Tom Matlack wrote a series of essays to his students. A lifetime of wisdom, offered as a gift to the 20-something in his class.
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Some people feel in colors. Others in sound. Some even in shapes.
I feel in numbers.
You may have heard of the concept of “love language,” in which each person expresses and receives love in their unique way. The idea is that we all have our way of seeing and feeling meaning. For some, it might be sex, and for others, making a beautiful dinner. None is better or worse, it’s just how we are each hard-wired slightly differently.
As you begin your business career, I encourage you to discover your unique way of processing the world—how you make sense of the unintelligible. This awareness is a key to finding your way to a calling and will give you an edge in your life’s work.
— From “Math is My Native Tongue“
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A fundamental question you will need to grapple with as you enter your business life is whether you view the economic world as a zero-sum competition where resources are limited, survival of the fittest, or if you want to play the game with a view towards collaboration to increase the size of the pie, to build new markets, new teams. The same question comes down to ego, self, and arrogance versus other, compassion, and humility.
Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good Men Project ad freeNo doubt assholes succeed, and there is a time and place to be one. However, in my three-plus decades in the trenches, I have come to believe not only in being a contrarian but in collaboration. I now see this as my life’s work. I’ve realized that coaching others, teaching people like you, is the whole fucking point. Don’t wait until you are 60 to figure this out.
— From “Is Your Business Career a Zero-Sum Game?“
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Honestly, this has been the primary goal of teaching fourteen student-athletes at Wesleyan this summer: to try to dismantle the working myth that most young people aspiring to build business careers subscribe to, which is entirely lacking a deeper understanding of why they are doing what they are doing and what it will feel like if they succeed. To do that, I have brought in guest after guest who have been to the mountaintop. I ask each one what they are proudest of in their careers–and these are people with massive resumes, CEOs, senior bankers, big-time investors–and not one talks about deals, money, or their resume. They talk about love. The people. The relationships.
— From “Love, Not Greed”
Read the entire series on LinkedIn here.
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Also, as part of the course, Tom Matlack has created a video series of entrepreneurs and business influencers who graciously shared their wisdom with his class. The course focuses on the fundamentals of business, finance, and navigating life beyond sports. Role models and real world insights are imperative for learning, and with that in mind, Tom launched thi series where he sits down with accomplished business leaders to discuss their careers, challenges, and specific insights that are unique to them. These candid conversations are being shared publicly, both here on The Good Men Project and other platforms, in hopes of reaching a wider audience of students, athletes, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Fireside Chats with Tom Matlack The Good Men Project:
Gregg Stone on Relentless Optimism in VC and Olympics
Kalil Diaz on How to Break Through Limiting Beliefs
Jeff Stevens on Discovering Your Why
Will Thorndike on the Power of Compounding in Investments, Relationships and in Life
Juan de Dios Aguilar on How to Lead, Who to Trust, and Why to Love
Ian MacGregor on Pro Bike Racing, the Secret Drink Mix, Going All In, and Founding Scratch Labs
Tom Macejko on Hunting, Banking, Private Equity, Pulp Fiction and Fulfillment
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You can find the full series on YouTube here:
@FiresideChatsWithTom
Follow to for future episodes featuring additional leaders from across industries. They all have their own compelling stories and are happy to give advice to the next generation of students, athletes and future business leaders.
