This episode confronts the paralysis created by fear of judgment when entering new ventures or sharing work publicly. Using toddler potty training as a stark analogy, the episode argues that past incompetence becomes instantly irrelevant once competence is achieved. The rejection versus regret framework positions public vulnerability and documented failures as strategic advantages rather than liabilities, particularly for building trust and refining skills in real-time.
Key Takeaways:
- Greatness Rejects All First-Time Applicants Sucking at something initially is mandatory, not optional, and zero people will remember your incompetence once you demonstrate results (just as nobody holds childhood diaper use against adults).
- Public Vulnerability Builds Brand Trust Faster Openly documenting mistakes and near-misses creates more valuable content and stronger reputation than success-only narratives, particularly when including specific financial figures and tactical breakdowns that help audiences avoid similar errors.
- High Performers Only Care About Current Results Once you prove what works, your 10-year struggle to get there becomes completely irrelevant to decision-makers evaluating whether to work with you (outcomes speak louder than timelines).
The social fear keeping you from taking action is evolutionarily embedded but economically irrelevant in modern markets—understanding this psychological trap accelerates progress by eliminating self-imposed barriers.
(Podcast transcript below)
Hi, Chris Duff over at Serious Land Capital, vacant land funding partner. Sunday here, again, try to get more into the mindset perspective. Actually continued to just focus on this day in and day out about my own psychology, again, especially in a more difficult macro environment when it’s so easy to get into that, you know.
Paralysis and being frozen in your tracks not you know, there’s always uncertainty in any business even on in massive bull cycles But you know, I think everybody feels it a bit more especially when there’s You know again even more volatility uncertainty what-have-you You know negative sentiment within a market like this. So it’s more important than ever to just stick with
what is driving results adapting as needed evolving and figuring out what are the strategies and tactics and the actual day by day steps that are going to get you and your business to where it needs to be. So to me this kind of paradigm it comes down into the rejection versus
Regret matrix here and the way I think about it a lot is just you know In kind of course your language You know no one no one ever cares that you sucked at something Before you got good at it like as soon as you’re good at something all those past mistakes you sucking for however a long period of time like
all that’s just off the table. It doesn’t matter anymore. And I think we’re so, you know, oftentimes so scared of pursuing, you know, possible new avenues and worried about I’m going to be rejected, people are going to be judging me based on what I’m trying. And ultimately, that doesn’t really matter on both sides, because if you end up
Succeeding you’re gonna reap the rewards that come with that And even if you don’t figure it out and you still suck at it like who cares about those people’s opinions anyway All that matters is that you either figure out what you’re trying to do or you figure out a different route to get to where you need to be and stop sucking in a different dynamic to eventually achieve the
results that that you want and Yeah, and you know you agree sapiens or it’s a pretty common paradigm to think about but it always bears worth reminding of again like all of us Humans live today. We evolved with the deeply embedded genetic tendencies toward You know
fear of the unknown and fear of uncertainty and so forth. Like that’s kept us alive through, you know, hundreds of generations, thousands, maybe millions of generations since homo sapiens came to be, you know, versus those of us who, you know, died off earlier, our ancestors in the gene pool that were less risk averse and, you know, ended up being wiped out. So we have a natural tendency towards
protectiveness and avoiding again possible rejection or you know, quote-unquote danger even though in today’s society it’s largely misplaced fears for the most part so we always have to overcome that and You know again, it doesn’t matter whether you sucked or stunk, you know throw in whatever word is
in order to get to that next step. I think the most kind of concrete examples where it’s just so evident, I’m a parent of a younger toddler here, so many rapid milestone developments, and any parent can relate to this. Really any human can understand even by analogy here, but I don’t always talk about gross stuff on this podcast, but
Yeah, I think the example is apt, but you know, when we took our toddler through potty training, you know, close to six months ago at this point, you know, it was a huge hassle to get her to stop being and pooping in her in her diaper. And, you know, it took a handful of days to really get over the main thrust of that behavioral change. And then like, as soon as that was done, like it didn’t matter.
at all that for, you know, two years for life, you know, she was using bodily functions in, uh, in, in, in, in her pants effectively and just smelling bad in public. Like that, that was just now in her past and, uh, you know, now going forward, okay, she’s potty trained. And so there’s just a different precedent that has been set and we don’t hold it against her that, you know, at some point.
for a couple of years, she was using a diaper. Like you take that and protect that forward to all of us as adults here. And like, no one cares at all that at some period in her life, were not potty trained. So to me, that’s like a very, very stark example. the parents here definitely can relate to this most fully. And sorry, some of this grossed you out a bit, but you know.
