Guidelines 2022

Given that you already have far more than most people in history, and are as-good-as-certain to have more stuff than you’ll ever need even if things go badly, ask yourself what’s worth doing, and then:

• Show up consistently and with generous intent;
• Immerse yourself in the activity and the context (develop technique; pay attention to detail)…
• … and do the reading (learn from others; think about the history and systems that shape the context);
• Start conversations and ask relevant questions;
• Find out (or work out) why (or why not);
• Consider: the underlying problem; the level at which you’ll go to work on it; the technical solution; the wrapper that enables the technical solution to scale sustainably; how tools – and especially software – can help you do the important things better (probably by saving time);
• Make: suggestions; stuff happen; mistakes; friends; new connections; infrastructure; the right compromises; your prices high enough to cover unforeseen expenses; more value than you capture; it fun;
• Try: everything that might plausibly make things better; to become an expert;
• Get: professional; next to your users; in front of the people paying; help;
• Bring: pen and paper; other people with you; more resources to bear on the problem; donuts (okay, and fruit);
• Expect: the Spanish Inquisition the unexpected; to change your plans; to be let down; to be delighted;
• Be: kind; focused on what matters; patient about the things you should be patient about; impatient about the other things; prolific; aware that both the problem and its solution are much bigger than you;
• Keep: perspective; a diary; your cool; your promises; on learning; the faith;
• Stay: fresh; optimistic; energetic; biased towards action; enthusiastic; on course (persist).