Live Joy

Politico founder Jim VandeHei shares practical advice for navigating personal and professional challenges and defines habits and mindsets that fuel lasting success.

The Correct Mindset

Your outlook on life matters more than you might think in determining outcomes, Jim VandeHei argues. He advocates adopting the “Zotheka” mindset: believing that anything is possible, no matter your circumstances. Embracing this mindset means pushing beyond self-imposed limits and rejecting the assumption that you’re stuck in your current circumstances.

Knowing who we want to be and how we want to be seen and remembered creates a natural framework for how to live today.Jim VandeHei

Writing down your life’s story helps you shape your identity and live more intentionally. Reflect on the person you want to be and document your goals, memorable experiences, and lessons to create a guide for making better decisions and staying focused on what matters.

Find a trusted person in your life to provide honest, insightful guidance, especially during tough decisions.

Create and take advantage of opportunities to advance your career, VandeHei writes. Study, network, and sharpen your skills. Seek out mentors and learn from their experiences. When a break comes, seize it, especially if it aligns with your goals and exposes you to valuable learning experiences.

Once you seize your break, maintain momentum. VandeHei’s relentless work at Politico, the publication he founded, helped build the brand but led to burnout and high turnover. Manage your emotions and stress for long-term success.

Tough times are inevitable. You build character when life is difficult. To shine during difficult moments, choose resilience, tackle challenges head-on, and stay committed. You will gain strength and inspire others to follow your lead and build lasting character.

Integrity and Kindness

Successful leaders inspire and guide others with innovative ideas, clear values, and the ability to adapt under pressure. VandeHei’s leadership experience began later in life when he moved to start Politico. He learned leadership through trial and error, observing others, and developing a core belief system of integrity, curiosity, courage, and relentless effort.

If you try to lead today with a Mad Men mentality or work at a company run like that… stop.Jim VandeHei

Trust, respect, and shared values motivate people. Be humble and prioritize others’ well-being. Communicate directly to build a culture that values talented people who align around a shared mission. Focus on transparency, kindness, and removing toxic influences. Hire people who have more talent than you. Talented people drive your company forward and elevate everyone’s performance. To hire exceptional talent, seek people with ambition, a record of success, and a team-oriented mindset.

In 2004, VandeHei was eager to cover John Kerry’s nomination speech for The Washington Post. His editor, Maralee Schwartz, gave the assignment to someone else, citing VandeHei’s slower writing and limited scope. VandeHei later realized the criticism was valid. This experience taught him the value of not allowing his ego to stand in the way of accepting difficult feedback and using it for growth.

Embrace feedback as an opportunity for improvement. When receiving feedback, listen without interrupting. Assume the speaker’s intent is positive and avoid making excuses. Seek out feedback, act on it, and show you’re willing to grow. This approach encourages others to offer more helpful input in the future.

Playing make-believe robs the person of the chance to step up, be better, or move on.Jim VandeHei

When giving feedback, honesty is the best policy. Be honest and specific when offering critiques. Address issues promptly to prevent further problems and provide clear guidance on how to improve. If the individual’s performance doesn’t improve, take decisive action.

Prioritize Your Values

Jim VandeHei’s father shared a story with him about a tradition of fixing Christmas lights with his granddaughter that highlighted how small moments matter in life. For over a decade, the pair would replace burnt-out bulbs together. When one string died, the granddaughter saved a bulb as a keepsake, symbolizing the shared memories. Small moments can hold lasting joy and meaning, often becoming the memories that stay with us after bigger events fade.

All actions are contagious — and goodness spreads just as easily as badness.Jim VandeHei

Help others. VandeHei’s wife’s perspective changed his view on generosity. He watched her give to the homeless, help any friend in need, and work as a social worker for children who survived trafficking. She taught him that it was worth the risk to give to someone who might misuse your generosity if it meant helping someone in need. To become more giving, push past feelings of discomfort, and give without expecting anything in return. Surround yourself with people who inspire you to be more compassionate.

Much of life’s “good stuff” is found in deep relationships, a resilient marriage, meaningful work, self-growth, and so forth. Commit to what’s important. Identify what matters to you and invest in those priorities.

In his early twenties, VandeHei faced health challenges due to ankylosing spondylitis, a condition that fuses the spine. He adopted an intense and consistent fitness routine, mastering Pilates to keep his body in motion and defy the disease’s limitations. Discipline helps you take control of your health, happiness, and career. Improve your diet, establish a daily exercise routine, practice mindfulness, and be diligent in your work and personal growth.

Focusing on the good stuff means choosing joy. VandeHei’s wife, Autumn, faced severe health challenges, but chose to focus on happy moments of connection with family and friends. This mindset helped her find peace and hope. Choose joy by savoring simple moments with loved ones, deepening relationships through honest conversations, and appreciating unexpected kindness.

Focus on Joy

VandeHei emphasizes the importance of focusing on what’s most meaningful in life — such as close relationships, resilience, and growth— and of letting go of small mistakes and distractions. His straightforward telling of his successes, wrestlings with being a workaholic, and brushes with debilitating illness provide actionable lessons for thriving, regardless of what life brings. VandeHei admirably accepts that life is fraught, but refuses to believe that life events can control him… or you. He seeks to inspire and succeeds. His methods for developing kindness and learning to accept joy in your life are both wholly practicable and fun to read.