Showing Up is Half the Battle
It seems silly to say this, but showing up is the first key to out-performance. Sometimes, this means at all. Get there. Sometimes, it’s about timing. Get there first. Sometimes, it’s about consistency. Show up more often. Sometimes, it’s about intensity. Bring more to the game. What’s true is you can’t win if you’re not […]
Who Will Help?
You can’t do this alone, and more to the point, you don’t need to. If you don’t have these kinds of people in your life, get busy and get some . . . Angels believe in you and want to help just because it’s you. Their energy and encouragement are priceless. Pioneers are people willing to go […]
Triple Bottom Line
The best jobs live at the intersection of three values . . . Good economics Good work Good relationships There is no objective definition for those terms. We get to decide. If you’ve been around long enough, you realize how rare a “triple bottom line” is. When you find yourself loving all three, be sure […]
Learning From People Like and Not Like Us
I have a friend named Peter. His sport of choice is Jujitsu. Peter is a big man training in a gym led by a small man. He’s not small in accomplishment, character, or expertise—he’s just eight inches shorter and 90 lbs. lighter than Peter. At some point, he probably needs to go train with someone […]
Sometimes You Need to Reinvent
You don’t need me to remind you we live in a world of constant change. I started to make a list, but it got ridiculously long. Instead, I’ll skip to the punch line. Assuming you want to compete and thrive . . . Market forces grind what’s unique and special into what is ordinary and […]
Yes, You Can Be Like LeBron (clickbait headline, but bear with me)
A top athlete, like LeBron James, “trains” six to eight hours a day during the season (not including games) and four to six hours in the ten minutes that comprise his off-season. A lot goes into “training,” including skills, practice, strength and conditioning, flexibility and mobility, recovery and treatment, film study and mental preparation, nutrition, […]
Build Better Than Code
Talking with a colleague this morning about “code.” Not that kind. Building codes. They’re there for a reason. They level the playing field (everyone must meet a standard). They increase owner and buyer confidence (the building is safe, efficient, and durable). They make it possible for lenders to underwrite. Building codes also stifle innovation. You […]
What Would Happen if You Went “All In?”
The Paris Olympics has been a joy, a wonder, an occasional head-scratcher, and a living answer to the question, “What would happen if you went all in?” And the answer? Medals World Records Olympic Records Personal Bests Instagram Follows And also . . . Injuries Crushing disappointments DNF Finished last And also . . . […]
Do Fewer Things Better
Many of us manage our time and work by saying yes to everything and then scrambling to complete it. Maybe it’s because we think we have to. Maybe it’s the nature of the job. Maybe it’s how we were raised. Maybe it’s because we don’t know any other way. What would you do if you […]
You Can’t Hack Your Way to Great
Sivanandan is nine years old. She took up chess during lockdown, which made her, what, six when she started? She is one of five players chosen for England’s women’s team to play in the Chess Olympiad in September. Maybe she’ll be ten! The next youngest player is an ancient 23. You and I aren’t Sivanandan. […]