Hi Reader,

When I was working as a VC, I found myself in the midst of a fundraising process that I wasn't particularly enjoying.

It felt mechanical and draining - a necessary evil rather than something meaningful.

So I thought, “Okay, how do I really enjoy this process?”

And I asked myself, “What are the things that I enjoy?

I wrote down:

1. I enjoy learning.
2. I enjoy going deep with people.
3. I enjoy strategy.

Then, I also realized that everybody I was fundraising from was somebody that I could (A) Get to know and (B) Learn from. And, I could talk strategy with them about the company. All of them probably had some experience that I didn't have.

Almost overnight, my meetings transformed. Instead of delivering a one-sided pitch where I spent 100% of the time talking about my offering, I shifted to a format where only 10-20% was about my pitch, and 80% focused on strategic discussions and learning from their experiences. I asked questions about challenges they'd overcome and insights they'd gained through their careers.

The results were remarkable. Not only did I begin genuinely enjoying these meetings, but I also gathered input that improved my pitch and strengthened the company. Each conversation became an opportunity to refine and enhance the value proposition.

And, the money came easy.

The Best Question to Increase Efficiency

"How do I 2x my enjoyment of work?"

At first glance, this doesn't seem like it should be an effective question for improving efficiency. But it is - profoundly so.

Here's why: enjoyment is actually a much better metric for efficiency than speed. Consider cars - we don't call a fast car an efficient car. An efficient vehicle is one that uses minimal energy to reach its destination.

Similarly, enjoyment indicates when we're not expending unnecessary emotional and mental energy to accomplish our goals.

When we enjoy our work, we naturally find the path of least resistance - the most elegant solution that conserves our energy while maximizing impact.

Big Love,

Joe