Dr. John Delony

I have a nine-year-old daughter.

I want her to see me running alongside her at her little fourth grade cross-country meet.

I could only do that if I'm getting in and putting in the work.

And I speak to big stages all over the country at big corporate events.

I recently started a few months ago at a local comedy club here going up and doing 10 minute segments so I can get better at bringing joy to people.

Those hours aren't wasted.

But we keep being obsessed with what we think the finish line is going to feel like instead of finding the joy in that adventure.

It's so cliche at this point.

My 30-year-old self, by the way, would be rolling my eyes at myself right now.

It's those long, thankless midnight hours that you put in in your 20s and 30s.

It's those relationships you invest in that end up ROIing in a way that you could not fathom.

And you can't see them on a spreadsheet.

If I would give a 30-year-old entrepreneur who has dreams of success

I would tell them, be in your home as little as possible.

Go be out laughing with people, having coffee with people, having experience, putting yourself out in weird situations, take a class, go dancing, go take jujitsu classes, go try stand up, go put yourself in situations that are gonna make you uncomfortable and where you can be around other people doing their craft.

It will lift up every part of your life.

And when you're 65 and you're sitting with a group of people who gave their souls

to a dollar amount, you will realize, oh, I've got a rich life well lived.

Well, I hope I didn't say it that boldly.

I still get anxious.