Stop Trying to Figure Out If You’ve “Made It”

When people give keynotes, particularly in business, they will talk a lot about “that one moment” where they knew they made it. The moment that changed everything. The moment that they knew their life was going to be different.

I don’t like to do that. I think it’s unfair.

It’s unfair for them to tell you about those things because it sets an expectation. It says that you should know when those moments happen in your own life. It may seem helpful or even “cool” for them to bring them up, but in truth, it’s not. It’s just not. They have the hindsight, the perspective, to pick out the moments.

That is, if they even want to pick out moments at all. Because I sure as hell don’t.

This is something I try to teach to all management at VaynerMedia and all the founders of my startup investments: stop worrying about the things that don’t matter. Trying to figure out whether this is the moment that you “made it” will keep you from moving forward. Just don’t think about those things. Please.

Because really, there are only two ways to approach the question of “when have you made it”, and they are both the right answer. One: it’s the moment you decided to do anything. Or two: it hasn’t happened yet. And that is where you need to focus. That in between space, the time between starting and stopping. Never assume you’ve made it. Never let something diminish your drive or make you think you’re done.

You’re never done. You can always do more.

The truth is, I want to get as many of you as possible to not worry about those things. Worry about executing. Worry about feeling good. Worry about what makes you happy.

This is what it comes down to. Don’t worry about “making it” because “making it” is an outside force. You can’t control it. What you should be focused on is your inside force, your own drive, your own perseverance. That is something you have dominion over, and that is what will carry you all the way through life.

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