PhotoCredit: Unravel
After writing today's subheading 'Absolute Beginnings' I got super distracted listening to David Bowie. If you are seeking a six minute distraction, I really enjoyed this gem. I so love David Bowie and his voice is on full display in this BBC live performance.
Today is both a question for you and a nod to my focus for April. I have been inspired by a few people who are exploring new beginnings in their lives and have asked me how they should start? It's a lonely and scary process that is equally exciting, full of promise and loaded with ambition. Sweet and Sour - a winning combination when you get the balance right.
For those of you on that journey, or contemplating it: what are you struggling with, trying to optimize or keen to learn?
For those of you not on that journey, why not? Is there something in the back of your mind that might want to come out and play? Is there something in your life already that is a new beginning that you might be able to support more? A new opportunity to expand your role, your horizons or even just your thinking?
"The more things change the more they stay the same" is a troubling observation. Side note: this is a translation of “plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose“ from French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr. In a world of constant and lately overwhelming change: are you evolving or are you stubbornly sticking to the habits and practices of your lifetime?
Perhaps it is time for your own new beginning?
LITTLE PLANS
PhotoCredit: TheLittlePrince
I have mentioned Farnam Street before. The author is a proponent of problem solving through the concept of mental model's. I am more than a little obsessed.
A very recent post, which you should absolutely read, talks about the power of asymmetry noting "finding hidden or overlooked asymmetry is the key to an unstoppable advantage. And there is a lot of it hiding in plain sight."
That's basically saying there is magic hiding in plain sight. Unlocking asymmetry is very likely the thing that will take you beyond your wildest expectations. Seriously, that's kinda the whole point of asymmetry.
To unlock asymmetry, you need to hunt for it. You need to take action. So, stop dreaming. Start exploring. Dreaming is ethereal (and beautiful). Exploring is tangible and active. Dreaming helps you think about what might be possible. Exploring makes the possible happen.
Take a pen and write your wildest dream on a piece of paper. Then write three things you will do this week to explore that dream. Who can you call, what can you read, what question do you need to answer, what change do you need to make, who do you need to hire, who do you need to fire, what do you need to stop, what do you need to start?
Dream big, explore bigger.
PLAY TIME
PhotoCredit: OutsideTheLines
I always felt rather guilty that my morning routine started with checking my inbox. I even feel guilty when I check the news. They are both great things to do; I don't want to miss anything urgent in my work-life or in the world. They are also both problematic things to do, they can create a massive vortex that will suck you in and distract you from your priorities.
Most aspirational morning routines start with variations on the theme of meditation, exercise, healthy smoothies and lighting incense to welcome the day. I am more of a "stumble out of bed, guzzle coffee, bang on computer" kinda gal.
And it worked for me. Well it did. I've been getting up earlier and realized that, it doesn't matter what time I get out of bed, my brain needs time to boot-up. So I started experimenting with morning play-time.
I prep for this the night before. I make sure to have an hour each evening where I clear and organize email then set my priorities for the next day. If I don't do that, I definately get behind. I also ALWAYS tidy my desk - there is something infinitely distracting about a messy desk in the morning. To each their own, unless you are my husband - in which case it's mandatory. Love you!
In the morning, I do what I want to do for the first 30 minutes to an hour - depending on what I have on that day. Most days this means meandering through interesting articles. I might also pick up a recipe book or three, do some online research (ok, so shopping), or read a couple of good newsletters I subscribe to but don't always make time for. Basically, it's my time, I do whatever I damn well please.
What I have found with this system is: a) I am getting up before any work email comes in; b) regardless of the day ahead, I have had some time for myself; c) I am naturally following this time with meditation which is really locking in focus for the day; and d) my brain feels a lot more charged up, starting the day this way seems to encourage brain expansiveness.
While clearly the mediation helps substantially, the free play seems to wake up every part of my brain. It's like the ultimate warm up for the most important muscle in your body. Well, maybe the brain is an organ, but you get my point.
THE JENGA OF IT ALL
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Jenga feels so much like real life. Just as you have diligently organized your ambitions and projects, pieces of your carefully constructed stack are moved out from under you. Inevitably, it all falls down. Work gets in the way; people get in the way; Omicron gets in the way; changing seasons get in the way; and - let's face it - we get in our own way.
Our ambitions, goals and objectives become remote as the obstacles to overcome them loom large.
