Stay off the meth, and you'll do very well

Alex Karp (Palantir CEO), advice to young people

Find the thing you’re uniquely good at, and then organize your entire life around being able to do it. I’ve managed young people for the last 20 years, and the biggest failure I see is this: people aren’t willing to accept what they’re actually good at.

It may not be what you want to be good at. And then they don’t organize their lives around that ability. I’ve never met someone truly successful who had a great social life at 20. If that’s what you want, that’s fine—but then don’t complain later.

You also have to be honest in partner selection. If your goal is to advance your aptitude—and it should be—then you need a partner who understands what it means to dedicate the next 10 years of your life to building something you believe in. I ask people all the time what they like about someone, and they’ll say, “They went to this school,” or “Their brother is interesting.” Okay—but do you actually like them? Do they like you?

Focus on your aptitude. Focus on your freedom and happiness—they’re directly correlated. If you’re doing something you’re really good at, people stop caring about superficial things like what you wear to work.
Most people have something they’re talented at and enjoy. Find it. Commit to it. Organize your life around it. Don’t worry so much about the money—I never really did.

And stay off the meth. You’ll do very well.

May 22, 2025 at The Economic Club Of Chicago.