To Investors,
I know I’ve been quiet and MIA. I’ve had a lot on my plate but in a good way.
Today I’m not gonna talk about a business or a business concept, but I want to make a note.
With everything going on in my head, I decided to take a little time to reflect on a period I’m going through where I feel I have to fight. When I say fight in this letter, I really mean “keep going”.
I’ve never discussed this with anyone but when you’re trying to make something of yourself, it’s hard. People always say that, but you don’t really see it until you actively decide to make something of yourself. Hit that first gym session, write that first chapter, quit that job to start a business.
It seems you almost have to be kind of unhinged to make something of yourself, because first you fight your self doubt. That voice that says “are you sure?”, or “you can’t do it”. Then you fight the people around you that love you, but don’t really understand what you mean - so then you fight a loneliness that overcomes you because you realise and accept that no one can understand you on this journey because they are not you.
Nonetheless you have to keep going, you have to fight.
These thoughts actually came to me because this past weekend Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt. I watched a snippet of the transpiring events as Trump stood up after being shot at and wounded. He raised his fist to the crowd and resisted being covered and pulled off stage by the secret service, to signal to the crowd that he’s ok, and that you must “Fight, Fight, Fight!”
Some of us might not be experiencing literal life and death situations. Some might be. Either way, you just have to fight, you just have to keep going.
There’s a great quote by Rumi that says “as you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
Honestly that quote keeps me at ease. Calm.
Remember that Jay-Z had never run a legitimate organisation when he co-founded and ran Roc-A-Fella Records as CEO, building one of the most recognisable and respected brands in the music business.
Elon Musk knew nothing about rocket science when he started SpaceX and survived 3 launch failures and near bankruptcy, before they had their first successful launch. Tyson Fury was dropped on his ass twice when he fought Deontay Wilder, but Fury rose to knock out Wilder.
On my journey to becoming a master capital allocator, I’ll always do my best to remind myself to fight. To keep going. On your journey I hope you do the same.
Respectfully,
-Mansa