when I was 15 years old I was running my own mobile app company I had three
own mobile app company I had three
own mobile app company I had three employees all in different countries and
employees all in different countries and
employees all in different countries and my apps were hitting top charts and at
my apps were hitting top charts and at
my apps were hitting top charts and at the time I was making more money than I
the time I was making more money than I
the time I was making more money than I could ever dream of but I had no idea
could ever dream of but I had no idea
could ever dream of but I had no idea what I was doing in fact I’d argue that
what I was doing in fact I’d argue that
what I was doing in fact I’d argue that my achievements are a direct result of
my achievements are a direct result of
my achievements are a direct result of starting before you’re ready and I’m
starting before you’re ready and I’m
starting before you’re ready and I’m going to illustrate that to you today
going to illustrate that to you today
going to illustrate that to you today this idea of starting before you’re
this idea of starting before you’re
this idea of starting before you’re ready which ultimately means starting
ready which ultimately means starting
ready which ultimately means starting now you see when I was young everyone
now you see when I was young everyone
now you see when I was young everyone told me I could be whatever I want to be
told me I could be whatever I want to be
told me I could be whatever I want to be they said I could be a doctor he said I
they said I could be a doctor he said I
they said I could be a doctor he said I could be a lawyer I said you could be
could be a lawyer I said you could be
could be a lawyer I said you could be anyone the American dream right
anyone the American dream right
anyone the American dream right and so I thought about it for a while
and so I thought about it for a while
and so I thought about it for a while and I realized I want to be Robin Hood I
and I realized I want to be Robin Hood I
and I realized I want to be Robin Hood I want to shoot bow and arrows and save
want to shoot bow and arrows and save
want to shoot bow and arrows and save people that sounds like a lot better of
people that sounds like a lot better of
people that sounds like a lot better of a job then than a lawyer right and so so
a job then than a lawyer right and so so
a job then than a lawyer right and so so I felt a certain disconnect in my class
I felt a certain disconnect in my class
I felt a certain disconnect in my class because while everyone was learning math
because while everyone was learning math
because while everyone was learning math and French and English I didn’t
and French and English I didn’t
and French and English I didn’t understand how math would help me be
understand how math would help me be
understand how math would help me be Robin Hood and it wasn’t until I was 13
Robin Hood and it wasn’t until I was 13
Robin Hood and it wasn’t until I was 13 years old did I truly realize what I
years old did I truly realize what I
years old did I truly realize what I wanted to be and that was an
wanted to be and that was an
wanted to be and that was an entrepreneur because much like Robin
entrepreneur because much like Robin
entrepreneur because much like Robin Hood
Hood
Hood I believed an entrepreneur could make a
I believed an entrepreneur could make a
I believed an entrepreneur could make a difference and so this kick-started my
difference and so this kick-started my
difference and so this kick-started my mobile app career at the time the iPhone
mobile app career at the time the iPhone
mobile app career at the time the iPhone was coming out and apps were beginning
was coming out and apps were beginning
was coming out and apps were beginning to
to
to merge and trust me at one point there
merge and trust me at one point there
merge and trust me at one point there was a flip phone and it didn’t have
was a flip phone and it didn’t have
was a flip phone and it didn’t have snapchat on it and so I started reading
snapchat on it and so I started reading
snapchat on it and so I started reading as many books as I could I was
as many books as I could I was
as many books as I could I was networking with people four times my age
networking with people four times my age
networking with people four times my age and I worked hard countless hours on my
and I worked hard countless hours on my
and I worked hard countless hours on my apps I prioritized my projects over
apps I prioritized my projects over
apps I prioritized my projects over family school and even my friends and
family school and even my friends and
family school and even my friends and this was the point
this was the point
this was the point my dog became my best friend I’m just
my dog became my best friend I’m just
my dog became my best friend I’m just kidding but I truly worked as hard as I
kidding but I truly worked as hard as I
kidding but I truly worked as hard as I could I was addicted and and this
could I was addicted and and this
could I was addicted and and this perseverance allowed me to make my dream
perseverance allowed me to make my dream
perseverance allowed me to make my dream into a reality but something I want to
into a reality but something I want to
into a reality but something I want to touch on is is failure even though it
touch on is is failure even though it
touch on is is failure even though it seems like I have a lot of achievements
seems like I have a lot of achievements
