Motto (3): Work hard

Have fun, learn lots, work hard, be kind.

Of course you should work smart. Automate what you can. Delegate and outsource to people who can do things better than you. Shamelessly avoid, or ruthlessly eliminate, the unnecessary.

Then identify your real work – the things that only you can do, probably things for which there are no instructions or maps. Throw in a few inefficient things that you’ve discovered you need to do to keep you honest – and do the hard work of consistently showing up and getting it done.

Work hard to…

• create Clarity. Simplicity. Focus.
• turn pro
• do it now
• make it daily (“the long run is made up of short runs”)
• set the bar low
• build a front log
• up your cycle speed
• create the space you need to be able to be generous / kind
• turn your beautiful ideas and dreams into ugly realities to see if they should grow or die
• Ship your work

In my experience the hardest work to do well is the important, non-urgent, values-laden, emotional-labour intensive stuff. For me, this includes

• Focusing on doing the work, and on the people it’s for, and not on how I look doing it – no-one else actually cares
• Managing people well – not just to get the job done, but to look after them and help them grow
• The necessary ‘wrapper’ of thorough preparation and follow-up so that meetings, events, regular training are really worth the time
• Being present, staying focused and committed and pushing forward when the next step isn’t clear or it feels like nothing’s working, or nothing’s working
• Having time for people at the right time – and being able to say ‘no’, or ‘I have to go’
• Following up on things I’ve delegated and doing what it takes to get them done
• Finishing things when they’re good enough.