Brent’s Intro Blog – Endeavor, Engage, Effect

To keep me from going on into to many random rants and ramblings, I’m going to try to stick to the theme of Endeavor, Engage, and Effect for my future blogs.

Endeavor – Things that I want to try, implement, or challenge myself with. (Actionable Items)

Engage – Content that I think is worth sharing (blogs, books, podcasts etc.) These will bring in new thoughts and concepts and hopefully engage your mind!

Effect – Concepts about creating change and having impact on the communities around you. These posts may be a bit conceptual, but hopefully it’ll inspire you to go after the things that matter.

Best way to reach your goal… remember, you must die

Memento Mori – A Latin phrase the literally translates to “Remember, you must die.”

This phrase wasn’t intended to dredge up some depressing thoughts about the triviality of life or make you worry about your morbidity. Rather, it was, and still is used as a reminder to make today count. Memento mori encapsulates the philosophy of living every day to the fullest and seizing opportunities when they arise.

I have applied this concept to my everyday life and it has proven to be surprisingly effective at creating new opportunities for growth.

I have started a daily exercise that I call “The Final Countdown” (TFC)

I created a countdown timer on my phone that tracks the estimated number of days I have left to live (based on rough actuarial tables).

Every morning (almost, sometimes I fall off the wagon) I take a screenshot of my countdown and think of something I want to accomplish or do that day. This can vary from something related to work productivity, being more mindful, doing something that I love, connecting with people etc.

Once I have thought of what I want to focus on, I post the screenshot with the goal written down on my Instagram story.

This activity serves two purposes:

1. It makes me be intentional with my day. I have to be deliberate and act with a sense of purpose. It provides focus and clarity and gives me a constant reminder to move past the noise and fluff and focus on the things that I actually care about.
2. Posting it on my story holds me accountable. People see me posting every day (they either think this idea is the best thing since sliced bread or that I’m weird and morbid) and mention it if they see that I missed a few days. I do have to mention that it can get challenging to think of different things every day, and sometimes it is also good to take a break so you’re not over-saturating your life with social media.

While long term goals are important, it is even more so to have a system of daily tactics to get you there. Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, once famously said that “losers have goals, winners have systems.” He defines systems as activities that, even resulting in failure, still have a net positive effect and teaches transferable skills. Be intentional with your day, do something that is meaningful. The more purpose you put behind your actions, the more opportunities flow to you. Don’t get caught in the rat race of just spinning your wheels everyday in the same routine. Be purposeful, not busy because remember, we all must die.

Endeavor – think of some daily activity that could incrementally improve your life. Do something everyday that brings you purpose, even if it’s only for 15 minutes a day. Try it for a month and track your results. Measure for improvements in your productivity, general mood, positive behaviors, or new opportunities. Do something that is authentic and exciting to you!

-Brent

1 Billion Dollars – Effect

This isn’t an exercise in fantasizing about what kind of fancy sports car, mansion, yacht or other vainglorious luxury you would buy. Instead, I challenge you to take on this thought exercise, really put some time and effort into playing this scenario out:

If you had 1 billion dollars (insert Dr. Evil laugh), or unlimited resources, what would you do? What life changing, world altering, save the planet problems would you solve?

To make this more than just a passing thought in the wind, consider the following; what solutions have already been attempted, what resource(s) (technology, money, manpower) is/are the limiting factor to solving this problem, who has already worked on this (current and past) and what flaws and innovations have they discovered in their attempts?

Now what’s the whole point of this? Why put in so much time to systematically break down these problems? These are all hypotheticals right? We’ll never have unlimited resources.

This exercise serves three purposes:

1. Creates a framework for problem solving that can be applied to not only large- scale problems, but also on a daily basis in your current profession and industry.
2. Removes limiting beliefs and expectations about what you can solve and accomplish. Once you break down a massive problem into smaller bite sized chunks, you can rationalize it and understand it to the point where you are not paralyzed by the grandeur of it all.
3. Helps develop a “why”; enables you to think about creating a stronger value proposition and identifies what you think are problems that have top priority in rectifying and what you actually care about.

Let’s take a look at the three purposes at greater depth.

Framework for Problem Solving

When solving a problem, especially one that has a larger scale and impact that extends greater than your immediate environment, it can be daunting to have to start from square one. Paralysis by analysis is a real thing and it can help you build momentum if you already have somewhere to start. That’s why starting by asking questions and taking scope of the pre-existing landscape can be extremely beneficial. Ask yourself “what would this look like if it were easy?”

It is a similar concept to finding a mentor; they have already tried many paths and experienced mistakes and setbacks. It is only logical to utilize this knowledge base to make your efforts more efficient and expedient. This exercise can help you build a framework that is unique to you. Find what works for you, what helps you break down a problem into manageable and actionable steps, then apply it.

Expand Your Belief Systems

I am not a “creative type”. I tend to fall into the categories of rational, logical, analytical or any other descriptor than leans towards following a straight line approach. Therefore, it is helpful to me to occasionally challenge myself and discard my preconceived notions and beliefs. Disappointment is often created by expectations, so open your mind and view everything as an opportunity and possibility.

I read that in improv comedy, the greatest taboo is to say “no, that wouldn’t work.” If one of the actors suggests that a situation should be a certain way, or that another cast member should perform a certain task, then that is the way things should be. If one were to deny the situation, the flow of the performance would come to a screeching halt. Just because a scenario might seem ludicrous in reality, on the improv stage anything can work and everything is a possibility. Use this exercise like an improv troop would and don’t shut down ideas until you’ve taken them through serious due diligence and a few iterations.

Exercise in Existentialism

Many a young 20-somethin’ year old find themselves in an “existential crisis” (insert snarky comment on millennials). What do I do with the rest of my life? Does my job really matter? Am I making a difference in the world? Well if you do find yourself asking these questions, I highly suggest you take the “1 billion dollar” question seriously. If you want to really make a difference, why aren’t you? Think about what really grinds your gears, what makes you pissed off, and how could you solve it? What is a skill that is uniquely your own that you could apply to help the most amount of people possible? Or on a smaller scale how could you disrupt your current industry and make changes to improve the “system.” This exercise falls in line with creating a personal mission statement and finding your value proposition. For more resources if you’re questioning whether or not you’re on the right path give ‘Start with Why’ by Simon Sinek a read.

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings.

-Brent