Beliefs

Some lessons I've learned from personal experience:

Hard things are easier if you reframe them as opportunities
Strive for brutal honesty, but reject brutality
Missing once is a fact of life. Missing twice is a fault
Most people get jobs for specialized skills, so they think simple skills are less valuable. But simple solutions will help you avoid complex problems in the first place
Growth requires frequent, painful interfacing with reality
Great things are bought, not sold
People who do difficult things have an inherent competitive advantage
Excellent systems are built with sketches, blueprints and bricks. People who are good at one usually neglect the others
To get really good at something: do it often. Do it better each time you try
Find ways to be an expert. Be an expert on things you enjoy doing
The best use of money is to expand your options, not your possessions
To find excellent people, do excellent work
Life is hard for everyone
Head in the clouds, boots on the ground.