We started this year talking about getting clear about what we want for ourselves. Our I AM statements were a declaration of who we want to be in the world. We then assessed our actions - what do I need to do more of (or less of) to be that person? Then we dove into productivity for most of February, establishing an operating rhythm for our areas of focus.
Armed with clarity of vision and efficiency, surely nothing could touch us. Yet, inevitably comes the creep. Workload, life-load and overload take hold and we realize we are not the person we stated we wanted to be. Ambition-Reality dissonance is what we are going to call this. I have read countless books that seek to solve this problem via willpower, small changes, focus, relentlessness, loving oneself and not-giving-a-F__K. They are all entertaining reads. They are also all not very helpful.
The best advice I heard/read lately is that we need to turn the dial from denial to adventure. We tend to approach the broader realm of improvement through deprivation and discipline. What we can't have. What we must do. We take all the damn fun out of life. No wonder that on a bad day we disappear ourselves into a bag of potato chips and a bottle of wine.
Life is not an exercise in self-flagellation. What's the point of ambition if every step of your journey is like walking on broken glass. Ok, I am being a little dramatic.
The trick, the secret, is to make it fun. Make it enjoyable. Do email for an hour in the morning at a cafe; do your reading in the bath; put epic music on as you clean out your inbox (you can pause it when you have to think); color coordinate your calendar; play jargon bingo on conference calls; use colored pens instead of black and blue (who made up that stupid rule anyway?)
There will be some hard moments and mountains to climb along the way. Just don't make the day-to-day a relentless hard moment. Don't make following your dreams an impossible mountain. The more you find ways to enjoy life, the more energy you will have to spare when you really need it.
KISS THAT FROG
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I was recently reminded of the saying “eat that frog!” The saying originates from a Mark Twain quote “eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day”. Um, ick! Tony Robbins has a more PETA-approved method. Robbins takes a cold-plunge every morning, or so he tells us, advising that everything else in your day will feel easy in comparison.
Somewhere between Twain and Robbins, the frog eating idea was picked up by self-help author Brian Tracy. It was the lead idea in his book of productivity hacks. I haven’t read the book (but purchased it on kindle so that’s basically like reading it, right?) Tracy’s take was that the frog was your biggest, highest impact and likely most procrastinated job. So obviously that is the job you want to do first each day. Tackle and conquer that job first and the rest of your day will be smug fueled.
The advice does work on a lot of levels. The human brain is wired for detail and focused tasks in the morning. Getting one major thing completed at the start of your day is kinda the definition of productive. Creating this rhythm over time will have you slaying your to-do list.
The problem is that the real world doesn't work like the self-help world. In the self-help world we hear great advice once and it’s embedded. Obvi. Locked and Loaded. No need to tell me twice. I am a lean, mean, efficiency machine.
In the real world we are sucked into the vortex of inbox overload, realize we forgot about that urgent deadline, slept in after the dog was barking at ghosts at 1am and feel a bit shabby because I-so-shouldn’t-have-had-that-extra-glass-of-wine-last-night.
Change is hard. Motivation waxes and wanes. Life is demanding. Ambition can be a mixed bag. We know what we should do. What we actually do is a little more variable. Ok, a lot variable.
The solution is to use that to your advantage. With any of these hacks and techniques; pick one or two and think of them more as a goal. We are humans, not robots. As my incredible yoga teacher and friend says - this is about progress, not perfection. It's more about kissing frogs than eating them. And sometimes you gotta just kiss a lot of frogs.
THE FINAL FRONTIER
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A friend of mine is a big astrology geek. I really enjoy catching up with her and talking star's and moon's. It's about the least scientific I get, except for when I pull out my Tarot cards. Don't quit me yet, logic will prevail - I promise.
In our latest session we talked about Mercury In Retrograde. This is a science "phenomena" that astrology has commandeered. The planet Mercury observably goes into retrograde motion, moving backwards. Well, sort of. The planet does appear to go backwards but it's an illusion based on Mercury's movement versus Earth's position.
This Vox article explains it nicely and has a bonus video of Taylor Swift explaining Mercury In Retrograde.
Tay-Tay aside (which is a potentially career-ending move so I tread carefully here) I do think there is something to learn from MIR. Yeah, I just turned an astrology term into an acronym. (I know, what will I do next?)
2022 has four time periods when Mercury is in retrograde. From a woo-woo standpoint this is a time when communication becomes difficult, technology becomes impossible and negotiations become acrimonious. Or to quote my girl "everything is going to be completely wrong and messed up."
