Want-It-Most Selection Rule
Choose capable people whose motivation exceeds their credentials.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 97%
The Want-It-Most Selection Rule ranks demonstrated motivation alongside basic capability when choosing whom to hire, back, or work with. Experience and education can indicate that someone knows a playbook, but they do not prove that the person still wants to execute it. The selector first establishes that candidates can plausibly do the work, then looks for evidence of persistence, sacrifice, initiative, and a compelling reason to win. A capable candidate with less conventional experience may be preferable when that person will continue through rejection and uncertainty while a more decorated candidate has become indifferent. The mechanism is persistence: strong desire sustains the repeated effort required to overcome other people's inertia and self-interest.
Origin
Extracted from Marketing Against The Grain, drawing on Josh Kushner's observations about successful investors and the hosts' experience hiring teams and evaluating founders.
Core principles
- 01Motivation can outperform experience that is no longer energized.
- 02Capability and tenacity must be considered together.
- 03Past evidence of persistence matters more than stated enthusiasm.
- 04Relentless people continue through resistance that stops others.
How to run it
- 1
Set the Capability Floor
Define the minimum competence, judgment, and integrity required to attempt the role successfully.
Pro tip Separate mandatory capabilities from credentials that merely look impressive.
Watch out Motivation alone cannot repair a complete lack of required ability.
- 2
Gather Persistence Evidence
Ask candidates about outcomes that required repeated effort, rejection, or self-directed learning.
Pro tip Prefer specific past behavior over claims about future work ethic.
Watch out Long hours without useful output are weak evidence.
- 3
Test the Motive
Determine why each candidate wants this particular outcome and whether that motive can survive setbacks.
Pro tip Ask what they have already done without being prompted.
Watch out Temporary interview enthusiasm may disappear after selection.
- 4
Choose for Capability and Want
Among candidates who clear the capability floor, favor the person with the strongest demonstrated drive to achieve the outcome.
Pro tip Use references to validate patterns of follow-through.
Watch out Do not use a vague idea of hunger to excuse exploitative expectations.
In the wild
A startup compares an executive who has run the playbook before but sounds indifferent with a less experienced operator who has independently researched the market, contacted customers, and produced a thoughtful plan. Both clear the capability threshold, but only one has demonstrated present-tense commitment.
→ The company selects the driven operator and gains sustained initiative through a difficult launch.
Common mistakes
Confusing Need With Capability
Desperation or a chip on the shoulder does not prove that someone can perform the work.
Rewarding Performative Overwork
Visible hours are not a substitute for persistence directed toward meaningful outcomes.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for hiring, investing, and team selection where tenacity materially affects the result.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for roles where enthusiasm cannot compensate for mandatory credentials, safety expertise, or technical competence.
From the transcript
“There is no substitute for hard work or willingness to outwork someone else.”
“The quote he had was if you can choose between the most experienced person, the most educated person, and the person who wants it most,…”
“And this is our habit number one is work with or pick or hire somebody who just deeply wants it and is willing to be…”
From the episode
8 Leadership Habits You Need To Make $1 Billion (#146)