Introduction

• Setting big goals is not the hard part; dealing with the consequences when those goals aren't met is.

• Letting go of employees, communicating within an organization, and managing entitled personnel are challenging aspects of leadership.

• There is no easy solution for complex and dynamic situations like building a company or leading a team through adversity.

• Personal stories and experiences, as well as advice from others, can provide valuable insights and inspiration during difficult times.

• Hip-hop music offers relatable themes and insights into the challenges of competing, making money, and being misunderstood.

Quotes

“Every time I read a management or self-help book, I find myself saying, “That’s fine, but that wasn’t really the hard thing about the situation.” The hard thing isn’t setting a big, hairy, audacious goal. The hard thing is laying people off when you miss the big goal. The hard thing isn’t hiring great people. The hard thing is when those “great people” develop a sense of entitlement and start demanding unreasonable things. The hard thing isn’t setting up an organizational chart. The hard thing is getting people to communicate within the organization that you just designed. The hard thing isn’t dreaming big. The hard thing is waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat when the dream turns into a nightmare.”

“That’s the hard thing about hard things—there is no formula for dealing with them.”