Adam’s Daily Post

When driving back from feeding the ducks with my son this morning, I felt a keen reminder:

We feel most connection, when we’re disconnected (from tech).

We feel most in tune (with ourselves) when there’s no tune (on the radio).

We feel richest (in every sense) when doing the free, priceless stuff (like feeding the ducks with my son).

This is why I carry paper rather than a phone.
This is why I prefer quiet to contant music.
This is why I’d still feel rich, even if everything else were taken away.

We all need our own version of feeding the ducks.

This is just a reminder:

You don’t have to stick to the original plan if you don’t want to.

You don’t have to carry a smartphone with you if you don’t want to.

You don’t have to do what others expect of you if you don’t want to.

You don’t have to check social media all the time if you don’t want to.

You don’t have to respond to every message immediately if you don’t want to.

You can choose the less popular path if it suits you.

Your body, mind, peace, and craft may thank you for it.

Large companies often have layers of beaurocracy designed to prevent any feeling being hurt, any responsibility being taken, or any brave decisions being made.

But the funny thing is?

You see it in some small companies too.

A few dozen employees, “pre-revenue”, and still bogged down with beaurocratic behavior, chest-beating, pedigree-laden hires, and a whole lot of wasted time and opportunity.

It’s not about the size.

It’s about whether or not you’re running with a group that reveres craft, care, and courage.

Or mere safety in numbers at the expense of everything else.

The owner does the owning.
The leader does the leading.
The sales guy does the selling.
The manager does the managing.
The administrator does the admin.

There’s a pattern emerging.

Rather than choosing what to do,
Choose which hat you want to wear.
Then do what that hat requires of you.

Some work hard on things they hate so they can show up at dinner parties and boast, the cry of the insecure.

Others work hard on things they love so they can wake up in the morning and smile, the glow of the peaceful.

Three perspectives:

1. “Art is a luxury. Not worth it.”
2. “Art is a luxury. So worth it.”
3. “Art is no luxury, it reveals the questions we must ask.”

(Maya Angelou paraphrased in the third.)

The point?

Everyone has an opinion about what your work is worth, and what that means. That’s fine.

Just be sure you have your own opinion, know your own worth, and what that means, to you

The real ones know we can all climb over the wall.

Sometimes, because we’re great wall climbers and do it on our own.

Other times, because people turn around and lean over to help us up.

We can all climb over the wall.

It costs the winners nothing.

It gives those stuck everything.

If it looks like an ask, it goes to spam.

If it looks like a give, it gets a few seconds.

If it looks like a give I wanted, it gets a few more seconds.

If it looks like a give I wanted that’s also enjoyable, you have my attention.

Salespeople chase after “Yes”.

As though there’s only one in a call.

But there’s not just one “Yes” in these calls.

That “Yes” is simply one of the last few “Yesses”.

Preceded by implicit yesses such as concurring with how something would change their world for the better.

And leading yesses such as does next Monday work for you.

Don’t chase after “the yes”

Stack yesses.

Platforms like to tell us what to do.

Platforms dictate what content will sink or swim.

Platforms want to make us play by their rules.

Platforms come and go.

I’m a commodity to them, they’re a commodity to me, too.

Prioritize your work, your craft, your gift, and sure: share it on platforms.

But let them serve you. Not the other way around.