3 IDEAS FROM ME
I.
“Be radically proactive about any behavior that pays off in 10 years.”
II.
“To simplify before you understand the details is ignorance.
To simplify after you understand the details is genius.”
III.
“A 5-step process for nearly anything:
1) Explore widely. Find out what is possible.
2) Test cheaply. Run small, quick experiments. Sample things.
3) Edit ruthlessly. Focus on the best. Cut everything else.
4) Repeat what works. Don’t quit on a good idea.
5) Return to 1.”
2 QUOTES FROM OTHERS
I.
Lawyer and activist Vernon Jordan on the collaborative nature of life:
“You are where you are today because you stand on somebody’s shoulders. And wherever you are heading, you cannot get there by yourself. If you stand on the shoulders of others, you have a reciprocal responsibility to live your life so that others may stand on your shoulders. It’s the quid pro quo of life. We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through what we give.“
Source: 2002 speech at Howard University
II.
A list of 10 principles from an early internal memo at Nike, long before the company grew into a global brand. This list is rumored to have been written in 1977 by the first head of marketing, Rob Strasser, and was shared decades later by lead designer Markus Kittner.
“1. Our business is change.
2. We’re on offense. All the time.
3. Perfect results count — not a perfect process. Break the rules: fight the law.
4. This is as much about battle as about business.
5. Assume nothing. Make sure people keep their promises. Push yourselves push others. Stretch the possible.
6. Live off the land.
7. Your job isn’t done until <em “=”” data-redactor-tag=”em”>the job is done.
8. Dangers:
– Bureaucracy
– Personal ambition
– Energy takers vs. energy givers
– Knowing our weaknesses
– Don’t get too many things on the platter
9. It won’t be pretty.
10. If we do the right things we’ll make money damn near automatic.”
Source: Principles – For Collective Understanding, Focus and Orchestration (Note: Other employees claim Nike founder Phil Knight wrote the list.)
1 QUESTION FOR YOU
What is the little bit of extra work that has huge upside?
Until next week,
James Clear
Author of the million-copy bestseller, Atomic Habits
Creator of the Habit Journal
P.S. Another wooden ball.
P.P.S. Hat tip to Mckay Wrigley for pushing the Nike principles across my feed.