Hey - It’s Michael.
Got my upper wisdom teeth removed - luckily by far not as painful as the lower ones. Enjoy the newsletter!
The Situation
Kitesurfers wear sun protection, an impact vest & a helmet. All-mountain skiers wear avalanche gear. Moto-GP drivers wear a full race suit with high-tech protective inserts.
While some presidents walk around with bodyguards, Siberian farmers walk around with shotguns (for bear attacks) & in Argentina gauchos ride horses with ponchos against the rain, cold & knife attacks (!).
Big corporates run expensive law & IT departments, real estate moguls found a series of legal entities & Jeff Bezos sleeps 8 hours - no matter what.
In short, any professional knows: mistakes happen, things go wrong & you need protection to keep playing the game.
The System
The issue with modern knowledge work is, that many dangers are simply not as apparent as an athlete hitting their head.
Therefore, it’s vital to protect yourself longterm to keep playing the work game successfully.
Principle:
Think of all the ways to protect your performance longterm.
It may include the following areas - each question is a mere example:
Physical
Sitting all day? Eating junk food while working? Working late + sleeping little?
Mental
Overwhelmed by information? Taking feedback personally?
Emotional
Stressing about mistakes or failures? Constantly upset with negative emotions?
Legal
Carrying extensive personal liabilities? Unclear about legal risks of your role?
Financial
Working for less than your industry average? Spending more than you’re earning?
Social
Only having friends at work? Often working late & neglecting your social network?
Cyber / Privacy
Having only 1-2 simple passwords? Posting private information online?
…
In Practice
Take your time & find the biggest longterm dangers in your particular line of work. Then create appropriate protective measures against each one.
A simple hack: look at very successful people in your area & copy their protection. (Steve Jobs for example heavily limited tech use for his kids - I wonder why.)
A few ideas:
Physical
Sleep >7h no matter what. Eat healthy & exercise as little as 15 min everyday.
Mental
Keep strict business hours & limit information/communication flow. Stay organized.
Emotional
Protect boundaries & identify what is actually within your control.
Legal
Learn about and make use of contracts & legal entities.
Financial
Set up a rainy day fund.
Social
Block time for your family & friends.
Cyber / Privacy
Use a password manager & (physical) 2FA
…
With the unprecedented speed technology improves, people (& AI) can and will exploit others. And without protection you let them!
This is not a doomsday scenario - just an acknowledgement that society changes and to live healthily it’s necessary to adapt & protect yourself accordingly.
A Quote To Ponder On:
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war.” - Sun Tzu
A Question To Reflect On:
Which tough decision am I avoiding?
Any questions? Send me an email - I’d love to read from you!
See you next week - Michael