Chronic Action

Execution is one of the most valuable skills in the world.
It’s the difference between getting that promotion you always wanted or staying at the same position. It’s the difference between having a positive life changing experience or living a lifetime of regret. It’s the difference between building the life you’ve always wanted or keeping the status quo.

“Ideas are just a multiplier of execution”
— Derek Sivers, Anything You Want

Unfortunately, a lot of people have trouble executing on their ideas.
Some spend weeks stuck in the planning phase, fantasizing about “what could be” but never actually make any progress. Overplanning often results in projects ending up in their graveyard of ideas.

Others may whip up what they believe to be a great idea and begin executing immediately. These projects usually end up the same way — in the graveyard. Without enough planning, people tend to get lost in …

We all know people who pat themselves on the back for their spontaneous approach to life. (I once overheard somebody say they never wanted to own more stuff than could fit in their car.)

They seem to think that creating an action plan for just about anything would take all the fun out of life.

But we’ve also all heard that people who fail to plan are planning to fail.

I’ve found that people who are organized about what they’re trying to accomplish are much more successful—and have just as much fun—than those who aren’t.

I saw the proof decades ago when my boss at the time, famed Yankees pitcher Bullet Bob Turley, brought a teammate of his, “Fred,” into the company during the off season.

As a player, Fred was used to sleeping late and getting to the ballpark in the afternoon for training.

So every day at around …

There’s an enduring axiom of success that says,“The Universe rewards action, not thought.” Yet as simple as this principle seems, it’s surprising how many people get bogged down in the analyzing, planning and organizing stages when what they really need to do is to simply take action.

“What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.” – John Ruskin

When you take action, not only do additional resources come your way, but you get feedback that helps you adjust your course and refine your approach.

In my seminars, I conduct a very illustrative exercise. I hold up a $100 bill and ask participants if any of them would like to have it. I stand in front of the room, and wait until they “get it.”

Usually, after several seconds, someone jumps out of their …

There are some extremely smart and creative people in the tech world. Surprisingly, many of them struggle with the simple concept of finding a win-win situation when adversity strikes.

I’ve observed that it’s common for developers to see a difficult circumstance as a win-lose, lose-win, or worse yet, a lose-lose proposition. These situations can seem scary, but they can also provide a great opportunity to grow a relationship. In my experience, people remember how adversity was handled, not that it occurred.

The ticket to discovering a win-win involves stepping outside of the situation, having empathy for the other party, and using the same creative problem-solving skills that make you a top developer.

Here’s the process I use.

1. Recognize the Situation
   Many of these situations happen so quickly that we miss them. If you feel like a decision that you’re about to make will result in someone “losing,” you’ve found