Rob Dyrdek shares ten rules for success built on confronting fear through practice, executing ideas, and learning from failure. He delegates to partners who match his drive, protects his mornings for creative work, and surrounds himself with honest mentors. He builds long-term vision like a machine that runs for years before turning on.
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He's an American skateboarder, actor, producer, entrepreneur, and reality TV star. He's one of the biggest supporters of professional skateboarding and one of the sport's most well-known characters. He was labeled one of the most influential skateboarders of all time by Fox Weekly. He's Rob Dyrdek, and here are his top 10 rules for success.
I think when it, when it comes to understanding, uh, tackling fear and relentless problem solving, right, it's like The reality of learning tricks, you have to try it over and over and over and over and keep adjusting every little aspect of your body to ultimately get it to work. And then when you get it to work, it's like this incredible, like, oh my God, I can't believe I learned this. And that progression drives you even further, you know. I've always been like, have an idea and execute it to a fault, right? Where it's like, but what I had to learn over the last few years is you can't do it by yourself, right? Like, I really would have said, you know, years ago, I don't do it by myself. I got all these great partners, you know, but the reality of it is, is I would have my hands in so much and not, you know, delegate properly and put in the right verticals on how and what you want to accomplish and go out and accomplish it. I just willed everything into existence. You know, and, and more than anything, it's about what do you love to do the most and what are you best at, and then do that all the time, and then put everybody else in to fill in the rest. You know, that's sort of what I've really been focusing on these last couple years, because make no mistake, even every person that I want to move forward with, all I care about is your greatest quality is that you want to get better tomorrow than you were today. And, but it was sort of that big step for me to have money to start exploring different entrepreneurial darts, if you will. Had a skate shop that lasted about 3 months. That was kind of where I first discovered, you know, stay out of retail. Started a hip-hop label. I had a rap label for a little while. That's when I really discovered the importance of making sure you have a partner that's equally as motivated and driven as you, not lazy. And more than that, stick in your lane. Just because you think it's cool that you're a pro skateboarder and you got a hip-hop label, you don't know what you're doing. You got no business in there. So in that sort of time period, I had kind of refocused on just all things skate. There's this air of transparency, right? It's like the entrepreneurs that I love the most is like, there's not— they'll be honest about everything and they'll tell you exactly how it is, good or bad, and we'll just put a stake in the ground on a opinion but not drive it home, and it's like, that's the stuff I respect the most. The greatest energy that you can live in is that sort of excitement of something coming around the corner, whether it's a you know, a new job or a new moment or something big happening. Like, there's that energy, and I've figured out how to live in that a lot, right? And I think that becomes incredibly motivating. And then when you see the results of making yourself better, how much better you get, and how it affects the world around you, like, it just gives you that much more motivation. Like, ah man, if I just get better and better, like, it just— everything gets bigger and stronger and better. So It's like that motivation and drive comes from that desire to grow and create. Where I ultimately see myself, I just haven't quite got there, you know what I mean? For the most part, I don't take meetings before 11. So I sort of build my whole schedule around my morning and the working outside of it, just so it's not compromised. You know, the only way it really becomes compromised is if you begin to schedule into your time, you know. So for me, it's really important that I really don't take a meeting if that's, you know, shooting TV, doing voiceover, doing whatever, you know, going skating, whatever it is, it never happens before 11:00. I have had so many failures at so many levels, and I think even I only really started to get it and grow up a year and a half ago when I finally brought on a CEO for my company, right? Where He really began to help me learn to continue to grow and then start surrounding yourself with mentors and really smart people that have done what you're trying to do or what you may want to do so you can learn from them. And that really revolutionized sort of my entire process because before I was making millions, losing millions, making millions, buying this, doing this. I wrote, produced, financed films, lose a couple million, like, blah, blah, blah. I was so driven. That it didn't matter to me. I just wanted to get things done, you know.
What you never want to do is put unrealistic expectations on somebody that you're trying to do business with because it will strain a friendship. You got to be smart to keep people in there in their lane and have them excel at what they're best at. You don't want to have someone in your particular crew take over the accounting if they're bad with numbers. You know what I mean? The same way you don't want them to do design if they suck at designing just because you need someone else to work on design stuff. I think in all aspects of life it's always much funner when you surround yourself with people that you enjoy being around.
You have to focus on always learning. You know, it's even your— it's cliché, but the reality of it is, is if you take action and try and fail, you're gonna learn a lot by the time you try it again, and you will build a foundation foundation of experience that's going to be ultimately the rock that allows you to find success or follow your dreams. I don't know if I've always thought global, but I've always thought big, right? And I think the difference is, is Now I have it so clear on what I want to do for the next 10 years that I've slowed down because I know I'm building this great machine and it's going to take me a couple of years to get it perfectly in order before I finally turn it on.
Right?
Because when I turn it on, then it will, it will be bigger than anything I've ever done. Or ever will do and will ultimately represent my legacy. And I realize that's cryptic, but that's how far out I'm already prepared for what I'm doing next.
Thank you guys so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed. I made this video because Jorge Gallegos asked me to. So if there's a famous entrepreneur that you want me to profile next, leave it in the comments below and I'll see what I can do. I'd also love to know which of Rob Dyrdek's top 10 rules meant the most to you. Leave it in the comments. I'll join in the discussion. Thank you so much for watching. Deem to believe, and I'll see you soon.
