The Canvas Strategy

Find canvases for other people to paint on.

Ryan Holiday in Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

The strategy is fairly simple: if you want to advance your professional life, join an organization and focus your efforts on building others up while expecting nothing in return. As they improve, you will be propelled forward, too.

It’s a generous, liberating approach. For me, it means I don’t have to lead a company at 25. Maybe I can work some gritty jobs for the next few years and focus my efforts on supporting others on their journeys towards “success.” In the process I’ll learn a lot and build trust with my superiors and coworkers.

A lot changes when you don’t need material wealth, honor, or excessive self pride. Give me an apron and some steel wool and I’ll find you some canvases to paint on. Helping people make art is about as close as you can get to God.

Billiards

For almost 23 years I thought being good at billiards meant you could sink a shot from anywhere on the table. You would make a shot then go wherever the cue ball ends up.

But professional players don’t leave that much up to chance. Their game is dictated by setting up the next shot.

They don’t shoot and then aimlessly follow the cue ball. They play the shot in such a way that the next shot is set up perfectly.

Not much is left to chance when there’s a lot on the line.