People ask where my optimism comes from. When I was younger, I played football. I joined five benchwarmers in a challenge against the 6 best athletes on the team. So…it seemed hopeless. So we changed the game. We ran routes they weren’t expecting. We lined up in ways that confused them. And we humiliated them. As cliché as it may sound, that moment taught me everything: Anything is possible. There is always a way. The underdogs always have a shot. Try anything. In my VC career, I had a couple early investment wins that nobody expected. Same lesson, different stakes. That's why I invest the way I do. That's why I back the founders other VCs pass on. They are underdogs. They are trying new possibilities. All because I've SEEN the benchwarmers win. Again and again. They can always surprise you.(Tim Draper)