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Never trust anyone to manage your money, if they haven’t experienced the seductive greed of an appreciating return, followed by the dizzying, skull-crushing abyss of losing it all.
No one's journey to success is a straight line. Every time I’ve gotten to know someone who seems to be at the top of their game, what strikes me most are the stories of their cataclysmic failures.
I have a fault - or at least, at pattern. I tend to put people on pedestals. When I meet someone that I have looked up to and have aspired to emulate, I often overlook any weaknesses in their game - I assume they have it all figured out - because they make it look so easy.
Obviously this is the farthest from the truth. Time and time again, as my idols have become my friends and I get to know their story, their humanness is revealed - their weaknesses, fears, blindspots, and darkest moments.
Everyone’s journey is different, but if I can pull a parallel from the top performers I have been lucky enough to know? - They embrace the dark days and the hardest lessons, as conditioning.
Everyone can appreciate this - we can recall a moment, early in our life, that seemed monumental at the time - but today would be inconsequential - just part of the routine.
I remember the first time I had to get on stage and speak in front of a live audience. I wanted to do it so badly, but I was terrified. I prepared religiously, I filmed myself and reviewed, I memorized every word and pause.
I knew so many charismatic speakers and I craved that skill - their comfort and confidence.
Sitting backstage in the final moments, I was desperate to control my heartrate. I wasn't sure if I should do push-ups or meditate - so I did both.
And after hours of obsessive preparation and rehearsal - what do you think happened when I got on stage?
I delivered a 20 minute talk in seven minutes.
No-one has ever talked so fast in the history of speech.
But today? Hosting conversations and presenting is my happy place. It feels like home, and I love it. But as far as I can tell - the only way I got from there to here was to “fail”, get mad, try again, “fail”, get mad, try again, then “fail less”.
And eventually, my conditioning took over. I still get anxiety, but I love it. My adrenaline still goes - but I crave it.
It used to paralyze me, now it’s just part of the routine. Conditioning.
But my feats are light, compared to the heavyweight line-up of keynote speakers I am about to mention. Below, is the roster for our next feature event, and trust me - these names are all flawless and exemplary professionals who have immaculate track records and….
Wait, I'm doing that pedestal thing again...
No, they are not perfect. But they are at the top of their game. And on November 23, I am going to tear into each and every one of them and dig out their hardest lessons.
Yes, these are the money managers, macro finance personalities, and entrepreneurs that have achieved outsized success compared to their peers. The proof is in the numbers, which we will discuss. But I am also going to the dark places - the battles, the street fights and the near death experiences on their way to the top.
This - is why this is not just another Gold Summit. This - is War Stories from the Vault.
If I get the cliche elevator pitch, I’ll turn their mic off. I’m not interested. We are going deep, beneath the surface, to where it all began, to when it all fell apart, to the rebuild, the ascension, and of course - What they are preparing for next...
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