Life Lesson

The faster you can see it their way, the quicker you can empathize and help.

The quicker you can see it their way, the faster you can stop judging or being frustrated at them.

One watch-out -for, though; seeing it their way with speed does not permit us to be angrier at them for not seeing it our way.

Their speed isn’t the point. Ours is.

Stay Positive & Vroom Vroom

Two challenges when you’re considering trade offs.

The first is the actual gain of the trade off. This is easy-ish to evaluate, regardless if we like the result or not.

The second is evaluating if the tradeoff is even necessary. Can there be changes made so there’s no need for a tradeoff? This is the hard thing to do.

We all have a bit more time, bit more energy, bit more help if we wanted it.

The challenge is answering and owning if we do want it or not.

Stay Positive & Trade Off Costs Are Only As Real As We Make Them

I’m at another conference. This one is about the beverage industry. And there’s a recurring thread through every single panel, Q&A, and thought leadership session.

It’s the simplest message, really. One that they talk about when things go right and one they talk about when things go wrong.

It’s what they all go back to after describing a story, a narrative, a partnership, or consumer research.

Communication.

And not just any kind of communication. Proactive. One that makes someone feel that you give a damn about a shared goal.

The cool part is there’s no skillshare, masterclass, or certification for it. It’s inherent to our humanity. We simply need to do more of it and all that is is a choice.

Stay Positive & There’s No Such Thing As Overcommunication

There’s no data revolution because we’ve been into data since the beginning.

Think about the track meet numbers: who placed, what time they had. Or, if you’re me, how far did I make it on the long jump compared to others.

Everyone likes numbers. But not every number is liked.

The problem isn’t the data or lack thereof; it’s the connection to the data.

Our job is to leverage the data in a way that is attractive to others; resonates with them; tells a story they actually care about.

Anyone can be a data guru if they care about the data enough.

Stay Positive & Getting Them To Care Is On Us

HT to Malcolm Gladwell’s masterclass for the idea of this post

The first hard part is starting.

It’s easier to keep it going once it’s started.

Easier to feel fulfilled; like you’ve made progress.

Starting, often times, is all it takes to get to finished quickly, too.

After you’ve started, though, the next hard part is finishing.

You’re putting on the polish. You care. You want to knock it out of the park – rightfully so.

And all of that is stressful and time-consuming; emotional labor.

Then the next hard part is shipping it. Sending it. Sharing it. Making it public.

There are alot of stories we tell ourselves about what others will think once it’s out there. Those narratives are hard to dance with and work through, but we must.

Turns out it’s all hard.

From inception to completion. Should that really be a reason to not?

Stay Positive & Nowhere To Hide

The tech industry is so small. So is the community of ship captains.

Same with hammock enthusiasts, mommy blogs, and Bernese mountain dog owners.

It’s easy to fall into the perspective of it being vast, but once you’re in it – no matter what it is – you discover that you’re in the long tail.

Which is a gentle reminder to not burn a bridge, don’t pee in the pool, or smack talk your competition.

Stay Positive & What Goes Around Barely Comes Around (And You Can Watch It The Entire Time)

If you have a cake, it’s kinda dumb if you can’t eat it, too. You should.

If you’re having a meaningful moment and great experience with someone, it’s kinda dumb if you don’t lose yourself in the moment with them. You should.

If you’re going to do something, it’s kinda dumb not to do it well and completely. You should.

Of course, these aren’t shoulds I’m telling you. They’re shoulds you’re thinking.

I’m just here to tell you to listen to the thought telling you to go ahead and eat the cake, too.

Stay Positive & You Should