The "Aligned" Don't Chase Noise... They Build What They Can't Wait to Wake Up To
10 thoughts, ideas & creative finds on
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The Rundown — Here’s what I found over the course of this week that has helped me, inspired me or gave me some creative pushes…
On why alignment feels like freedom, not sacrifice — “The most aligned people don’t try to outwork the world… they build a world they can’t wait to wake up to.” (—Matt Gottesman) — Alignment shifts everything. It takes you out of the grind of chasing and places you in the flow of creating. The most aligned people aren’t competing with trends or forcing their work to fit timelines that aren’t theirs. They trust timing. They follow the pull. And while from the outside, it might look like sacrifice… less chasing, fewer distractions, saying no to “more” — from the inside, it feels like freedom. Because alignment isn’t about doing more… it’s about doing what’s yours to do.
On why simplicity beats overproduction — “If the work that you wanna make takes you a month to create, well, then we're probably gonna have to swing the pendulum in the other way a little bit to create a little bit more consistency. And so it may mean lowering your expectations for what is and isn't considered good enough work for social media to balance the output that's required.” (—Tom Noske) — Many creators stall not because they lack ideas, but because they inflate what “good enough” looks like. Tom admits he used to believe every YouTube video had to be perfectly scripted, cut to B-roll every 2.5 seconds, edited into oblivion… until he asked a different question: What would my dream channel look like? His answer wasn’t two-week productions. It was videos he could post within an hour of having the idea. The truth is, most of us don’t need more polish… we need less resistance. Consistency compounds faster than perfection. The work that gets shared shapes you far more than the work that never leaves your drafts. Don’t over-engineer your output. Define your ideal cadence… what would feel simple, sustainable, and still effective… and build from there. The goal isn’t to lower your standards… it’s to raise your frequency.
On why creativity transcends credentials — “Smart people don’t ask for your credentials… they talk to you for five minutes and know if you know.” (—Naval Ravikant) — We’ve been conditioned to believe legitimacy comes stamped on a piece of paper… a degree, a title, a certification. To Naval’s point… credentialism is a trap. Nature doesn’t separate math from physics, or chemistry from art… it’s all one connected system. The sharpest minds move fluidly across those boundaries. They don’t need to fit in a box to prove their value. They prove it in real time… through curiosity, through connection, through creating work that resonates. True creativity isn’t linear. It’s boundary-less. It pulls from everywhere, links ideas no one thought to link, and creates something new because it refuses to stay in a lane someone else defined. The lesson? Stop waiting for permission slips. Don’t let credentials cage your creativity.
On why curiosity is the real edge — “The best place to find undiscovered ideas is where no one else is looking” (—Founders Podcast) — Curiosity is the gateway to originality. The people doing the most novel work aren’t following convention… they’re following their questions. Conventional minds want certainty. Independent minds want discovery. And that hunger for discovery compounds… the more you indulge it, the stronger it gets. The takeaway? Don’t just “do what you love.” Do what you’re curious about. Because curiosity doesn’t just entertain you… it expands you. It’s how you stumble onto the ideas nobody else saw coming… and how you build work no one else could.
On why beginnings are meant to be invisible — “Most of what changes your life starts way before anyone else sees it.” — We confuse visibility with value. But the truth is the beginnings that matter most are supposed to be hidden. Obscurity isn’t punishment… it’s preparation. It’s the quiet season where faith is tested, where small seeds are planted, where your inner foundation is shaped long before the world applauds. The danger is thinking small means insignificant… when in reality, it’s sacred. Because every visible breakthrough is built on years of unseen work. If you’re in that season now, don’t despise it. Steward it. Faith in the unseen is the prerequisite for impact that lasts… My latest podcast on this can be found here (APPLE, SPOTIFY)
On why we’re entering a second Renaissance — "Most people haven’t caught on yet, but we’re about to enter the second Renaissance and witness the return of the polymath.” (—Roberto Nickson) — For too long, the industrial age convinced us to specialize… pick a lane, stay in it, and grind. Factories rewarded repetition. Universities reinforced it. But that narrow frame came at a cost… we lost the artists in engineering, the storytellers in business, the cross-pollination that births real breakthroughs.Tthat era is ending. Today, AI and the internet have blown the doors wide open. Creation is democratized. Platforms are the new patrons. Curiosity is the new currency. And those willing to explore their full range… the polymaths… will thrive. The Renaissance rediscovered man. This one will redefine him.
On why conviction separates the greats from the rest — “The guy you have covering me… I’m gonna put 40 points on him.” (—Michael Jordan, via Founders Podcast) — This isn’t about arrogance. It’s about conviction. MJ wasn’t bluffing for attention… he knew his craft, trusted his preparation, and played at a level most couldn’t comprehend. Conviction is what allows you to declare the impossible and then deliver it. It’s not about talking big to prove someone wrong… it’s about being so rooted in your work that doubt only fuels your focus. The greats don’t just show up… they show up with certainty. And when you have that level of belief in your ability, the game bends to it.
On why patience is the ultimate edge — “Everything that ends up working in finance stems from patience and self-control. Everything that doesn’t work stems from instant gratification and FOMO.” (—Morgan Housel) — The same truth applies beyond finance: what compounds over time builds strength… what’s rushed for quick wins collapses. Patience isn’t passive… it’s an active choice to trust process over impulse. Self-control is the discipline to stay rooted when noise, trends, and urgency try to pull you out of position. The market tests you, the world tempts you, but it’s restraint that carries your vision forward. Slow doesn’t mean behind. Slow means deliberate. And deliberate is how you build something that lasts.
On why the future belongs to the builders, not the bystanders — “You should have a definite view of the future. You should actually go out and build the thing you want to see exist.” (—Naval Ravikant) — Investing is important, but Naval reminds us that it’s the builders who change history. Capital without conviction doesn’t create. Sitting back to wait for the inevitable is a myth… nothing inevitable happens without the men and women who make it real. That’s the true differentiator: creation. Even as an investor, the real value is in backing the projects that wouldn’t exist without your belief… the bets on difficult, complex, ambitious ideas that require more than money… they require faith. The future doesn’t reward spectators. It rewards those who take responsibility for bringing something into existence that wasn’t there before.
Playlist — Deep House and Jazzy House Mix / summer party / pm coffee grooves — A great playlist from Deejay Nish on YouTube of Chill House to work to… great for creating, designing, writing, computer work.
The “Aligned” Don't Chase Noise... They Build What They Can't Wait to Wake Up To
Real greatness doesn’t scream its way into the world… it grows into it.
The aligned don’t chase noise… they build what they can’t wait to wake up to.
The curious don’t wait for permission… they explore what pulls at them until the answers reveal themselves.
The patient don’t confuse speed with progress… they let compounding do the heavy lifting.
And the convicted don’t posture for validation… they trust their craft so deeply that doubt only sharpens their focus.
The world will always reward quick wins in the moment. But history remembers the work born from patience, faith, and clarity… the kind that feels invisible at first, yet undeniable in time.
So keep showing up. Keep refining. Keep building what only you can. In the end, the aligned don’t chase noise… they build a life they can’t wait to wake up to.
The niche is you.
Until next week,
– Matt
P.S. If you found value in this week's insights, consider sharing this post with someone who might need this reminder about the power of individuality. ↙️
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