Build a Network

Big things aren't done alone. At some point, what you can accomplish is limited less by your own ability than by the talent you can pull in. Altman's shorthand for a great network: whatever you're working on, you can find the very best person in the world to help.

You build it by being genuinely useful over long horizons. He notes that good things still happen to him because of help he gave a founder ten years ago, expecting nothing back. Develop a reputation for taking care of people, be known for pushing them past what they thought they could do, and define yourself by your strengths rather than managing around weaknesses.

Two practical edges: get good at spotting undiscovered talent before the market prices it in, and work with people who make you want to be better. Who you surround yourself with quietly sets your ceiling.