of anything? I didn’t die today. Totally awesome compared to the alternative. Look for the good. Practice finding the good and you’ll see it more often.”

My take: When I’m having the worst day, I can think of this, chuckle, and realize it’s all about perspective.

Quote: “A person's success in life can be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he/she is willing to have.”

My take: I’ve avoided confrontation throughout my life, and had I been more honest with myself and others it might have been painful at first, but better in the long run.

Quote: “What can you do that will be remembered in 200-400 years?”

My take: For me, I’m not ego driven and thinking “look at me!” but more what is the purpose of what I’m doing and how is it benefiting the bigger picture.

Quote: “Is it a dream or a goal because, because if it isn’t on the calendar it’s not real.” 

My take: I make all types of personal goals in my head. We all do it. But if I don’t write it out, I'm always half -assing it. Get it on the calendar each week and then you’ll do it. Or feel really guilty if you didn’t.

Quote: “You wanna be taken seriously, then take things seriously.”

My take: Come to the table in business with a game plan and be serious. When you present it to others that way they’ll respect and take you much more seriously.

Quote: “Trust comes first. You don’t need to know. Know that it will work out in the end.”

My take: I have so many circumstances from being stuck in the Himalayas to pitching to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company completely unsure of myself or the outcome. It always worked out. When you know that, you’ll have the confidence that it will always work out in the end and you won’t let fear guide you.

Quote: “If you had a gun against your head and could only work 2 hours a week for your business, what would you do?”

My take: When I thought about this, I questioned everything I was doing and whether or not someone else couldn’t be doing a better job and where is my time most valuable.

Quote: “No hurry, no pause.”

My take: It’s not going to happen unless you make it happen. Don’t daydream expecting it is going to come to you. You need to go to it.

Quote: “Life is not waiting for the storm to pass, it's learning how to dance in the rain.”

My take: There is always chaos in everyone's life and there is never a perfect time. I’m reminded of this time and time again. Learn how to juggle and prioritize and you’ll accomplish more of what you want.

Quote: “A lot of times everything you want is a mere inch out of your comfort zone. Test it.

My take: I’ve used fear to hold me back many times. So I now justify risk by saying, what’s the worst that can happen? Once you push it a few times, fail and a few times and it works out then you’ll realize that getting out of your comfort zone can lead to success.

Quote: “If everyone is trying to get through that one little door, you’re probably in the wrong place.”

My take: Sometimes I’ve noticed that I’m barking up the same tree as everyone else. And just because it hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean that I can't try it a different way and it may be more successful in the end.

Quote: “The hero and the coward both feel the same thing. It’s fear. But the hero uses his fear, projects it on to his opponent to win.”

My take: I’m not in a ring battling an opponent but it reminds me of when I play sports or do life, to take that nervous energy and use it as a force for good - and growth rather than holding me back.

Quote: “Lean into discomfort to solve problems.”

My take: I’ve often avoided uncomfortable situations where working through them in the beginning would have solved problems and expedited growth both personally and professionally. Seriously a big one.

Quote: “Whenever you find yourself inside of the majority it’s time to pause and reflect.”

My take: With business, creative and original thinking goes a long way. Following the status quo and doing what everyone else is doing will only get you so far. Creative thinking is a catalyst for growth on so many levels. Figure out how to integrate it into your work and life. 

Quote: “Most limitations are just a fragile collection of socially reinforced rules that you can choose to break at any time.”

My take: For this, I realized that so many rules that have been put in place over time and that is how business and society works. Why can’t I give our employees money to travel with the sole purpose to get inspired? Well, I can. We created parallaxploration to solve this problem. For me it seemed normal, but to the world it was so groundbreaking that we made it on the front cover of major media outlets around the world. Don’t be afraid to push the envelope. You’ll never know where it will get you unless you try.

Quote: “If you want to start a business, do you have an itch or a burn? If you don’t have a burn, don’t do it.”at

My take: Starting and running a business will take everything you’ve got. If you can’t see an alternative to starting your business do it. You won’t regret it. If you’re on the fence, you’re not ready or it is not your passion.

Quote: “Public speaking should be more about connection than performance.”

My take: I’m not a fan of public speaking but have learned that being myself and connecting with the audience as the real Jonathan goes a lot further then putting on a show to be the person that I think the audience wants me to be. A reminder to be your true self and you’ll connect better and have a bigger impact and leave a better impression.

Quote: “Worst advice for a writer: write what you know.”

My take: Use writing as an exercise to learn something new. Everytime. Like writing a research paper in college by doing the research you’re going to grow your knowledge.

Quote: “Am I hunting Antelope or field mice?”

My take: Our business has greatly evolved over the years and thinking through your sales approach, defining your target market and how you’ll get them, is key. Catching 100 mice is a different game than 2 Antelope. You shouldn’t be hunting both with the same approach.. (sorry for the hunting metaphor!)

Quote: “80 percent of your outputs are a result of 20 percent of your inputs.”

My take: When you think about the deliverables you’re producing you’ll realize that you’re spending tons of energy on things that don’t produce. Take a minute to think about where you are spending your energy and what are the results.

Quote: “What can I put in place to go off the grid for 4-8 weeks with no phone or email?”

My take: I’ve heard the analogy for years of setting up your business like a franchise. What types of processes, training and staff need to be in place to make it run without you? Revisit this every year to make it more process oriented and efficient.

Quote: “Don’t start by trying to solve a problem using your moral compass. You’ll exclude a lot of great ideas.”

My take: While I’ve been known to push the envelope on the status quo, those outlandish ideas can spark another creative idea that can be the solution. Our creative team sometimes starts the creative process by thinking of the worst ideas possible to solve a problem. Push the envelope. Think creative. You never know until you try.