Sam Altman : How to Build the Future

Access podcast and transcript versions of this interview here: www.ycombinator.com/future/sam
Chapters (Powered by bit.ly/chapterme-yc) -
00:00 - Intro
00:14 - How to Pick What's Important to Work On
01:06 - Finding Your Tribe: Advice on selecting who you are working with
02:52 - How to accomplish big things?
03:40 - Work life balance in your 20's
05:26 - How to Make a Decision About When to Give Up
07:29 - What's the source of motivation for people?
08:36 - Have you noticed the change in what motivates you?
09:10 - Burnout vs Momentum
10:20 - Taking risks and how should people think about it differently
12:50 - Asking what you want and being aggressive
14:39 - Long term willingness to hold on to things
17:22 - Have You Got a Strong Opinion About Things? Or Just Iterating
17:41 - Strong opinion and be flexible at the details
19:55 - Advice for young people
21:06 - Outro

[@chapterme]

Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe) - 00:00 - Intro 00:14 - How to Pick What's Important to Work On 01:06 - Finding Your Tribe: Advice on selecting who you are working with 02:52 - How to accomplish big things? 03:40 - Work life balance in your 20's 05:26 - How to Make a Decision About When to Give Up 07:29 - What's the source of motivation for people? 08:36 - Have you noticed the change in what motivates you? 09:10 - Burnout vs Momentum 10:20 - Taking risks and how should people think about it differently 12:50 - Asking what you want and being aggressive 14:39 - Long term willingness to hold on to things 17:22 - Have You Got a Strong Opinion About Things? Or Just Iterating 17:41 - Strong opinion and be flexible at the details 19:55 - Advice for young people 21:06 - Outro

[@kaushikimmadisetty8713]

This is 7 years ago and is super insightful. Imagine how much more Sam Altman has learned since then 😮

[@15Stratos]

Just think how much technological progress has been made in the last 7 years and try to think about how much will be made in the next 7 years.

[@kubanaid5960]

​@@15Stratoshow much it will be on the mext 7 years ?

[@JapnitSethi]

My key takeaways: * In order to choose what to work on, pick something in the intersection of "what you're good at", "what you enjoy" and "where you can create value for the world?" * Simply spending time to help a lot of people, helps identify pockets of people you would like to do a venture with * Working hard early on in life and leveraging the compound effect is grossly underrated * When you have run out of ideas and something is not working, then it is the right time to stop working on that project! * Failures are highly draining, so to stay highly motivated it's important to take breaks when things are not working! * Ask for what you want! * History belongs to doers! * Successful ventures get paid for the massive amount of value they create!

[@DeepVoiceSatish]

Thanks Brother

[@yaya2devops]

*Each crisis gets less scary than the one before it.

[@UnCanny_]

Freaking Spoiler (tq anyways)

[@matteomelloni4994]

It's not precisely what he has said, but ok. :(

[@sarahzulfa]

thanks

[@iansamir18]

This aged well

[@michaelai8274]

How come, haha. Lot of focus mhen. I can't imagine this was 6 years ago.

[@albevargiu]

E di pomeriggio insegnante ai bambini come assassina sono amiche Marcella mele Angela Guido corsi di sabato nei supermercati solo che mandano gli altri loro fanno soldi Marcella mele e cognate in Costa

[@sirjoshuafaw]

But did it ? Chat GPT may be the end of our existence .

[@timgarrow1487]

I came here to say this lol

[@dyfrigshandy]

​@@sirjoshuafawdeluded

[@sanwellbeatz1630]

By 2023 Sam altman has become one of the most important people on this planet

[@zachh8870]

Sitting in a coffee shop in a small town of 100k with big dreams, an eagerness to learn, and a plan to execute. Thanks for your wisdom Sam.

[@neutrinocoffee1151]

*small city

[@LarsWagner]

Go for it !! 🚀

[@sportcoat5756]

@Tigiudanke Barrie he’s dead…

[@HashimAziz1]

@@sportcoat5756 Bruh

[@HashimAziz1]

Mind me asking which town?

[@chaz_evans]

Its so great to have Sam's wisdom all poured out there on this channel. Only a small niche of people were familiar with him prior to last year so I'm sure his talks here are serving a ton of new people like myself.

