Tag: process

A Reason I Love Music

Post author By jrlsage
Post date March 20, 2018

Process bleeds into the work

I am a huge fan of music, not just as a listener, but also in watching it happen.

One thing I love is that the process can seem mystical. A bunch of guys messing around in a room can, in a flash, turn into something harmonious, so much so it stays in our brain for weeks or years on end.

The trick is though; it isn’t all mystical.

Yes, some of the credit belongs to our muse, you can’t spell music without it. However, most of the work is done before the moment ever happens, and a lot of it is unseen.

The heavy lifting happens during practice. For musicians, that is the practice room. For comedians, it is the open mic. For you, it could be your desk at 8:30 AM before anyone shows up.

It’s where you try things, fail, and fail harder. Professionals know that the level of practice is the level of play.

There are more blood, sweat, and tears in an experts practice room then they can even stop and explain to you rationally.

Except they are explaining it, right in the music.

So are you, in your work.

Three questions:

Have you created the margins to have a practice room?
If so, how hard are you pushing yourself there?
What do you think you can be better at, and how do you make it a practice for tomorrow?

Tags practice, process

Blog Post

Build Trust and Push off Worry – Pick a Review Date

Post author By jrlsage
Post date September 15, 2016

Review in intervals, not the moment

There is no perfect choice.

With that said, it’s insane to change every time you feel there is a better option. There is always a “better” choice. Making that choice is a shortcut into decision fatigue.

In order to avoid decision fatigue, make it your practice to check and improve your plan before you begin every project. This tactic is a best practice.

Put the date on the calendar. When it’s there, if something needs a change, just document it. Once it is out of your head, you’ll feel better. Instead of a headache, wondering if this changes, you know you will address it.

This tactic is even more important when you delegate to or deal with a team.

Keep your team in the loop. An established review date improves trust and makes change a natural part of the process.

When you don’t do this, you risk changing the plan on the fly and demoralizing your team around you.

Leaving your team out: avoid this at your peril. When you often change things without a set process, you seem to be a waffler.

This simple move, picking a date, allows the worry to have its “day in court.”

Most importantly, you and your team get back to work.

Tags delegation, problem solving, process, review, team

Blog Post

“The Slip” – Look Inward, There Is Empathy There

Post author By jrlsage
Post date January 12, 2016

The slip is real

Slips happen. They happen all the time.

My latest one is dealing with my cell phone.

It started as a one time thing, and now I find myself engaging back into old habits. Its funny, as I write this, I find myself trying to claw for excuses. I keep centering myself back on this because there are none. I have to come to grips with the fact I am dependent on my phone as a hiding mechanism, and it’s a black hole when I need to work.

That urge to hit Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat is solid. I use those products often because I am learning how to understand them, but I know there is a difference between learning and hiding, and I get nervous because I notice I am hiding.

The good thing though, is with a relapse, we get the opportunity to find our humanity, and the chance to rebuild. If we are lucky, we even get a dash of empathy when we realize how quick addiction happens, and how ubiquitous it is.

Addiction is everywhere, but so is empathy

It’s really easy to judge. Empathy is much harder. It requires us to go outside of ourselves to understand that we all make mistakes, including us. It takes much more energy.

But, the good news is by exercising it, you end up much happier along with the by-product of understanding people more, which makes your interactions more pleasant. It also works with your own issues. When you slip, you can forgive yourself.

It is the key to getting over anything.

Don’t beat yourself up, its a process

With my cell phone usage, I recognize how easy it is to allow myself to get back into old routines. Change is an active process, and one that requires much more vigilance than going with the flow. You will slip.

I also recognize that I am a human being, and things happen. Mistakes get made, but how we deal with them ultimately make us better. So, the next time someone is falling, help them up, because you help yourself too.

Tags additction flow, cell phone, empathy, growth, process

Blog Post

Do You Kill your Darlings With Process?

Post author By jrlsage
Post date July 6, 2015
No Comments on Do You Kill your Darlings With Process?

Kill your darlings.

The phrase used by many people in many places. Most books about writing feature it, and likewise with any book on creativity. We discuss how hard it is, how you feel afterwards, and what brings you to do it. I think this discussion should happen, and often. Being able to get past your earlier work and move on with a fresh mind is not only a good thing, but essential if you want to make your best work and make it count.

