I get asked all of the time what advice I have for young ones hitting Wall Street for the first time.

You can't be an introverted, shy guy who avoids people at all costs, then clocks in way more hours than anyone else to try and get ahead.

It doesn't work like that.

While you are burning the midnight oil at your desk, your peers are out building networks, getting to know each other and more senior people.

You have to build relationships.

You have to build trust.

Who you know is more powerful than what you know.

If you know the right people, you can always get the right information and get whatever you want done.

People give you more leverage than any amount of physical work or information.

Don't try to convince yourself that a meritocracy means that it's just about the best spreadsheet, the best analysis.

Don't get me wrong, that stuff is important.

But it's just a part of the whole.

You need to have relationships.

Generally I have found that the more something makes you uncomfortable, the more you should do it.

Your brain is clearly telling you it's afraid of your weakness.

And you need to go fix that weakness.

Now every time I am afraid of something, I push myself to do it.