[@edwardoropeza7333]

Six years I started my journey, and this video refilled that confidence in me by making me feel like he was talking to my “day 1” - self. Thanks, Sam and Jack. I needed this.

[@nelsonc5339]

10:00 “When I’m doing this thing that I like, and it’s working, I have a _huge_ amount of energy, and I can get a lot of stuff done.”

[@neppahtitel]

this interview made me feel more centered. thank you!

[@Jasmine-zt8gc]

3 advices for your early career - Persistence｜Most people quit too early and don’t take enough risk - Aggressive｜Ask for what you want in your early career, people are not aggressive enough - Connection｜Meet every person I had time for, and go to everything I could

[@hellolife277]

How has connecting with people in this form worked out for you because it seems agressive

[@yanxinchen9301]

Really LOVE him. Such a deep and incisive thinker.

[@conformist]

Oh wow, I can finally comment on my favorite YC videos! Need more of this series, fun to watch.

[@kaushikimmadisetty8713]

The right time to stop is when something is not working and you've run out of ideas. I really love actionable insights. Most insights in general are too generic and not actionable. Thanks for this, Sam!

[@harshdhillon7087]

"History belongs to the doers"- Sam Altman

[@sevenkashtan]

Thanks for this guys

[@Goals996]

Definitely agree with what he said about long-term in any situation. Well said I also didn’t really think much about my future until I decided to think bigger and be better than many people. And I want for me to have a really successful future

[@AniEgoista]

Thank you!

[@mansourazimi6650]

sam you made it i know it was extremely hard but you did

[@AbhijeetKurade]

Here is a summary of the key points discussed in the conversation: 1. he key to success in entrepreneurship is to find a problem that you are passionate about solving and work on it for a long period of time. 2. otivation is important for entrepreneurship, and the best motivation comes from enjoyment and a belief that what you are doing is important. 3. Burnout often comes from failing and things not working, rather than from working too hard. 4. It is important to take calculated risks in your career, rather than avoiding risks out of fear of failure or embarrassment. Building something and committing to it is more important than just talking and organizing. 5. One of the few remaining arbitrage opportunities in the market is time, and making a long-term commitment to something can create wealth. 6. It is important to have strong opinions about the future, but also be flexible in the details and willing to be convinced with new data. 7. To make a big impact, it is important to think about what you are good at and what the world needs, learn as much as you can about that field, and take a risk to focus on it. It is okay to fail and try again.

[@zamyatimi]

Thanks for this summary!

[@michelleyu1281]

This guy is awesome! So much to learn from him

[@TheCoolsim]

This man Sam becoming a legend

[@matteomelloni4994]

I love what you are talking about. A lot of time people do things to feel important, and they don't care about actually finishing things or doing the things really well. I'm one that only really cares about the real meaning of a work, it's really difficult to find like-minded people. Too much though.

[@TheAIEpiphany]

And now leading one of the most important companies in the world :) inspiring, and resonates deeply

[@sageoliver3255]

Thank you for the energy you are spending to motivate and coach the newbies

[@trupal_]

sama is my inspiration

[@mallorygurecki983]

6:18 I do love the advice he gives on how long term commitments are super important for creating something great and meaningful. I think a lot about how people really do need to move to where they can work together on startups.

[@tarunommadan]

Thank you so much Sam for sharing very important piece of advices. They are very impactful and will certainly make a difference to a lot of people. 🙏

[@daveb4446]

This was oddly encouraging. This strongly affirms my own personal experience and several things I’ve suspected. I’m going to have to watch more of his interviews and speeches.

[@gardeningforfunandlongevit6076]

He hasn’t changed much and has the same mannerisms. Love this guy’s attitude.

[@revolutionforjapan]

Now you built the future :-)

[@whimsical913]

I really enjoy listening to Sam Altman, he comes across as sincere and wise. Plus, his brother asks all the questions that I'm curious to hear Sam's thoughts on.

[@vinayakchoodan9775]

He really built the future..

[@PromptStreamer]

The intro passes by so quickly. You can’t tell if his brother is completely joking or trying to sound nice or earnestly swiping at his brother, “he wanted to teach us the ways of the world but he couldn’t interview himself so that’s why I’m here” haha. 0:05

[@adeelnajmi8074]

I want to learn more about your amazing grandma!

