Put yourself out there

you don’t find opportunities, you chase ‘em down.

I started a twitter account one month ago. I had no idea what I should do on the platform. All I knew was that the people I admire were on twitter. One of the first people I came across was Dhravya and he was doing amazing things. I reached out, got on a call. Thanks to that call, I am writing this newsletter alongside him today.

But that is not all. Just because I was willing to put myself out there, I reached people I never imagined I could reach. From sliding into DMs of the Notion co-founder to getting a reply from the founder of perplexity.

Here are a few of my insights from the last month…

Closed Mouths don’t get fed

You can get far ahead in life by just asking for things. You miss every shot you don’t take. A lot of connections I built and work I got came from just asking people for things. Overcome the fear of rejection and send more cold DMs and emails. There is no downside to cold outreach.

Share what you are doing

You can find like-minded people and mentors by just sharing your work online. Doesn’t matter if you are building a funded startup or learning a new skill or maybe just talking about interests. Pick a platform where your “tribe” exists and start sharing your thoughts/learnings. You never know what piece of content you put out there will catch the attention of your next user/co-founder/investor/mentor/friend.

Be around people you aspire to be

The people that surround you determine your work and thoughts. This was the reason I joined twitter. I wanted to be around people passionate about making a difference in the world. Here’s the three types of people you should be around:

1. Those one step ahead of you – for guidance.

2. Those at the same level as you – for community.

3. Those one step behind you – for sharing with and inspiring.

Say yes to the most randomest things

Some of the most valuable connections I made came from the most random DMs or replies I received. When you are not super busy, I recommend trying as many things as you can.

A new discord community? Join it.

A new competition or challenge? Participate.

A new connection? Get on a call.

You’ll be surprised how many life-changing ideas and people you come across were just random things you said yes to.

This newsletter is all about learning and growing for teenagers. Being a teen myself, these were a few insights that have helped me grow. I hope to bring a lot more value into your inbox every week.

have an awesome day.

your friends at smort.in

stay curious