Sam Altman's Rules of Success

From a blog post he wrote a few years ago

March 07, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Sam Altman shared his rules for success in a blog post years ago. It wasn’t just another list—it became a blueprint for entrepreneurs trying to make it.

Before co-founding OpenAI, Sam Altman made early-stage investments in companies like Reddit, Airbnb, Uber, Instacart, Asana, DoorDash, Stripe, and Helion.

Love him or hate him, Altman is one of the most successful founders of this era. He ran Y Combinator, backed game-changing startups, and helped build OpenAI into what it is today. When someone like that lays out how to win, you listen.

Here’s what he had to say.

Compound Yourself

Success isn’t linear. The best people in any field get better at an accelerating rate. They learn faster, build stronger relationships, and find ways to keep leveling up.

It’s like compounding interest, but with skills. If you improve even slightly every day, the long-term effects are massive. Most people plateau. The winners keep growing.

Have Almost Too Much Self-Belief

The most successful people Altman knows believe in themselves to an extreme degree. Some might call it delusional confidence. But that belief is what pushes them through doubt, failure, and rejection.

If you don’t think you can win, why would anyone else?

Focus on the Right Things

Hard work alone won’t make you successful. Most people work hard on the wrong things and wonder why they never break through.

The trick is knowing what actually moves the needle. Prioritize better. Move faster. The people who get ahead don’t waste time.

Work Hard—Really Hard

You can reach the 90th percentile with smart work or hard work. But if you want to be in the 99th percentile, you need both.

The best founders, investors, and athletes all have one thing in common: They outwork everyone else. It’s not about burnout—it’s about intensity.

Be Hard to Compete With

If someone else can do your job just as well, or for less, you’re replaceable. The best businesses have moats. The best people do too.

The goal is to be irreplaceable. Build rare skills. Think differently. Make sure no one else can do what you do.

Altman’s rules aren’t just theories. Look at the most successful people in any industry, and you’ll see these patterns.

Success isn’t random. It’s built—one smart decision at a time.