Millennials Got Productivity Wrong. We Should Focus On This 1 Thing Instead
Is "Do Your Best" actually good advice?
I hate to admit it, but millennials grew up somewhat coddled.
I’m sure I still have participation trophies collecting dust somewhere.
We all came from the “Do Your Best” era.
This isn’t a knock-on our parents. “Do your best” is good advice. We don’t control the outcome and its consequences, but we can control doing our best.
Not perfect, your best.
When I was a kid in little league baseball, I hated getting in the batter’s box. I feared getting hit by a fastball or striking out in front of my friends. In my defense, all pitchers suck at 11 years old, so I was constantly getting beamed. Doing my best helped in this scenario.
Do your best is hard-wired into millennials, but I learned last year that there’s more to it than giving it the ole college try.
The Productivity Quote Everyone Should Be Thinking About
I recently received an award at work. It was a big award. As a result, the company is flying me out to Cancun in a few weeks. Pretty cool!
The honor has allowed me to look back over the past year and review what I did right to earn this award.
Did I do my best?
Most days, I did, but not every day. Some days, I got lazy. I got tired. I messed around on social media too much. Clocked out earlier than I should have.
What did I do right?
I’ve been thinking about this quote from Winston Churchill: “It’s not enough to do your best. Sometimes, you must do what is required.”
There are a lot of interpretations of this. To me, he’s saying that doing your best isn’t enough. You must put yourself in a position to do your best. You must do what’s required.
Churchill was basically exiled from politics before WWII. His peers believed he was getting old and out of touch. Old man screaming at clouds. So, In 1931, when a new government was formed, Churchill simply wasn’t invited.
But Churchill didn’t stop there.
He stayed sharp. He wrote essays and books. In fact, over 400 articles and 11 books. He gave public speeches. He rested. He prepared for the day when the world would need him.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, and his phone rang. On that day, Churchill was ready to give his best. He did what was required.
What Led to My Success Last Year
Last year, I focused mostly on strategy.
I identified what would drive the most profits for the company. Learned my market inside and out. I rehearsed the pitch and practiced in public. I focused all my attention on a few important clients instead of mending little fires everywhere.
I also kept up with my fitness practice and nutrition, so I had fewer sick days. I started seeing a therapist, which helped reduce burnout.
That’s what led to the success. It wasn’t simply showing up and stepping in the batter’s box. It was all the back-end work that put me in a position to perform my best.
That’s what Churchill was talking about.
Your best is finishing the race. What’s required is waking up every Saturday morning for a long run.
Your best is finishing an article. What’s required is reading every day and doing the research.
Are you doing what’s required this year? Or are you taking shortcuts?
If you want a particular outcome you have to do what is required. I’ve been doing a lot of what is required over the last 10 years or so to create a better and better life for myself. As a baby boomer I’ve had longer than you to work things out. One thing I really wanted in my life was business class travel to lots of interesting places. (Comfortable travel is an old person’s dream). A lot of things had to come together to make that happen. Now I am confident that I can make things happen and I am full of excitement for the life I am creating. I enjoy reading you and Ryan Walsh. Let’s me know that things haven’t changed that much since I was younger.