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Todo lists are simple.
Your life is not.
5 simple steps to Elevate your Ecosystem:
Your life is not.
5 simple steps to Elevate your Ecosystem:
But wait, I love my todo list.
-> Aren't they the same thing?
-> Isn't this just semantics?
Maybe, but minor differences -> profound impacts.
-> A list is linear, discrete, and limited by design.
-> An ecosystem is expansive and evolving.
And you need both.
-> Aren't they the same thing?
-> Isn't this just semantics?
Maybe, but minor differences -> profound impacts.
-> A list is linear, discrete, and limited by design.
-> An ecosystem is expansive and evolving.
And you need both.
1/ Goal vs Task
Usually, people make a list to get things done.
-> Plan out your day
-> Run a staff meeting
-> Get the kids off to school
If the Task gets done, that's a success.
An ecosystem aims at higher Goals.
They anchor to the unifying 'Why' surrounding many tasks.
Usually, people make a list to get things done.
-> Plan out your day
-> Run a staff meeting
-> Get the kids off to school
If the Task gets done, that's a success.
An ecosystem aims at higher Goals.
They anchor to the unifying 'Why' surrounding many tasks.
Task: Plan out your day
Goal: Take on your day as efficiently as possible
Task: Run a staff meeting
Goal: Setup the team to maximize the week
Task: Get the kids off to school
Goal: Ensure they're prepared for optimal learning
Are you completing a task or pursuing a goal?
Goal: Take on your day as efficiently as possible
Task: Run a staff meeting
Goal: Setup the team to maximize the week
Task: Get the kids off to school
Goal: Ensure they're prepared for optimal learning
Are you completing a task or pursuing a goal?
2/ Include Other People
How do you get things done?
Most people call their own number.
But if you have an ecosystem?
You're supplementing yourself w/ others to achieve your goal.
How much more can you accomplish w/ people whose strengths are your weaknesses?
How do you get things done?
Most people call their own number.
But if you have an ecosystem?
You're supplementing yourself w/ others to achieve your goal.
How much more can you accomplish w/ people whose strengths are your weaknesses?
From a young age, I had:
-> A scarcity mindset around money.
-> An identity rooted in self-sufficiency.
This combo made asking for help a struggle.
But I knew I needed to rely on others if I wanted to achieve more.
Adding them to my ecosystem once removed my daily debate.
-> A scarcity mindset around money.
-> An identity rooted in self-sufficiency.
This combo made asking for help a struggle.
But I knew I needed to rely on others if I wanted to achieve more.
Adding them to my ecosystem once removed my daily debate.
To sustainably add people, look to:
-> Engage experts
-> Set clear expectations
-> Agree on their compensation
-> Embrace a predictable cadence
-> Evaluate their work and share feedback
This investment effectively "handles" a piece of your list in perpetuity.
-> Engage experts
-> Set clear expectations
-> Agree on their compensation
-> Embrace a predictable cadence
-> Evaluate their work and share feedback
This investment effectively "handles" a piece of your list in perpetuity.
3/ Scoreboard
For lists, the scoreboard is usually binary: done or not done.
For ecosystems, the scoreboard is higher fidelity:
-> Quality
-> Quantity
-> Happiness
-> Efficiency/Cost
For me, it helps to imagine everything as a factory.
For lists, the scoreboard is usually binary: done or not done.
For ecosystems, the scoreboard is higher fidelity:
-> Quality
-> Quantity
-> Happiness
-> Efficiency/Cost
For me, it helps to imagine everything as a factory.
Example: Your child's learning factory.
Quality: Proficiency
Quantity: Hours/day of learning
Happiness: Your kid's morale
Efficiency/Cost: Taxes + Tuition
Your system needs to optimize for your child's goal.
College entrance & 18-year-old founder are wildly different.
Quality: Proficiency
Quantity: Hours/day of learning
Happiness: Your kid's morale
Efficiency/Cost: Taxes + Tuition
Your system needs to optimize for your child's goal.
College entrance & 18-year-old founder are wildly different.
4/ Feedback Loop
We have a name for stalled processes: bureaucracy.
Part of what makes an ecosystem thrive is evolution.
Problems get resolved thru constant adjustments.
If you can A/B test your website, what else can you test & iterate?
It's lifestyle natural selection.
We have a name for stalled processes: bureaucracy.
Part of what makes an ecosystem thrive is evolution.
Problems get resolved thru constant adjustments.
If you can A/B test your website, what else can you test & iterate?
It's lifestyle natural selection.
Here's a simple waterfall:
Delete: Do we even need to do this?
Automate: Can technology do it better?
Delegate: Can someone else handle it?
Delay: Will I be able to do this better later?
With that's left:
Diagnose before you Do to give yourself the highest odds of success.
Delete: Do we even need to do this?
Automate: Can technology do it better?
Delegate: Can someone else handle it?
Delay: Will I be able to do this better later?
With that's left:
Diagnose before you Do to give yourself the highest odds of success.
5/ Incentives
"Show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome" - Charlie Munger
Don't overlook the rewards & punishments in your ecosystem.
Know yourself and the people in your ecosystem.
Then nudge w/ guardrails & bounties.
"Show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome" - Charlie Munger
Don't overlook the rewards & punishments in your ecosystem.
Know yourself and the people in your ecosystem.
Then nudge w/ guardrails & bounties.
Building a habit that requires discipline?
-> Set a punishment that hurts more than doing.
-> Think donating to a charity you loath.
Need your people to stretch for more?
-> Offer a bonus that generously shares the spoils.
-> Perhaps a group trip if everyone hits their goal?
-> Set a punishment that hurts more than doing.
-> Think donating to a charity you loath.
Need your people to stretch for more?
-> Offer a bonus that generously shares the spoils.
-> Perhaps a group trip if everyone hits their goal?
TL/DR
An Elevated Ecosystem:
1/ Focuses on Goals vs. Tasks
2/ Includes Other People
3/ Has a Clear Scoreboard
4/ Continually Improves
5/ Incorporates Incentives
These simple additions will supercharge your output and efficiency at work, home, or school.
An Elevated Ecosystem:
1/ Focuses on Goals vs. Tasks
2/ Includes Other People
3/ Has a Clear Scoreboard
4/ Continually Improves
5/ Incorporates Incentives
These simple additions will supercharge your output and efficiency at work, home, or school.
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @dklineii for more leadership lessons & management tactics
2. RT the tweet below so others can use systems thinking to achieve more by doing less
1. Follow me @dklineii for more leadership lessons & management tactics
2. RT the tweet below so others can use systems thinking to achieve more by doing less
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Misha @MishadaVinci
ยท
Jun 5, 2022
This is great!