Read This If You Have Lots Of Ideas
Maybe you've heard this before, but maybe you haven't.
Ideas aren't really useful.
By themselves, they don't do anything.
It's the executing of the idea that helps people and is valuable.
So, stop looking for ideas.
Look for actionable insights.
2 Minute Action:
It helps if you know what to do and when to do it.
It also helps if you have someone in your life who can keep you accountable.
Take an idea you had recently and make it actionable.
Decide, in the next 2 minutes, what first step you're going to take, when you will do it, and who you will call to ask to keep you accountable.
You've got this.
We're all counting on you.
How To See The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
You're working hard.You have your head down.You're doing all the right things.You're checking all the boxes.Nothing is happening.
Either one of two things is happening:
- You're missing something.
- It's coming.
If it's #1, you're probably going to need some help figuring it out. You may want to consult an expert or a mentor who has more context or insight into what you're doing and can help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.If it's #2, please remember this powerful line from the book Zen in The Art of Archery that reads something like:
"To the arrow about to take swift and purposeful flight, it must feel like nothing is happening."
2 Minute Action
If you're feeling like it's #1, reach out to colleague or mentor for a quick 15-minute conversation.If you're feeling like it's #2, take a deep breath, get back to it.It's now 2018 and the world is more connected than ever.You have everything you need to build something bigger than yourself that will help others.
The Trick About Peak Performance
It's the peak.That's it.It's not sustainable. It's not feasible under most conditions. It's not the goal.It's good to have peak performance as a benchmark to measure what you're capable of, but to expect it all the time will lead to discouragement.It's more productive/profitable to seek Productive Performance, which is a term I just made up.It signifies a level of output that is sustainable over time, tough to shake under life's difficulties, and it promotes a state of happiness and flow.What's your Productive Performance output? It's probably ~80% of your Peak Performance.It's high enough to feel a little uncomfortable every day, but it's not consuming all of your resources or requiring a "crash day" after your project ends.Everyone is different, so it's your responsibility to figure out your Productive Performance rate (how many hours of work, what kind of labor is most exhausting for you, etc.) and solve for x.School definitely didn't teach this, so it's up to you.The planet needs you.Let's focus. Let's do this.
2 Minute Action
When was the last time you pulled an all-nighter?Do you remember how it felt?When was the last time you worked on a project and felt ready for the next challenge after you finished?Take 2 minutes to compare those moments in your life and give yourself your best guess about what kind of work excites/energizes you, what kind of work drains you, and how many hours it takes before you need to crash and reboot.Having this insight in the back of your mind will help you maximize your output across the rest of your career.