From Lee Crutchley’s book. On about the 25th re-read.
What are you going to create this year?
Whatever it is, put your heart into it.
If not, it really isn’t worth the effort.
Thoughts for January 2025
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Tag Archives: ideas
The difference between average and overachievement
A quote from Kevin Garnett, ex-Celtics basketball leader, stood out in the Netflix show ‘Starting 5’:
“Stay humble, stay confident, stay on your craft.”
The humility keeps us grounded. We always move faster with our feet on the floor.
Confidence is the fuel our ambition needs to keep pushing forwards, no matter what we face.
I think the work on your craft, whatever that craft is, with the other two sprinkled into the mix, can be the difference between average and overachievement.
Ways to be nice to yourself
Go sit in a church. Not for the religion unless that’s your thing. Meditate. Enjoy the silence. Feel safe.
Listen to an album. Listen to it, stop everything else. See where it takes you. Make some notes on the feelings you feel, plus anything else that pops up in your head.
A smell in the place you work. Coffee maybe, a candle, incense sticks. It gives you a sense that you’re in your space.
Buy something for yourself. A piece of clothing you like (rather than need). A t-shirt, maybe. A pen or a notebook. Don’t go crazy on price; it’s just a small token.
Watch a favourite movie. Spend the couple of hours totally into it. No other distractions.
Exercise. Even a dozen squats while you make a coffee is something. The more you can do, the better. Do whatever you can.
Treating yourself like someone special, someone who deserves to be treated well, will make you stronger.
You have a lot to give.
You’re valuable.
You deserve it.
The case for making notes
I started writing in early 2020 in simple lined notebooks as a way of straightening out my thinking. By June of that year I had started my fifth book.
There was a lot coming out. I was 48 years old. Life was a struggle. I couldn’t seem to make anything stick.
I had been working on my own small business for about 4 years. It was making money and a small team was supporting me but there was little satisfaction coming from the work I was putting in.
The writing stopped me in my tracks.
From my writing, I could see that things had to change. I could map out ideas for the future, make sense of the lack of fun, the lack of progress, and the breakdown in my self-belief.
It did a couple of important things that I needed at the time – it put it all there in front of me, and it set me on a new path.
One of the by-products of continually writing these notes has been the ability to revisit them. The progress I’ve made since those dark days is clear.
I took time to listen to what was going on inside myself, and being real about my attitude to life. I hadn’t done this before, and I’m glad I began to. It’s unlocked much more than I thought it would.
The words I wrote are hard to look back on but they needed to be said. I had to have this kind of talk to myself, being honest about where my life was at.
It all came out on the page once I committed to the process, the practice, of writing things out.
When I think back on how powerful a tool it has been (and still is), it’s up there with the best things that I’ve ever done for myself.
We were always ok
Before we knew who we were, or questioned anything about our life, we were good enough.
We were always good enough.
The things we learn as we get older, and the things we are told are wrong with us, blind us from this simple fact.
We were always ok.
Don’t let the stuff that comes up in our life take away what we were as children.
That innocence. That thrill for the new. The energy and excitement. The smiles.
When bad things happen, or you doubt yourself, remember this.
Let no one take this away from you.
Pick a thing and do it
To-do lists are killers. We pile up task after task, creating this list that never ends.
Ever created a list with just a couple of things on it, like a shopping list of stuff you pick up from the store? The satisfaction when you tick everything off is a dopamine hit.
When we make a massive list, never getting to the end of it, we never get that hit. The nervousness builds knowing we have a pile of stuff that’s growing instead of reducing.
I try and get three things done a day. I get the biggest thing done first, and then the next biggest, and so on. If I clear the three things, I’ve achieved something small but normally meaningful to me based on what I have on my plate.
I have a long to-do list, but I see it more as a stockpile of possibles for my three task list that I attack every day. This way, the stress is reduced. I know I’m ok if those three things are done. Tomorrow is another day to attack the rest.
Get past fear and find time for growth
Stuff that’s scary, like hitting ‘publish’ on a deep, dark post that comes from the very depths of our souls, fills us with fear. The imposter jumps out on us, screaming that we’ll be ‘found out’, that our stuff is ‘nonsense’, and that nobody’s going to read it no matter how cool we think it is.
