Don't Rush This

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There are certain career moments that shape you forever.

Here’s one of mine: 

At 24 years old, I walked into an executive’s office at ESPN. I was leaving the company for another opportunity, and he wanted to understand why I was leaving and wish me well.

I thought it would just be a friendly chat, but it ended up being one of the most impactful conversations of my career (and life, really).

“Hey, good luck,” he said. “I want you to know you can always come back here.

“Also.. how old are you?”

“I’m 24,” I said.

“Can I share one piece of advice with you?” he responded. “Be 24. Don’t be in a rush to get to 44. There’s plenty of time later for that.”

And that was it.

I thanked him, walked out and went home to pack up my apartment.

It would be several years later before I truly understood and appreciated his advice.

He saw in me what I couldn’t see in myself at that age.

Hunger. Hustle. Ambition. Drive. A willingness to work 24/7. A desire for more, faster.

There are sharp double-edges to these traits, and the cost of them can be substantial if they’re unchecked.

It’s been 12 years since that conversation, and I still think about it all the time.

If you’re early in your career — or even if you’re not — I hope this helps you.

Be your age. Be where your feet are. Be grateful.

Let what’s in the future come on its own time.

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." – Ecclesiastes 3:1

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A Few Good Things

1. “All success is a lagging indicator.” Great old blog post from Ryan Holiday.

2. Enjoyed Shane Parrish’s podcast with Tracy Britt Cool (Apple | Spotify). Tracy cold emailed Warren Buffett, then became his “fireman” at Berkshire Hathaway – the one he sent in to fix businesses. She’s now running her own firm. This is a good summary of the podcast if you don’t have time to listen. Loved this line: “You can’t compete with someone having fun.”

3. This is a beautiful quote from poet Nikki Giovanni, which I ran across in my friend Billy Oppenheimer’s newsletter:

Go chase your dreams, and don’t let anyone tell you they’re a waste of time.

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Teddy is the author of The Process. Reach out on LinkedIn or X, or reply to this email.