Climb Early Life: Don’t Waste Time When You Can’t Afford To

Conversely, if you’re no longer young, have hit the ceiling, and see no path forward, investing your time at the grassroots level might just spark insight, yield results, and lead to a breakthrough.

What this means is that once you’re older and spending your days listening to reports, you risk being fooled into complacency. At that point, it’s far better to roll up your sleeves and go down to the shop floor—observe quietly how others fare and react. Watch the performances of designers and project managers, and you’ll gain a deeper, more holistic understanding of the world.

Never try to do the reverse. The reason is simple: you can’t.