How many hours did the speaker work per day?

Around 6 seconds in, he notes a 15-hour workday, seven days a week. This highlights the relentless routine behind early hustle and entrepreneurship. It frames the personal cost of building a business.

What does it mean that the speaker built a business that wasn't his own?

At 10 seconds, he references working on a business that wasn't even his, signaling ownership and identity tensions in entrepreneurship. It underscores the complex realities behind starting something from scratch.

Why does the speaker mention friends driving BMWs?

At 16 seconds, he contrasts his own modest success with friends who drive BMWs they can't afford. This illustrates social comparison and external validation pressures in pursuit of success.

What does 'plotting' mean in this talk?

At 23 seconds, he says he's 'plotting' and in his process, signaling a deliberate, ongoing plan rather than a single breakthrough. It emphasizes persistent, patient progress as the path to growth.

Does the speaker think they're successful right now?

At 28 seconds he asks if others think he's successful, then says he hasn't even started. This reframes success as a future milestone and keeps the focus on ongoing ambition rather than resting on early wins.

What’s the overarching message about loving the process?

At 42 seconds he reiterates that he’s still plotting, processing, and enjoying the journey. The takeaway is to value the process itself and continue moving forward toward your goals.

You gotta ❤️ your process

GaryVee

Education3 min read1 min video

Mar 8, 2026|6,602 views|387|13

Gary Vaynerchuk gary vee gary vaynerchuck garyvee vaynermedia vaynerx entrepreneur

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Loving the grind; progress is the journey, not the end.

Key Insights

Happiness comes from engaging with the work and being in your process, not from early wealth or status.

Extreme dedication (long hours, consistent effort) lays the foundation for future success, even if not immediately visible.

External judgments from others (peers flaunting wealth) are irrelevant to personal growth and plotting your path.

A growth mindset means continuing to plot, process, and enjoy the journey, regardless of milestones reached.

Success is ongoing; the speaker feels they’ve just begun and hasn’t started to truly realize their potential.

HAPPINESS IN THE PROCESS

The speaker opens by recalling a time when they earned $40,000 a year and lived modestly, yet felt genuine happiness. At 27, they worked long hours and immersed themselves in building a business that wasn’t even fully theirs. The core message is that happiness can come from active engagement with the journey and the sense of control over one’s direction, not from flashy milestones or external validation. This early contentment becomes the backbone of a lifelong commitment to growth.

LONG HOURS, SHORT-TERM SACRIFICES

He describes the grind: 15-hour days, seven days a week, investing energy into ventures that were still evolving. The sacrifices—time, energy, and focus—weren’t about immediate payoffs but about constructing a durable base. This section highlights that meaningful progress often requires sustained effort and patience, even when the finish line remains out of reach. The takeaway is that the start of a journey is frequently defined by disciplined repetition rather than dramatic breakthroughs.

PLOTTING BEHIND THE SCENES

Despite scrutiny from peers who flaunted their own successes, the speaker emphasizes that he was actively plotting and preparing. He was in his process, quietly shaping a path forward while others watched from the outside. This contrast underscores a crucial idea: the most important work sometimes happens out of the spotlight, and true momentum is built in the silent preparation and strategic thinking that precedes public achievement.

THE MINDSET OF PROCESS OVER END GOAL

A powerful refrain in the talk is the insistence on the process itself rather than any endpoint. Even after years of effort, the speaker asserts that he feels the same drive he did in his early days—that he’s still plotting, still processing, and still enjoying the act of moving forward. This mindset reframes success as an evolving trajectory rather than a final destination, encouraging listeners to cultivate a lifelong fascination with growth rather than a single victory.

CONFRONTING OUTSIDERS' JUDGMENT

The narrative rejects external judgments from friends who appear to be living the easier, more glamorous side of success. The speaker shows resilience by prioritizing personal progress over others’ perceptions. This section reinforces the idea that the validation of one’s journey comes from internal conviction and tangible progress, not from appearances or whispers of others. Staying focused on the process guards against being derailed by social comparison.

A LIFETIME OF GROWTH

Closing with a bold affirmation, the speaker claims that the sense of ongoing possibility persists: even after two decades, he feels he hasn’t truly started. The repeated emphasis on plotting, processing, and enjoying the path invites listeners to adopt a perpetual growth mindset. The key takeaway is that meaningful success is a moving target shaped by continuous effort, curiosity, and a sustained commitment to one’s evolving process.

Common Questions

At the 0-second mark, the speaker says he was happy earning $40,000 a year and grinding hard. The happiness comes from being in the process and building something, not from external validation. It sets up the idea that fulfillment can coexist with intense work.