Lessons from BowTiedBull

BowTiedBull, an anonymous figure in the world of finance and entrepreneurship, has cultivated a significant following through their "no-nonsense" approach to wealth creation, career development, and life philosophy. Operating primarily through a Substack newsletter and a broader "BowTied" community on X (formerly Twitter), their teachings emphasize tangible results, personal accountability, and a clear-eyed view of economic and social trends.

On Mindset and Personal Responsibility

"Equal Opportunity, Unequal Results." This is a foundational principle of the BowTied community, emphasizing that while everyone may have access to the same information and opportunities, the outcomes will vary based on individual effort and talent. [1]
"Winners vs. Losers: The Only Filter That Matters." This quote highlights a focus on outcomes and tangible success as the primary metric for evaluation. [2]
"Don't Fight Reality!" Instead of wishing for things to be different, accept the current trends and position yourself to benefit from them. [3]
"Assume Incompetence: This sounds terrible. Just think it." This is a practical approach to dealing with others, suggesting that assuming incompetence can prevent disappointment and help you better navigate situations. [4]
"Stress #1 Killer: Overweight? Too thin? Smoke? Drink? Eh… stress is probably #1." Prioritizing low-stress living is seen as a key to long-term health and success. [4]
"If you're an expert in say golf, you should ask people casually about golf. They will rush to tell you their “opinions”. Since you're an expert then follow up and ask if they are an expert in golf. Congrats you now know if you have a new contact or not." A method for filtering people and identifying true expertise. [4]
"Avoid people with good first impressions. If they are likable on day one it means they have designed their life to be immediately likable. Run don't walk to the exit." A contrarian take on networking, suggesting that authenticity is more valuable than curated likability. [4]
"The only real way to self motivate is to imagine yourself in 10 years. Are you going to regret what you're doing now?" A powerful visualization technique for overcoming procrastination. [5]
"You will not feel like you're 'loaded.' You will notice friends that have 1/10th your net worth spending more than you and wonder what on earth they are thinking." A commentary on the psychology of wealth and the difference between high net worth and high spending. [6]
"Your focus is not on minutiae. It is on activities that generate revenue and growth. That. Is. It." A stark reminder for entrepreneurs to prioritize income-generating tasks above all else. [7]

On Career and Building Wealth

"The #1 Paid Crypto Substack." This is how BowTiedBull positions their primary content platform, focusing on providing high-value, paid information in the crypto space. [2][8]
"Our opinion has been as follows for most young people: 1) get a career in Wall St M&A, Tech or Enterprise sales. 2) begin building a WiFi/Online income. 3) excess money you can then invest." A clear roadmap for wealth accumulation for young professionals. [5]
"Focus on One Priority: Multi-tasking is a major scam." Advocating for deep, focused work on a single priority at a time for maximum efficiency. [4]
"Look About 3-5 Years Ahead: If you're trying to make plans 3-5 years is a good time frame." A practical approach to long-term planning without getting lost in overly distant hypotheticals. [4]
"As usual, we like to highlight new sustainable businesses launched in the jungle. ... The part that does matter is creating a sustainable income for yourself based on what talents/skills/knowledge. After that, the sky is the limit since the only objective is scale, scale and scale." The core strategy for the BowTied community: build a sustainable business and then focus relentlessly on growth. [9]
"If you rely on credentials, you would be building a brand based on prestige. If you can build an audience based on your information and content alone this means you're at or near the top in what you do." The reasoning behind their anonymity and the emphasis on the quality of information over personal identity. [5]
"BowTiedBull helps people earn more money by growing an internet-based business and investing in crypto, stocks, and real estate better." A succinct summary of their value proposition to their audience. [10]
"Fiat Long-term Value is Zero." A strong statement on the nature of government-issued currency and a core belief driving investment in assets like crypto. [2]
"DeFi is currently a Xerox copy of financial services. Over time it needs to bring about new ways of doing transactions." A critical and forward-looking view on the state and potential of Decentralized Finance. [5]
"The main problem with all the new coins is that it doesn't really solve an issue. Generally speaking, most people over-estimate the new comer and underestimate the incumbent." A cautionary note for investors in the often-hyped crypto market. [5]
"Delegation is a necessity. It is difficult when you start- no one will do the job as well or with as much care as you will. We know. Get over it. 80% is good enough." A crucial lesson for scaling a business and avoiding burnout. [7]
"Micromanagement is your insecurity- you're not allowed to be a bitch and run a business." A blunt take on the detrimental effects of micromanagement. [7]
"You care about results, not effort. There are no participation trophies." A results-oriented approach to management and business. [7]
"If you want to make it financially, spotting trends and investing your time and energy into them is the way to do it!" A proactive strategy for wealth creation based on identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends. [3]
"The primary content is what we'd label as “finance trends.” Crypto is a big focal point. If the market changes and we see something different in stocks, real estate, or e-commerce, the posts will highlight those items." An overview of their content strategy, which adapts to market changes. [10]