We moan about having no time. “If only I had the discipline…” must be said by so many wannabe writers and creatives. Our handheld procrastination device, full of the stuff we don’t need, pinging at us when it needs attention, is always by our side.
It’s no wonder we rarely act on that desire to do that ‘thing’.
I used to read Julien Smith’s blog in the early 00’s when I lived in the US. This particular post caught my attention as I sat at a big desk in a bigger office, bored out of my tiny mind. I printed it out. (The image of the horse jumping from the balcony has always stayed with me.)
I’ve referred back to it, and a few of his other ‘slaps to the face’, when I’ve caught myself navel gazing, feeling stuck. At the core of it is the fact that we all worry too much what other people think, and that the sooner we act on what we believe is right through telling the truth, OUR truth, a new chapter begins.
And this is the point here – whatever your ‘thing’ is, get into action by getting past your fear and start delivering.
What’s the worst thing that could happen? You could actually be good at it, people could like it and it could work out brilliantly.
This isn’t likely to be the case – let’s get real here – but the best had to start somewhere. And you do, too.
My time is tight. A full-on job plus part time study. I run or work out daily and fit golf in whenever the study slows down. I have a stack of unread books that grows weekly.
I wanted to take things out rather than add anything new, but the opportunity to coach a women’s soccer team came up, so I took the plunge and it’s a lot of fun.
I’m also inspired to write again (thanks Dr Taylor!) and deliver with consistency – the piece of the puzzle that, for me, remains elusive. But it’s far from impossible.
Let’s put it to the test.
The trick to laying those solid foundations for a big future
The groundwork for a future focussed on achievement of any kind is built on one thing.
Discipline.
It’s about creating daily habits that develop into strengths over time.
The task is usually something that doesn’t come easy. That you have to work hard at.
Mine’s writing. No doubt about that at all.
For others it’s maybe reading. Or lifting weights. It can be anything.
What’s yours?
Realistic expectations are crucial
The excitement that builds at the start of any new project can be infectious. The idea sparks something in our minds that opens up new possibilities and lines of research. We get into action.
As time goes by and we get down to work, the size of the task can become clearer than it did at the start of the process. And, at this point, it can pay to take a step back.
Are expectations and reality lined up?
Bite off more than you can chew and the outcome can end up being destructive for all involved. You miss deadlines, targets get further away, your mood changes as things get real and you start to beat yourself up for falling behind.
Is your ego taking you on this new journey? I wanted to run a marathon for my 48th birthday with three weeks training (dumb idea for anyone at any age) and, on reflection, I wanted to prove to my ego that I’ve still got it – and I clearly haven’t as one training run has left me on the sidelines for two weeks and counting.
The reasons why you’re not getting things done to take you towards this new goal can be resistance. This is something we all face and it shows up when there is something real at stake, so, in some cases, this is a sign that we have to dig deeper.
But once we weigh all this stuff up and set realistic expectations, the energy keeps flowing through us as we work towards the goal and the chances of success increase.
What would I do if I was a retailer today
The post-coronavirus world is starting to take shape. Here in Australia, shops are reopening and cafes and bars are now allowing 50 people inside. There is still the danger of a resurgence of the virus but we have no incoming travellers without a quarantine period and this seems to be doing its job well.
Retailers have been hit hard these last ten weeks. Here are a few of my ideas for them to boost their businesses and use free online platforms and tools to get it done.
The steps for retailers in the post-Corona world
Firstly, their Social Media profiles need to be put to work. Posts should be daily with offers for new customers and special offers for existing customers. All profiles should be checked over to make sure contact details and ‘about’ sections are up to date and on point.
Facebook Messenger is the ideal way to deliver offers online with high engagement levels – 80% open and 40% click-through rates – and I would be working to build my own chatbot to automate customer service as a minimum.
I would hire a comedic writer to create funny blog posts with a true sense of humour to increase the attention on my posts. Two funny posts on top of the offers content would work well. The funny writing should also be used to email my existing customers once a week to keep them engaged and updated.
I would use Instagram/Facebook Stories and TikTok to create video content every day. All of the attention is on video right now and I would use it to attract new followers and highlight the daily offer.
Every Saturday and Sunday would be ‘bring a friend’ day and there would be a voucher for everyone who turns up for them to use on another visit based on liking the Facebook page and subscribing to the chatbot.
