Definition
Thiel’s Secrets are important truths that are unknown or unsuspected by most people, but are discoverable and “doable.”
- How to read: “Thiel’s secrets.”
- Meaning: The hidden opportunities and unconventional truths that form the basis for creating something truly new and valuable (going from 0 to 1).
Why It Matters
Secrets are the only place where non-incremental progress happens. If you build a business on a convention, you enter a competitive market (1 to n). If you build on a secret, you can create a monopoly and drive significant innovation. Believing in secrets is a prerequisite for being a contrarian and an innovator.
Core Concepts
- Hard but Doable: Secrets correspond to “hard goals”—those that require serious effort and original thinking to achieve, but are within the realm of possibility.
- Two Types of Secrets:
- Natural Secrets: Hidden aspects of the physical world (e.g., a new scientific discovery).
- Human Secrets: Things people hide or truths about human behavior that are not widely recognized.
- The Secret to Finding Secrets: Look where no one else is looking. Ask the Contrarian Question: “What important truth do very few people agree with you on?”