Usually MIR is only three times a year. So, four is potentially not good news people. This could be a hella-messed-up-year.
I see it differently. First, it's not really a thing so feel free to go about your business. Second, and obviously the point I have been building to, it's a useful lens for assessment. The reason I like Tarot - and even on occasions star-sign stuff - is that they are really left-field ways of thinking about yourself and your life. It gets you thinking differently. Maybe examining your life through a lens you don't often think about.
MIR is a great excuse to plan, review, research, think and calm your jets. We don't do enough of this. We all spend way too much time in hustle-mode. All energy, all external, all the time. We miss valuable information and insight.
We can use that to great advantage in 2022. While I expect a recovery-year, I also anticipate some turbulence as we attempt to exit pandemic-life. It will not be a straight line to whatever normal starts to look like. I am personally taking an agile-approach and using the MIR window's to sprint and then review/plan. It's just an aid to a planning cycle. You do you, always. But - if your contract negotiations go sideways, your phone breaks and you start having fights with friend and loved ones...it could be the dreaded Mercury In Retrograde. Though it's more likely just time for a new phone (and maybe friends).
BUILDING BLOCKS
PhotoCredit: Quentin Gréban
A couple of years ago I re-discovered Lego. I had been buying sets for my niece and nephew and found it extremely meditative. Calm would ensue as we sat at the table, "read" the instructions, found the needed piece and positioned it as directed.
My main role was sticker-stickering. Little fingers struggled with manipulating the tiny stickers onto the tiny bricks. I might note, it's not without complication for big fingers.
Brick By Brick the 3D promise is revealed. Behold a VW Camper Van; Firehouse, Hospital; and SpaceShuttle.
Lego is an exceptional metaphor for many aspects of life. The obvious overtone of building is applicable to many work and life contexts. Less obvious is the sequence of micro-steps that lead to exceptional creations. The latter is especially interesting. Farnam Street speaks about the power of compounding results from small actions. James Clear has built a majestic writing career off the back of the concept of Atomic Habits; tiny steps that lead to outsized results.
Over the weekend I was equally inspired by this Observer Effect interview with Marc Andreessen on his lego-like calendar. I had previously attempted this approach to blocking out my life and dismissed it. It felt obsessive and lacking in spontaneity. Revisiting it, I realize it solves a few problems I hadn't appreciated at the time. It elegantly enables the programming of lego-blocks of time into one's day that ladder up to big areas of focus. It also actively plans for other parts of his life that might otherwise get overlooked or deprioritized in a busy day/week. Gym, Sleep!, Reading, and Admin.
I also really liked Andreessen's comment that he regularly steps back from this to make sure he is appropriately managing his time, priorities and commitments.
There is a lot I could unpack from the interview. I strongly encourage you read the Observer interview but I will also leave you with a couple of key takeaways/thoughts/challenges. First, think about what the focus of each day of the week is for you. Note Andreessen has a couple of internal/planning days a week (Monday and Friday) and reserves the rest of the week for more direct, external, work with his portfolio. Do you have a cadence or operating rhythm that structures your week?
Second, look back on the I AM statements you wrote. Do you have dedicated time/building blocks in the week to support you in those areas? You can do the exact same thing for your business goals too. Andreessen has an elaborate system for keeping on top of his projects which I plan to experiment with. What could you experiment with? Give something new a try to take control of your schedule. There are three weeks left in February, it's an excellent month for testing out a new system. Block by Block.
EYE OF THE
PhotoCredit: RestingTigerFace
This week's image reminds me of our dog Winston. He is equal parts lap-dog and honey-badger. "Cuddles" involves teeth and hurling all 75 pounds (35kg) of himself "at" my lap. His aim is approximate. I have heightened proprioception for any vessel containing liquid in my vicinity; a cup of coffee is no match for his enthusiasm.
Winston was born in the year of the rat. 2020. No wonder the poor dog needs constant reassurance while also having a keen survival instinct. Don't we all just need a hug and a punching bag? Rat's are cunning survivors; Ox's (2021) are tough; and 2022 brings us the courageous, assertive Tiger.
Things might be finally looking up?
Things are always looking up. Sometimes you just need to know where to look. Or more precisely how to look. Chinese New Year is a great example. You see a bunch of animals and red envelopes. I see opportunity. A brand new start to the year. An epic moment for recalibrating.
