September’s back to school vibe has me focused on the subject of making productive change. One of my favorite books on this topic is Chris Hardwick’s The Nerdist Way. Besides being pungently hilarious, it’s actually helpful. And super accessible. Herewith, a little taste:
Chris on personal R&D: “You are basically an intricate company, so let’s say if you devote 90 percent of your energy to maintaining current projects . . . the remaining 10 percent should go to research and development. To grow you must stretch your boundaries. Boundary stretching will always feel slightly uncomfortable. Slightly uncomfortable is GOOD.”
On measurement: “The key to mastering anything is data.” “Be a scientist with your life.” “Measure, process, experiment, measure again, keep working until the desired results are achieved.”
On measuring progress: “It is imperative that you start creating notches of appreciation for your efforts on your way to becoming someone who can manufacture goodness in the world.” [Chris does an inventory at the end of each year that lists his achievements against goals.]
On just starting: “I get TONS of tweets and e-mails asking me how to “start” doing stand-up or “start” doing a podcast and my advice is always the same. You just start. . . That’s all.”
On enjoy the process: “Achieve, be grateful, move on.” “This is why process is more important than goal attainment itself. It’s not about reaching a goal; it’s about what you become in the process.”
On being kind to yourself: “The world is challenging enough without adding the obstacle of self-loathing.”
The Nerdist Way can be applied to any personal or professional development goal – including becoming a great communicator. Read and laugh and learn. . .
And now my first book report of the school year is done!
Speaking of book reports – Derek Sivers (quoted in last week’s post) writes his own book report every time he reads a great book. That’s a fantastic practice, but if you don’t have time to do it, you can just read his here.
Communication is the essential last mile in finding and motivating the right teams, acquiring strong allies, powerfully bonding with customers, and capturing mindshare with compelling stories. Nothing will serve you and your vision better than developing exceptional communication skills.
