"**The problem lies in the path that got us to success in the first place. What we’ve accomplished often required feats of raw power and force of will**. Both entrepreneurship and art required the creation of something where nothing existed before. Wealth means beating the market and the odds. Athletic champions have proved their physical superiority over opponents. **Achieving success involved ignoring the doubts and reservations of the people around us**. It meant rejecting rejection. It required taking certain risks. We could have given up at any time, but we’re here precisely because we didn’t. Persistence and courage in the face of ridiculous odds are partially irrational traits—in some cases really irrational. **When it works, those tendencies can feel like they’ve been vindicated**." ([Location 1450](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B01AWUTMB0&location=1450)) --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[ego]], [[humility]], [[self-reflection]], [[personal-values]], [[entrepreneur]], [[discipline]], **Source** -- [[202409161103 - B - Ego is the Enemy]]