If January kicked your butt, or didn't quite start the year off as you planned, you get a do-over. January doesn't have to count in your final total. Keep what's working. Give yourself the points for that. Ignore the rest. Erase the rest. To quote my mentor in not-giving-a-shit "nobody saw you do it, they can't prove anything." - El Barto.
Take inspiration from Winston. Gnash your teeth and hurl yourself at the new year with boundless energy. You have given a lot of thought to what you want from this year. Seize today and make it count. Make it great. Do something for yourself and give it meaning. It begins today!
ALL FOR WHAT
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There is a dreadful term "Failing Up" which describes a rather mediocre talent that has managed to survive their way to the top of an organization. They are not as good as their job title might imply. It's an imposter-syndrome worrier's worst nightmare.
Typically someone with imposter syndrome is going to be the last person who has failed up. Most people with imposter syndrome have succeeded. They have tackled some really complex problems, likely really struggled in the pursuit, and deserve to be at the top.
There are a lot of companies tackling a lot of hard problems at the moment. Hard problems in an ever-changing environment. Having any certainty about the correctness of your decisions feels impossible. It may, in fact, be impossible. So, I wonder, do those who have failed up have an equal chance at being right to those who succeeded up? Is being right for the wrong reasons something that might work in this environment?
From a probability standpoint this might hold true but, following on from the OODA conversation last week, there has never been a more critical time to "show your work." We need to know more than the right answer. We need to build up the logic and reasoning sitting under the conclusions we reach, knowing that we will likely not hit the bullseye on the first try.
And it occurs to me that it might feel personal. And we need to get over that. We need to find new ways to question the incredible work of our teams so they feel stretched but not stomped on. We also need to work on our reflexes so that we are not injured, inadvertently, in the quest for a gold star and a pat on the back.
Plain and simple, we might just feel from time to time that we did a massive amount of work for nothing. What was the point sweating the right decision? It might feel like just plain failing, no up in sight. The power, always in my view but especially now, is in the process. You are succeeding by doing the work, doing the analysis, coming to a conclusion. You don't need to be right for it to be a success.
The feedback, the questions - what feels like criticism - those are invaluable inputs. Explore, be curious, evolve your work. And then come right back and ask for more. Being right was never more wrong.
LEAP OF FAITH
PhotoCredit: Free Fall
I rather belatedly watched Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse over the weekend. It's fun, especially if you are at all inclined to the notion of alternate universe's. I don't spend much time thinking about other realities beyond this universe. That said, I believe we have infinite potential to create new realities in the here and now. Every moment of every day we are given permission to choose. The choices we make set us on course to a specific reality. Our lives are one big pick-a-path adventure story.
A key theme from Spider-Man is "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." Yes, we can apply this to saving the world from imploding into chaos at the hands of Kingpin. We can also apply this to the micro-decisions we make all day, every day. We can use our power of choice for good or for self-inflicted evil.
You may not like hearing this, but the simple reality is that everything that happens in our lives is, ultimately, our choice. Yes, shitty things happen. But we get to decide how we respond to those shitty things. Choice is our superpower.
Superpowers, it turns out, are curious things. It's not just about having them, we also need to believe in them. "It takes a leap of faith" says parallel universe Peter Parker to (super cool) newbie Spider-Man Miles Morales as he struggles to control his new awesomeness.
Obviously your superpowers will be applied a little differently. You will likely not, any time soon, swing your way from building to building through NYC. Regardless, we all have the capacity to do something pretty extraordinary if we take that same leap of faith.
Last week you wrote your list of superpowers in the form of I AM statements. So now it's time to leap. What are you going to do differently? What are you going to do the same? What needs to happen in your life, what choices do you need to make, to be that I AM person? Maybe you need to spend an hour a day doing cold-calls for your business? Maybe you need to go back to school; retrain? Maybe you need to get your butt out of bed earlier each day so you have time for exercise? Maybe you need to skip [insert your favorite method of time-wasting here] at night and get a little more sleep?
Make different choices. Become your very own Super-Human.
FULL BLAST
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There are two more weeks left in January. Permission to freak out. The year will be over before you realize it. This is the moment to get intentional. This is the moment to focus and decide. Who will I be this year? What will I do this year? What will I leave behind from last year?
Dig deep. Be ambitious. Get determined.
I am here for you every step of the way.
This year I will bring you more content. Still bite-sized nuggets. Never overwhelming. And hopefully non-prescriptive. My goal is not to tell you how I live my life but to give you thought-starters on how you might best live yours. Big, Brave and Bold. Nothing left behind except your discards. The stuff that isn't serving you and isn't propelling you forward to greatness.
