Read This If You Think You're A Rebel
Someone said something to me yesterday.
He was talking about his attitude and how it matured as he got older.
He mentioned that early in his journey he felt like a rebel. He was out there making things, sometimes without guidance, sometimes without intention, and certainly without permission.
A rebel is someone who opposes things. They may not have a reason other than some general discontent with authority.
But then, this person mentioned that something happened to his mindset as he began to experience the results of his effort as he moved through life.
He developed intentions, purpose, and importantly, a plan.
He said, "instead of being just a rebel, I became a renegade."
A renegade is someone who changes beliefs based on new information, often endures social ex-communication or stigma, and commits to a new belief or way of being.
Part of this commitment is taking calculated action on those beliefs.
How will you turn your work, attitude, or mindset into action?
Are you a rebel or a renegade?
2 Minute Action
Here are some ways you can turn an idea or intention into an actionable plan:
- If you're having trouble turning an idea into action, take 2 minutes to "phone a friend" and ask them to hold you accountable to a small goal. Let them text you to remind you, or you can offer to do them a favor if you bail on your goal. (I had a friend who wrote a $1000 check to a trusted friend and said he could cash it if he failed to take action.)
- Set a block on your calendar that is reserved for just one part of your project and invite a friend to join you.
2 Mindsets That Make (Or Break) People
There are basically two fundamental mindsets you can have.
Developmental Mindset
Someone with a developmental mindset believes that hard work builds skills and that skills are the fundamental tools for success. Sure we each have talents and are predisposed to natural advantages, but hard work and deliberation are powerful multipliers that propel people to constantly outperform themselves.People with this world view spend their time ensuring that they are the dumbest person in the room and that they are constantly redefining themselves as slightly improved versions each day.
Fixed Mindset
Someome with a fixed mindset believes that they were born with a innate traits that equip them for success. Sure we can each work hard to achieve things, but being a genius or a prodigy far outperform any efforts one could endure to reach success.People with this world view spend their time ensuring that they are the smartest person in the room and that they are constantly asserting their pre-existing brilliance to anyone who will listen.
2 Minute Action
Which are you?Commit to making a 1% improvement today and choose something small, or ask someone for feedback, today.It only has to take 2 minutes.Remember, you get to choose which of these mindsets you believe.
This App You’re Using Is No Better Than CDROM
Have you seen this one in every hotel?
Control this TV with your phone
The benefit of the app can’t be that it replaces the remote. The remote works just fine. Why do we need to replace it?
If we’re going to build an app, it should be doing more than the remote. It should beat the remote.
The magic of an app can’t be that the same capabilities of the remote are now on a shiny screen!
We already went through that!
That was CDROM in the 90s!
How is that better?
A lot of resources go into technology products and if we’re developing with a lean mindset, this product really needs to justify why it exists.
That product really needs to justify why it took so many developer hours and venture capital.
There are a few times it’s okay to invest in something to achieve “feature parity.”
Feature parity just means that the new thing has the same capabilities or features as the old version.
This can be okay but only under certain conditions, like when it enables you to build more or better future features at less cost or more stability or by using less computer processing hours.
That’s an investment. That’s justified.
Having a lean mindset means that tasks, features, and innovations are all fighting for their lives to stay on your task list.
2 Minute Action
You have a list of things to do?
Great.
Spend 2 minutes right now, going top to bottom.
Everything must fight for its life to stay on the list.
Good questions to ask:
What might happen if I put this off?
What might happen if I never finish this?