[@LarsWagner]

Never seen such a good video with that high value for me.. thanks a lot for sharing this !

[@gdthegreat]

Watching in June 2023, awesome person Sam.

[@martinstine]

Thanks Sam. Nice one YC

[@GiornoJovani]

0:27: ✨ Sam shares advice on how to have an impact on the world. 2:55: 💡 The way things get done in the world is through a combination of focus, personal connections, and self-belief. 6:01: 🚀 The mistake most people make is giving up too early when things don't immediately work, especially young entrepreneurs. 8:58: 🔥 Burnout comes from failing and lack of momentum, rather than working too hard. 12:05: 💼 The key to success in your career is to be a doer, not just a talker, and to take risks. 16:04: 💰 The speaker discusses the long-term value of holding onto investments and the advantages of doing so. 18:25: 💡 Having strong opinions about the future is important, but being open to new data and being willing to change your mind is also crucial. Recap by Tammy AI

[@ragrago]

I am 50 and still learning..Thank you Sam...

[@margaretcezar2413]

That was awesome! Thank you Altman brothers. 😃😃

[@alvinjacobsblydenstein7948]

This guy’s body language is interesting. Very confident and smart

[@sagarkapri1967]

ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT

[@cutmasta-kun]

The best thing about Sam Altman is: He doesn't care if Sam Altman gains anything from this whole AI stuff. Other than every other Entrepreneur , who want their face and name forever in the history books, Sam seems to understand that he is just a single human beeing. And Quick tip for start-ups: If your goal is, to sell your company for as high as possible, you don't really care about your Idea and so should no one else.

[@GauravJain108]

Thanks a bunch for this dense, wisdom-packed session, Sam! :)

[@user-tj2ml6fq2l]

Дорогой Сэм я тебя семь лет назад я тебя не знала ❤❤

[@adamlee9347]

lol Sam is usually the one interviewing. Good idea to get your brother to do that!

[@nihalkotwani3239]

shape of the glasses is different

[@ammi7462]

Many did what he said, also programmers, but little did they know that his work would render them obsoloete. As a programmer myself, I accept this because it is in a sense beautiful - I just dont't think it is fair that all the non-engineers wearing suits get to profit on this. Hope AGI/ASI figures this out and liberates us all from this insane, unfair world that we live in. Everyone should be a winner!

[@becurious1845]

Belief and satisfaction what you are doing need Enjoyment Liking your team

[@akshaykamathb2788]

+ 9:10 motivation + 11:11 risk is not doing smthing dt u'll then spend ur rst of ur life regretting

[@yoursubconscious]

age doesn't really matter, but understanding what that really means does.

[@bushrasharafuddheen9836]

Hello brother ❤

[@jaswanth___2004]

What a great talk

[@thomaskim7778]

Sam sir Thanks for great advice lots of love from India 🇮🇳

[@jain78343]

And here we go

[@rohullahkarimi8497]

KZbin really knows when it should recommend a video hahaha

[@christopherarmstrong2710]

4:45 The beginning of your career is the most valuable time. You want to work harder than most people think you should, if you do that you tend to benefit from it later - to get the leverage and the compounding effects. 7:00 Framework for when to give up and when to keep working - should be an internal vs. an external decision. 9:25 *Primary cause of burnout = things failing and not working. Momentum is really energizing, the lack of momentum is super draining.* Infinite energy to work on things that are interesting and working, and almost none when things are uninteresting and not working. If the thing didn’t work, shut that company down, go on vacation and try again. 10:40 People have terrible risk calculus in general. A) Wrong about what is/not risky, B) Most people don’t take enough risk. Especially earlier in your career, being young, unknown and poor is a great gift the amount of risk you can take. 13:10 Being willing to ask for what you want and being somewhat aggressive are really important characteristics of being an entrepreneur. People don’t want to fail or to be told no, or end up in some kind of crisis. 13:53 Each crisis gets less scary than the one before it. 14:40 Long term view of investing, money, and building things. 17:00 You get paid as a founder for the wealth you create for other people. The best companies create massive amounts of value in the world, then capture some of it for themselves (far less than they create), and they do it over a very long period of time. Make a super long commitment to yourself and others that are going to work on it with you that this is going to take a long time - but it is worth waiting because you will make far more money over the long term horizon by doing this company really well, than by doing a bunch of short term things along the way. 17:50 Have a strong opinion and then be flexible on the details. Refinement =/= Pivoting. 20:00 People need to figure out themselves what they believe in and what they think, and what they believe is high impact to work on for the future. It’s really important to actually think hard about where you can make the greatest contribution, that you’re good at, what you think the world needs and what you enjoy. Then go meet people to work with, learn as much about that field as you can, then have the courage of your convictions to take a risk and focus on it, it’s okay if you fail. If you do, you can go try the next thing. Take a risk and make some amount of sacrifice to impact the world in a way you really care about.