It starts with being really damn clear about what isn't working for you in your life. My homework assignment for you is to sit down for five minutes and write it down. Empty your head. Get all the shame, judgement, frustration and pain on a piece of paper. Now, write a list of I AM statements that are powerful and shift those negatives into positive action. So if diet is on your "not working list" - write a statement about who you are going to be this year that doesn't have that issue. "I am obsessed with eating fresh, organic food that I cook for myself." Make them positive and as detailed as you like.
Write them down on a piece of paper that you can look at every day. And every day pick at least one to focus on. Just think of one small thing you can do each day to move something forward on that list. It could be tiny, it doesn't matter. If you do this every day this year - I guarantee you epic results.
You are amazing. Beyond words, beyond limitations and beyond your wildest imagination. Turn the volume up so everyone can see you shine.
YOU BETTER WORK
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If you didn't watch at least three seasons of Ru Paul's Drag Race in the last two years, well, I think you wasted the pandemic. Nuff said.
Ru Paul came into my life in 1994 when she was the face for the very first Mac Cosmetics' Viva Glam. Anyone that knows me well knows that makeup has been a long time passion and Mac was the beating heart of that passion. Note to anyone in need of a Iippy, all the Viva Glam's are brilliant colors and 100% of the sale proceeds go to the Viva Glam Foundation.
Mac were pioneers in, well everything. From their charitable work. recycling program, digital presence and marketing more broadly. Oh, yeah, and the fact they used a Drag Queen as their "face" - long before most of us knew what a Drag Queen was.
And what a Drag Queen Ru Paul is. She is also a pioneer and has made household names of many young boys who dreamed of slaying. Many of whom struggled with identity and now can proudly be who they are. It makes my heart happy just thinking about it.
The biggest lesson one learns - from watching more Ru Paul episodes than they care to admit (ahem, all of them) - is to silence the inner critic and get out there and do your thing. She has a remarkable presence which exudes can-do and a beautiful "leave it all on the dance floor" spirit.
The second lesson that is never far behind is to WERK like you never werked before. She is the ultimate hustler, never misses a beat for self-promotion or to earn a dollar. When you spend as long at the bottom, and on the outskirts, as she did - you better bet you don't miss a payday.
I love and admire her hustle and her commercial acumen. I tend towards never missing a day in the office myself. I love to work, I love to be in the game and I find it hard to turn that off. I have KPI's and to-do lists for my holiday for goodness sake. I organize cupboards for relaxation. Quiet moment, what's the point?
Well, you and I both know there is a point. As we head into the hustle of 2022, my encouragement is for you to start thinking about how you can actively cultivate rest. Sleeping well is a great start. Planning quarterly 3-4 day mini breaks (triathlons are not mini-breaks). A day a week off screens is a brilliant practice. A daily walk, a weekly adventure, a morning dance party, a Friday picnic dinner. Apparently forest bathing is also a thing (I think it always was TBH). Anything that jerks you from the grind that can be the day.
Truly, if there was one goal or resolution I could put on your list, this would be it. You'll be amazed by the clarity it gives you. It will make you a better person and I'll put money on it making you better at your day-job. Or night job, as the case may be.
WHAT WILL BE
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I'll never forget my first camping trip. How much fun it was and also how damn grateful I was to have running water once I returned home. It lasts a couple of days, and then, I'm back to taking my life for granted.
It's been almost two years of realizing we took a lot for granted. I never truly appreciated my yoga studio, coffee shop, shopping generally, feeling safe and travel. I certainly didn't appreciate how much it meant to be able to hug a friend without thinking twice about it.
Yesterday I had a new appreciation. My education. I was one of those people that loved school. Loved studying, learning, books and even stationery. It never occurred to me that I might have been fortunate to have that education. It never really occurred to me that I was lucky to have any education. I didn't really give it much thought. It was like running water to me. It was always there.
We know this is not true of all children. One of the charities we support donates bicycles to young women in Africa to help them traverse their long journeys to school. They are one of the smartest operations I know - and do incredible work: World Bicycle Relief. Another non-public charity we support provides safe schooling facilities in poor villages; the vulnerability of children as they attempt to get to school is horrifying. And yesterday I was moved to tears watching this Ted Talk about a young woman determined that Afghan girls get an education. I now support her charity SOLA.
