“Get to the point where you get allergic to average! You don’t think average!”
― Eric Thomas

You’ll never make it to the next level with an average mindset. Average is for everyone else. Average is the path of fear.

So conquer your fear. Convince yourself that your goals are bigger than fear.

Choose to end your fear.

• Don’t fear new paths.
• Don’t fear work.
• Don’t fear being different.
• Don’t fear criticism.
• Don’t fear judgment.
• Don’t fear taking risks.
• Don’t fear stepping out of your comfort zone.
• Don’t fear the unknown.
• Don’t fear rejection.
• Don’t fear change.
• Don’t fear success.
• Don’t fear being alone.
• Don’t fear standing up for yourself.
• Don’t fear starting over.
• Don’t fear being vulnerable.
• Don’t fear being misunderstood.
• Don’t fear making mistakes.
• Don’t fear asking for help.
• Don’t fear being imperfect.
• Don’t fear being yourself.
• Don’t fear the journey.

Push yourself. Believe in your abilities. Strive for greatness.

Don’t be average.

“First law of Bad Management: If something isn’t working, do more of it.”
― Tom DeMarco

I’m a programmer. I build software. One thing ingrained in me after all these years of software engineering is this: test your work.

Testing can’t just be an afterthought. It’s a crucial step in the process. That’s why good developers embrace concepts like test-driven development or TDD.

And testing isn’t limited to software development. You can apply many of the same concepts throughout your life. Often, all you need to do is specify your expected results and verify them as you go.

Of course, this readily applies to things like diet (step on the scale each week) and exercise (measure strength increases). It applies to less obvious endeavors too. For example:

• Cooking — Do a trial run of your new recipe with a small group of friends before the big party.
• Hobbies — Run an experiment and borrow equipment to see if you like that intriguing activity before you “invest” all your money.
• Raising kids — Ask your older kids for “user feedback” about chores and family activities. They may surprise you with their insight.
• Public speaking — A/B test opening jokes or witty anecdotes and adjust your speech accordingly.
• Power outages — Flip off the master breaker and do some edge case testing for minor disaster prep. Just make sure you remember where you put the flashlight.

There are lots more too. Sure, it sounds a bit nerdy, but it’s an integral part of continuous improvement.

If it’s important, test it.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
― Peter Drucker

Meetings can be beneficial, but often they disguise a form of micromanaging. Instead of more meetings for progress reports and marching orders, focus on metrics that matter for your business goals. Good metrics showcase what’s working and what isn’t.

When you focus on metrics, you ensure every team member knows what’s expected. There are no grey areas — just clear, quantifiable targets. And using metrics to drive performance lets each team member see how their personal results drive success for the whole team.

Clear metrics also enable your people to track their own performance and make necessary changes independently. This reduces the need for constant supervision and gives your team the freedom to learn, adapt, and excel.

Make your meetings matter, and let the numbers do the talking.

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
― Plato

Eight things you can do to improve your life this week:

1. Say “no” to something that doesn’t bring you value.

2. Outsource or delegate a non-critical task.

3. Automate a repetitive task.

4. Define your goals clearly.

5. Take some time to think.

6. Go for a walk in nature.

7. Cook a delicious meal.

8. Read a book.

“Be positive. Your mind is more powerful than you think. What is down in the well comes up in the bucket. Fill yourself with positive things.”
― Tony Dungy

The power of a positive attitude is undeniable. No matter who you are, cultivating an attitude of positivity will make a difference in your professional and personal life.

A positive attitude is like a tool in a toolbox. It equips you with enough resilience to handle the ups and downs, pushes you towards problem-solving, and encourages creative thinking.

Here are some effective ways to cultivate a daily positive attitude:

• Foster gratitude: Start each day with gratitude. Thank God for the gifts he gave you. This practice sends an immediate positive charge to your brain, setting the tone for your day.

• Transform negative thoughts: When confronted with negativity, flip the script. Look for a silver lining, a lesson, or an opportunity in the situation. How we interpret what happens in our life is just as important as what happens in our life.

