From “If” To “When”

🗣 “Great founders don’t say ‘If I’ but ‘When I’”

–– Billionaire investor Chris Sacca 👇

An early Googler, Sacca has invested in Twitter, Uber, and Instagram at an early stage.

As part of a Stanford AMA, he was asked what he looked for in early-stage founders.

One trait: having done humbling work like waiting tables.
The other: how certain a founder is of their company’s future.

“Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom was talking about what he would do when they have 50 million users––while it was just him and his co-founder at a co-working space.”

Earlier this year, I noticed the same with my best friend in Brazil, who’s a professional musician. He never said “If I get famous” but “When I get famous.”

As if this was not even a question of IF, but WHEN.
At first, I was puzzled by it. Then, amazed.

To think that way suggests strong confidence and commitment to a vision. You need that for navigating the uncertainties of starting and growing a business.

(Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia––only one out of three $3T+ companies––said he wouldn’t start a business again because it’s 1,000x harder than you’d imagine.)

With that, this way of positive visualization also becomes a coping mechanism to keep you going––while feeding your infinite human ambition.

Now, when I speak to early-stage founders, I carefully listen if they're using the subjunctive or future tense.

(I have also adopted this way of thinking in my personal life)

TL;DR: "IF" is fine in Excel, "WHEN" is better for your startup. 😉