Friends of Dave #68: Work The Problem
What do you do when you get stuck? Work the problem.
This past weekend I made a quick stop to pick up one of the kids and left unexpectedly inspired. Here's how.
Quick setup: kid birthday party at someone's house. Dad is an ex-Navy SEAL, Mom is battling cancer. He recently lost his job in financial services and the family is in the process of selling their house and moving out of the area in June (before school ends so their kids can get jump start on making new friends). No doubt this has been the subject of gossip, whispers and texts in social circles -- people mostly just feel bad for them.
In the backyard was a decent sized "shed" that inside they converted into, of all things, a rock climbing wall from floor to ceiling -- outfitted with huge padded mats on the floor. They had helmets and gloves for the kids. I was both impressed by how surprisingly elaborate it was and a little self-conscious that his kids got that from their dad while I thumped my chest after setting up the Xbox at Christmas time...
What caught my eye, however, were the various writings covering the wall in marker between the footholds. Some were obviously done by kids and some adults. There were arrows and instructions: "This one is tricky", "Get going!", "Super easy." Then I found one that captured my attention in large bold block letters close to the ceiling in one of the more difficult sections: "Work the problem."
Think about it: you are a kid trying to conquer this rock wall and you have gotten yourself almost to the top. But you get stuck. What do you do? Cry for help? Give up? Drop down to the nice cushy mat on the floor? Ask for an adult to point out where to go next? Nope. Not in this shed. Here you take what is given to you, understand your strengths and your limitations, and you muster up the courage to create a solution. Maybe climb down a few steps and regroup. Whatever you choose, you must work the problem.
Isn't this something we all face from time to time? Whether it is in our personal or professional lives, we all find ourselves in situations where we are climbing a wall and we get stuck. We ask ourselves "how did I get here?" or "why am I in this situation?" or "what do I do next?" We seek pity or relief because, damn, this just sucks and we are far from stable ground! It's so easy to feel sorry for ourselves, blame others or simply want to quit because it all seems insurmountable. But none of that is constructive nor will it get us out of the situation. You have to trust that if you were able to get yourself to this point, a solution exists to get you past the obstacle. Work the problem.
As I walked back to the car and left the scene, it was not lost on me how this directly applied to what that family must be experiencing right now. Adversity and setbacks seem to be compounding for them yet, in the face of it all, they themselves are working the problem. That is all they can do. I don't know them well, but feeling sorry for them is no longer my primary emotion when I think about their situation. Something tells me they will be okay no matter what else is thrown their way.
A little longer preamble than normal, but I hope that inspired you as it did me (I've been thinking about it all week). Got a bunch of new subscribers this week, so welcome! Working on another podcast too. In the meantime, enjoy the articles below and have a great weekend.
XOXO
Dave
3 To Get You Thinking...
You aren't too nice to be leadership material — work.qz.com Being nice is not considered cool. Or powerful. Or effective. But it should be.
Thinking About Thinking: Tiny Changes Produce Big Results — medium.com Tiny changes in how you think can lead to massive changes in results.
How a series of initiatives to train gratitude changed my life — medium.com
Over time, gratitude truly becomes automatic.
Lots of great food for thought here on how to approach life differently when facing stress, time demands, family, and achievement at work. The power of gratitude can be a game changer.
4 For The Day Job...
AI providers will increasingly compete with management consultancies — www.economist.com
People like to think that finding customized AI solutions is just as easy as selecting a fizzy drink with a hint of grapefruit. They are wrong. Who is going to lead the pack to build the best AI for Corporate America still remains to be seen.
Does your business live up to it's brand? — www.charter-marketing.com
Don’t confuse the brand with the product/service. One won’t just carry the other. The customers make the difference. Marketing alone won’t save your business if you suck at it.
9 Reasons Nobody Pays Attention to Your Content — hackernoon.com
Straight talk on why your content marketing strategy is falling flat or taking too long to get traction. Worth reading because many of these likely apply to your business.
Harnessing the information revolution — www.schroders.com
Very large and alternative datasets are often less precise or clean than traditional "market data" because the information may be emanating from organisations or facilities whose primary purpose is not the provision of clean, holistic, data to stockmarket participants. But when appropriate confidence intervals are applied, then the benefit of having additional information to consider is always additive.
This one talks mainly about the challenges alt data brings to the investment management space, but lot of good lessons outside of that as well.
And Your Weekly Dose of Randomness...
The US-China trade war has turned cranberry farmers into an unlikely pawn
I'm just waiting for someone to stand up and proclaim that they are in fact not a cranberry farmer but a "lead farmer".....
Weed Killer Roundup Found In 100% Of California Wines Tested — www.healthy-holistic-living.com
In related news, baldness on the rise amongst the wine drinking population....
A Highway Pickle Mystery Is Preserved in Missouri — www.atlasobscura.com
The jar of cukes has survived time, construction, and foul weather. But can it survive fame? And how long before someone proclaims responsibility by calling themselves the Original Pickle Rick.
And The Last Word....
Why it’s as hard to escape an echo chamber as it is to flee a cult — aeon.co
On the heels of Mark Zuckerberg's testimony to Congress about Facebook, I found this a fascinating read. Important for everyone to understand the negative effects of echo chambers and filter bubbles online.