Episode 03: What it Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Leadership
Hello and welcome back to Metamorphosis!
This is episode 3, featuring New York Times Bestseller, What It Takes ' Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence'
This book leaves a profound impression on the psyche. It's about experiences and lessons from one of the greatest business success stories of the last 30 years. This one is about Blackstone, the investment firm that manages over $600 Billion in assets worldwide and invests in hundreds of companies globally. Today Blackstone is the gold standard in the alternative investments space and has earned an unscathed reputation as a prestigious financial firm.
Stephen Schwarzman, always dreamed of a larger life, filled with ambition and adventure. His story begins from folding handkerchiefs in his father's linen shop to becoming a billionaire philanthropist as it immaculately reconciles the idea of bridging the gap between yourself and your goals.
Starting with $400,000 he co-founded Blackstone and in the book he says, "It's as hard to start and run a small business as it is to start a big one. You will suffer the same magnitude of constraints. So if you are going to dedicate your life to a business, which is the only way it will ever work, you should choose one with the potential to be huge."
Well, of course looking at your yearly goals, monthly goals or daily goals in any aspect, this is a great point of reference… ‘When reaching for a fantasy worthy of your pursuit.’
Spread across the book are chronicles in ploughing deals and the reflections on what it takes to achieve excellence and live a life of consequence. The crucial distillate of his career narrows to understanding that, what's more important is who you become in the process of chasing what you want to acquire, rather than what you wish to acquire.
(definitely worth thinking about)
An incident from the book that represents his clarity of thought, is, when in an interview he is asked, "What do you want to be?" He replies, "I want to be a telephone switchboard", taking in information from countless feeds, sorting it, and sending it back out into the world".
The titles of chapters in the book hint at key messages, enriching the cathartic experience of reading.
The ones that really stood out for me are - 'Don't Miss the Can't-Miss Opportunities' and 'Listen for Discordant Notes.'
My first takeaway is about 'moments of despair' or ‘points of inflection’, (quoting from the book)
"When everyone is walking away with averted eyes, the field clears, and the greatest opportunity awaits. Those moments hold the most important lessons for business and life. "
This speaks to the gravitas of solitude, to think intentionally and explore consciously. Moreover, as Stephen says, “To be successful you have to put yourself in situations and places you have no right being in because at some point we have to figure out who we are, so we can pursue the opportunities that are right for us, not some false dream created by others”
He adds, "You shake your head and learn from your own stupidity. But through sheer will your wear the world down and it gives you what you want."
The next takeaway is to "Become a bilingual of the future, fluent in recent developments and your own discipline.”
This alludes to the never ending arc of learning. Stressing upon the importance of education, as a passport to a better life. One can view this as a continuous expansion model. It's important to always be open to new experiences, even if they don't completely fit your agenda. For it is the human experience, of connecting, and connection made eventually can prove to be immensely important.
The final takeaway lies in the fact that “There are as many realities as there are individuals. The more you see of them, the more likely you are to make sense of them." Understanding that everything is connected, in a world that is changing so quickly it’s wise to realise and accept that radical collaboration is a safe way to ensure a prosperous future. Which echoes the fact that nothing interests people more than their own problems. Think about what others are dealing with and try to come up with ideas to help them. Because there is a strong virtue in helping others achieve their dreams.
This brings us to the end of this episode and as always leaving you with some words to live by, as Stephen Schwarzman summed it up best,
"Excellence follows enthusiasm, If you have passion for pursuing your dreams; if you persevere; and if you are committed to helping others, you will have a full and consequential life and always have a chance at greatness."
Thank you for reading!
