When I think back to my days as an employee, the first memory that I revisit is a feeling of joy. Friends making cool products in an old sun drenched loft downtown.
The second memory that hits me is that feeling of urgency that seemed to be present 80% of the time. Not quite doom, but a frantic awareness that our gigantic to do list MUST be done by EOD or we’re all screwed.
Looking back, it’s comical to realize how much of that urgency was fabricated. And most of it by me! (Sorry team.)
In my abundance of energy I had such difficulty saying no to the myriad opportunities coming our way. We just HAD to collaborate with that one ceramicist, host that event, and take that inspiration trip in the middle of sales meeting prep.
Wouldn’t trade those years for anything though. Stressed out and moving mountains with a group of good people really built character.
As I get older, I’m after a different feeling. An explosive 3-hour work sprint that really moves the needle is more gratifying. Whenever tempted to slip into "busy" mode, I ask myself:
What are 3 things I could do today that I’ll thank myself for in one year?
What can I delete from this list right now?
