Post on 31-Aug-2014
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Gabriel Chan Gabriel Chan Co-Founder, NoteWagon
How to build great startups! The Way of! Self Reliance!
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The Way of Self Reliance
獨行道 �Dokkōdō
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#1: 世々の道をそむく事なし
Accept the world for the way it is.
• No such thing as a stupid user/customer! • Learn their habits or help shape them. • Understand how the human mind works.
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#2: 身にたのしみをたくます
Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
• Long term win VS short term gain. • Real value, not just hype or cool factor. • The goal of a startup is not to make money
– it is to make the world a better place.
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#3: よろすに依枯の心なし
Do not ever depend on a partial feeling. • Be data- and metric-driven in *everything* • Gut feelings eventually must be verified! • Mediocrity has no place in a startup.
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#4: 身をあさく思世をふかく思ふ
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
• Go around and act like you own the place,
but never drink your own Kool-Aid. • Remembering that it takes huge
momentum to change the world.
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#5: 一生の間よくしん思わす
Be detached life-long from desire. • Except the desire is to fulfill your vision. • Do not get distracted by anything,
unless it is moving towards your vision.
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#6: 我事におゐて後悔をせす
Do not regret what you have done.
• Mistakes are not mistakes if you learn something from them.
• Fail early, fail fast, fail often, fail cheap
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#7: 善惡に他をねたむ心なし
Never be jealous.
• Hire people that are better than you. • Let your competitors’ success drive you to
not just work harder – also work smarter
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#8: いつれの道にもわかれをかなします
Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
• Your colleagues may come and go. • Keep in touch with the good ones through
LinkedIn and other social media… • Your paths may cross again in the future.
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#9: 自他共にうらみかこつ心なし
Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
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#10: れんほの道思ひよるこゝろなし
Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
• Your startup *is* your significant other. • Irrational decisions may lead to
unnecessary mistakes and distractions.
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#11: 物毎にすきこのむ事なし
In all things have no preferences.
• Culture of competency and meritocracy • Decision making based on facts and data • Learn from experts, don’t blindly follow.
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#12: 私宅におゐてのそむ心なし
Be indifferent to where you live.
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#13: 身ひとつに美食をこのます
Do not pursue the taste of good food.
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#14: 末々代物なる古き道具を所持せす
Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
• Focus on core competencies; axe extras. • Keep your software/cloud systems clean,
just like your office (it’s spotless, right?)
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#15: わか身にいたり物いみする事なし
Do not act following customary beliefs.
• Rules may be bent or broken if necessary. • What worked for other companies might
not work for your startup.
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#16: 兵具は格別よの道具たしなます
Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
• Don’t learn how to code in 16 different languages or all the tools of the trade.
• Use the right tools for the right jobs. • Keeping useless features or services
distract users/customers from your core.
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#17: 道におゐては死をいとわず思ふ
Do not fear death. • 99% of all startups fail. You’re a 1%er! • The game is over when you think it’s over • Startup is stalling? Pivot or persevere!
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#18: 老身に財寳所領もちゆる心なし
Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
• Hoarding cash and assets is a BAD idea. • Opportunity cost of growing your startup.
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#19: 佛神は貴し佛神をたのます
Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
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#20: 身を捨ても名利はすてす
You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
• Failure is not final; fail like a winner. • Follow your conscience. #businessethics
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#21: 常に兵法の道をはなれす
Never stray from the Way • Accept everything just the way it is. • Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. • Do not ever depend on a partial feeling. • Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world. • Be detached from desire your whole life long. • Do not regret what you have done. • Never be jealous. • Never let yourself be saddened by a separation. • Resentment and complaint are appropriate
neither for oneself nor others. • Do not be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
• In all things have no preferences. • Be indifferent to where you live. • Do not pursue the taste of good food. • Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need. • Do not act following customary beliefs. • Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons
beyond what is useful. • Do not fear death. • Do not seek to possess either goods for your old age. • Respect the gods without counting on their help. • You may abandon your own body but you must
preserve your honour.
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