Whomst Hardo?

I want to share a very simple idea, but which not everybody has enough common sense to understand. There is an entire preconception about “hardos” in finance. Many times I have heard people say that they need to enjoy life, to relax, that they’ll become disappointed by the reality of the industry, but this is non-sense. To achieve something you need to be obsessed. 

It is competitive to get into high-finance (before criticizing this word as prestige-whore, it always served a purpose, namely differenting between financial reporting in a local shop in Botswana vs. the Wall Street sort of finance, it was never about prestige), and also people that get in those jobs are usually from good schools, so when someone criticizes a hardo it tends to be someone that is clearly in this industry and also is on another bread of corporate America, but even then, is he Buffett? No. Is he Ackman? No. Is he Icahn? No. Who is he? Probably a depressed guy sitting in high-finance job that followed a conventional path that trapped him because of his limited perspective, imagination, and perspective. Obviously, yes, priorities may change over one’s lifetime, but who sits on the top of high-finance? People that at 40, 50, and 60 years old still enjoy what their do, the what would mocked nowadays as “hardos”. There are no balls to criticze them, but if you saw them at 20 years old you would be perfectly screaming to Howard Marks, Jamie Dimon or to Ken Griffin “sheesh, just chill man, there’s more in life, leave as soon as you finish your work and enjoy a beer”.

Let me ask you how often to you hear the sort of ambitious that is present among the 20 years old in people above 30 or 40 years old? Very rare. Why? Life did not end up being what they expected, they had to swallow some harsh truths, they may feel lost in their decision, and so on. So why give authority to someone that is in this place when you have the other side, the people that sit on the top of finance and really enjoy what they do?

And don’t start with “You’re crazy if you think you’ll be the next Schwarzman”, because is true, meanwhile you may not be the next Schwarzman or Jim Simons, you may definietely become something. If not, at least you tried (read the Man in the Arena speech by Roosvelt). Wouldn’t it be strange if I tell you that many people that sit on the top of finance were obssed with what they were doing (hardos) and they also dreamed big and had some big historical figures that they wanted to resemble (I mean, Alan Greespan worshipped the Corporate Titans of the 19th Cenutry, this tells you something, and who knows how many people in the top 0.01% have their secret idols such as resembling the Medici, or Napoleon, or whoever the fuck else you may think of — it doesn’t matter, what matters is that hardos have ideals, and not simply a paycheck to have a great house with a great family (which are nice on their own, don’t get me wrong)).

I don’t think people really understand that different characters desire different things from life, and that one must be really arrogant and narrowly minded to think that everybody should strive for a family life. Unless you’re a philosophy doctorate with 30 years studying existentialism and answering the big “why” and “what” questions on life, then one’s word on this topic is an opinion. Personally, I would die of depressing to settle down at a level that many people consider it a “normal life”, and let’s be frank, there’s a difference between hardos and between career men that just want a normal job to enjoy themselves. Power and prestige has its perks as well, and if you disagree, at least it energizes some us, it’s a deep exalted state of mind that not erverybody gets it — but it’s still better than feeling nothing about what you do I guess. 

And looking at Excel all day or updating comp tables is not what I’m talking about. Neither the corporate bureaucracy, because that’s precisely what the depressed 30–40 years old guy that’s depressed will first think of. 

This is more a post towards those entering the workforce. The only advice you should be listening from are those people that are at the peak of their game, and not anyone, because even among high-finance there are different traits between losers, average, and the best (and the last are the ones we should try to emulate). The other 2 will just suck your energy, your spirit an your entire will to aspire to something more. Their entire reasoning on life is tied to finding 'happiness' but I just pity them. They lack the perspective to understand the potential that there's on the other side of this mindset.

Among the current 20-somethign years old joining the workforce, as the cycle of live proved for thousands of years, they will be taking the place of future Board of Directors, C-Suite, and the full executive consortiums of banks, funds, companies and so on. So yes, you can call them "hardos" but just understand that if you continue in this industry they'll be the ones sitting on top of you. Either join the hardo haters, or respect them, but that's the inevitable future outcome. Being hardo as well doesn't mean one doesnt' enjoy its family, etc. but it's more of an obsession and at 20 years old it's too young to think about writing your will. Fuck that.

Felt inspired to write this after reading an old comment I left in another thread: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-…