Jeff Hoffman only works on exciting things
At a 2023 Family Office Club event, Richard ran through lessons he had taken from billionaires. One came from Jeff Hoffman, who Richard says gave the best speech of the more than 1,000 people who had spoken at his events in a decade.
The rule
As Richard tells it, Hoffman only works on exciting things and nothing else. It is a filter, not a mood. If a project does not excite him, he does not take it on.
Why it works
Richard ties it to other lessons in the same list. Only work on big, scalable ideas. Ask whether the juice is worth the squeeze. Excitement is a signal that the work is worth your energy.
The bigger list
Hoffman's rule sat next to lessons from Sam Zell on working hard and smart, and from Tony Robbins on getting more from every hour through great people. Richard also notes there are 240 books by billionaires, and most people have read only a few.
In Richard's words
"So from Jeff Hoffman, he only works on exciting things." (Richard C. Wilson, 2023 Family Office Club event)
"And he gave the best speech we've had out of 1 ,000 people speaking on stage over the last decade plus." (2023 Family Office Club event)
How to use this
- List your projects and mark which ones excite you.
- Drop or hand off what does not.
- Use excitement as a filter for new opportunities.
- Check that exciting also means big enough to matter.
Questions and answers
What is Jeff Hoffman's rule?
Per Richard, he only works on exciting things.
How good was Hoffman's talk?
Richard called it the best speech out of more than 1,000 speakers at his events over a decade.
How does this relate to other billionaire advice?
Richard pairs it with focusing on big, scalable ideas that are worth the effort.
Where can I see Hoffman's talk?
Richard has said the Hoffman talk is on Billionaires.com.