Asymmetric Opportunities
An asymmetric opportunity has a potential upside that is greater than the potential downside.
Some worthwhile asymmetric opportunities like entrepreneurship, building a product, posting content online, public speaking, performing arts, and passion projects are only available to you if you’re willing to accept three things first:
- Looking like a fool sometimes.
- Being judged by extremely pessimistic and risk-averse people.
- Missing — not to be confused with failing. If you can gain valuable insight from missing your target, it’s actually a stepping stone toward success downstream.
All of these opportunities are once-in-a-lifetime. You can’t exactly go back in time and change your choices just because you find yourself late in life wishing you had the courage to pursue them. And the idea that you might find yourself regretting not doing something — especially if it’s because of someone’s fleeting judgment about you — should absolutely terrify you.
While time is on your side, why don’t you fast forward to 80-year-old you for a moment.
Can you really imagine thinking to yourself enthusiastically, “I’m really glad I played it safe, avoided failure at all costs, and took people’s opinions so seriously. I’d do everything I did all over again.”
Bet it’s a resounding no.
So play the game fully while you can, enjoy the ride.
What Jobs said: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
Make 80-year-old you so freakin’ proud.
