6 reflections on the last 365 days of entrepreneurship

read on: themovementmemo.com

read time: 5 minutes 

Welcome to The Movement Memo, a bi-weekly newsletter where I share actionable tips to help you live your best day ever, every day.

Today's Programming 

• Movement: 20-minute AMRAP

• Quote: Rohn on the importance of self-education 

• Lesson Learned: 6 reflections on the last 365 days of entrepreneurship

• YouTube: Day in the Life of a 44-year-old Athlete/ Investor/ Content Creator

• Optimization: How to get 2 hours of restorative sleep in 20 minutes

Today's Movement 

Complete as a 20-Minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible):

• 10 Box Jumps (24/20 inches)

• 10 Dumbbell Snatches (50/35 lbs) – alternating arms

• 15 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs)

• 10 Toes-to-Bar

• 10 Burpees

• 200m Run or 250m Row

Today's Quote

Learning never ends; it’s a lifelong commitment. 

The most successful invest in themselves, constantly seeking new skills and insights beyond the traditional paths. They read, ask questions, and connect with those ahead of them. 

Success isn’t about what you know now; it’s about the hunger to keep learning.

 In a fast-paced world, self-education is your most powerful tool for creating your future.

Today's Lesson Learned

6 Reflections From The Last 365 Days of Entrepreneurship: hard-earned lessons from entrepreneurs and founders

In the past year, I met and trained with hundreds of founders and entrepreneurs. They’ve ranged from first-time business owners to fund managers deploying billions, I even had dinner with the man behind the largest Series B raise in tech history.

Here are the key lessons I’ve learned from people further along the path:

1. No One Builds Wealth by Accident

Wealth isn’t built by luck; it’s a result of intentional habits and choices.

•The most successful people I met prioritize saving over spending. They maintain a high savings-to-spending ratio, making sure they live below their means.
•They keep it simple: consistently invest in reliable options like the S&P 500 rather than chasing the latest hot stock or complex investment schemes.
•The key is consistency. They automate their savings and investments, allowing their money to grow steadily over time without overthinking it.

These habits didn’t develop overnight. They read, asked questions, and learned from others. But the core principle is simple: save more, spend less, invest consistently, and let time do the rest.

2. Successful People Love Learning

Learning doesn’t stop after college—it’s a lifelong commitment.

•Many people quit learning after graduation. They stop reading, writing, and acquiring new skills, which caps their growth.
•Your compensation is directly tied to your skills. If you’re not actively learning, you’re limiting your potential.
•The best in the world are obsessed with learning. They value learning smart—seeking out experts and mentors to shortcut their path to mastery.

Successful people hate wasting time. They’d rather pay to learn from someone who’s already figured it out than struggle alone.

3. Everyone Has Failures

Entrepreneurship looks glamorous from the outside, but it’s often stressful and lonely.

•No one has a perfect track record. Everyone makes mistakes—whether it’s bad bets, misread signals, or rushing into a venture too soon.
•What separates the successful is how quickly they learn from their mistakes and never repeat them.
•I recently met two founders who returned investor capital when their ideas didn’t pan out, even though they had 14 months of runway left. In the short term, this was painful, but it built trust for future ventures.

Entrepreneurship is a small world. Your reputation and integrity are everything.

4. Expand Your Time Horizon

Success is often about playing the long game.

•The most successful people I know think in decades. They make a few big decisions each year and execute rapidly once they decide.
•Early in your career, you may lack experience, but you have energy. Use it to develop a bias for action and make decisions quickly.
•The faster you move, the faster you learn. You’re only months into a long career, so every decision is a chance to gain valuable insights.

Adopt a long-term mindset, but don’t be afraid to act quickly.

5. Niche Down and Differentiate

To be the best, you need to focus.

•You become great at something by doing it repeatedly over time. If you try to do everything, you’ll be great at nothing.
•In the future, only experts will be rewarded significantly. Average won’t cut it—AI will be faster, better, and cheaper.
•Protect your niche by doubling down on your natural abilities and interests. Master one thing and guard against distractions.

Being exceptional at one thing is your best defense against becoming irrelevant.

6. Successful People Like Helping Others Succeed:

Successful people know what it’s like to start from the bottom.

•They remember their struggles—the moments that shaped them. They know what it’s like to be young, hungry, and eager to succeed.
•If you take initiative and act on feedback, successful people will notice and want to help you.
•While some view success as a game of “King of the Hill,” the truth is that successful people love helping others reach the top.

It’s hard work, but the right actions will eventually get you where you want to be.

These principles aren’t just lessons; they’re a roadmap for building a meaningful career. 

Take risks, learn constantly, and connect with those who’ve been where you want to go.

Today’s Youtube:

Today's Optimization

I’ve spent the past 15+ years optimizing my health. Two of the lessons I wish I had known when I started were the importance of deep sleep and recovery. Recently I’ve started using two new tools from NuCalm (and I’ve felt immediate and significant improvements): 

1. NuCalm's "Rescue" has become an integral part of my wellness toolkit. Designed for instant stress relief and to improve sleep quality, it's like a reset button for the mind. After a high-intensity workout or a day filled with back-to-back meetings, it has become my “secret weapon” for maintaining a calm, focused state amidst life's chaos. The Rescue Journey has been shown to equate to two hours of restorative sleep for every 20 minutes of use!
   

2. When bedtime comes, I’ve started using NuCalm's "DeepSleep". Think of it as a digital sleeping pill – without the pill. It's a sophisticated neuroacoustic technology that lulls my brain into the deepest stages of sleep, ensuring that I wake up not just rested, but truly restored. Integrating "DeepSleep" into my routine has been a game-changer, allowing me to tackle each new day with renewed vigor and clarity.

Here's why I added NuCalm to my daily recovery protocol:

• Maximized Recovery: Rescue is my go-to for post-workout relaxation and mental reset. It's like a power nap on steroids, rapidly reducing stress and leaving me ready for whatever comes next.

• Enhanced Sleep Quality: DeepSleep has transformed my nights. It guides my brain into a deep delta state, promoting healing sleep that ensures I wake up feeling powerful and refreshed.

• Daily Well-being: Integrating Rescue and DeepSleep into my daily routine has been a game-changer for maintaining my performance edge, helping me stay balanced and focused both mentally and physically.

If you’re like me, you strive for excellence in health and well-being, (and if you’re reading this you are)!

I'm excited to share an opportunity to experience the transformational effects of NuCalm with Movement Memo subscribers: A 7-day free trial of NuCalm  + 15% off your subscription for life

Know friends, training partners, or co-workers who would take value from weekly tips on a healthier lifestyle, enhanced accountability, and improved routines? Thanks for sharing!

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Publisher: Eric Hinman

Editor-in-chief: Bobby Ryan