If You Worry, You Shouldn’t Be Worried; If You aren’t worrying, You Should Be Worried

I heard the famous hedge funder and author Ray Dalio say this. In regards to his rise and fall of great geopolitical powers like the Chinese, the Dutch, the British and now the Americans. Net net: when you worry that means you aren’t complacent and are actively trying to get better. I hope this is the case with America. 

But that comment is also very relevant to individuals as well. I am naturally an anxious person. Combining that incredible greed and materialism, fear of poverty, massive insecurity and being blessed with good health and impostor syndrome, has led me to become a detail oriented workaholic. Which has also led me to become a pretty buttoned-down business operator. 

As I’ve been working with a therapist for the last 3 years in pursuit of understanding myself and hopefully to aim for a more balanced life. I have come to realize I’m not sure that is even possible for someone like me. I’m so wired to work and put material things first, that short of major shock or drug therapy, I just don’t see myself changing very much here. 

Nor do I really want to change this aspect too much if I am honest. It got me here to this point, and it’s what will get me to the next major milestone. My anxiety and rage keeps me young. My paranoia feeds my action. My intense curiosity feeds my learning. 

This is one of the reasons that I think I won’t become like so many long time & older denizens of Silicon Valley. Wildly successful and wealthy but are largely irrelevant. 

I want to be both successful and relevant. I will stay in this game as long as I can and I have every intention of doing what I do till the end of my days. Learning the craft of business all the time. Finding, investing and working with amazing startup founders all around the world. Winning the game is being in the game. To do that you have to be a bit paranoid. Paranoia will keep you on your toes and alive.