The 10 Bootstrap Commandments

The beginning.

We’ve all been there. And looking back, we usually come to the same conclusion: “I wish I would’ve known…” — call it wisdom or insight. We only ever come to profound realisations after the fact.

And whether you want to call these realisations principles, values, or even commandments, that is up to you. At the end of the day, they all provide a single red thread we wish we would have had in the beginning.

And that is guidance.

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After hustling for about 2 years and launching multiple products, I failed so many times I lost count. But I also caught some small wins along the way.

Above all, the failures were the ones richest in lessons. And so I decided to compile all my learnings into ‘The 10 Bootstrap Commandments’. It sounds kind of holy right? Well hopefully, they are special in one way or another. So whether they're obvious or groundbreaking to you, these 10 guiding principles have and will accompany me through everything I will ever do.

My hope is they mean just as much, if not more to you.

So without further ado. Here they are. 10 timeless principles connected to tons of (re)sources I collected over the years — these are further readings, videos, or tweets to bolster their significance.

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1. Love the process. Not the proceeds.

• Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead by James Clear » Article.
• What Does ‘Loving The Process’ Actually Mean? by Trevor Rivet » Article.
• Gary Vaynerchuck on loving the process » Video & Tweet.

We enjoy the process far more than the proceeds. — Warren Buffet

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2. Cut through the noise. Hone in on your signal.

• How Exceptional People Think by Polina Marinova Pompliano » Article.
• 3 Strange Habits Made Me $1,000,000 by Andrew Kirby » Video.
• What to put into your mind by Chris Bailey » Article.
• Circle of Competence by Sahil Bloom » Article.

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3. Build a tribe of minds dedicated to seeing each other succeed.

• Surround Yourself with People Who Hold You to a Higher Standard than You Hold Yourself Dr.BPH » Article.
• Surround yourself with people who want the best for you by JBP » Video.
• Joe Rogan ranting on the concept of happiness » Video.
• Simon Sinek on having each other’s back » Video.

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4. Practice a daily growth mindset. Turn challenges into momentum.

• This 1 Mindset Determines Whether Or Not You Become Successful by Nicolas Cole » Article.
• The 100 Percent Rule That Makes Life a Lot Easier by Dr.BPH » Article.
• How to Visualize a Growth Mindset by Jeremy Sutton » Article.
• Be The Hero of Your Own Movie by Joe Rogan » Video.
• Practice Delayed Gratification by Andrew Kirby » Video.
• Outcome-focused mindset by Budi Tanrim » Article.

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5. Reduce distractions and build productive systems for deep focus.

• Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction by Chris Bailey » Book.
• I will teach you skills that you’ll have for the rest of your life by Jim Kwik » Video.
• 8 Things Every Person Should Do Before 8 A.M by Dr.BH » Article.
• Maker’s Schedule, Managers Schedule by Paul Graham » Article.
• Doing Your Best Work by Brian Balfour » Article.

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6. Be the hardest worker in the room. But always seek collaboration.

• The difference between efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency by Anne-Laure Le Cunff » Article.
• Speed matters: Why working quickly is more important than it seems by James Somer » Article.
• Efficiency Is An Excuse To Not Do The Actual Work by Trevor McKendrick » Article.
• Give it 5 minutes by Jason Fried » Article.

If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together. — African Proverb

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7. Practice endless curiosity and learn to ask the right questions.

• Elon Musk’s 2 Rules For Learning Anything Faster by Jake Daghe » Article.
• The most important question of your life by Mark Manson » Article.
• Five ways to ask better questions by Anne-Laure Le Cunff » Video.
• Asking useful Questions by Josh Kaufmann » Article.
• How to ask better questions by Tim Ferris » Video.

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8. Understand and live in the balance of The Infinity Flowstate.

The Infinity Flow State
How to maintain a consistent flow state through inspiration and execution. Balance your internal and external life for…medium.com

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9. Know when to stick and when to quit. But simply commit.

• 10 Questions From Seth Godin to Help You Do Work That Matters by Nikolas Göke » Article.
• Harvard & Pete Davis on keeping your options open » Video.
• The Dip by Seth Godin » Book.

Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers.— Seth Godin

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10. Build wealth with purpose, not with money or status in mind.

• The ladders of wealth creation: a step-by-step roadmap to building wealth by Nathan Barry » Article.
• Seek wealth, not money or status by Naval Ravinkant Article & How to Get Rich (without getting lucky) by Naval Ravinkant » Thread.
• Wealth Is What You Don’t Spend by Morgan Housel » Article.
• The ambition trilemma: freedom, stability, wealth by Anne-Laure Le Cunff » Article.
• Audience, Money, Mindset — Shaan Puri » Article.
• Wealth Concentration by Jack Butcher » Article.

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Going full circle

These 10 principles really hit home for me. Bootstrapping is not hustling yourself to death. No. In my opinion, it’s the most exciting way of getting what you desire from life in a professional sense. To me it means to:

Maximize your efforts for impact in the shortest timeframe possible.

It’s not overworking yourself until you burn out. It’s not putting work in front of family, friends, or loved ones. And it’s definitely not living a life without joy.

On the contrary, to bootstrap means to make it count. To work diligently with the time and the means available to you… To not stop at average, but to push yourself to limits you did not even know you could reach before.

Bootstrapping is about putting in the work and reaping the rewards.
Your way. And no one else’s.

If you won’t take my word for it, take Sam Altman’s:

Hard work compounds like interest, and the earlier you do it, the more time you have for the benefits to pay off.

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Thank you for reading this far. If you liked this, then I would love to direct you to one of my products. BOOTSTRAP OS helps you build a product that solves a burning problem — all the way from idea to business.

So if you’re ready, here’s a special -10% discount.

See you around.