Kevin Kelly writes that enthusiasm is worth 25 IQ points. I wholeheartedly agree.
Watch this video by Casey Neistat and tell me you can't feel the enthusiasm he has for his city, his work, and his craft. It's palpable. It's also what makes him who he is: all of his videos have this infectious energy.
I've been thinking a lot about interviewing, and have come to a simple conclusion: I would rather work with someone who is enthusiastic than with someone who is smart. So much so that I am willing to tolerate meaningfully worse intelligence if they bring overwhelming energy and enthusiasm.
Taking this to the margin, does it matter what your degree is? Where you went to school? Your resume? Where you did your last internship? Honestly, no. If you can show up and prove that you are bringing energy, enthusiasm, positivity, and a hunger to do better, I'm sold.
It's really not that complicated.
Of course, this is really a reflection on me: this is a way to tell myself to be more enthusiastic.
At the end of the day, I really like my job. I mean, I really like my job. So much so that I commit a ridiculous amount of time and effort towards it, and care deeply about the products we are building being successful.
But now and again, I get down, I get depressed, I feel frustrated, and (to my great shame) I sometimes give up.
That's not me at my best, but it is the truth.
Then I think about Casey. I think about Kevin Kelly. I think about myself 10 years ago, and how pumped I would be to know I've ended up where I am right now, and how badly I would want to keep that going.
So I pick myself up, dust myself off, apologize to myself and others for being a (temporary) quitter, and I get after it with a white-hot intensity and a positive attitude.
Enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, enthusiasm, enthusiasm. Bring that energy, bring that hunger.
Nothing else comes close.