#136 Estée Lauder

**David Senra** (0:00)
I want to tell you about a one-time only limited event that I don't think you're going to want to miss. I am doing a live show with Patrick O'Shaughnessy from the Invest Like the Best podcast in New York City on October 19th. Patrick has interviewed over 300 of the world's best investors and founders for his podcast. I've read over 300 biographies of history's greatest entrepreneurs for my podcast. We'll be talking about what we learned from seven years of podcasting, sharing our favorite ideas and stories, and doing a live Q&A. There will also be special event-only swag. If you live in New York City, I think it's a no-brainer. But if not, I think it's a great excuse to fly in. I've already heard from a bunch of people that bought tickets, they're flying in from other cities. Some people are flying in from other countries. That's setting the bar really high, so I will have at least four shots of espresso or four energy drinks before or during the show so we can make it a night that you'll never forget. If you're interested in attending this unique live event, I will leave a link down below. I highly recommend you get your tickets today, and I hope I get to see you in New York on October 19th. First comes the wish.
Then you must have the heart to have the dream. Then you work and work and work.
From where you sit, you can probably reach out with comparative ease and touch a life of serenity and peace.
You can wait for things to happen and not get too sad when they don't. That's fine for some, but not for me.
Serenity is pleasant, but it lacks the ecstasy of achievement.
I've insisted on the long stretch rather than the gentle reach.
I celebrate this sweet country. America the Beautiful has given me a life of infinite value and pleasure.
Living the American dream has been intense, difficult work, but I couldn't have hoped for a more satisfying life.
I believe that potential is unlimited.
Success depends on daring to act on your dreams.
How far do you want to go?
Go the distance. Within each person is the potential to build the empire of her wishes. And don't allow anyone to say you can't have it all.
I have always believed that if you stick to a thought and carefully avoid distraction along the way, you can fulfill a dream. My whole life has been about fulfilling dreams.
I kept my eye on the target, whatever that target was. I never allowed my eye to leave that particular target.
Whether your target is big or small, grand or simple, ambitious or personal, I have always believed that success comes from not letting your eyes stray from the target.
Anyone who wants to achieve a dream must stay strong, focused and steady. She must expect and demand perfection and never settle for mediocrity. If you push yourself beyond the furthest place you can go, you'll be able to achieve your heart's dream.
So those words were written by Estée Lauder when she was almost 80 years old. And it's an excerpt from the book that I'm going to talk to you about today, which is her autobiography. And it's called A Success Story by Estée Lauder. Estée Lauder was one of the most successful founders to ever live, and her autobiography is filled with a ton of personality and a ton of really great ideas. So let's go ahead and jump into it. I found it interesting that she starts the book talking about how one unpleasant interaction led to motivation. I remember the woman at the beauty salon where I had my first cosmetics concession. She was thoughtless and cruel and will always remain that way in my mind.
Maybe she was a catalyst for good in the end. Maybe I wouldn't have become Estée Lauder if it hadn't been for her.
At the moment she was cast in my memory to last there forever, I despised her.
Simply thinking about that incident brings back a twinge of pain.
She was having her hair combed and she was lovely. I was very young and vulnerable and I loved beauty. I felt I wanted to make contact with her in some small way.
What a beautiful blouse you're wearing, I complimented her. It's just so elegant. Do you mind if I ask where you bought it? She smiled. What difference could it possibly make? She answered, looking straight into my eyes. You could never afford it.
I walked away, heart pounding, face burning. Never, never, never will anyone say that to me again, I promised myself. Someday, I will have whatever I want. So in the very beginning, she talks about how she's always been obsessed with beauty, and she points out the fact that this is not unique to her, that the industry that she helped, in many ways, pioneer, is a very ancient industry. So she says, beauty secrets have been passed on from mother to daughter through the ages.