The Third Door

About the Author

Alex Banayan is a man whose life took a dramatic turn when he was just a college student. As a pre-med student at the University of Southern California, Banayan was on a traditional path, seemingly destined to become a doctor. However, a crisis of passion led him to question this path. He realized that medicine, as noble as it is, was not where his heart truly lay. Instead, he found himself irresistibly drawn to the stories of successful people—those who had broken the mold and achieved greatness. What had they done differently? How had they navigated the early, uncertain years of their careers?

This curiosity soon turned into an obsession. Banayan wanted answers, but he didn’t just want them from books or lectures; he wanted them from the mouths of the very people who had achieved extraordinary success. This desire led him to make a decision that many would consider reckless: he dropped out of college and embarked on a journey to interview some of the most successful people in the world. Over seven years, he sought out luminaries like Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and Steve Wozniak, not just to understand their achievements but to learn about the pivotal moments in their lives when they, too, faced uncertainty and doubt.

The result of this quest is The Third Door, a book that is part memoir, part investigative journalism, and entirely inspirational. Through his own story and the stories of the people he interviewed, Banayan explores the unconventional paths to success—the paths that are often overlooked but are crucial for anyone seeking to achieve something extraordinary.

Main Idea

At the heart of The Third Door is a powerful metaphor that Alex Banayan uses to describe the different ways people can achieve success. He compares life to a nightclub, where there are three main doors through which people can gain entry:

• The First Door: This is the main entrance, where everyone stands in line, following the traditional path of working hard, getting good grades, securing a good job, and climbing the corporate ladder. This is the door most people try to enter through, but it’s often crowded and the wait is long.
• The Second Door: This door is the VIP entrance. It’s reserved for the privileged few—those born into wealth, fame, or exceptional circumstances. For most people, this door is off-limits.
• The Third Door: This is the door that Banayan’s book is all about. It represents the unconventional route—the backdoor, the window left open, or the door nobody notices. It’s the path that allows ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things by thinking creatively, seizing hidden opportunities, and daring to break the rules.

Banayan argues that the third door is not just the best route to success; in many cases, it’s the only viable route for those who don’t have the privilege of entering through the first or second doors. Through the stories and insights of the successful individuals he interviewed, Banayan illustrates how the third door is accessible to anyone willing to think outside the box, take risks, and persevere in the face of adversity.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: The Nightclub of Success
2. The Quest Begins: The Decision to Drop Out
3. The Price Is Right: Banayan's First Victory
4. Interview Insights: Lessons from the Successful
5. Get Help From Others: The Importance of Mentors and Connections
6. Be Persistent: The Thin Line Between Determination and Harassment
7. Establish Your Credibility: Strategies to Build Trust
8. Follow Your Own Path: Avoiding Imitation
9. Let Your Values Guide You: Aligning Actions with Beliefs
10. Work Hard Today for Payoff Tomorrow: The Long-Term View
11. Don't Let Setbacks Derail You: Recovering from Failure
12. Conclusion: The Journey and the Lessons Learned

The Quest Begins: The Decision to Drop Out

The journey that led to The Third Door began with a decision that many would consider risky, if not outright foolish: Alex Banayan dropped out of college. But this decision wasn’t made lightly or on a whim. It was born out of a deep dissatisfaction with the traditional path that had been laid out before him and a burning desire to discover a more meaningful and inspiring way to live.

Banayan was struck by a question that many young people grapple with: "What did people like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Steve Wozniak do when they were young, inexperienced, and had no plan?" This question haunted him because it spoke to a universal truth: the early stages of a career are often filled with uncertainty, fear, and a lack of direction. Yet, these very stages are also when many of the world’s most successful people made crucial decisions that set them on the path to greatness.

This question led Banayan to a realization: if he wanted to understand success, he needed to hear directly from those who had achieved it. But how does a college student with no connections or resources get access to some of the most powerful and successful people in the world? For Banayan, the answer was clear: he had to do something radical, something that would set him apart from the thousands of other students who wanted the same thing. He had to drop out of college and dedicate himself fully to this quest.

This decision was not without its challenges. Banayan faced skepticism and doubt from almost everyone around him, including his family and friends. But he knew that if he wanted to achieve something extraordinary, he had to take extraordinary steps. And so, with nothing but a dream and an unwavering belief in his mission, he set out on a journey that would change his life forever.

The Price Is Right: Banayan's First Victory

One of the most remarkable and unconventional stories from Banayan’s journey is his appearance on the game show The Price Is Right. This was not just a game show appearance; it was a strategic move by Banayan to fund his quest to interview the world’s most successful people. Despite having no prior knowledge of the show, Banayan took a chance and participated. His goal was simple: win the money he needed to kickstart his journey.

Banayan’s appearance on the show is a perfect example of the third door mindset in action. He didn’t have the resources to fund his journey through traditional means, and he certainly wasn’t going to wait around for an opportunity to fall into his lap. Instead, he took matters into his own hands and created his own opportunity.

During the show, Banayan realized that he didn’t know the prices of the items he was supposed to guess. But instead of giving up, he turned to the audience for help. This simple act of asking for help turned out to be the winning strategy. Banayan ended up winning the game and the money he needed to start his journey.