What is the outcome of this meeting?

In the 68th minute of a meeting that was only supposed to be 60 minutes long, the person on the other end of zoom asked me:

"What was the outcome you expected for this meeting?"

It took me by surprise. Then I laughed a little. Then I had an answer.

There are some meetings for me that are very by the books. I have a very clear outcome for the meeting and let everyone know that outcome ideally prior to the meeting, but at the very least within the first few minutes of the meeting.

There are other meetings, like this one, where we happen to stumble upon it after the meeting has basically already ended.

In this particular case, I shared that my outcome was two-fold:

1. This is a person who I want to spend more time with and get to know better. I see mutual value in deepening the relationship, and that takes time. So this meeting was part that.
2. The other part was more obscure. I shared that there are certain things that have yet to reveal themselves. I feel that this person is very tapped in and knowledgeable about things of great interest to me, and our conversations are always revealing. No matter where the flow of the conversation takes us, more is being uncovered.

I'm grateful to have the space at the moment to have conversations like this. The outcome of the meeting may not be realized for days, weeks, months, years or decades. These meetings are part of the long game. While these are few and far in between, they are definitely some of my favorite meetings.

What if?

What if?

It may be the most beautiful two word question that ever existed.

What if?

It implies that something might be possible even though it is likely very unexpected or previously undiscovered.

What if...

Anything that follows those two words is automatically being set up to allow for open discovery beyond what would normally be acceptable.

When I’m doing brainstorming and product sessions, I know we are on the right track when this question comes up. By its nature it is asking a question that is seeking extraordinary answers. Even if the answers that follow are total nonsense or even a resounding “no” it still starts to invoke some magic into the discussion.

Oh, and if the response is ever a resounding “no” to a what if question, you better be prepared for a “why not?”

How can I create a bias toward action?

One of the coolest parts of living full time in San Francisco was all of the incredible conversations and discussions that happened. Visionaries, future thinkers, philosophers and spiritual wisdom seekers. I feel like I was always finding my way into a truly fascinating conversation, and I haven't found that level of depth and frequency anywhere else.

This was also something that was frustrating to me.

It appeared to me, at least in some of my circles, that there was a direct inverse correlation between how visionary a person or company was and their ability to execute and operate. And that's not a knock against anyone or anything thing. The world needs both operators and visionaries. For me personally, I think the ideal balance is somewhere around 80-20 with a bias toward action.

This all has given me a greater appreciation and respect for people who execute at the highest level.

These people, as a default, are action oriented as opposed to discussion oriented. They want to build, create, iterate, improve, optimize, test and prototype. With everything they do.

This ties directly into my previous thought: "How can I think 14 steps ahead?"

Applying this bias toward action means repeatedly taking that first step toward the North Star. With the minimum time necessary to recalibrate, it becomes time again for action.

The way I see this becoming more prevalent for me personally is through:

1. Simplifying the complex into tiny, bite-sized pieces and ruthless executing on them
2. Making more space and time blocking specifically for taking action
3. Creating regular checkins for completion of action items
4. Being aware of when I get pulled into the world of the theoretical, hypothetical and futuristic

This isn't the first time I've thought about these things. I've tried various to-do lists, time blocking, and checkins but never from this perspective. I'm excited to see what structures drop in on my quest to rebalance my own method of operation with a bias toward action.

How can I think 14 steps ahead?

There's this myth that's perpetuated over and over again that the smartest people are always 3 steps ahead of the rest of us. They have this master plan that's unfolding exactly as they predicted.

I found that almost never to be the case even when it comes to the smartest people I know.

That are not playing 3-dimensional chess or any other game that our puny human brains can't comprehend. They are playing the same exact game as all of us.

They are just playing the game differently.

There's a reason why these very rare humans give the impression of being 14 steps ahead though. It involves a simple three step formula that makes it much more attainable:

1. Have a very clear long term vision of where you are going. A purpose, a North Star, a mission. Call it what ever you want. It's a point very far out on the horizon that you are aiming for either personally or as a business.
2. Take one single step in the direction of the North Star.
3. Assess whether that step moved you toward the North Star or away from it, and go back to Step 2.

That's it. One step. Assess. Next step. Assess. Step again. Assess.

Here's where the "smartest" people I know play it differently though.

Instead of spending an exorbitant amount of time meticulously plan out each of the next 14 steps, they trust in their ability to assess and course correct. They take that step with full confidence in their ability to figure it out and with an incomplete set of data. Then they assess, plan only as much as is absolutely necessary and then step again.

It seems like magic to the rest of us because they are moving so fast. They are cutting out massive amounts time chunks from every cycle. They appear to be 14 steps ahead because they are actually taking 14 steps with new information at each step in the time it may take a competitor to take just one single step.

Figure out where you are going. Take one singular step. Assess. Step again.

Where do I start to improve my focus?

Aligned, relentless, undistracted focus.

That level of laser-like focus has been on my mind for many years. I've dabbled. I've had brief periods where I'd give myself a passable grade, and even fewer moments where my focus has been on point. And yet, even though I can rationally comprehend how important and powerful focus can be, sometimes my focus is shit.

It's not easy to write that, and it is entirely true.

I can use every excuse in the book and even invent some new ones, but it doesn't change the fact that my level of focus needs improvement.

As I write this, I certainly don't have all of the answers.

What I do have is a starting point. It starts with subtraction.

To make room for more and better focus, I'm going to eliminate. Looking at my current workflow, schedule and day to day, there's so much opportunity to reduce and streamline.

And that's where we begin. Subtraction first. Simplify the equation.