Read time: 5 minutes

#88 – 12 Jan 2024

Welcome!

I’m back! I hope you had a wonderful break over the holiday period.

I felt guilty taking a few week’s break from the newsletter, given I had a solid run of weekly consistency. But then I remembered something a mentor once told me: “Consistency is something you set on your own terms”. For example:

• Consistency for one person may be 52 weekly issues a year.
• But consistency for me can be 48 issues a year, allowing for some holidays. 

And I always try to remind myself: “Hey, life is for living!” I’ve got little kids at home who won’t be little forever, so I want to savour those precious moments. 

Also, sometimes we need the reminder in this AI age that we aren’t machines. So don’t pretend you are. What good is a punishing schedule if you burn out and give up? I encourage you to set meaningful goals you can do consistently over the long haul. 

Ok, let’s get into today’s piece, a listicle. Who doesn’t love a good old listicle to bring in the new year? 

24 thoughts for a better approach to work in 2024

1. It’s a long way to the top

Remember — Compounding works. So start now and stick at it over the long run. You’ll reach higher and higher levels of mastery. And people will wonder, “How did you do it so fast?”.

I’m constantly reminded that most success comes from simply being willing to show up consistently over a ridiculously long time.  

2. How can you simplify in 2024? 

Do less, but go deeper. You can’t do it all at once. But over the long run, you can achieve great things.

“You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.”

Oprah Winfrey

3. Face up to the work you’re avoiding

If you ignore the little monsters in your closet, they grow into giant, fire-breathing dragons.

Conquer your problems while they are still small.

4. There is at least one difficult conversation you’re avoiding

Facing up to it would change your life.

One of the things holding you back is your avoidance of courageous conversations. The conversation you don’t want to have is between you and the success you desire.

“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.”

Tim Ferriss

5. Change is hard, but not changing is costly

You WILL face curveballs that require you to change your approach. Burying your head in the sand is not a strategy. Take responsibility.

“Instead of letting the situation dictate our decisions, we must dictate the situation.”

Jocko Willink.

6. Set daily “think time”

Most people are so busy they forget to think. One of my biggest lessons in recent years was that my thinking time was essential, not a luxury. 

It’s incredible what problems you can solve and creative ideas you can generate when you give yourself the space. I aim for 1 hour.

7. Listen to the clues that life is sending you

They are there, trust me. Avoid them at your peril. Life has a way of catching up to us.

“Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you.

Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.”

Parker J. Palmer

8. Walk more

Prioritise regular breaks. They are key to creativity, performance and avoiding the dreaded burnout.

Find what works for you.

9. Design days you can win

Speaks for itself. One of my mentors says, “Set yourself up for success.”

10. Stop beating yourself up

Tame your inner critic. You wouldn’t talk to your friends like that.

11. Get good at imposter syndrome

If you don’t experience imposter syndrome, you aren’t playing a big enough game. 

“Stop trying to get rid of imposter syndrome. Get good at it, instead.”

Rich Litvin

12. How can you make your goals “fun and effortless”?

“What would it look like if it were easy”

Tim Ferriss

13. Connect more. But simply for connecting, not trying to “get” something

Follow your curiosity, be genuine and spark interesting conversations.

Who would you LOVE to talk to?

14. Before you start climbing to the top – check you’re on the right ladder

And if you suddenly realise you are on the wrong ladder. It’s ok to change ladders and start over. This is your life and happiness, not someone else’s.

And it’s okay to get a part-time job to make your dream happen.

“If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.”

Joseph Campbell

15. More information isn’t the answer

You have enough knowledge to get started.

It’s easy to churn through more books, courses and podcasts, but at some point, they become a muddy mess in your mind and drown out your own thoughts.

“If [more] information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.”

Derek Sivers

16. Take regular long weekends away

Mini-holidays are not only replenishing for the soul. They break you from your rigid routines and allow for new thinking.

17. Stack your unique talents, skills, strengths and interests

This stacking is how you unlock your unique superpower.

“I have poor art skills, mediocre business skills, good but not great writing talent, and an early knowledge of the Internet.

And I have a good but not great sense of humour.

I’m like one big mediocre soup.

None of my skills are world-class, but when my mediocre skills are combined, they become a powerful market force.”

Scott Adams

Pair with:

“Don’t aim to be the best. Be the only.”

Kevin Kelly

18. Be ruthless with “no”

“Say no to everything that is not an overwhelming yes.”

David Whyte

Pair with:

“If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, say no.”

Derek Sivers

19. Accept your part in the mess

It’s easy to blame, but leading with responsibility is more powerful. A teacher often shared this quote with me:

“The people with the problem are the problem, but they are also part of the solution.”

20. How can you do less of the exhausting things and more of the wholehearted things?

“The antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest. It’s wholeheartedness.”

David Whyte

21. It’s easy to be busy being busy. It’s hard to do what matters

“Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done.”

Greg McKeown 

22. Writing is the ultimate skill

It unlocks so much: clarity of thought, critical thinking, better communication, more creativity, increased learning, confidence builder, and I could go on and on.

Make 2024 a year you take writing seriously.

23. Build in Public

Instead of trying to “create content”, simply share more of what you are already doing.

• What are you thinking about?
• What problems are you solving?
• What are you building?
• What did you learn?
• What are you excited about?

That natural energy from the freshness of these questions will make you stand out and catapult your career success.

24. Confidence comes after you take action

Stop wishing for it before. You know what you need to do.

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That’s it!

I invite you to reply with the ones that land most for you. I read and respond to all.

Cheers,

Matt 

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P.S. 

Bonus thought: 

• Do a week of no complaints. You’ll want to do more.

Coaching

If you’d like to explore how coaching could help you (or your team) achieve your goals in 2024, reply to this email or book a call.

Finally

Here’s a couple of snaps from my break…