“I was educated once. It took me years to get over it” – Mark Twain

A few days ago, I read a remarkably insightful essay by startup guru and modern-day philosopher Paul Graham.

The gist of the essay was Paul’s puzzlement at startup founders overcomplicating the most basic parts of business.

Paul gives the example of founders finding new users for their product.

Says Paul:

“They had all kinds of ideas about that. They needed to do a big launch that would get “exposure”. They needed influential people to talk about them. They even knew they needed to launch on a Tuesday, because that’s when one gets the most attention”.

Paul then tells these founders that the best way to get lots of users is to make a great product.

Back to Paul:

“Their reaction would be something like the reaction many physicists must have had when they first heard about the theory of relativity: a mixture of astonishment at its apparent genius, combined with a suspicion that anything so weird couldn't possibly be right”

Which begs the question - why do so many founders (clearly smart people) tie themselves in knots doing all the wrong things when the answers are right in front of them?

Paul’s conclusion?

Because we’ve been trained this way at school. We’ve all had an education which teaches us that the way to win whatever game we’re playing is to hack the test.

Paul gives an example of a student taking medieval history.

Any student who’s been around the school block for a couple of years will know that the best way to ace a medieval history test is NOT to read a book on medieval history or to dive deep into an interesting rabbit hole about the crusades or tapestry-weaving.

Instead, it’s to read the lecture notes.

In particular, to read the lecture notes for exam-ready soundbites that are likely to turn up as questions.

So students get really good at appearing to know their stuff instead of actually knowing their stuff. They get skilled at looking like the real deal instead of actually BEING the real deal.

Now, you might argue these shortcuts don’t matter. 

After all, no-one is checking if you understood your medieval history ten years later.

But taking shortcuts is far more consequential when it comes to living a fulfilling life.

And here’s the thing:

Most people approach happiness the same way they approach a test at school. 

They try to hack the test of life and go hunting for life’s exam-ready soundbites. I mean things like a big house, impressive-sounding job titles, friends in the right circles and hobbies & holidays that photograph well. Or even the productivity hacks and meditation rituals which self-aware, high-performing people are “supposed” to have.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having a big house if that’s what matters to you.

But asking “how do I make people believe I’m doing well?” or even “how do I make myself believe I’m doing well?” will never lead to fulfilment.

If you want fulfilment, the right question to ask is “what matters to ME?”. 

Cue my new program, The Music Inside You.

The program is the un-hack to this trap, if you will.

The Music Inside You is a reset for anyone who feels oddly flat when ticking off an impressive achievement. It’s for anyone who always scans the room for signs of approval. And it’s for anyone who’s always busy but never fulfilled. 

These are the signs that you’re trying to hack your way to a happy life.

And if you’ve come to the conclusion that you’d rather build a life that feels good from the inside instead of looking good from the outside, my program The Music Inside You will show you how.

Launch day is hurtling down the track as I write these very words (I feel like I’ve been saying that for a while now, but we’re finally, FINALLY, almost there).

In the meantime, if you’d like to read the original essay:

https://www.paulgraham.com/lesson.html

To fulfilment,

Tom