How to learn from others’ mistakes
Steve Jobs stood before Stanford graduates in 2005 and revealed a truth that changes everything:
“You can't connect the dots looking forward… you can only connect them looking backward.”
Yet here we are, trying to decode success by staring into the future. Copying blueprints. Following formulas. Thinking their exact steps will lead us to their exact outcomes.
It never works.
Their path worked because of who they were… their timing, their wounds, their weird obsessions, their specific cocktail of strengths and blind spots.
You can't walk my path and arrive at my destination. I can't walk yours and arrive at yours.
So are we doomed to figure it all out alone?
Not even close.
We've been gathering around fires for millennia, sharing stories… because storytelling is how we survive. How we evolve. How we pass on wisdom about where the treasure lies, and where the traps are hidden.
We can't copy each other's steps exactly, but we can learn the patterns behind them.
When I share how stubborn commitment paired with radical openness shaped my trajectory, I'm not giving you a roadmap, I'm offering you raw material.
You might forge your OWN version of fierce dedication and humility.
Sometimes copying the action still serves you.
It won't give you my journey, but it might shortcut your way to your next breakthrough.
But extracting real, actionable wisdom from someone else's story? That's an art.
It demands the right questions. Sacred silence. Full presence. Perfect timing.
Which is why my recent conversation with my friend Greg felt like lightning in a bottle.
Greg founded Elite League, a community of high-caliber entrepreneurs and leaders creating real impact.
But what struck me wasn't what he’s achieved, it was his embodiment of something rare: powerful, grounded, attuned masculinity.
He knew when to listen. When to challenge. When to go deep.
What we created together felt like a masterpiece.
Perfect for your workout or commute.
Give it a watch on YouTube. And if you haven't subscribed to his show yet - do it, you won’t regret it.
https://youtu.be/Y4F6_EbUlb4?si=Bw9M8_XoAr6JXDTL
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👇 Tell me in the comments: what landed deepest for you? I want to hear how this conversation moved you.