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Education Reform Could Be Crucial

The System

For the longest time I felt that the education system in which I was raised failed me. I was taught to take tests, not question authority, follow rules, and fit in.

It was only later in life, much after high school, I realized that tests weren’t multiple choice. That those who questioned authority were the people who were most successful. That following the rules isn’t always what’s right. And that I have no desire to fit in.

Our education system is dated. There are tons of arguments, blogs, and videos about this sprinkled across the internet. There are numerous musings about why our education system has been so static and theories on why Americans haven’t demanded change. My favorite compilation of thoughts are here (and a manifesto here) from one of my favorite authors, Mr. Seth Godin.

Retrospective Training: Start Taking Notes (now)

The company I work for has accomplished a ton since inception just shy of five years ago. This year we’ll eclipse $100M in revenue and we’re continuing to grow at a rapid pace. But our onboarding process, particularly in the sales department, is lacking. It’s what most would call a “sink or swim” environment.

This isn’t a problem, except that the hiring doesn’t always match the training program. Because of this, I’ve been thinking extensively about training programs. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb points out in his (excellent, thought-provoking) book Antifragile: training doesn’t precede success.

First, comes success. Then, comes a theory about how said success was achieved. Finally, a training program is built around these ideas. Again, not a problem, just how time works.

There is a problem with waiting years to analyze success though, you’re opened up to things that skew the facts such as survivorship bias and the halo effect. If no one is studying how prosperity was attained, than there is no blueprint from which to train new hires. Sometimes companies are moving too fast to take notes on what’s happening. They’re focused on the next sale, the next deal, the next merger, the next acquisition, the next milestone…

The Most Indicative Trait Of Success (You’ll Never Guess)

Anyone can start.

In fact, it’s easier now than ever to start something. Websites are cheap, information is abundant, and the economy is shifting to embrace the freelancer lifestyle.

But, starting isn’t indicative of success. For exactly that reason, anyone can start. So even though we’re in the age when everyone gets a trophy, you won’t get much credit for starting. Starting 20 projects in a year doesn’t necessarily make you successful. Finishing 20 projects in a year, on the other hand, does.

Starting is crucial, please don’t mistake what I’m saying. At one point the tagline for this blog was, “How do you expect to finish if you never start?” I understand the importance of starting and I applaud anyone with the guts required to start. But don’t pat yourself on the back until you ship.

The most indicative trait of success is endurance.

To ship, you may have to endure financial hardships. You may have to outlast your competition. You may have to grind out projects you don’t want until the ones you do want come to fruition. You have to endure until you’re content (not satisfied) with your progress. And then you’ll have to endure some more.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
—Lao Tzu

Starting is important, but it is the first step. The good news is that it’s the hardest. In his fantastic little book, The Dip, Seth Godin says the time to question your idea is at the beginning, not in the middle. Don’t quit when you’re in the midst of the struggle, quit before you start. So that when you start, it is calculated. You start intentionally, not haphazardly. When you begin a project, you don’t just begin because you had a fleeting whim to create. Start because you’re ready to endure till the end.

What If…Overcoming “Scared to Death” Syndrome

I’m scared to death of pushing forward with this book.

I said it. I can back out anytime. I can give up and walk away, in a few weeks nobody will ever care… except me, of course. And no offense to y’all, but in this instance, y’all don’t matter.

What if I’m not interesting?

What if I make a mistake?

What if I bore people?

What if I quote someone wrong?

What if I don’t look professional?

What if I don’t seem authentic?

What if everyone finds out I’m not that smart?

What if I’m called out for not playing much?

What if I’m ridiculed by my peers?

What if nobody cares?

What if the school won’t back me?

What if nobody understands my perspective?

What if I blow the deadline?

What if I’m laughed by real authors?

But then again… What if I don’t try? Nothing. Nothing at all will happen. And I’ll be left with the curse of “what if…” running through my head until it drives me insane.

5 Ways To Practice Being More Self-Disciplined

Self-discipline is a muscle. The more you use it, the more stronger it gets.

Show me a top performer and I’ll show you someone with a deep level of discipline. Think about all the anecdotes you hear about Kobe Bryant shooting hoops till 4 am: discipline. Or the commitment it takes for Seth Godin to write a blog post every single day for 10 years: discipline. Thomas Edison came back to the same idea 10,000 different times before of the sustainable light bulb worked: discipline.

These top performers are no different than you and I. They have figured out what they can be the best in the world at, and they’ve become infinitely self-disciplined in their fields. You and I will probably never play in the NBA, not my point. My point is that each of us can hack the potential that these masters have unlocked in our respective fields if we’re willing to go to work and get better each day.

Creating disciplined habits helps you stay rooted in positive routines. It’s no secret that positive routines lead to success. So without further ado, here are 5 ways to practice being more self-disciplined.

1.) Get Physical

Find something physical in which to get involved. Your body doesn’t always talk back, it’s your mind that requires the convincing. Starting with physical activities will help you learn to push through pain instead of giving up at the first sign of discomfort. Learn to tell your body to push harder and your mind will soon follow.

How To Fill Big Shoes

A few weeks back I was eating lunch with a friend. Besides the amazing pulled squash sandwich, nothing was out of the ordinary. The conversation, which is par for the course, touched on topics ranging from sports to life to books and all the overarching themes that go along with each.

We came to the topic of work and she explained that she wanted to create big shoes to fill. When she came into her job a number of years ago, the bar was set low. Embarrassingly low. So low that I became intrigued and we carried on with this topic. Her career had take a turn for the disappointing… Or so you’d think.

What Would Seth Do?

It’s no secret, I love Seth Godin. I write about him all the time. He mentors me, he helps me think creatively, and he’s opened my eyes to a number of impactful insights. Among these are the problems with the education system, the need to take risks ~~in your marketing~~, and how to be consistent.

Most importantly, Seth has taught me about being a Linchpin. Being a Linchpin means being an artist, not just doing what is listed on the job description. Being a Linchpin means bringing your best self to work and giving effort where it’s not expected. Being a Linchpin is about challenging the status quo and not being afraid to stand out.

How NOT To Face Problems In Business: Ratilda’s Rhapsody

The situation comical at this point.

It started off as light pitter-patter sounds on the roof. No big deal, could be lots of things.

Then it became more regular. Then we started seeing droppings. The she got hungry…

If you haven’t guessed it yet, our guest is a rat. She’s been sneaking into our office for over a month.

One day we came in and she (the exterminator claims she’s preggo and really hungry) had taken the liberty of gnawing through Nate’s backpack to dig out some almonds he had forgotten about.

SOUTH – 0 | Ratilda – 1

The Artisan vs. The Amateur

Scene One:

The designer scrolls through to the sidebar widget. He doesn’t like it. He tests it: fully functional. He tweaks the color, adjusts the width, and he ultimately comes to the conclusion it is “pretty good.”

He’s not charging premium prices and he only knows how to do so much. He’s his own engineer and there is more work to be done. His skill and his resources are finite. He’s satisfied so he moves to the next task after 30 minutes of fidgeting.

Scene Two:

The exact same sidebar, the exact same functional pieces in place, but a different designer. This one comes to the conclusion “pretty good” isn’t good enough for him.

He continues to try new ideas, not just recycled ones he’s tried before. He gets out of his comfort zone and asks his engineers what else is possible. He plays with the idea of eliminating the sidebar altogether and going for a minimalist look. He does research on other sites for inspiration. Ultimately, after 2 hours, he decides it is better than “pretty good.” It is ready to ship.

Naturally, the second designer produces a better sidebar. The first delivers a functional product that gets the job done, but it’s not quite a pretty or smooth as the second.