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3 Rules Gary Vaynerchuk Lives by and So Should You

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Gary vaynerchuk

I found out about Gary Vaynerchuk a few years ago, when he started to post seriously on YouTube. At first, I didn’t think much of it. He was a successful wine entrepreneur who spoke extremely passionately about his beliefs. I simply found him interesting and moved on — but things change.

Over the years, Gary and his content were mentioned and shared more and more frequently. I started seeing him pop up in podcasts, blogs, Facebook pages, YouTube videos, and other venues. Top influencers I followed quoted him and talked about him.

I started following his Q&A videos and slowly started binge-consuming everything he put out. I learned a lot and put some of it into action. I want to share with you some of his top rules of success and what happened when I lived it.

Here are 3 things I learned from Gary Vaynerchuk:

1. Family First

A key motto in Gary’s messaging is “Family first, then…”. I think this is admirable, but not because family should always be everyone’s main priority. It’s because it tells people that money shouldn’t always be your main goal in life.

I’ve seen so many successful people sacrifice things they shouldn’t have for money and live to regret it. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sacrifice to get what you want. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice sleep or free time. But it does mean that there are values you shouldn’t and don’t have to sacrifice.

I’ve used this as a constant reminder to be clear on my values and priorities in life outside of just money. Define your values and prioritize moving forward. For you, it may not be family first. It may be religion, relationships, giving back, love, impact, legacy, or something else.

I value family time, fitness, being a great person to everyone I meet, relationships with friends, and making the world a happier place. Therefore, I have used what Gary has taught me and infused these priorities into my work.

Sometimes, that means pausing my money-making side-hustles to invest in these other priorities. Other times, I can do them both at the same time (e.g. exercising with friends or making people smile online with my content while building a business).

“Family first. Nothing else really matters.” – Gary Vaynerchuk

2. Work Your Face Off

A core theme of Gary’s is to outwork your competition. Gary worked 12+ hour days every day of the week for over a decade without anyone praising him. In many of his shows when fans call in, he quickly picks apart how much time they waste — usually, right after they claim they work hard.

Working hard has always been something I’ve emphasized and something my immigrant parents taught me through example. But I clearly had room to grow. Although I could outwork most of my classmates, I knew that I still slacked off a decent amount. It’s not about if you work harder than others, it’s about if you are working as hard as possible; absolute beats relative.

Honestly, I’ve found it near-impossible to be a workaholic like Gary, though I’ve tried. I’ve experimented with this through the years, and I inevitably burn out or get disillusioned with why I’m even doing it. Nonetheless, his spirit can clearly be seen whenever I’m working while others aren’t. What can I do to fix this? That leads me to the next point.

3. Follow Your Passion

For some of you, this advice is cliche. However, I’m still shocked by how many people I meet in the real world, outside of personal development, who don’t follow this advice. In most third world countries (which accounts for most of the world’s population), it’s still considered blasphemy.

Gary has admitted that he never burns out because his work doesn’t feel like work. In fact, he said that at one point in his life, he completely restructured his business and job because there was 1% of it that he didn’t like.

99% of young people aren’t there yet though. We’re just looking to move from a job we like 20% of the time to one we like 45% of the time.

I’ve infused this into my own lifestyle by always looking for what I can do to move closer to a job I’m completely passionate about. This means everything from noting what I like and don’t like about a job to seeing what I can do to change my job into one that’s more enjoyable and still gets the results my boss wants.

Passion isn’t just some woo-woo thing. It’s not about just doing it because you “feel better.” Yes, it’s more fun. But it also helps everyone else out. You end up working harder and longer, you’re a better coworker to be around, and you do more for free.

“I love people, and the hustle.” – Gary Vaynerchuk

Conclusion

If you look at the results of my efforts using Gary’s message, you may be disappointed. I’m not flying around in private jets with bikini models or anything close to it. Of course, that’d be great but it’s perfectly fine that I’m not.

You see, one of Gary’s final philosophies is “macro patience, micro speed.” It’s just a fancy way to say that you have to be patient and wait decades while you’re working your butt off daily to see results.

Finding your perfect dream job, making great friends, or becoming a multi-millionaire doesn’t just happen overnight. It’s a competitive world and the best things are only given to those who deserve it.

Now, I have a question for you. How has Gary helped you the most and what results do you have from it so far?  Leave your thoughts below!
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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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