I recently listened to a presentation Bill Gurley gave at his alma mater a few years ago. It was a great presentation from a highly successful investor. He shared his ideas about how some of the most successful people have thought about and executed their journeys. Here are a few takeaways:

• Passion – Pick something you’re passionate about. Your passion will push you further than others. That extra effort can be the difference.
• Preparation – There’s no shortcut to outsize success. It takes hard work and preparation. Those who achieve it prepare in a way that others may not understand and can view as borderline obsessive. Bill named a few wildly successful people we all know (Bob Dylan, Bob Knight) and gave examples of the intense preparation they all put in.  
• Mentors – Find people who’ve had success in your field and ask them as many questions as possible. Take notes on what you hear; they’ll be invaluable later. Have mentors throughout your journey, and be sure to update them as you go along (good or bad).
• Peers – Find people doing something similar, not necessarily in the same field. Try to learn from them and help them learn from you. Cheer them on by celebrating their accomplishments.
• Humility – Give most of the credit for your success to everyone who helped you along the way. Pay it forward by helping others who come along behind you.

Bill shared a lot of other insights that I haven’t mentioned, too. Overall, this was a great presentation for anyone trying to understand what it takes to accomplish something great or trying to think about their career. If you’re interested, you can watch the presentation here and see the presentation slides here.