“The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It doesn’t matter what you look like.
It doesn’t matter how old you are.
It doesn’t matter where you came from.
What does matter?
It matters if you show up.
It matters if you produce.
It matters if you lead.
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
― Mike Tyson
What do you do when things don’t go according to plan? And remember: Things are not going to go according to plan. So what do you do?
Sure, you need to adapt to the situation. But winging it isn’t a winning strategy.
No, you can’t account for every possible risk. But you should probably be ready for the most likely or highest impact contingencies.
Expand your plan so you’re planning for problems. When something goes wrong, you should already be prepared for dealing with it. Be ready with solutions to likely problems. Avoid high-impact issues when possible. Know how to find answers when you need them.
“Has anyone ever said, ‘I wish I could go to more meetings today’?”
― Matt Mullenweg
Meetings are one of the biggest time wasters in the modern world, but they’re also useful when you need to make a decision that depends on multiple people. If you want to get the most out of everyone’s time, try these tips.
“Love of bustle is not industry.”
― Seneca
Lots of activities feel productive but don’t achieve anything. For instance:
There’s nothing wrong with these activities. They can be worthwhile in small doses. The only problem is when you spend 90% of your time on activities that don’t move the ball forward. Remember: Busy isn’t the goal.
“Success isn’t overnight. It’s when every day you get a little better than the day before. It all adds up.”
― Dwayne Johnson
You win the year by winning the month.
You win the month by winning the week.
You win the week by winning the day.
You win the day by winning the hour.
You win the hour by winning the moment.
“People are not your most important asset. The right people are.”
― Jim Collins
It’s tempting to hire for buzzwords, for experience, and for accumulated knowledge. But you can teach just about anybody to do just about anything.
Instead, what if you hired good team players? What if you hired insatiable learners? What if you hired winners?
What if you were willing to invest in people who believe in your mission and want to travel this road with you?
“The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours.”
― Amos Tversky
“Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are only three ways to handle criticism:
The only wrong path is inaction, which leads to stress and anxiety.
Make a decision and move forward.
“No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.”
― Neil deGrasse Tyson
If I put a seed in the ground and water it, a plant will grow.
If I flip the switch, the light turns on.
If I touch fire, my hand hurts.
Germination occurs when you expose a healthy seed to water, good soil, and sunlight.
Flipping a switch allows electricity to flow to the light bulb, causing illumination.
A campfire burns at an average temperature of about 480°C.
A specific combination of environmental factors, including proper exposure to water, oxygen, temperature, and light, trigger the cellular metabolism and growth of a seed.
When current flows through certain semiconductors, electrons recombine with electron holes, a process which releases energy in the form of photons.
My nervous system is equiped with nocieptors that detect potentially damaging thermal stimuli and cause a pain sensation when exposed to a minimum instensity of heat.
“Seek respect, not attention.”
― Roy T. Bennett
Let people see the real you. No, you’re not perfect, but if you try to appear perfect, you’ll look fake. No one respects a person who is putting on an act.
Then do those jobs enthusiastically and well. Be the person others know they can count on whenever they need a hand. Sometimes this means taking on tasks beneath your experience or expertise but don’t let your ego get in the way.
Complaining is the fastest way to lose respect. You’ll almost always sound petty. Everybody has problems; they don’t need to hear about yours. On the other hand, if you deal with whatever life throws at you, respect will follow.
