The Advantage #13: Simple Lessons, Paper Prices, and Energy That Spreads

Thanks for tuning in to the thirteenth episode of The Advantage. A short, weekly note where I share what I am working on, something worth watching, a lesson from history, and one practical edge you can try right away.

No theme this week. Busy week for me, so a little lighter on the content. The time you save reading, watch the video. I am a big fan of his.

Nothing this week

No writing this week. I will be back next week.

The Most Valuable 10 Minutes You'll Spend Today (Jim Rohn Seminar)

This is a 10-minute video called The Most Valuable 10 Minutes You'll Spend Today with Jim Rohn, doing what he did better than almost anyone: taking ideas that are easy to overlook, and making them feel durable again.

There is nothing complicated in this talk. That is exactly why I liked it.

Rohn had a rare ability to make personal responsibility feel clear without making it feel heavy. He could strip things down to a few simple ideas, say them cleanly, and leave you feeling like the path forward was still demanding, but not confusing.

That is part of why he had the influence he did. He was Tony Robbins' original mentor, and once you watch a clip like this, that makes immediate sense. You can hear the clarity, the cadence, and the conviction that made his ideas stick.

I like videos like this as simple reminders. Hopefully, you get some of the same things from this newsletter. Things you likely already know, said in a different way that gets you re-engaged.

Learn, try, stay, care. This is not a video that tries to overwhelm you with insight. It does the opposite. It reminds you that a better life usually comes back to a few obvious things done well and consistently.

I also think Rohn was a master of delivery. He knew how to make a straightforward point land. He did not need complexity to sound intelligent. He used clarity instead.

That is what makes this video worth watching. It is not groundbreaking. It is not magical. It is just a profoundly useful reminder, delivered by someone who knew exactly how to make simple ideas matter.

John Law and the Paper Valuation Trap

In 1719, France handed John Law the keys to a national rescue plan. He rolled government debt into a chartered company, stapled monopoly privileges to it, and financed the whole thing with easy paper credit through his bank. Shares kept getting issued, demand kept getting stoked, and the story became the price. The public treated paper claims as proof of value. When reality failed to catch up, confidence broke, liquidity vanished, and the entire machine collapsed.

Paper can create momentum. It cannot create truth. When a system replaces price discovery with narrative and mechanics, it doesn't remove risk. It hides it. The liabilities still exist. They just stack up until the day someone forces the question: what is this actually worth?

Stacking SAFEs at pre-seed and seed can feel like speed. But the cap is not a valuation. It's a conversion term. When you let the cap become “the price,” you're not proving value. You're accumulating claims on your next round. If your next priced round clears above the story, you move forward cleanly. If it doesn't, the SAFE stack can trigger dilution shock, cap table confusion, and a messy negotiation at the worst moment. SAFEs can be useful as a bridge when time matters. But nothing beats a priced round led by a disciplined investor. It's harder. It takes longer. It forces reality. And it gives you something with substance: a real market signal, a clean structure, and a foundation you can actually build on.

Answer with energy, not accuracy

Most people do not ask “How are you?” because they want the real answer. They ask it out of habit. It is a social opener, not a serious question.

That is why your response matters.

If you say “okay,” “hanging in,” or “I've been better,” you are starting the conversation with low energy. You are setting a dull tone for the interaction, and in some ways for yourself, too.

I prefer to answer with something like, “Amazing, thanks for asking! How are you doing?” or just “Excellent!” The goal is not accuracy. The goal is energy. It changes the flow immediately. You sound more engaged, more optimistic, and more alive. And usually the other person responds better too.

I stole this from an old board member. He always answered with enthusiasm, and over time, I realized how powerful that tiny habit was. What you vocalize shapes what you feel. So this is one of the rare cases where, if you are not feeling great, it is still worth saying something positive. Surprisingly, that “lie” often helps move you in a better direction.

There is real research behind this. Positive emotions tend to broaden attention, improve flexibility in thinking, and help people respond better in the moment. Barbara Fredrickson's broaden-and-build research is a good example of that.

There is also strong evidence for emotional contagion. In simple terms, energy spreads. The emotional tone you bring into an interaction can influence the person across from you.

And more broadly, research has consistently linked positive emotional states with better work outcomes, stronger relationships, and better overall well-being.

So no, saying “Amazing” is not magic. But it does align with something real. Positive emotion changes how you think, how others respond to you, and often how the interaction unfolds.

I treat “How are you?” as a chance to set the tone.

So most of the time I answer with “Amazing,” “Excellent,” or “Never better.” Then I thank them for asking and send the question right back. It is a tiny move, but it consistently makes the conversation better.

I also find that the more you say it, the more you start to feel it. Language is not neutral. If your default answer is positive, your mindset often follows. If your default answer is flat or negative, that tends to reinforce itself, too.

So try it. The next few times someone asks how you are doing, do not answer with the truth. Answer with excitement. “Amazing.” “Excellent.” “Never better.”

Thanks for reading.

Mike Wystrach

Founder · Operator · Investor

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