seems like I have a lot of achievements I failed a lot and I want to put
I failed a lot and I want to put
I failed a lot and I want to put emphasis on the fact that failure is
emphasis on the fact that failure is
emphasis on the fact that failure is actually more crucial than success my
actually more crucial than success my
actually more crucial than success my first app was a complete flop I spent
first app was a complete flop I spent
first app was a complete flop I spent one year of constant hard grueling work
one year of constant hard grueling work
one year of constant hard grueling work and and it was terrible I couldn’t even
and and it was terrible I couldn’t even
and and it was terrible I couldn’t even release it I had so many problems and
release it I had so many problems and
release it I had so many problems and and I was devastated I was completely
and I was devastated I was completely
and I was devastated I was completely devastated and once you know the natural
devastated and once you know the natural
devastated and once you know the natural tendency when you hit rock-bottom is to
tendency when you hit rock-bottom is to
tendency when you hit rock-bottom is to give up to quit right but instead I
give up to quit right but instead I
give up to quit right but instead I decided I wanted to keep pushing through
decided I wanted to keep pushing through
decided I wanted to keep pushing through because of one simple thing I learned
because of one simple thing I learned
because of one simple thing I learned that success is actually not as
that success is actually not as
that success is actually not as important as failure and most
important as failure and most
important as failure and most importantly you won’t even have a chance
importantly you won’t even have a chance
importantly you won’t even have a chance to learn from your mistakes if you don’t
to learn from your mistakes if you don’t
to learn from your mistakes if you don’t start and so at the end of my high
start and so at the end of my high
start and so at the end of my high school it was a very fragile time in my
school it was a very fragile time in my
school it was a very fragile time in my life
life
life a few of my close friends passed away
a few of my close friends passed away
a few of my close friends passed away and it hit me really hard I started to
and it hit me really hard I started to
and it hit me really hard I started to think about life and and I started
think about life and and I started
think about life and and I started asking questions you know what is it I
asking questions you know what is it I
asking questions you know what is it I truly want in my life and not many
truly want in my life and not many
truly want in my life and not many people ask themselves this question what
people ask themselves this question what
people ask themselves this question what is it you truly want and when you think
is it you truly want and when you think
is it you truly want and when you think about death when you think about your
about death when you think about your
about death when you think about your own death
own death
own death it gives you gratitude it gives you
it gives you gratitude it gives you
it gives you gratitude it gives you purpose and it actually gives you
purpose and it actually gives you
purpose and it actually gives you meaning and not many one not many people
meaning and not many one not many people
meaning and not many one not many people want to talk about death because they
want to talk about death because they
want to talk about death because they think it’s a grim topic and they want to
think it’s a grim topic and they want to
think it’s a grim topic and they want to avoid it at all costs but death is the
avoid it at all costs but death is the
avoid it at all costs but death is the biggest motivator for change at the face
biggest motivator for change at the face
biggest motivator for change at the face of death all your fear dissipates
of death all your fear dissipates
of death all your fear dissipates and only clarity is left and so with
and only clarity is left and so with
and only clarity is left and so with this realization I found that the only
this realization I found that the only
this realization I found that the only certainty is now and with that mentality
certainty is now and with that mentality
certainty is now and with that mentality I took a gap year after high school I
I took a gap year after high school I
I took a gap year after high school I didn’t want to work for the rest of my
didn’t want to work for the rest of my
didn’t want to work for the rest of my life and and then retire at 65 when I
life and and then retire at 65 when I
life and and then retire at 65 when I can barely walk and then and then travel
can barely walk and then and then travel
can barely walk and then and then travel the world didn’t have the time of my
the world didn’t have the time of my
the world didn’t have the time of my life I wanted to do it now and so I
life I wanted to do it now and so I
life I wanted to do it now and so I packed my bags I bought three t-shirts
packed my bags I bought three t-shirts
packed my bags I bought three t-shirts three socks a pair of jeans some other
three socks a pair of jeans some other
three socks a pair of jeans some other things but you get the point I left I
things but you get the point I left I
things but you get the point I left I booked a one-way ticket and I actually
booked a one-way ticket and I actually
