“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.
“If a man thinks he is not conceited, he is very conceited indeed.”
― C.S. Lewis
Your ego isn’t bad. It’s useful.
Your ego drives you to be the best version of yourself.
Your ego pushes you to produce work that’s useful and appreciated.
Your ego encourages you to stand up for yourself.
BUT…
Your ego also gets in the way.
Your ego fuels your anger when someone calls out a mistake.
Your ego prevents you from seeking help when you need it.
Your ego puts you above the team, above the mission, and above winning.
Control your ego, don’t be controlled by it.
“A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.”
― Lao Tzu
Most people hesitate.
Most people sit all day.
Most people waste time.
Most people procrastinate.
Most people avoid conflict.
Most people choose the easy path.
Most people lose sight of their dreams.
Most people read social media posts all day.
Most people work just enough to avoid getting fired.
Most people focus on perfection instead of progress.
Don’t be like most people.
“Every day is different, and some days are better than others, but no matter how challenging the day, I get up and live it.”
― Muhammad Ali
It’s easy to say you want to stay focused. Doing it, well, that’s another matter.
Every day presents new distractions:
So how can anybody stay focused?
Easy.
Work backward.
Let me explain.
Instead of planning what you need to do next, focus on the end state. Then figure out the step before the end, the one before that, and so on. Eventually, you’ll find what you should focus on today.
That step you just discovered is your next important task. Anything not on that path is a distraction.
Sure, you need to do necessary things, like buy eggs, but make sure you get the important tasks done each day. Do them first, if possible.
When you finish a task, reevaluate your path. Do you need to make any course corrections? Did completing this step reveal any new paths forward?
Stay focused, and you’ll progress 10X faster.
“Everyone wants some magic pill—some life hack—that eliminates the need to do the work. But that does not exist.”
― Jocko Willink
A doctor won’t magically make you well. You need to take ownership of your health.
A job won’t magically make you rich. You need to take ownership of your finances.
An alarm clock won’t magically get you out of bed earlier. You need to take ownership of your time.
A gym won’t magically make you strong. You need to take ownership of your fitness.
A to do list won’t magically make you more productive. You need to take ownership of your focus.
“Everything is negotiable. Whether or not the negotiation is easy is another thing.”
― Carrie Fisher
Deal-making 101:
“There is only what you do and what you don’t do.”
― Khaled Hosseini
Sometimes you hit a wall and don’t know what to do next. Sure, you have a long list of things to do, and they all seem valuable. Still, what’s going to help you get to the next level? What will produce the maximum impact? What should you prioritize first?
Perhaps it’s time to put together a “not gonna” list.
Deciding what you’re not going to do may jumpstart your progress and reset your focus.
Examples:
Pick 1-3 things you’re not gonna do today. See how you feel at the end of the day. Repeat as needed.
