work out – From the desk of Adam Thomas

What happens in a gym?

Work.

Being focused in a gym means a little short-term hurt for long-term results.

You are purposefully beating yourself up to get stronger.

We have to do the same thing with our ideas.

What is an idea gym?

Salon – A salon is a group of friends that discuss ideas. They critically discuss them, as opposed to just talking. Put your ego by the door. The idea is strong ideas, weakly held.
Yourself – Self-talk works. Try to probe the idea in your head for weaknesses. Where did it come from?
Market – Put it out as is. Stop building at a date you set and put it out. No polish.

Like the gym, the first few times, it’s going to suck. You aren’t going to like being “sore.”

However, no pain no gain.

Remember that transformation you’ve seen when someone went to the gym, with focus, for a year? Now think about that same change for your ideas.

Powerful.

Your “priority” is a skill

First, to strengthen our bias to prioritize, we must consider it a skill.

Skills get better the more we use them. The more I shoot a basketball, the better I get at it.

Things like coaching and a particular regiment help control my growth. These options create consistent growth in almost all skills.

The other thing that is consistent is the growth that comes after a challenge.

Back to “priorities.”

The biggest challenges we face with “priority” is prioritizing among the things that we like.

Being able to say no to working out is easy. Deciding to say no to a potential bonus at work or working on your personal project is much harder.

However, that is the difference between a minuscule increase and one that revs up your “priority” skill.

That often is the difference between mediocre and great work.