Life Is So Rich / Life Is So S*** (Scott Galloway Edition)

Scott Galloway’s been on a rollercoaster these last few weeks. On one day his newsletter was winning awards, and the next his CNN+ show (along with the whole network) was being cancelled. Like I said – rollercoaster. How he handled it is worth stopping to reflect on. 

We talk so much about the things people did to succeed. We don’t talk enough about when successful people stumble and how they stand up, brush themselves off, and get back to it. Galloway, whether you like him or not, does this a lot. In public. It’s something we can all learn from. 

Here’s an excerpt from his note, “High School & CNN+”:

In sum, the secret to my success is … rejection. Specifically, my willingness to endure it. Everybody knows failure, everyone will experience tragedy. You will get fired, make bad investments, and fall in love with someone who doesn’t love you back. Worst of all, someone you love, and who loves you a great deal, will get sick and die. A core competence of successful people is the ability to mourn, and move on.

So, how to develop this skill? People find strength and resilience in different places. For me, it’s atheism. I do not believe this is a dress rehearsal, and at some point I’ll look into my sons’ eyes and know our relationship is coming to an end. And that’s OK — I’m less afraid than most to risk public failure (starting businesses, making predictions, approaching strangers, etc.) because I believe this will all be over soon. In addition, age has given me the courage to be more forthcoming with my emotions. To tell people I love them, that I admire them. Looking at important decisions through the lens of your deathbed usually yields the same answers: Go for it, and tell people you love them.

Life IS so rich. Amen.