Quotes
"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." — Confucius.
"Every artist was first an amateur." — Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." — Franklin D. Roosevelt.
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." — Socrates.
"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." — E.E. Cummings.
The beginner’s mindset is not a retreat from expertise but a harmonious blend of experience and curiosity. — Me.
Notes/Observation
With the beginning of this new year, there will be Growth Amidst Challenges.
Adversity often conceals the seeds of growth.
We can develop perseverance, creativity, and fortitude when faced with difficulties.
Think of challenges not as barriers but as gateways to self-improvement. The skills honed during tough times become invaluable tools in pursuing future accomplishments.
Articles
Watched
Book of the Week
I decided to reread this book as leaders and online entrepreneurs have highly recommended it.
I already like the book, but reading it with a fresh perspective was eye-opening.
There are so many Leadership gems.
My takeaways on this read:
-You are what is needed to lead. All that is missing is you, your vision, and your passion.
-Your fear is what holds you back from leading
- Fear of criticm is a powerful deterrent because the criticism doesn't actually doesn't have to occur for the fear to set in. Watch a few people get criticized for being innovative, and it's pretty easy to convince yourself that the very same thing will happen to you if you are not careful. (That’s why it’s hard for people to post online)
-Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead. This scarcity makes leadership valuable. It is discomfort that creates the leverage that makes leadership worthwhile.
-The secret to leadership is simple: do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go There. People will follow.
-There’s a small price for being too early, but a huge penalty for being too late. The longer you wait to launch an innovation, the less your effort is worth.
-No one gives you permission or approval or a permit to lead. You can just do it. The only one who can say no is you.
Strategy
Networking and Collaboration
No achievement is genuinely solitary. Utilize every situation to build meaningful connections and collaborations. Networking expands your horizons and creates a web of support and opportunities that can fuel your accomplishments.
Question
How much do you network regularly?
*If you need help, here is an excellent strategy from Sean Johnson — he details the 5/25/150 system for networking and calls it the secret of the best networker he’s ever met.
Here’s how it works: You create a list of the five people most critical to accomplishing your goals and contact them once a week to provide value to them.
Then, do the same weekly for the next 25 people on your list and monthly for the next 150 people on your list.