Read This If You Have No Idea What You're Doing
Hint: the answer ISN'T: "no one knows what they're doing, so you're justified. Just keep going."
Well, for starters; congrats.
This is the part where I go on and on about how no one knows what they're doing.
Like this kid in the picture. Get real. He doesn't know how to read that book.
I'll then go on to conclude one of a few platitudes:
- No one knows what they're doing, so you're justified. Just keep going.
- No one knows what they're doing at first, so you're justified. Just monitor yourself until you get there.
- Some people know what they're doing but that's because they worked really hard and now they know things.
- We each have our unique "thing" that we know how to do and life is about finding that thing and sharing it with the world.
Oh, man. I feel like I could keep going, but I'll just stop at 4.
All I want to do is ask you to pay attention to how you're feeling about this.
Where does this feeling of "not knowing what you're doing" come from?
- Is it literally a lack of expertise?
- Is it because you've never done anything like this before?
- Is it imposter syndrome?
None of these questions are impossible to answer.
And none of the answers are impossible to reconcile.
These feelings are just indicators. They're kind of like the check engine light in your car.
They tell you something is wrong, but then you have to actually run a diagnostic check to figure out what's going on. You might be able to do this at home, but you may have to enlist help.
2 Minute Action:
The point I'm making is that I'm not going to tell you "keep trying!"
I'm telling you to identify the feeling and go after it.
Understanding the indicator will help you chase the solution.
If you're afraid, follow the fear.
If you're confident, follow the confidence.
Your 2-minute action might be literally taking 2 minutes to reflect.
It might also be taking 2 minutes to schedule a phone call with a mentor or close friend to talk through this feeling and help you identify it.
Whatever you're doing, it can take just 2 minutes to get the ball rolling.
[SERIES] 3/7 Unpopular Belief: Steal Other People's Stuff
Yep. Other successful people have developed tricks of the trade, but they've also stolen and borrowed from other successful people.This is Part 3 of the 7 Unpopular Beliefs Series.
Steal Other People's Stuff!
Imitate successful people.
Pick the traits and characteristics you admire and mimic them.Steal their strategies and tactics.Remember that your customer, audience, client, patient, or student will only benefit if YOU succeed!Here's the hardest part about this:
Discover how your opponent is smarter than you.
It's not hard in that it requires searching. It's hard because it requires humility.As Derek Sivers says: "Find wisdom in your opponents!"You already know everything from your side. Understand your opponent's side and you'll have much more context, and possibly tools with which to succeed.
2 Minute Action
Who is someone you admire and can call?Take 2 minutes to ask them about their methods/strategies.There are also a lot of books written by authors who just want to share. You are connected to a huge wealth of human knowledge.If you don't know where to find resources, email me or tweet at me. Tell me what you want to steal and I can help.