From the desk of Adam Thomas

If politics as usual happens long enough, we are stagnant. 

What change needs to happen, today?

How are you going to get there? 

Ask yourself some questions:

• Is this fear real?
• Where is it affecting your performance?
• Is it fear based in omission?
• Are you doing the work?
• Is failure really that bad?

We over think our projects.

As obvious as that may sound, we need to hear it. Sometimes simple statements sum things up.

That over thinking leads us to fear, and in most cases, it’s completely unfounded.

Why?

Most of our projects put us in a better position, even if we don’t accomplish what we set out to.

In fact, they are mostly rough drafts anyway.

Rough drafts are expendable, they are expected to have errors, and we know we will get back to it later.

When it comes to our projects, we may not feel it in the moment, but the first attempt at almost all of our projects end up like that.

An idea, like clothing, has to go to the “laundromat” where its:

Washed – our own wrestling with the idea. Does this make sense, does it solve a problem? Dirty clothes that are not fully washed end up even worse than they were before.

Dried – can I communicate the value?  Dirty clothes that are not dried are clean but useless.

Be patient – this takes time. Bring a book :-). 

The culture of the future is built by people who aren’t afraid to betray the traditions of the recent past.

The right stuff is…

Mostly confirmation bias mixed with a dash of recency bias. 

Basically, what we consider to be “right” is our worldview tied to what we seen in the recent past.

Sometimes, this isn’t bad. I know how to get to work and learning that the train I usually take is faulty SHOULD make me see there is an alternate route. 

When it comes to the creative work that leaders do, that type of thinking is stale when you are trying to do something new.

Better to rely on what gives you a sense of “Ugh” and tied to a better world. 

You know that feeling.

Stomach hurting, no-sleeping, full of what ifs?

Ugh. And “Ugh” is a sign that you care.

Some ways to relieve ugh:

• Find out the boundaries and constraints
• Eat better
• Talk to someone about your ugh

Ugh is something that will happen to a creative leader. The question is how you deal with it.

Can’t avoid them. You are trying different things, and people are uncomfortable.

Don’t try. Avoiding conflict, as Mike Montiero says, is more expensive than giving in.

Take them as a signal. Different is difficult, and you got work to do.

At many places, you get a gold star for just keeping your butt in the seat and being visible. Work be damned, if I can see you, then I know you are “working” even if you aren’t.

Truth is, you won’t get that breakthrough at midnight. Cramming works in the movies, but it doesn’t work with creative work.

Energy is finite. We know that, but damn it, if we just stay around, maybe we can just…

Well, no.

Go home.

I know it’s scary, but go home.

If you’ve never stretched before, it’s different.

Stretching feels different than normal movement. It’s warm, sometimes painful, and because it is different, scary.

The end result is a more limber body that is more resilient.

If you plan on growing, stretching is non negotiable.