Reid Hoffman

Lawyers are essentially modern gladiators who are paid to be the gladiator of whatever their paycheck is, whether it's a client or whether it's being a full-time employee and so forth. And it's quality work. It's important for society. But I was like, no, no, I want to create things. I don't want to be a belt on my sword and go to verbal battle for whatever the contract or whatever.

Lawyers are essentially modern gladiators who are paid to be the gladiator of whatever their paycheck is, whether it's a client or whether it's being a full-time employee and so forth. And it's quality work. It's important for society. But I was like, no, no, I want to create things. I don't want to be a belt on my sword and go to verbal battle for whatever the contract or whatever.

or litigation or any of those things. And I was like, no, no, no, I actually want to go build things. And so I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up other than, and maybe I still don't know. But what I evolved to is I normally have about a two to three year plan that's iterating. And that tends to be what I do.

or litigation or any of those things. And I was like, no, no, no, I actually want to go build things. And so I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up other than, and maybe I still don't know. But what I evolved to is I normally have about a two to three year plan that's iterating. And that tends to be what I do.

Silicon Valley is a network of a generative platform. So one of the things that I have learned to think about is networks amplify productivity. That's not just as we get to why it is. I conceptualized and founded LinkedIn. But it's think in terms of networks. It's one of the reasons why cities are such – Like basically, if you really look at economies, it's city regions.

Silicon Valley is a network of a generative platform. So one of the things that I have learned to think about is networks amplify productivity. That's not just as we get to why it is. I conceptualized and founded LinkedIn. But it's think in terms of networks. It's one of the reasons why cities are such – Like basically, if you really look at economies, it's city regions.

And it's because the city region creates a network, right? It's a network of – it could be suppliers and all the rest, but also talent and capital and knowledge and communication and strategic lenses onto the world. And so Silicon Valley has been – like people go, oh, I'm a genius. It's like, no, no, I'm in Silicon Valley, right? And that really helps. And so being born in Stanford –

And it's because the city region creates a network, right? It's a network of – it could be suppliers and all the rest, but also talent and capital and knowledge and communication and strategic lenses onto the world. And so Silicon Valley has been – like people go, oh, I'm a genius. It's like, no, no, I'm in Silicon Valley, right? And that really helps. And so being born in Stanford –

gave me this set of different, you know, kind of perspectives. One, technology is a lens into the future. Another one is, as an individual, you can go create a technology or a technology company that can be a lever that can move the world, right? And that an individual, you know, from anywhere can kind of do that. And all of those things were part of the luck of being born at Stanford. The luck.

gave me this set of different, you know, kind of perspectives. One, technology is a lens into the future. Another one is, as an individual, you can go create a technology or a technology company that can be a lever that can move the world, right? And that an individual, you know, from anywhere can kind of do that. And all of those things were part of the luck of being born at Stanford. The luck.

Yes. Well, you don't choose where you're born. But a lot of people were born there and they didn't go on to do the things that you did. People like to tell stories of manifest destinates because I am great. I would have been great anywhere that I was, right? And it's self-delusional. I mean, yes, I think I'm smart. Yes, I think I'm hardworking. Yes, I think I'm strategic.

Yes. Well, you don't choose where you're born. But a lot of people were born there and they didn't go on to do the things that you did. People like to tell stories of manifest destinates because I am great. I would have been great anywhere that I was, right? And it's self-delusional. I mean, yes, I think I'm smart. Yes, I think I'm hardworking. Yes, I think I'm strategic.

Yes, I think I have skills that are rare in human condition. But any great achievement also has luck. Right. And I can point it in any companies. I can point it at any individuals. And for example, one of the basic luck is like I had exposure and connection to Silicon Valley.

Yes, I think I have skills that are rare in human condition. But any great achievement also has luck. Right. And I can point it in any companies. I can point it at any individuals. And for example, one of the basic luck is like I had exposure and connection to Silicon Valley.

If I didn't have that, the technology destiny or the technology achievements I've done wouldn't have been able to do those or wouldn't have been able to do those the amazing way that I did them.

If I didn't have that, the technology destiny or the technology achievements I've done wouldn't have been able to do those or wouldn't have been able to do those the amazing way that I did them.

But, but you have to think so. Um, and I see you have a few of my books there. Um, My very first book, The Startup Review, which came from the commencement speech I gave at my high school, the Putney School in Vermont. Because I was like, what do I say to a bunch of 17-year-olds, right? And I was like, well, be the entrepreneur of your own life.

But, but you have to think so. Um, and I see you have a few of my books there. Um, My very first book, The Startup Review, which came from the commencement speech I gave at my high school, the Putney School in Vermont. Because I was like, what do I say to a bunch of 17-year-olds, right? And I was like, well, be the entrepreneur of your own life.

And what that means, there's a chapter in there that says the bad advice you're usually given is just follow your passion. And the problem is your passion might be very passionate, but do you have a strategic advantage there? Is that something you can do?

And what that means, there's a chapter in there that says the bad advice you're usually given is just follow your passion. And the problem is your passion might be very passionate, but do you have a strategic advantage there? Is that something you can do?