The Art of the Hustle (Complete)

Epilogue

"Welcome back, everybody. I'm Mikayla Martens for In the World of Finance. If you are just joining us now, I'm speaking with the president, CEO, and founder of Unity Inc., Mr. Trevor Morrison. Before the break, I asked Mr. Morrison when all of his success began. So tell us, how did you go from rags to riches? 

"Right, well, if you want to know when it began, then I would have to say it all started when I was born. That was probably not the answer you were looking for, but it's the truth. The amalgamation of my life experiences has led me to be where I am today. Even the terrible moments in my life contributed to the collective whole. I credit those times for building character, strength, and wisdom. I needed those moments just as much as the happy times. Without each piece of the puzzle, my life would have been drastically different. I would have made other choices, met different people, had different opportunities, and ultimately would have gone down a different path. 

In terms of how I went from rags to riches, I think it came from my hustle - that is, my determination, my work ethic, and my ambition. But hustle is like an art, you can't simply plough through life with hard work and a dream, there are many subtleties that need to be enacted along the way." 

"I'm sure there is a lot more to be said on that point. I guess we'll have to wait until you write a book about the art of the hustle." 

"That's a good idea, maybe I'll do that." 

"So, for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give them in order to avoid some of the pitfalls you've experienced in your life?" 

"Looking back at my journey now, I recognize one common thread. The worst times in my life resulted from when my options were limited. I made some wrong choices that led me to being in those types of positions. So, my advice is to avoid making decisions that don't leave you with many outs." 

"Is this another poker analogy?" 

"Sort of. This ties into what I was saying earlier about the art of the hustle - life is like a game and needs to be played as such. If you want to be successful, you must think several steps in advance. By doing so, not only will you be able to avoid certain pitfalls, but also you can act instead of react. You never want to be backed into a corner with limited options." 

"Did you ever imagine your life would turn out to be like this?" 

"No, not at all. Some ancient philosophers believed that things that are alike are attracted to each other. For instance, water flows toward the ocean, fire goes upward toward the sun, rocks on a beach are arranged according to size, and so on. Much like these things, I was always seeking my natural place. Ever since I was young, I felt a little different from the other kids - I didn't quite fit in. However, after many years of shuffling and sorting, I eventually found my place, among the elite few. Some people end up here by chance, but don't quite belong. For them, the universe continues to sort, and they eventually get shuffled out. But I feel this is my natural place."  

"You make it sound like it was destiny." 

"Yeah, I think about that a lot actually. As I mentioned to you earlier, everything in my life has played some role in getting me to where I am today. The decision to become a lawyer seemed very organic, in that I came up with the idea on my own. However, thinking back on it, it appears as if it was not just one decision, but rather a series of choices in a much larger process. It was as if there were a number of external forces that guided me along the way, pushing me in that direction. In the end, what choice did I really have?"  

"So if you could travel back in time, what would you tell the eighteen year old you?" 

"I wouldn't say a thing; I wouldn't want to change how my life has turned out."