Shaan Puri, an entrepreneur, investor, and co-host of the popular "My First Million" podcast, is known for his insightful and often unconventional wisdom on business, wealth, and life.

On Work, Success, and Mindset

  1. Hard work is massively overrated. Puri argues that what you choose to work on is far more important than how hard you work. Janitors and line cooks work incredibly hard, but their financial upside is capped by the "game" they are playing. [1][2]
  2. Work like a lion, not a cow. Instead of grazing on tasks all day, work in intense, focused sprints and then rest and reassess. [1][3]
  3. What you work on and who you work with are far more important than how hard you work. The leverage you get from the right idea and the right people will always outperform sheer effort. [2]
  4. Different is better than better. In a crowded market, it's easier to stand out by being unique than by being marginally superior. [4]
  5. The only risk is mediocrity. Failure teaches you valuable lessons and success brings rewards, but mediocrity simply wastes your time. [4]
  6. A decent plan, violently executed today, is better than a 'perfect plan' next week. This quote underscores his belief in momentum and taking decisive action. [4]
  7. Winning is not normal. Unusual outcomes require unusual efforts, so you have to be willing to do what others won't. [4]
  8. Massive belief leads to massive action. If you have unwavering conviction in an idea, you will take the significant steps needed to make it a reality, which in turn reinforces your belief. [5]
  9. Minimal belief leads to minimal action, which leads to a minimal result. A lack of faith in your own ideas will sabotage your efforts from the outset. [5]
  10. The quality of your life is the quality of the emotions you have on a day-to-day basis. Puri emphasizes that being wealthy but stressed is a low quality of life. [1]
  11. Always be happy, never be satisfied. You don't need an excuse to be happy in the present moment, but you should always maintain a drive to improve and grow. [4]
  12. Enthusiasm is borrowing from the future. You can tap into the excitement of a future success and use that energy to fuel your work today. [2]
  13. There's one problem with 'overthinkers'. They are never overthinking about the right thing. It's crucial to direct your mental energy toward the most important variables. [1]
  14. Set "anti-goals." Define what you don't want in life to avoid "winning the battle but losing the war" (e.g., achieving career success at the expense of your health and relationships). [6][7]
  15. Inspiration is perishable; it expires. Much like an avocado, you need to act on inspiration while it's fresh. [8]
  16. Being 'realistic' is a sure-fire way to achieve mediocrity. To achieve extraordinary things, you often need to be a bit delusional. [4]
  17. Let your curiosity get the best of you. Following your genuine interests can lead you to unexpected and fruitful places. [4]
  18. Business is your gym for personal growth. The challenges of building a business are a powerful catalyst for self-improvement. [7]
  19. What's your next era? After hitting a major goal, consciously decide what the next chapter of your life will be about. [7]

On Wealth and Building Businesses

  1. The rich aren't just "lucky." Puri posits that if all the money in the world were redistributed equally, within a decade, the same people would be rich again because wealth creation is a learnable skill. [9]
  2. Shift from "Hard Work" to "Smart Work." Find something that feels like play to you but looks like work to others. This allows you to put in more hours without burning out. [9]
  3. Shift from being "Far from money" to "Hanging out with money." Surround yourself with people who are where you want to be. This can be through peers, mentors, or even changing your "information diet" (the books, podcasts, and content you consume). [9]
  4. Shift from "Small Swings" to "Waiting for the Fat Pitch." Don't chase every opportunity. Wait for the right one, and then commit with maximum intensity. [9]
  5. Real Estate has the highest percentage of 'dumb rich people'. He suggests that real estate is one of the most straightforward paths to wealth, not requiring genius-level intellect. [1]
  6. Stop chasing money. Earn it instead. Focus on creating value and building things, and the financial success will be a byproduct. [7]
  7. The best ecommerce ideas don't need to be revolutionary; they just need to solve a problem. Find a niche and serve it better than anyone else. [10]
  8. Find the nerds in your circle and listen to them. People who are deeply obsessed with a topic are often the first to spot emerging trends and opportunities. [7]
  9. Don't grow your chicken sandwich from scratch. Instead of reinventing every single process, find proven systems and "clone" them. [7]
  10. Start with a 1-page kickoff document. Before launching a business, outline your goals, anti-goals (what you want to avoid), and key assumptions. [7]
  11. AI is a big deal because it turns English into a programming language. A classic Puri-ism that simplifies a complex technology to its core, impactful function. [1]