My love of school has clearly had a bigger impact than I appreciated.
We all give in different ways. Maybe some of you will be moved to make a donation to World Bicycle Relief or SOLA. Maybe this will prompt you to donate to one of your favorite charities. Or maybe you will watch Shabana Basij-Rasikh's Ted Talk, please do, and be reminded that we all have mountains to climb. Some seem steeper than other's. Some are steeper than others. They are all scalable. Keep climbing.
"When you face the uncertainty of what might be - you can turn it into the certainty of what will be." - Shabana Basij-Rasikh
THE MOST WONDER
PhotoCredit: Space
The final sprint to the end of the year is upon us. Holiday plans to make (cancellable of course; the new certainty is uncertainty.) Gifts to purchase (supply chains pending.) Projects to finish (maybe this is the year for inbox zero?) Parties to attend.
This year feels especially chaotic. The ebb and flow of on again and off again plans. Borders opening and closing. Stores open but stock pending. Traffic oddly busy. Deliveries unpredictable. Work seemingly gearing up, not quietening down.
It's easy for this time of year to be overwhelming and manic. It's easy to forget the wonder of this time of year. The rituals, the celebration, the sentiments and the implied rest of "the holidays." It's easy to let it all slip by as you, with tightened breath and panicked mind, race to the finish-line.
I'm doing it myself. My mind is a swirling tornado of things I need to do. My calendar is awash with meetings, dinners, and final calls for the year. It's not called the silly season for nothing.
When you are paddling in rapids you go with the flow. Not against it. I have personally given up on any misconception that I can be on top of everything. The everything is very much on top of me. I am in the depths of chaos and my work right now is to be ok with that. If things go a little sideways, if a few good habits drop, it's temporary.
Regardless, put a life-jacket on. Create space for a little calm. Maybe cancel a couple of meetings that really don't have to happen. Simplify your gift giving. Delete a couple of to-do items now rather than punishing yourself thinking you can do it all. And take a breath. Then take another breath. Now go, go, go. The clock's ticking.
PRACTICE MAKES
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I recently lost my yoga practice. Poof, gone. For over years now I have been practicing almost daily and then, I just stopped. For the life of me I couldn't get started. Hike, yes. Run, sure. Yoga, nah. Big fat pass.
Then like magic it came back. It's early days but I know I'm wired for asana again. It's like connecting with an old friend, except we are not quite picking up where we left off. I fear I have lost a little strength.
I found over the years that daily yoga is an excellent way of checking in with myself. Some days my balance is off. Some days I don't feel strong. Some days I don't know my left from my right. Well, that last one is most days. I was acutely aware while I wasn't practicing, I wasn't checking in with myself. There was no place in my life when I was gauging where I was against my baseline.
When we were young we were told that we must practice to improve. With practice came the implied promise of perfection. Perfect output and perfect people? As I grow less young I relish how imperfect I am. Frustrating as that might be some times. Practice helps me understand that perfect is the wrong aspiration. Practice grounds me in this moment and allows me to be everything I need to be, here and now.
Coming to my mat each day is a checkpoint. For you it might be journalling, playing an instrument, cooking, coding or organizing your closets (that's my other favorite practice). It's the thing you do regularly. Hopefully daily. Where the doing is what is perfect. The doer is anything but perfect. Just like this doer. Perfectly imperfect. Wink.
THE QUESTION
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I heard a quote last week that resonated really deeply. "If you live the questions, life will move you into the answers". It's one of those great Deepak Chopra quotes, which he states with utter conviction.
My first thought is how nicely this ties with the OODA loop process of problem solving. This satisfies my desire to ground all things woo-woo with science. It's also why I have a deep love of quantum mechanics which is, to my grasping-to-comprehend brain, the science of the unexplained. It's very convenient.
To be honest that was my second thought. My first thought was more of a reaction. Relief. I was at a point with a couple of things I was working on that, well, weren't working. So I sat back and thought about what questions I needed to think about. I allowed the process to get a bit more - how should I put this - squiggly!!
Yes team, I too fall victim to the linear. I too have moments where I expect there will be measured and progressive steps forward. It's an expectation that runs deep. And it's an expectation that will drive you to obvious answers that are uncompetitive, unoriginal and highly predictable. The opposite of future-proof and innovative.
Future-proof, innovative solutions lie in the realm of asking questions. Staying curious. Pushing the boundaries. Getting frustrated and lost and stuck all go with the territory. It's a natural part of the process to feel a little hopeless in pursuit of your outsized ambition.
