Students of the Game

Dan Bova’s Entrepreneur article highlights investor Bill Gurley’s view that very successful people share a relentless habit of “external learning” — spending time outside the formal requirements of the job to keep getting better at the craft. Gurley argues that many people stop learning and simply do the work in front of them, while the most successful people keep studying, practicing, and improving.

He also encourages people to take chances, avoid “boldness regrets,” find both aspirational and realistic mentors, and see weaknesses as things that can be improved through repetition. In short, the article is about betting on yourself — but doing it with curiosity, humility, and discipline.

That mindset connects naturally to both entrepreneurship and quarterback play. An entrepreneur has to read changing conditions, make decisions before all the information is available, take calculated risks, learn from failure, and keep improving even when no one is forcing them to do so.

A quarterback lives in a similar world: the picture changes fast, the pressure is relentless, and growth depends on far more than just talent. The best QBs are not just gifted throwers; they are students of the game who watch film, ask questions, study defenses, learn from older players, and keep refining their craft.

Whether you are building a company or leading an offense, success usually belongs to the person who keeps learning after practice, after class, after the meeting, and after everyone else thinks the work is done.

So what should we do with that?

Finding Mentors matters because none of us can see the whole field alone, and Gurley’s distinction between aspirational and realistic mentors is a useful reminder that guidance can come from many places. Pursuing Feedback matters because improvement requires the courage to hear what is not yet working. Perseverance matters because bold leaps rarely work cleanly the first time. And Conviction matters because entrepreneurs and quarterbacks both have to step forward when the outcome is not guaranteed.

So, the question is not simply, “What do I want to achieve?” It is, “Am I willing to keep learning long enough to become the person who can achieve it?”

Thanks!