And finally, I would say my prayers every night and be thankful that I’m still in business while many have already gone.
Become an ideas machine
Credit for this post goes to James Altucher. I’ve been tuning into his daily Instagram Lives with his wife during lockdown in NYC (they’ve been a rich source of ideas in themselves) and his number one tip that has worked so well for him through the years is this one.
Become an ideas machine
Take a notebook and aim every day to come up with 10 new ideas. Make them specific and put the brain muscle to work.
Choose a business you’re connected to and work out 10 ways they could improve, for example. It’s a great way to start a conversation. I did this last week for a client of ours – I sent the list over to them and it was a real success.
Or you could make a list of 10 ideas for a friend of yours who’s struggling with something in their life. It could be a simple playlist to brighten their mood or a list of courses online they could do for free to learn a new skill.
Whatever you choose to do, do it every day and your brain will adapt and start spewing out so many ideas you’ll need a pile of notepads. Give it a try and see where it can take you.
Why do many charities struggle?
A quick conversation with a good friend last night (thanks N as always) triggered some thoughts on this question. There are a huge pile of charities out there doing amazing things in our communities every day but they struggle to grow and thrive.
Why do many charities struggle?
I’ve worked with a few charities and third sector organisations over the years and the problems they face seem to be very similar.
Leadership – those in positions of authority can lack the basic commercial skills necessary to run a successful business. They get their job because they impressed the board with their passion or have some form of political clout but their skills for the job can be lacking.
Investing to grow – budgets are managed in such a way that everything is done on a shoestring. My friend gave a fabulous example where a charity was able to raise millions of dollars from an event but they had to spend a million to make multiples on each dollar. If an event for a charity costs 50,000 and makes 200,000, people tend to see that as a success. Why not spend more and set bigger goals?
Ego – this one can get in the way of change and really slow things down. A leader in an organisation who’s been there a while and runs the show ‘their way’ can be extremely slow to consider change, even when the organisation desperately needs new thinking. I’ve seen examples where they have so much power that they’ve created a culture of ‘agree with me and do as I say or leave’ in a charity. Nothing stifles growth more than this.
The best charities bring in the brightest minds from the private sector and put them to work. It can be purely pro bono and cost-neutral, but it has to be supported by leadership who want their organisations to survive and thrive.
I’m always on the lookout for these kinds of organisations and know others who feel the same way. Please let me know if any come to mind.
Solve your own problems
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years wracking my brain for ideas. Money has been short and I’ve had to find something new to sell, or I’ve hit a brick wall on a particular project and it’s time to refresh, and so on.
The answer has normally come from within. As I’ve solved my own problems, it’s the answers that I’ve found along the way that have eventually become new services.
This hasn’t always been a steady linear sequence from idea to cash. It has taken years in a couple of cases for the idea to finally bear fruit. But the answers to my own questions have been helpful to a lot of other people, too.
The resources we have at our disposal today (the internet), it should never be a problem to find a new direction or solution, or so you might think. I disagree.
There is so much already out there and there is nothing new. Everything has been done before. The internet is full of the same solutions, styled to suit a different market or customer. So looking inside ourselves and solving our own problems is a good place to start.
A great week and the learnings from it
It’s been a great week as Katherine and I started our new company, St John, and it has been shaped by some key points that I wanted to pass on here:
Ideas have been developed into products and discussed with potential clients. No real time for incubation or doubt to creep in, but straight out there and tested in the real world.
Hard work – focus and drive towards a common goal.
Teamwork and passion for the product and why it will be a success.
Self belief – there will always be doubters but they are not the ones in control and are normally the ones who are frightened that your success will show up their weaknesses. Get it done and deal with the consequences, good or bad.
Thankfulness – for the abilities we have as a team, for the opportunity to make new things happen, for our health and strength and all the things that make us who we are. They all need to be appreciated and we all should be thankful for them.
Enjoy your weekend! I know we will.
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Ian Mountford is a Strategy Coach providing motivation and guidance to entrepreneurs, wannabe or fully-fledged. He draws from his own experience of building businesses from the ground up and spending many years helping clients to consistently achieve their goals and aspirations. Ian works with clients face-to-face and internationally.
Ian Mountford 