[@napiergrass8717]

Thank you Sam & Christopher.

[@TharunsJournal]

Thanks for the highlights

[@HR-gm5ld]

Bro actually built the future...

[@margaretcezar1109]

Thank you Sam, you are a good guy! I agree it is important to find your "Ikigai".

[@nandhkishornair8573]

Hell yeah❤️

[@TomCav]

Sam Altman has “it”

[@kanewaterworth3711]

This is good life advice as well

[@user-tj2ml6fq2l]

Сэмми ты очаровашка❤❤

[@John-kj5wh]

Gonna tell you how theyll build your future. Gonna play with your lives. The hubris of these ppl.. can lokkemUP at any time.

[@becurious1845]

Focus Personal connection

[@prasaddpathakful]

Sam has been cooking for years!

[@alexanderworkchannel]

Great info - Thanks

[@becurious1845]

Find deeper mission why and what you do

[@user-ku6jy3lp6x]

Did Sam just thank his brother for spending time with him hahahaha, thats awesome

[@BayarbuyanUlziit]

Totally agree "People are good at pricing, but bad at valuing"

[@AmalAbraham3712]

He gives foundation to the AI FUTURE

[@ZHA_Entreprise]

And here we are...

[@becurious1845]

Work hard Learn more Improve everyday Meet peoples Be better every day

[@manjz7hm]

Now I'm watching it after 6 years . His thoughts at that time now yielded

[@Plserror]

This guy 🎉

[@flor.1986]

❤🙏

[@becurious1845]

Working hard Leverage

[@3monsterbeast]

love the momentum and lack of momentum part

[@becurious1845]

What they good at What they like What they create value with that

[@Eternalspring22]

Amen!!! “Burnout does not comes from working top hard.” Yes, I can attest to that. Correct!!!

[@Russdlcz]

Love this interview

[@abhishekkalagurki959]

good at ---- enjoy-----create value

[@quincysolano7651]

The brother is quite handsome

[@becurious1845]

Ask for what you want

[@theepiclegends6784]

Here after sora

[@betohfinger879]

is he advising the bro?

[@edwardbenes5015]

the momentum energy is a great point

[@omppc]

BROTHER=IN=ARMS 💚🧡💛💜🙏😇

[@becurious1845]

Most people give up very early

[@asutoshpradhan-gm4bw]

hello OPENAI

[@josemartinez0530]

Sam i am

[@AnyaChuri]

Hey Sam, do not go into Nectome.... We love you!

[@ziawe]

You can provide value to the world!

[@abhishekdev258]

What a great video.

[@c.comploj3775]

good he did not sell his apple stock

[@CarletonTorpin]

I used Chat GPT-4 to analyze this video. Here are the top 5 key points that Sam Altman made: "Look for the intersection of what you're good at, what you enjoy, and where you can create value." - Altman emphasizes the importance of finding your unique intersection of skills, passions, and value creation. "Finding your tribe; the people that you end up working with on and off" - Altman discusses the challenge of finding the right collaborators for your career. "Whenever I've helped people for no immediate benefit, it has later really benefited me." - Altman underscores the importance of helping others without expecting immediate returns. "Many people give up too early when something doesn't immediately work." - Altman points out the common mistake of giving up too soon when facing obstacles. "Many people do not take enough risks, especially early in their careers." - Altman encourages taking risks early in one's career as it can lead to success.

[@chaitanyakhare1869]

9:35

[@CosmicHarmony58]

Geeze your name is ever up there now a days

[@becurious1845]

Most people don't take enough risk