Which is where the combination of spiritual and scientific becomes super powerful. Sitting in faith while facing the data that you are not there yet. Seeking more information to fuel better questions to support your quest for the answer. Knowing you will get there. Being ok with not knowing how long it will take. Or how many losses you will absorb along the way. And knowing that each loss allows you to calibrate your work and move forward better, stronger and more course correct.
So this week think about what you are stuck on. Then ask yourself what is the question? What is the problem that you need to solve? Then ask yourself, how can I live this question? To me I instinctively reach for knowledge: so, I read books, talk to smart people and I go for walks to let my brain run free on the problem. What is your toolset? How do you live the question?
DOWN TIME
PhotoCredit: PardonMyAppearance
I had a moment of defeat yesterday. I lost my cool. After a week of 'dealing with' (or frankly being dealt to by) Microsoft Teams, it's failure to work on all of my devices unleashed the beast. Beaten, I was unable to stop the ranting tirade that exploded on an unsuspecting colleague and friend. So uncool. And, worse still, that triggered his own frustrated tirade about his technology issues. Way to not help others Claudia!
When the pandemic first hit, I reflexively upgraded my iPhone. Something in me acknowledged that I would be spending a lot more time with my devices. Similarly, I woke up this morning thinking I needed to buy another device solely for teams calls. UGH, wrong response. What I need to do is some software maintenance; couple's counseling with my technology. We've just been spending a little too much time with each other and we both need a reset.
So I have scheduled an afternoon this week to work through a few of my over-used systems (google docs, trello, evernote and my calendar), devices (iPhone, iPad and Macbook) and tools/software (Teams! and frankly anything Microsoft). A spring-clean of my technology as it were.
With the end of the year hurtling towards us, I have clear completion goals: I want my systems in check as I close things out. A clean inbox, to-do list (with a heavy cull as needed) and a working operating system. Usually the end of the year is a chaos of events. The pandemic has given all of us a chance to under-indulge in that should we so choose. Whatever it looks like for you, think about what it will take for you to Finish 2021 With A Flourish.
LIKE A FOX
PhotoCredit: WhatDoesTheFoxSay
I spent my early school days somewhat distracted. Focus was not my thing. Unless it was to determine which sandwich ingredient best stuck a slice of bread to the ceiling. Marmite, it turns out, works best. I thought it would be hilarious if my lunch rained from the sky in the middle of class. Sadly it happened in a split second and about two people noticed it.
Decent execution. Poor outcome. Like many things, it made more sense in my head.
My mind drifted back to school as I was reading this article over the weekend. Paul Graham, rather a favorite thinker/writer/entrepreneur of mine, opines on the importance of being smart. He notes that this can be useful for winning arguments but doesn't necessarily support innovation. He notes that this is the beginning of a thought for him but adds that Einstein should be thought of more as an innovator than an intellect. Clearly both, but it is arguably his innovation brain that lead to him being a household name.
I'd like to classify my lunch-escapades as innovation, largely because I wasn't winning by any intellect measures at that stage of my schooling. Later on I buckled down, worked hard and got some decent academic achievements. Scholar was not one of them.
Pondering this I thought 'intelligence seems mighty linear and squiggling is more aligned to innovative thinking.' Squigglers, by necessity, must excel at solutions rather than theory. We need to be ideas people. Often operating on the fly. Squigglers are like the fox: cunning, artful, wily. All great squiggling qualities. The tech industry might call it being "agile" but that has become far too process-compulsive to be interesting through an innovation lens.
But I wouldn't even use innovative as the first word to describe myself. The most important quality any squiggler (and any pandemic-thriver) must cultivate is resilience. The ability to rebound. From failure, illness, sadness, bad days, and even frustration. Resilient like a fox...just like my most most favorite fox.
Squigglers take defeat and turn it into victory. Just give us a minute. Or a few years. The greatest stories of achievement all seemingly begin with being knocked out. Literally, if you take Muhammad Ali's career as an exemplar of resilience.
I still have moments of not feeling quick enough, not smart enough, or not studious enough. It sometimes feels like it's the intellects' world and we mere innovative and resilient mortals just live in it. Well, I have a question for you. Do you want to be right or do you want to win? I'm fine with them thinking they are right. I'll be at the finish line.
