Lewis Howes

I was a CEO.

The thing I hated most about being a CEO is having power over other people.

When people called me boss, it bummed me out.

And the reason is because I hate people having power over me.

You always admire the people who have your idol, right?

And so if you look at a politician who kind of admires demagogic, tyrannical despots in other countries, it's because that's what he wants, right?

You always admire, you know, somebody who admires billionaires wants to be a billionaire.

That's what, admires the richness in their lives, okay.

Power, I don't even like it, let alone have it as an idol.

Number two is money.

I've had it, I haven't had it.

Number three, I would get rid of pleasure.

Actually, I'm a pretty austere guy.

comfort is not important to me i get up before dawn every single day including sundays i work out every day i love bring pain yeah right i'm in that place too my problem is the same as yours man i mean i want the admiration of strangers love is earned

I got the attention of adults when I played the French horn as a little kid.

That was when I felt special.

That's when I felt like people cared about me.

And so the result is that I'm a success addict and I'm a self-objectifying success addict.

And the result is that my worst moments, Lewis, are when I spent the 14th hour at the office looking for the admiration of strangers as opposed to the first hour with my kids when they were little and they grew up.

I wanted to be special more than I wanted to be happy.