How Not To Reinvent The Wheel

Someone probably already did the work.Whether you're looking at mortgages, structuring your business, writing up a new contract, whatever it is . . .It's 2018 and the internet is bigger than ever.Someone has probably done whatever it is you're about to do before you even realized it was a problem.It's worth taking the 30 seconds to run a quick search and see what's out there.Don't reinvent the wheel.Steal it.

2 Minute Action

What's something you're dreading doing today?Look through your Facebook friends and see who may have expertise or resources in this area.Google: "Conflict resolution techniques," or "How to ask for a raise."Order the top book on Amazon about negotiating.There's a whole world of information out there.If you want to make your work better, you may also even want to look at what's out there just so you can figure out how to stand out.It's up to you.

Where Have All The Geniuses Gone?

You've been taught that there's a right answer and that there's a way to get there.Transitive Property.Pythagorean Theorem.Grammer.There's a right way and there's a wrong way.We're only going to ask you questions to which we adults already know the answers.But when was the last time school taught kids to work on problems that had no right answers?When was the last time we prepared them to fail again and again and again, without knowing when it would finally make sense?School was designed to create compliant factory workers, not geniuses.If I asked you to name a genius, you'd probably say Einstein.And you'd probably say that he was a genius because of his DNA.Almost no one would refer to an idea as genius, but would rather refer to the person as one.And the statistical probability of having more geniuses is higher than ever, now that we're around 8 billion people on the planet.So we know it's not the DNA.

So then where are all the benevolent geniuses?

The problem isn't the DNA, the problem is the system with which we're educating.And if you want to have a society where people have genius ideas, relentless execution, and profound social impact, we're going to need a system that's thoughtful, enriching, and practical enough to give people a chance.There are geniuses all over the place, we just never notice in the Age of Distraction.And the cool thing is that anytime you've had an original idea, you've been one, too.

2 Minute Action

When was the last time you put your phone down for 5 hours so you could zoom out, identify and solve problems you're facing?Perhaps a better question is: when will you?It takes 2 minutes to look through your calendar and block out the time.You're ready.You don't need to "know what you're doing," because no one does.That's just the reflex your schooling has installed in your brain.You're ready.You have everything you need to start.Go.

How To Spot A Fake Expert

I just heard someone say: “We’ll, they wrote the book on the subject, so they must really know what they’re talking about.”At first, this sounds right, but remember that we’re in the Information Age?What they really meant to say was “they wrote A book on the subject.”Everyone can publish.No one is standing over any author saying “these facts aren’t solid,” or “what does the rest of the field think?”One of the most important core values you can have, that will move you forward in a healthy trajectory is thinking for yourself.Be skeptical.Unless the book has been reviewed by other expert peers and accepted into the field as a cornerstone of knowledge, then it’s simply opinion or observation.This grueling review process is called scienceNo one wrote THE book. They wrote A book.And isn’t it funny that all our K-12 librarians seem to have lost their jobs over the last 10 years and suddenly we have a fake news crisis?

2 Minute Action

What's a primary source?What’s a secondary source?How does the scientific method work?Knowing these will help you become a learner.Being a learner is the only way to adapt and survive in a constantly changing world. The same goes for your work.Stay the same and your work will dry up.Learn and adapt, and you earn the possibility of success.