INSPO
PhotoCredit: SoSerious
I was once asked, on a panel at an event, how I go about solving business problems or ideating new ideas. It was a very serious question from a very serious audience. I thought about it for a second and started riffing on what I believe to be one of the more expansive ideation processes I know. Doodling. With colored pencils no less. You would have thought I mentioned psychedelics. Serious audience seemed very unconvinced.
Of course I explained how this has a logical origin. A) it's basically the same as using a whiteboard; B) diagram's have been used since forever to explain complex ideas and; C) doodling, drawing and color are all phenomenal tools to open up the right hemisphere of your brain to creative (innovative) thinking. I do all my meeting notes with multiple colored pens as I find it helps me absorb information and my notes become more visually appealing and engaging. AKA I actually go back and read them.
Those are a couple of ways I get a little fresh air into my day-to-day. I always have my set of colored pencils and a big blank sketchbook at the ready. And I carry a notebook with me everywhere (blank or dot grid) and a small pencil case with colored pens. My new fav are Frixion Pilot Erasable pens. Yes, an erasable ballpoint! I also love that I can buy refills for them so I don't kill the environment with my Luddite note-taking needs.
I thought I would share other ways I get a little problem solving inspo in my week. I would LOVE to hear your tips and tricks too as I am always on the lookout for new hacks.
ART. If you can get to a museum, do that for sure. Perusing art (and fashion) books can also be a great way to help you see differently. Meandering digital art on Pinterest works wonders and I also love watching fashion shows (it's amazing where a good show will take my brain).
INTERVIEWS. I love a good interview. Rolling Stone can always be counted on for a different take. I also recently listened to Tim Ferris interview Sir James Dyson and that felt like a good, classic, engineering inspo story.
DOCO'S. My two fav's for deep business inspiration are Abstract and Chef's Table. Something about these shows take you beyond the usual documentary format and into a true exploration of how their subjects overcame to deliver greatness.
OTHER INDUSTRIES. Whenever I encounter a curly question I always think about what other businesses in different industries have done to solve my problem. It's a nice break from thinking about your own business and the process of exploring other companies never fails to energize my brain.
SIMPLIFICATION. There are so many questions that we make too complex to solve. Strip down your issue to the first few steps or some smaller problems to solve. How would you explain it to a 3-YO? See if that doesn't open up a whole new way to think about what's challenging you.
And of course, when in doubt, take a walk. You may not solve your business challenge but you sure will feel better for it. Though, I would put money on you coming up with a solid insight to help take you forward.
GOOD WITH THE BAD
PhotoCredit: Sleepy
My first ever binge-watching session was Season One of The Office (British). It was very pre-Netflix...I had borrowed the DVD set and popped those disc's like Pringles. Life was busy. Work was insane. Bingeing was an indulgent escapism and I loved every minute of it.
Best of all it was free. Literally free and, bonus, calorie and alcohol free. Not really though, right? We have all felt the binge-hangover. Screen time surely playing a part, inactivity playing a part and I have always felt there was something else going on too. There is an inexplicable exhaustion that seems to come from watching television, despite how relaxing it seems in the moment.
I'm not a scientist - and I don't play one on TV - but I did a little online digging to see what the internet thought. It seems that when we zone out watching shows we do "relax", as our brain waves switch from beta (critical thinking) to alpha (daydreaming and rest). Alpha waves are also what we generate when we meditate. That seems like a step in the right direction. So what's up?
Personally, I find I have to watch something quite brainless otherwise I can't tune out. My brain starts trying to spot continuity issues or have deep philosophical thoughts about the devolution of modern society. OK, probably not that deep, but it occurs to me that this might be the issue. I'm not sustaining any prolonged state of alpha so, while in theory I am turning my brain off, it's not really rest. In the same way, I think this is why people struggle with meditation in the beginner stage; the constant interference from one's brain is beyond frustrating. Trying not to think is damn hard work.
Binge-watching through the pandemic has been needed escapism. Escapism and also a sense of connection. I have noticed I am drawn to shows that feature my favorite international cities. Almost hanging out for the street scenes and hunting for places I recognize. I'm honestly not sure if that is a good thing or not. Psychologically, is that making me lament the new-normal or connecting me to happy memories?
My conclusion is that it's a mixed bag. Indulge and escape into other worlds. Just know it's not likely rest-ful. The best advice I stumbled across was to watch as much TV as you do exercise in a given day. I like the idea of looking for balance in the equation. The good with the "bad". And lord knows we all need a few treats these days. Deprivation has no place in a pandemic.