Exceptional People

Tommy was talking with his young cousin about the time when he was a student. He didn’t do anything particularly outstanding back then. Tommy simply followed the advice he was given: if he earned a degree and good grades, he would secure a good job and live a comfortable life.

There wasn’t much more to it—he just followed the same path as everyone else and did what was expected of him. He told his cousin that when he finished school, he started applying for jobs in sports because he enjoyed it. However, he came across a job posting at a tech company that initially didn’t seem very appealing. The product, though, intrigued him because it focused on learning through interest.

Tommy explained that he sent an email with three questions about the role and, surprisingly, was invited to an interview before he even submitted a formal application.

The interview was scheduled a few days later. When Tommy arrived at the address, he found a small apartment with just three people waiting for the company’s founder to show up. During the interview, Tommy felt scared and nervous. The founder emphasized the importance of work ethic, discipline, and taking initiative—qualities necessary to bring their product to market. This wasn’t what Tommy expected; he had anticipated a more laid-back environment with repetitive, well-defined tasks. Instead, he realized things could change daily at this company.

After a few days of reflection, Tommy decided to give it a shot. On his first day, he was tasked with calling potential companies to help develop the idea. He had to pick up conversations left unfinished by a former employee, which felt overwhelming at first.

Initially, Tommy thought the whole situation was chaotic. He even questioned whether the founder was a bit crazy. Nothing seemed to make sense. But three days in, the founder had lunch with Tommy and shared stories about his previous work experience. The founder explained that before the 2008 financial crisis, he had successfully scaled another company to 300 employees and cashed out before the market crash. He emphasized the importance of reaching out to people, staying available, and maintaining momentum in conversations. Tommy listened but didn’t fully grasp the deeper meaning of those words yet.

Over time, Tommy met more and more CEOs, founders, and investors. Often, he felt like an impostor, as though he didn’t belong in the room. But as he observed these individuals, he noticed they were all fiercely competitive and highly skilled in their respective fields.

One day, Tommy got a chance to prove himself. The company needed to set up meetings with investors, so he reached out to venture capital firms. He faced countless rejections, and at times, it felt pointless. But then, one person replied. It turned out that a friend of the founder had previously contacted this investor and helped arrange the meeting.

Afterward, the founder explained that his friend was impressed by Tommy’s persistence and willingness to reach out independently. This experience made Tommy reflect on the fact that successful people often possess exceptional skills and unwavering determination.

“Now that I work in a corporate company,” Tommy told his cousin, “I’ve realized that while people often seem to be doing a good job, the reality is that the skill level in most places is quite low. The truly exceptional people are operating on an entirely different level. When you enter the job market, you’ll notice recruiters often judge your abilities based on years of experience in similar roles, but that doesn’t mean much. Many people aren’t particularly good even after 10 or more years.”

“One of the best decisions I ever made was joining a startup,” Tommy added. “I was lucky enough to meet extraordinary people who showed me what’s possible when you push yourself.”

His cousin asked, “So, how can I get a job if people like that are out there?”

“You can always get a job,” Tommy replied. “You just need to define what you want and go after it.”