On People, Teams, and Networking

  1. Be friends with winners, then learn from them. Surrounding yourself with successful people is a shortcut to learning and discovering new opportunities. [11]
  2. Hire people smarter than you. This is a fundamental rule for building a successful organization. [4]
  3. Don't interview, audition. Have potential hires perform a task that simulates the actual work they would be doing. [4]
  4. Your team is everything. In the early stages, it's better to have a small group of versatile people than a large team of specialists. [10]
  5. Never, ever, ever, lie to a teammate. Trust is the bedrock of any high-functioning team. [4]
  6. Proximity is power. Moving to a hub of your industry (like Silicon Valley for tech) can dramatically increase your opportunities. [12]

On Storytelling and Marketing

  1. Every story needs an intention, an obstacle, and a stake. A simple yet powerful framework for crafting compelling narratives. [13]
  2. Low-status stories build likability and relatedness. Being vulnerable and sharing everyday struggles connects you with an audience more effectively than tales of unrelatable success. [13]
  3. Work backward from an emotion. When creating content, decide what you want your audience to feel (e.g., LOL, OMG, WTF, WOW, AWW) and build the content to achieve that. [13]
  4. Your brand is not what you say. It's the feeling people have when they interact with you or your product. [4]
  5. Customer Service is the process of turning dissatisfied customers into free salesmen. A problem resolved effectively can create a loyal advocate for your brand. [4]

Other Notable Quotes and Learnings

  1. The quickest 'quick call' is no call at all. A reminder to be protective of your time and avoid unnecessary meetings. [1]
  2. "No small boy stuff." A mantra adopted by the "My First Million" community, signifying a focus on ambitious, impactful endeavors. [14]
  3. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. A timeless quote that Puri often references. [4]
  4. A master has failed more than a beginner has tried. This highlights that failure is a prerequisite for mastery. [4]
  5. All it takes is one. You can fail many times, but you only need to be right once to change your life. [4]
  6. Overnight successes are real. They are just built over many nights. This reframes the concept of sudden success to include the hidden, consistent effort. [4]
  7. Make apps, not excuses. Focus on building solutions rather than dwelling on obstacles. [4]
  8. People crave simplicity. In a complex world, the ability to simplify is a superpower. [4]
  9. Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. This is not an endorsement of lying, but a recognition that the emotional core of a story is often more important than the literal details. [4]
  10. Find what feels like play to you, and work to others. This is the sweet spot where you can outperform others due to sheer passion and interest. [9]
  11. There's always two stories you can tell: the one that makes you feel good, and the one that makes you feel bad. You have the power to choose the narrative that empowers you. [8]

Learn more:

  1. 23 Best SHAAN PURI Quotes - The Cite Site
  2. 7 Semi-Controversial Rules For Success - Shaan Puri - YouTube
  3. 4 Money Wisdoms I Learned from Shaan Puri | by David Owasi - Medium
  4. 40 things I believe. after running Monkey Inferno for 2… | by Shaan Puri | @shaanvp says | Medium
  5. Shaan Puri said, “If I believe that something is not going to work, I'... | TikTok
  6. Quote by SHAAN PURI - Deepstash
  7. 8 More Lessons from Shaan Puri to Transform Your Business (Part 2)
  8. Best Shaan Puri Podcast Clips - PodClips
  9. Money wisdom by Shaan Puri | Note by Lambros Petrou
  10. Lessons from Shaan Puri: Ecommerce Business Ideas That Actually Work - Capitaly
  11. Shaan Puri: The Entrepreneurial Journey of a Startup Maverick - Michele Gargiulo
  12. Shaan Puri — Audience Building, Money, and Mindset - YouTube
  13. Mastering Storytelling: Lessons from Shaan Puri - Typeshare
  14. No Small Boy Stuff, Investing Wisdom from Nassim Taleb, plus ChatGPT Prompts We're Using - My First Million notes and takeaways - PodPulse