Category: Life

Yesterday, I saw a friend announce a project he’s been working on.

Several months ago, I gave him the idea. Since then, there was no word of him working on it or even considering it beyond the requisite, “that’s a really good idea” formalities.

I experienced the full spectrum of emotions.

Excitement that the idea had been used, confusion that I wasn’t made aware of the project’s development, and petty (and unrealistic) frustration that I wasn’t acknowledged in the pre-announcement.

None of that matters, though.

My friend took the idea (there’s actually no guarantee that the idea was new to him when I mentioned it, but it makes for a great story to assume) and actually did something with it.

“Idea people” (in this context, I mean people who never ship anything, but rather spend their time spouting off ideas for everyone while avoiding the hard work of creation) represent the antithesis of people who ship.

I wouldn’t consider myself (just) an idea person, but you can think of me as one in this example to illustrate the point.

Few ideas executed brilliantly are original. As a matter of fact, original ideas — so far as I can tell — rarely result in commercial success. But the people who take the time to execute on things properly, and see things through to completion, win. Often.

Could I have moved on the project myself? Well of course I could have.

But I didn’t.

Too bad.

One of the most deceptive and seductive tactics that Resistance uses against us is the feeling that we’re making progress towards our goals when we’re not.

We invent tasks and activities and never-ending checklists for ourselves to complete before we give ourself permission to do the hard work of actually getting started. And make no mistake, that is absolutely the hardest part.

An example would be an aspiring programmer who—instead of sitting down and cranking out line after line of bad code (until it improves)—spends three months seeking out the best programming books available, reading every interview done by their favorite technologists, and emailing programmer friends (and anyone who will listen…) for advice on how to get started.

Another example is the aspiring sound engineer who puts off honing their craft because they’re saving up for a prohibitively expensive piece of software used by pros (and completely overkill for amateurs), when there are comparable free and open-source programs that would be just fine to begin with.

There will always be a reason why today is not the best day, why circumstances are not ideal, and why the timing isn’t right. Eliminating deliberation is how you win.

Canceling is easy.

When you tell a friend you’ll be at their moderately interesting event two months from now, you’re not thinking about the day of the event.

You’re not thinking about how tempting it will be to cancel, how little you’re actually interested in going, or how much trouble it will be to get there.

But you’re also not thinking about how good it will be to see your friend.

Or how proud of her you’ll be when you attend the event. Or the great people you’ll meet, the attractive server who pays you special attention, the laughs you will share with new friends, or how fun it is to get out of the house, turn off your phone, and have a good time.

Have someone hold you accountable if needed but if you say you’re going to go, then go.

You won’t regret it.

(If you do, blame your friend.)

My friends and I often discuss success and work and life in our down time.

I’m known to work myself into a frothy lather about such topics, as the journey to where I am now has been full of lessons and mistakes and insights and trials.

A common reaction I’m noticing these days is one that reflects an assumption of what my standards are for others. That is, it’s assumed that I think everyone should quit their jobs, start a business, and maximize capital at all costs.

Not true.

I don’t care what success looks like for my friends, so long as what they’re doing:

1. Brings them joy
2. Brings no harm to others
3. Challenges them

If you want to be a barista at Starbucks, go for it.

If you want to paint pictures of flowers in Central Park, make haste to do so.

If you want to travel the world walking on your hands, get to hand-standing.

I don’t care what you do, just do your best at whatever it is.

I’m your biggest fan.

One of the benefits of having successful mentors (even if they don’t consider themselves mentors) is that they push you. Push you to be better. Then push you to be better than that.

And then, you’re just getting started.

I think this kind of influence is necessary for some people. I know people with intense work ethics. People who are relentless self-starters who need to no external influence to work hard and set goals and make successive approximations towards their goals in life.

Others need a push.

Something that unlocks their potential. A tipping point that helps them see plainly the void between where they are and where they could (should) be. This push can become a crutch for some people but for others, it’s all they need to make moves.

To my mentor(s), thank you.

Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then. —John Wooden

How do you deal with adversity?

How about getting a speeding ticket, needing to pay a fine, being berated by a friend, stubbing your toe, or having your order messed up at a restaurant?

Do you find yourself unfazed and able to roll with the punches, or do you react emotionally and determine that the world is out to get you?

If you woke up tomorrow and found yourself without the need to work (i.e., you no longer needed to make money at all for anything, ever), what would you do?

I don’t mean your knee-jerk response (perhaps a month on the beach in Bali or parasailing in the Caribbean), I mean after that.

• Who would you help?
• What would you work on?
• What problem would you solve?

Now what if you only had six months to live?

Why do we wait for extraordinary circumstances in order to live the life we imagined?

During the first day of my class in college, a young lady sat down next to me, extended her hand to shake mine, and introduced herself.

Hi, I’m Charelle.

I was flabbergasted.

Didn’t she know that we were college freshmen?

Did she not get the memo that members of the opposite sex were supposed to pretend that the other is invisible, stealing glances from across the room? That the proper response when passing each other on the sidewalk would have been to stare at the ground and pretend it’s not happening?

Who gave this young lady permission to behave like an adult?

Just because a behavior is commonly accepted doesn’t mean you must subscribe to it. Many people take part in activities and exhibit behaviors just to fit in, to be accepted, and to avoid the terrifying responsibility of developing a backbone.

I gained a tremendous amount of respect for Charelle in that moment, and remain friends to this day. The status quo is a dangerous beast, and waging war on it is in our best interest.

I’ve never felt the loss of someone I didn’t know before. Not like this, at least. The world mourns today for the loss of one of history’s most prolific inventors, engineers, and visionaries.

The life Steve Jobs lived — seemingly every minute of it — was marked by an intense purpose. A drive and determination that was light years ahead of even the greatest business leaders of our time.

As I reflect on the life of Steve Jobs, I feel a more intense urgency to harder, faster, and more courageously towards my dreams than I ever have before.

By the time this post is read, tens of thousands of tribute posts (many prepared months in advance) will have been published. Here’s mine.

Rest in peace Steve, you changed the world.

[Click through to the site if the video below doesn’t show up in your email or RSS feed.]

The latest artistic stunt by Improv Everywhere featured a constructed custom wooden lectern with a megaphone attached and a sign that read, “Say Something Nice.”

The lectern was placed in a public square in New York City and then left alone. See what happens when New Yorkers are given the opportunity to amplify their voices and “say something nice.”

See the back story and learn more about Improv Everywhere on their website: ImprovEverywhere.com.

It doesn’t take much. (via)