So this is a good thing.

Now that the background is out-of-the-way, I would love to know how people get into the process of doing it. How do people cut things out? How do they decide to do it? When do they decide to do it? I am often lost on these questions. In my experience, I haven’t heard anyone really discuss the process of killing darlings, just that it is a good thing to do. Do people pick out a day to get it done? Are groups based around this idea? Do people feel safe letting people know the projects they are working on just to have them say that they need to go away?

These are tough questions because I don’t know of a class for that. I think it would be a fun experiment to try it out though. I’m writing this because I find a lot of it difficult. To sit there and label everything doesn’t ever feel good, because we always find out we are either doing way to much and we have to let people down, or way to little and we should have energy to spare. Honesty hurts, and that’s why I think a process makes even more sense. So yes, kill your darlings, but as you do, write your process of doing so. If you are reading this and do have one – I would love to talk to you. Send it over to @TheHonorableAT on twitter and lets talk it through.

Tags kill your darlings, process, progress

Blog Post

Don’t Slave To Results

I pray I don’t become a slave to result.

It’s easy to look at the things in front of us and attach reason to them. I have seen my mind work in mysterious ways. For example, I will attribute my current stance to the score of the game on television. I know this doesn’t make any rational sense, but on game day, if I watch intensely, squat in front of the TV, and clap – I am helping the cause.

This sort of thing is fine when harmlessly watching a football game. Actually, I think it’s fun and adds some spice to the festivities. I only worry about it when it comes to serious decision-making. Leaning on the result gods and doing a rain dance to change the quarterly reports isn’t helpful and not very fun either.

The worst thing about result is that it can’t repeat. Fun dancing aside, when you look squarely on result you look squarely on chance to make something happen. Chance is wily. There is a chance I leap out of bed and get struck by lightning. There is a chance I just get up and go to work like usual. You can’t rely on chance.

You can rely on process. Process is improvable and trackable. I’d rather put my energy there.

Tags life, process, result

Blog Post

Process Wins

I think it always has to be process not result.

Tags process

Blog Post

New Day New Process

Today I try something new.

What it is – I cannot reveal yet, but it will place my leadership skills and artistic skills to the test.

I really want this to succeed, but failure is a distinct possibility.

I am antsy – but this feeling is the only one that has connected me to success, even if its the same feeling that has pushed me to failure.

Cannot wait for change.

Tags process

Blog Post

Finding Order

Organization works.

It helps me see clearly, keep my process in order, and frees up more mental space for me to be able to tackle more complex and complicated problems.

Too bad it is the first part of the resistance counterattack on my productivity.

I find myself living in disarray. The problem with living in disarray long enough is it becomes normal – organization and order become odd.

And even with me being aware, it is the easiest part of me to break. No real habit and its the newest part of my life – I want to normalize it.

Process is important.

Sidenote – I was really clumsy this weekend, and I remember Steven Pressfield saying that when he is close to something, he begins to get super clumsy.

There was no shortage of dropped drinks and knocked over cans – dropping of my wallet and keys – my cell phone broke. Tiny cuts on my fingers… Perhaps I am getting somewhere.

Tags order, organization, process

Blog Post

99U Insight: Create The Process

Post author By jrlsage
Post date May 7, 2014
No Comments on 99U Insight: Create The Process

Over the next few weeks I will be randomly talking about the insights I received while engaging in the 99U Conference, held in New York City.

For those interested, the conference is less about inspiration, and more about getting things done, figuring out the create process, and being bold enough to execute those ideas.

Insight 1: Create the Process

99U isn’t about the inspiration to do things, although you can’t help being inspired. You spend 2 days among people like yourself: creative, hungry, and smart – ambitious people who are ready to put something in the world.

With that being said – you cannot create consistently without process. Without a method, you are waiting – you are in the world believing that the genius – the muse – doesn’t show up until its ready with a full blown idea.

No one wants to be a “waiter” – nothing comes to those who wait.

The process is what helps you push through the darkness – and there will be darkness. Nothing and no one great created something in a world of sunshine.

To create is to be at peace with the unknown – and the process helps you get there. Figure yourself out, find out how you work, and begin there.

Tags 99conf, 99u, process