Loyalty

Some people mistake performance with loyalty. It’s common in sport, for example, where players are good only for as long as they wear the right jersey. And it’s common in business, where employees get rewarded for tenure and compliance.

But while performance can be fluctuating over a period of time and in context, there is no correlation with loyalty.

One could actually argue that the capacity to be in different teams, to learn from different environments, to deliver under different circumstances, tends to increase and strengthen performance.

So, when mixing performance with loyalty, what we are really doing is judging the worth of our cause, of our principles, in a sense of our very own performance. It’s one of those cases where we let the decisions and opinions of others affect how we think we are doing.

And we should try to never let that happen.

Outsource

As we grow up, we get used to listening to others.

Parents, peers, friends, colleagues, bosses, partners, relatives, lurkers, fans, and haters.

All of them with their opinion of how it should be, what we should do, why we should worry, where we should go next.

But as we grow up, we also need to remember that part of that growing up is owning our own opinion. Choosing our path, unapologetically, and living according to our feelings, values, purpose.

We cannot outsource our life.

Omniscient

Does AI need to be omniscient?

Would it not be possible for it to say: I don’t know. Or: this information might be incorrect. Or: do you mean this or that? Or: I don’t have enough information. Or: I need your help to get to this answer.

Why are we building arrogance within a tool that is supposed to expand our mind?

Between accomplishment and disappointment

There’s the excitement.

We often get excited. About a project, about a job, about a person. It’s the power of novelty.

There’s the action.

Some excitement is followed by action. We do the work, we show up, we are present.

There’s the habit.

Some actions and behaviours become a habit. We do them consistently, over a period of time, almost unconsciously.

The gap between excitement and habit is broad. And at the same time, what becomes a habit is way past exciting.

But it’s in this gap that you can find the difference between accomplishment and disappointment.

You got to be able to manage it.

Not a zero-sum game

Is there not enough greatness in the world that we need to waste time establishing who is the greatest?

Is there not enough talent in one field that we need to waste time establishing who is the most talented?

Is there not enough skilfulness in the team that we need to waste time establishing who is the best?

Pointless discussions lead to meagre results.

And in the meantime, the world goes on thanks to those who understand that greatness, talent, and skilfulness are work and commitment at scale, not a zero-sum game.