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The question

What belief do you hold that most people around you would reject or find surprising?

Originally asked

Peter Thiel, to job candidates, Zero to One, chapter 1, 2014

Peter Thiel, Zero to One, chapter 1, where it is introduced as his job-interview question. Thiel supplies his own standard: a good answer takes the form "most people believe x, but the truth is the opposite of x."

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Seth Godin

Author and marketer; founder of Yoyodyne and Squidoo

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here
When I was 14 and starting my own business, or 16 and running a for profit ski club, or 19 and forgoing business opportunities or real-world experience to work with kids at a camp in Northern Ontario, not many people were congratulating me on following my passion.

Experian, 1 August 2023 source ↗

Others on this question

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Yaa Gyasi Novelist
I think one of the best things that art can do is to shine a light on dark places, and to hold something up and say: 'This hasn't gone unnoticed. We see this, and we're going to say something about it.'
Recorded Marta Bausells, Vice, 20 February 2017 source ↗
Werner Herzog Film director, screenwriter and opera director
I believe the common denominator of the universe is not harmony; but chaos, hostility and murder.
Recorded Anonymous, Goodreads, 1 June 2024 source ↗
Wynton Marsalis Trumpeter and composer; artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center
I started saying in 1985 I don't think we should have a music talking about niggers and bitches and hoes. It had no impact. I've said it. I've repeated it. I still repeat it. To me, that's more damaging than a statue of Robert E. Lee.
Recorded The Santa Barbara Independent, 27 September 2018 source ↗
Stephen Sondheim Composer and lyricist for the musical theatre
I'm a lazy writer. My idea of heaven is not writing. On the other hand, I'm obviously compulsive about it.
Recorded N/A, N/A, Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies (2001 ed): Art. Stephen Sondheim p. 408, 2001 source ↗

More from Seth Godin

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Question Which virtue do you think people overrate? Values & belief
I think authenticity is a crock, and I think authenticity is overrated and talked about far too much. The problem with authenticity is it’s selfish. Authenticity enables us to say whatever we want and if people don’t like it, well I was just being authentic. It is a ticket to self-absorbed inconsistency, and I don’t think anybody we serve wants that.
Recorded Tim Ferriss, The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, 29 October 2020 source ↗

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Peter Thiel, Tara VanDerveer, Tabita Rezaire, Whitney Cummings, Werner Herzog, Tegan Quin

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