The Grim Secrets of Tinder Founder and Magic Johnson (And the lessons they imparted on me).

Two decades ago, part of my job as a graduate student was to proctor a final examination of huge introductory class.

If you’ve taken general science classes in huge university settings (think Chemistry 101, Biology 101), these finals are usually occurs in huge lecture halls.

My job was to make sure that the examinations run smoothly.

After the students took their sits (arranged one sit apart), I’ll settle in the table next to the podium where I can see all the students.

The sits in a lecture halls are elevated, so the students look down to the lecturer and the lecturer gaze up to the students.

When I proctor, I would sit in front the lecture hall with a table in front of me. I rest my elbow on the table and pretend to look at my phone.

But in reality, I watched the students through the reflection on my phone.

Students then think I’m looking down and not watching them. The students think that I’m not watching and that’s were crime usually happens.

A student will discreetly show his answer to a friend, and the friend will slightly extend his neck to peek.

That’s where I walk straight to both of students cheating and ask one of them to sit in front of me.

They have no idea what hit them

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The idea of watching kids taking tests from the reflection of my phone is not my idea. A Russian graduate student taught it to me.

He was creative.

And this leads me to a another friend of mine.

He’s an entrepreneur and a different level than me. Two years ago, he attended a business masterclass with big names in the line -up such as the owner of Marvel, Tinder, Disney and Magic Johnson, my friend told me it was out of his league.

First, the masterclass was expensive, but he was creative to be part of the masterclass. He went and paid huge sum of money to be there because he wanted to level up with the big boys. Soon, he realized one thing:

These people are very creative.

Magic Johnson, during his time, practice, because he knows Larry Bird is practicing. He would practice harder because Bird the Legend plays better than him. He was scared that’s why he practice.

But he was so creative to pump up his motivation. He would wake up early and go to the gym, even before the guys are there yet.

Nothing new there.

But what makes him stand out was that he would drag his team mates, like Abdul Jabbar, and challenge him to a one on one, after the practice is over.

Picture magic Johnson, all sweaty, looking for another round of boxing.

Tinder founder on the other hand, would work hard through the night knowing that somebody out there is making a dating app. He would work through the night if he needed too.

He always think of somebody building an app that could be better than what he envisioned.

It’s a grim journey, but you should not look at it that way. You can still enjoy life, as long as you focus on success and creativity.