If ever considering having kids or you’re already a parent, like you learn to have a strong stomach really quickly. There’s just no avoiding it. so I, I think that’s very helpful to keep in mind. because, know, again, growth from early childhood years are just so evident. Whereas, you know, adults, it can often be the case where we’re just so stuck.
in similar patterns that we’re not necessarily forced to get out of comfort zone and start trying to change or, you know, start trying things new where we’re, you know, inevitably we’re gonna suck. And, you know, that was another hermosy quote that I really liked recently where it’s like, you know, greatness rejects all first time applicants. It’s just by necessity. Like if you really want to get, you know, good at something, let alone great or even okay at something, you’re
gonna suck right off the out of the bat. And so I’ve just kind of embraced that often here. I mean, you see how many different public forums and content I’ll produce and get involved in a ton of different details deals and within the land space and
You even within this podcast, like it’s not all, hey, we’re making a million dollars, like every single deal. that’s not, you know, there’s definitely been, I would love that to be every podcast. but that’s just not realistic. Yeah. Trying to share what is also negative too. And then that’s also incentive for me. Okay. I need to be even better so that I have less negative things to share. as I continue to get, you know,
improve my capabilities and results moving forward. But, you know, at the same time, the higher level of game that you play at, you’re going to run into more negative issues and you’re going to suck at the next level you’re at until you achieve a new baseline. And then you’re going to suck again. And it’s like, it’s just an endless cycle. Right. But again, no, no one holds it against me. Like people bring me deals, you know, we’re in authority within the space, you know, serious land capital, but again, zero people.
Actually care that when we were first getting into this like we were, you know terrible at Underwriting deals. We didn’t know what we were doing. It took a ton of reps you know making mistakes on title issues and you know losing money on some some various deals here like all of that is just understood I mean it happens to every operator but
Zero people actually care about that. but that happened in the past, compared to where we’re at now, as we just continue to put reps in on a daily basis. And again, even if people held held that against us, it doesn’t actually matter because most people don’t care and the results speak for themselves. So even if, you know, people in the back of their minds, yeah, know, Chris, he sucked in the past, Shane still it’s not like doing that good. I’m here. You can be doing better.
doesn’t actually matter because I know that I’m moving forward, continuing to show up day after day with continued progress. sometimes it’s, you know, one step back or one and a half steps back for every two steps forward. That’s just like the nature of growth and, you know, trying to push yourself. But I know that I’m
I’m in the arena and, trying to figure out how to be productive and, take next steps in order to get better day after day and take back the feedback and, you know, just flat out sucking and some things. And, like, and it doesn’t really matter. So even the more like public have become with persona and everything. And again, I try to be more open book. think that’s built a lot of trust, having that sense of vulnerability and the no kind of BSing attitude here.
that that only serves us going forward in terms of reputation of our brand as well as not.
not diluting ourselves with thinking that we’re better than we are, because that’s where, you know, constant mistakes like, and, you know, the route to non-growth actually starts happening when you can’t actually take that feedback and continue to get better. So, wanted to share some of my thoughts there. Again, something I think about.
A lot as you know, continue to push in, know, and this was not always easy. It still wasn’t easy to do. Um, everybody’s, know, we’re social creatures, right? Everybody’s some level of concern about being judged. And for so many years of sitting on the sidelines, you know, trying to wanting to have everything perfect before, you know, taking action and so forth. much to my regret and, you know, lack of earlier results. Um,
in years past, but you know, I try to get better at that day after day. And so hopefully this is helping you hear this. If you’re kind of in a similar spot or, you know, wondering whether you should be considering other people’s opinions more so than or less so than you actually are. And kind of the cheat sheet answer to that is, who really cares?
No one does because I can tell you at least me considering like a high performer. Yeah. If you show me results, I could care less. Even if you sucked for 10 years straight and something like once you kind of crack that code and prove out what’s working. Great. That is all that is going to matter. So just keep that in mind. If you’re looking for funding, serious land dot capital, zero cost review of your land deals at land daily diligence.
Mondays and Thursdays also keep in mind now. We only have one hot seat left for that Mastermind session myself Dave Denniston and Justin Sleva are doing on Thursday April 17th at 1 30 p.m. So let me know if you’re interested in taking that last 45 minutes slot to take your business to the next level It certainly did for myself on serious land capital
And then landpricer.ai for the most simple and accurate way to price land. With that in mind, take care, bye.