• Affirm yourself: Tell yourself you can handle whatever life throws at you. Tell yourself you’ll be the person you want to be — at least for today. The tone you set at the beginning of the day controls your thoughts throughout the day.

Adopting a positive attitude doesn’t mean ignoring life’s struggles or problems. It’s about approaching these hurdles with a hopeful, proactive mindset. The result? A more satisfying, fulfilled, and productive life.

“They say that money can’t solve problems, but I’m pretty sure it would solve my money problem.”
― Unknown

What if you just threw money at the problem?

Would that make it go away? Would that solve it instantly and save you the headache?

How quickly do you need it done? What else could you be accomplishing right now?

How much time and frustration would that save? What’s your time worth? What’s your sanity worth?

You won’t solve all your problems by throwing money at them, but sometimes, you can trade money for time, productivity, and sanity.

“I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true – hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something, then don’t do it.”
― Ray Bradbury

How did they get so good? Were they born with some special talent? Do they have a secret formula?

High performers always make it seem so easy. How do they do it?

The answer is simpler than you might think. They practice. A lot.

“No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.”
― Warren Buffett

Let’s get back to basic productivity tactics. We all suffer productivity lapses, and these tactics can get you back on track fast.

Set goals. What are you trying to accomplish? Figure out the big picture and break it down into managable priorities.

Plan your time. Stop multitasking. You not good at it, and it slows you down overall. Instead, start batching your tasks and knocking out one group at a time.

Eliminate distractions. The text messages, emails, and phone calls can wait. The interruptions from your team can wait. Find a way to cut out everything pulling you away from the task at hand.

Take breaks. It doesn’t always feel like progress, but taking breaks can speed you up in the long run. Even better: go for a walk and take in some fresh air. You’ll thank me later.

Reward yourself. Remember those distractions we eliminated earlier? Some of those are great rewards for finishing tasks. Train your brain to associate rewards with accomplishments.

“The prudent see only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both; diminishes the former and makes the latter preponderate, and so conquers.”
― Johann Kaspar Lavater

How do you find people for your team who are not only smart and skilled but also creative, adaptable, and resourceful?

Well, I ask this question: The zombie apocalypse just started. What do you do?

This question is a great way to gauge how a candidate thinks on their feet and solves problems. It reveals a lot about their personality, values, and motivation too.

I can get a great sense of what kind of person they are and what matters to them. Do they prioritize survival or helping others? Do they prefer to work alone or in a team? Do they have a sense of humor or a serious attitude?

Of course, this isn’t the most important interview question. But it’s an effective way to decrease stress, spark a conversation, and get to know the candidate better.

“Micromanagement is a tool, but it is not a permanent solution.”
― Jocko Willink

Micromanaging has a bad reputation, and for good reasons. It can be harmful to morale, productivity, and retention. But, as is often the case, there are two sides to every coin. In some cases, for brief periods of time, micromanaging can be an effective strategy.

Here are some examples of when you might want to micromanage someone on your team:

• When a team member is new or inexperienced. Micromanaging can help a new team member learn the ropes and get up to speed quickly.
• When a team member is struggling. If a team member is consistently making mistakes or not meeting expectations, micromanaging may be a helpful tool to get them back on track.
• When failure is too risky. Ideally, your team is prepared to handle high risk, high impact situations. But sometimes, especially with less experience teams, they’re not ready yet, and the stakes are too high to allow for mistakes.

Now, let me be clear. It’s always better to set clear goals and expectations, provide resources and support, and then get out of the way. This allows the individual team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions on their own.

So, you should:

• Set clear goals and expectations. Make sure your team members know what is expected of them and what they need to do to succeed.
• Provide resources and support. Give your team members the tools and resources they need to do their jobs effectively.
• Get out of the way. Once you set clear goals and expectations, trust your team members to do their jobs. Don’t micromanage them.
• Give feedback. Give your team members ongoing feedback so they can learn from their mistakes and successes and improve their performance.

Micromanaging is a tool that can be appropriate in some cases, but it’s never a good long-term solution.