Jobs and problem-solving

Every consultant or employee is compensated for the value they add.  Their ability to solve relevant problems dictates their value.

When interviewing for jobs or obtaining career advice, minimize talk about the positions you’ve held, and talk more about the problems you’ve solved.  If whomever you speak with is confident that you are capable and motivated to deliver their outcomes, they will happily hire or refer you.

This is the supply-and-demand curve at work.  The best of the best have the most useful and most rare ability to solve problems that matter.

How habits make us

James Clear’s outstanding book Atomic Habits outlines how our habits are not goals to be met, but the things that make up our very identities.  Where you are financially or health-wise today is precisely the result of your prior habits.

There’s an obvious difference between “I do yoga” and “I did yoga”.  One implies that the practice is part of your identity or lifestyle.  Unlike goals (lose 10 pounds in a month for example), habits don’t have an end date.

There is tremendous power in creating new habits that serve us.  And again, unlike goals, every tiny action you take casts a vote for the person you wish to become.

Time management

For some, being a stickler for scheduling every activity feels rigid.  But a quick look at your calendar (or reflection if you don’t keep one) reveals your priorities. You vote with your actions, not with what you claim as important.

If it feels rigid to you, just remember that YOU are in charge of your calendar.  You can change it anytime to something that feels better.

The purpose of keeping a calendar and managing your time is to make sure that you allocate time for your most important items. The point then is to schedule your priorities, not just prioritize your schedule.