Rise and Grind by Entrepreneur and Shark Tank Investor, Daymond John
My son, Gian and I regularly watch Shark Tank together; it's our mom/son educational television time. Daymond John is our favorite Shark Tank investor because of the work ethic that led to his success and his compassion for struggling entrepreneurs. His new book is Rise and Grind - Outperform, Outwork, and OutHustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life. Gian loved Daymond's personal stories about selling hats on the street, delivering newspapers, working hard in the face of dyslexia and listening to his mother's advice. I am fascinated by the daily routine of successful entrepreneurs and how they still find the motivation to keep grinding even after they have become wildly successful.
THOUGHTS ON RISE AND GRIND
The first paragraph of Rise and Grind advises the reader to spend time wisely because time is the only thing that you cannot get back. Thankfully, the time that you take to read the book will be time well-spent.
Rise and Grind is motivation that actually works. It gives powerful advice on how to maximize your time by making the best use of every moment. The foundation of the book is advice that Daymond John received from his mother - his mother displayed a giant can opener that read “THINK BIG” and also taught him that time will pass anyway, so he might as well use his time productively.
The book is filled with “old school” advice that you would get from your mother or grandmother who had to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. My takeaways from the book: Have a killer work ethic and maximize your time. According to Daymond, the thing that all the entrepreneurs that are featured in the book do well is that they know how to both work hard and work smart.
The Rise is to realize that nothing will be achieved if your dreams remain safely in your head so wake up before the sun, define your mission for the day and determine how you will make the most effective use of your time. The Grind is to actually do the work. Daymond's Grind: not quitting until he has nothing left to give to his mission, cause and purpose.
I was more drawn to Daymond’s story than some of the featured entrepreneurs. However, there is wisdom to be gained from each story. My favorite was Carlos Santana’s beautiful advice to rise every morning and take a deep breath in order to fill yourself with gratitude and reconnect with your dreams, read passages from your favorite books to set the stage for your day, and then focus on excellence and elegance in everything that you do.
The most challenging part of the Rise and Grind concept is likely the Grind. The book provides a lot of inspiration to keep you moving when discouraged, as well as this helpful motivator - G.R.I.N.D = Get on it. Repeat. Insist. Navigate. Desire/Drive/Determination.
Rise and Grind will be a great motivator for readers and entrepreneurs who are ready to challenge themselves. I will end with a thought that resonated with me.
“Doesn’t matter what you say you’ll do...doesn’t matter what you mean to do...doesn’t matter what you hope to do...None of it matters until you Rise and Grind and get to it.”