On Anonymity and Community

"When you're anonymous, the only things that matter are your capabilities." The core benefit of operating under a pseudonym within the BowTied community. [1]
"No one in our community cares who you are or where you're from. Just your value add." A meritocratic principle that governs the BowTied Jungle. [1]
"We're quite serious about building a digital nation. The goal is to have information on every single topic that is niche and valuable." The ambitious vision for the BowTied ecosystem. [10]
"By being anon, we rely 100% on our skills, which is much harder to do." A statement on the challenge and integrity of building a reputation based solely on merit. [5]
"It is no surprise the artist Banksy was an inspiration for the style here." A direct acknowledgment of the influence behind their anonymous persona. [5]
"The Bowtied community is a digital version of Galt's Gulch." A comparison of their community to the fictional haven for productive individuals in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged." [1]
"We're a niche community and what you'll notice is very limited conversations about 'legislation and new bills'. This is by design." A focus on actionable strategies over political commentary. [5]
"Talent is a big 'taboo'. You can tell someone is talented within a month. It isn't fun to say outloud but it's true." A direct and unapologetic take on the recognition of innate abilities. [5]
"The jungle has been one of the best influences in my life. Really helped unlock my potential as I started to freelance code for clients outside of work to make more money." A testimonial from a community member on the positive impact of the BowTied ecosystem. [1]
"If you're looking for a community of individuals who are competent, direct, and accessible with no time for BS this is the place." A description of the culture within the BowTied Jungle. [1]

On Health and Lifestyle

"Figure out when your best performance is for each item and don't try to “change” the way your body works. You should adapt to how your body naturally functions." Advocating for working in alignment with one's natural rhythms rather than forcing a preconceived schedule. [4]
"Generally, men obsess over being strong and muscular. This just results in 'ego lifting' or massive injuries later in life. Of the items listed here the one that matters the most is the first one: Tendons." A focus on long-term health and injury prevention in fitness. [4]
"Food Isn't Fuel." A rejection of the simplistic "if it fits your macros" approach to diet, suggesting a more holistic view of nutrition. [4]
"The best investment you can make is in your family. Good spouse and kids going into old age beats staying at the Four Seasons in Hawaii vs. the Hilton in Florida." A reminder of the importance of personal relationships for those not in the top 1% of wealth. [6]
"We recommend doing it before bed. By doing the three sentence answer before bed you will create significant peace or restlessness." A specific recommendation for journaling to promote self-awareness and accountability. [7]
"Pets are not only replacing kids but they are also being used to combat loneliness and depression since the economic needs of a Labrador is significantly lower." An observation on a significant social trend with economic implications. [3]
"You don't trust third parties. Hardware wallet or don't get involved too dangerous." A stark warning about the risks of not holding your own crypto assets. [5]
"If you have all three [hardware wallet, physical asset, physical cash] and you are forced to move funds around due to regulations you won't miss payments this way." A practical guide to financial resilience in the face of potential government overreach. [5]
"The only catch is you need to answer three questions before moving on: What is the main thing you're trying to achieve? What is the second most important thing you're trying to get achieve. What is the primary personal life item you are working on?" A simple yet powerful framework for daily journaling and focus. [7]
"This makes sure you're focused on two main items and a third item to prevent you from becoming a robot/aspergers type." The rationale behind balancing professional goals with personal development. [7]

On Communication and Content

"We want to cater to an audience that cares about the truth and for our writing to be easy to remember." The guiding principle behind their direct and memorable writing style. [10]
"No one reads earnings calls or SEC filings, because they are boring. Our writing style is the reverse of these filings." A conscious effort to make complex financial information accessible and engaging. [10]
"Produce as much as you can. We write around 200 pages a month. At minimum, that shows we're working hard and following everything we can." A testament to their work ethic and a piece of advice for other content creators. [10]
"A large chunk of people won't like you no matter what. ... Ignore them and focus on the people who do like you." A practical approach to dealing with criticism and building a loyal audience. [10]
"The goal is to provide valuable information versus creating repetitive items when there isn't anything in the sector to talk about." A commitment to quality over quantity in their content creation. [10]

Learn more:

Lessons from BowTiedBull

On Mindset and Personal Responsibility

On Career and Building Wealth

On Anonymity and Community

On Health and Lifestyle

On Communication and Content

Written by Antoine Buteau

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