booked a one-way ticket and I actually funded this trip with the income from my
funded this trip with the income from my
funded this trip with the income from my apps this trip ended up being nearly one
apps this trip ended up being nearly one
apps this trip ended up being nearly one year long I went to eight countries and
year long I went to eight countries and
year long I went to eight countries and the funny part is that I only plan the
the funny part is that I only plan the
the funny part is that I only plan the first three weeks of it it was an
first three weeks of it it was an
first three weeks of it it was an amazing experience for me it was
amazing experience for me it was
amazing experience for me it was enlightening and I wouldn’t trade it for
enlightening and I wouldn’t trade it for
enlightening and I wouldn’t trade it for anything
anything
anything I made so many connections with people
I made so many connections with people
I made so many connections with people from all over the world I hiked many
from all over the world I hiked many
from all over the world I hiked many mountains I surfed in many places
mountains I surfed in many places
mountains I surfed in many places I learned how to be spontaneous I
I learned how to be spontaneous I
I learned how to be spontaneous I learned how to work on farms and
learned how to work on farms and
learned how to work on farms and ultimately learn how to live
ultimately learn how to live
ultimately learn how to live holistically now the reason I’m telling
holistically now the reason I’m telling
holistically now the reason I’m telling you this story today is because I
you this story today is because I
you this story today is because I started without any intent all I had was
started without any intent all I had was
started without any intent all I had was faith faith that everything would be
faith faith that everything would be
faith faith that everything would be okay and with that faith I started
okay and with that faith I started
okay and with that faith I started before I was ready and there’s this
before I was ready and there’s this
before I was ready and there’s this famous saying that a journey of a
famous saying that a journey of a
famous saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one single
thousand miles begins with one single
thousand miles begins with one single step think about that for a second one
step think about that for a second one
step think about that for a second one single step I encourage all of you guys
single step I encourage all of you guys
single step I encourage all of you guys to take your first step today because
to take your first step today because
to take your first step today because when I was 13 years old I took my first
when I was 13 years old I took my first
when I was 13 years old I took my first step and turned my dream of a mobile app
step and turned my dream of a mobile app
step and turned my dream of a mobile app company into a reality and I want all of
company into a reality and I want all of
company into a reality and I want all of you for one day one day forget about
you for one day one day forget about
you for one day one day forget about being unqualified forget about your
being unqualified forget about your
being unqualified forget about your fears
fears
fears forget about feeling stupid I know it’s
forget about feeling stupid I know it’s
forget about feeling stupid I know it’s hard but I want you to forget about it I
hard but I want you to forget about it I
hard but I want you to forget about it I want you to start before you’re ready to
want you to start before you’re ready to
want you to start before you’re ready to take a leap go it won’t be perfect in
take a leap go it won’t be perfect in
take a leap go it won’t be perfect in fact it won’t even turn out as well as
fact it won’t even turn out as well as
fact it won’t even turn out as well as you’d hope but you’re gonna learn
you’d hope but you’re gonna learn
you’d hope but you’re gonna learn something you’re gonna gain some insight
something you’re gonna gain some insight
something you’re gonna gain some insight some feedback and you’re gonna do better
some feedback and you’re gonna do better
some feedback and you’re gonna do better the second time around
the second time around
the second time around and even though I’m saying this to a
and even though I’m saying this to a
and even though I’m saying this to a huge crowd I know
huge crowd I know
huge crowd I know only a few of you guys will go home and
only a few of you guys will go home and
only a few of you guys will go home and start today only a few of you guys will
start today only a few of you guys will
start today only a few of you guys will implement what I’m saying
implement what I’m saying
implement what I’m saying and it’s those few that will make a
and it’s those few that will make a
and it’s those few that will make a difference tomorrow and if there’s one
difference tomorrow and if there’s one
difference tomorrow and if there’s one message I’d like you to take away from
message I’d like you to take away from
message I’d like you to take away from everything I have said it’s this don’t
everything I have said it’s this don’t
everything I have said it’s this don’t dwell on the past the future is yet in
dwell on the past the future is yet in
dwell on the past the future is yet in your power now is the time thank you
your power now is the time thank you
your power now is the time thank you you
you
you [Music]
”
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