Create Your Own Hierarchy

James Altucher's book Choose Yourself was one of the most important books I've ever read. His latest podcast about defining your own success hits at the right time.

I don’t often share other people’s podcasts on this site, but when I hear one that I think is really excellent, I’ll try to work it in to a post in some fashion. Pomp’s episode about domain NFTs is a good example of this in practice.

Over the weekend I listened to a phenomenal episode from The James Altucher Show. It featured Tucker Max. I had, admittedly, somehow never heard of Tucker Max but he’s apparently pretty controversial; often times, it seems, intentionally. In any case, much of the episode was about the response to COVID and essentially how to argue using the Socratic method.

The best quote from the pod though came when James was describing how he tries to "diversify" his hierarchies and Tucker critiqued it:

"That's a great strategy if you're trying to make yourself super miserable... 'I'm going to be in a bunch of different hierarchies' is a really good way to have to monitor what a bunch of different people think of you. I can't imagine a more effective way to make myself miserable. The step beyond that if you ever choose to take it is to decide you are going to create your own hierarchy. And then the step beyond that is to let go of all hierarchies."

Tucker Max via James Altucher Podcast

Making your own hierarchy is not a phrase I’d ever heard before but it speaks to me in a big way. The meaning of the phrase is essentially to disregard what you think other people want from you. Don’t live to serve a purpose that has been pre-determined by some social construct. Your definition of success is all that should matter to you. It got me thinking about this very website and how confusing it probably looks to the average reader.

• Is this a site about crypto?

• Is this a site about stocks?

• Is this a site about COVID response?

• Is this a site about the media?

• Is this a site about NFTs?

• Is this a site about baseball cards?

• Is this a site about books?

• Is this a site about personal finance?

• Is this a site about art?

• Is this a site about privacy?

• Is this a site about censorship?

• Is this a site about gold?

• Is this a site about money?

Yes.

I can’t tell you that you’re going to care about everything I write. I can’t tell you that you’re going to agree with everything I write. What I can tell you is that I’m going to be unapologetically me in what I write. And that will be a success to me whether I have 10 subscribers or 10,000. Let’s enjoy the ride together no matter where it takes us. By the way, I'm starting a new series tomorrow that will end on Friday. Five parts. One installment each day. Parts 2-5 will be for members only. If you found this post even remotely interesting, you should consider going paid for this series. Fresh deal for you… offer ends in 6 days.