“No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.”
― Neil deGrasse Tyson

Beginners understand that something happens.

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.

Amateurs understand how it happens.

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.

Experts understand why it happens.

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

Be authentic.

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.

Volunteer for the jobs nobody else wants to do.

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.

Don’t complain.

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:

• I need to buy eggs.
• Ooh! Check out this website!
• What’s trending on Twitter?
• Did you see what happened in the stock market?
• 652 unread emails?!
• I can’t believe what the president did!
• Oh, good. My favorite newsletter.
• I wonder if Netflix has any new shows?
• What should I make for dinner?

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:

• Remember: People care more about not losing than they do about winning.
• Detach from your emotions, but give the other side emotional wins.
• The issue is never price. It’s value, confidence, delivery, or whatever, but not price.
• Say “no” without using the word “no.”
• Zero-sum games require losers. In a deal, everybody wins.

“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:

• I’m not gonna sleep late.
• I’m not gonna eat that donut.
• I’m not gonna skip my workout.
• I’m not gonna slouch.
• I’m not gonna check my phone every 5 minutes.
• I’m not gonna buy stuff I don’t need.
• I’m not gonna procrastinate.
• I’m not gonna let my team down.
• I’m not gonna multitask.
• I’m not gonna eat out.
• I’m not gonna slack off.
• I’m not gonna try to do everything.
• I’m not gonna avoid calling my parents.
• I’m not gonna ignore my kids.
• I’m not gonna let trivial things annoy me.
• I’m not gonna go down the news rabbit hole.

Pick 1-3 things you’re not gonna do today. See how you feel at the end of the day. Repeat as needed.

“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself.”
― Epictetus

It’s less crowded at the top, but it’s not lonely.

The top is where you find amazing people doing amazing things.

The top is where you meet the best mentors.

The top is where you discover what it takes to be your best.

“Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety.”
― Plato

Don’t panic. Don’t freeze up.

Whatever your challenge, consider it a proving ground.

If you fail, you fail. Learn from it and move forward. But if you panic, you miss out on an opportunity to grow.

So, don’t panic. You’ve got this. You can do it.