Notes from: Dark Horse by Todd Rose
Todd Rose researched alternative life paths at the Harvard school of education. These notes are from his episode on the art of manliness podcast.

Four characteristics of a successful Dark Horse:
1. Dark Horses know very specifically what motivates THEM.
2. They know their choices and make choices that will allow them to do more of what motivates them.
3. Dark horses are great at trial and error as it relates to finding the strategy that will lead them to success.
4. Dark horses don’t focus on an end goal or destination.

Get better at the things you care about most. This is the dark horse prescription for personalized success. It elegantly summarizes all four elements of the dark horse mindset.

List things you like and ask yourself why you like it. You'll start to see patterns.

Good Dark Horses know their individuality and they can judge "fit" better.

So:
-Look for those micromotivations.
-Choose occupations that fit you and your micromotivations, and your circumstances.
-Know your strategies. Dark horses work toward their chosen occupation by cycling through strategies.
Achievement is not about talent, it's about the right fit between your individuality and the strategy.

There's never equivalent options in big life choices.

Under the standardization covenant, talent is not rare by empirical fact. Talent is rare by institutional decree.

Of all the ways that the covenant can make you underestimate your own potential, perhaps the most deflating is when an institution insists that you adopt a strategy that does not suit you - and then reprimands you when you struggle, condescendingly attributing your failure to a lack of talent.

I am at peace with my choices, because they were my own.