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Life’s Lessons
Written by Paul on July 25th, 2012
There are few things in life that you can do to potentially change the world and 500 Startups is one of them. Though, this kind of opportunity comes with it’s own burdens: we’re a relatively small team that bootstrapped it’s way to 350+ investments in nearly 20 countries now. On any given day, we’re collectively fielding hundreds of emails from existing portfolio companies and hopeful entrepreneurs.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you
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I'm a Partner at 500 Startups, an entrepreneur and have learned a little bit about metrics, process and growth - on both the personal and business side of things. You should follow me on Twitter and AngelList.
Written by Paul on August 12th, 2008
This is the eleventh in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
Life is short. Too short to not enjoy yourself, both at work and at play.
I know what you’re thinking (because I used to think the same thing): Life can’t always be fun and games. True. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t take roll with the punches.
Besides, no one’s ever been on their deathbed and wished that they had worked harder.
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Written by Paul on July 25th, 2008
This is the tenth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
This is a big one so listen to me carefully: Most things you fear will never actually happen. Even if they do, they’re never as painful or bad as you expected. So, I’ve learned that worrying about stuff is just a waste of time.
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Written by Paul on July 16th, 2008
This is the twelfth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
There was a point in time when I absolutely had to have the latest gadget and try out the coolest new productivity hacks in my quest to get ahead. Looking back though, I can’t help but laugh at myself a little bit. I actually wonder how much time I spent reorganizing my personal “system” each time I tried something new …
Written by Paul on July 14th, 2008
This is the ninth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
The grass always seems greener on the other side, doesn’t it? You see others who have achieved some level of success and instantly wonder how you might be able to do the same. Comparing yourself to others doesn’t get you very far – what worked for them may not always work for you.
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Written by Paul on July 1st, 2008
This is the eighth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
I was talking to a friend of mine last week and somehow we got on the topic of a new business idea. A few minutes later, he cut me off and declared, “This is never going to work. It takes money to make money and I don’t have much of that.” I wasn’t sure how to respond so I …
Written by Paul on June 12th, 2008
This is the seventh in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
There’s a (big) difference between beating yourself up and being honest with yourself. The problem is, most of us choose to beat ourselves up more than we should – it’s all in the language we use.
Sometimes we get down on ourselves for “slacking off” or procrastinating, when in reality we are thinking through a tough decision. In …
Written by Paul on May 31st, 2008
This is the sixth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
I’ll admit it, I’m a perfectionist. I spend way too much time trying to make sure that everything is just right (read: perfect) before I show it to anyone. Besides the fact that I waste precious time beating myself up over trivial things, I’ve learned that there is a huge benefit to pushing things out quickly to see if …
Written by Paul on May 21st, 2008
This is the fifth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
A few days ago, I got an email from one of my readers who was looking for some brainstorming help with her personal brand. Before I could even read it, I noticed that nearly every sentence started with “If only…”
Here’s the thing people, successful people create their own opportunities and direct the flow of their own lives. …
Written by Paul on May 6th, 2008
This is the fourth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.
When I was younger, I loved going to Costco with my parents for a single reason: free food. For those of you that have never been there, they have small kiosks at the end of every aisle where they gave away samples of new foods and drinks. (And, as you know, Indians love free stuff.)
The food sample is one of …
