10 things I learned from Austin Kleon's "Keep Going"
Dear You,
In January, I decided to read Austin Kleon's Keep Going, and it was such an amazing way to start my year. As a rule of thumb, I read with intent. You can read more about that here. This means I read for entertainment, information or pleasure. If I am curious about learning something, I pick up a book. Last year was a challenging year for me. I had to juggle work, life, community, and so much..., which led to me burning out. I needed a "push starter", and this book did that for me. After reading it, these were 20 things that stood out for me and impacted my year positively.
1. spend your days wisely
There’s so much in your life that you can’t control, but one thing you can control is how you spend your day. You can choose what you do with your day. You only have 37000+ days. How you spend your days will determine how you spend your life. This helped me value my days and my present. Instead of defining my life in years, I seized each day as an opportunity to build the life I wanted for myself.
2. make lists
Make a list of things you want to do, your goals, and anything important to you so you don’t forget. It centres you when you feel lost. A list is a collection with a purpose. It helps you reflect and remember (you can’t trust your memories). I had always made lists, but I didn't realize how they helped unburden my brain until I read this book. I knew I felt better after making lists, but I couldn't articulate why. The brain forgets, but lists help me remember.
3. learn how to say no
Not all opportunities are for you. Not all money is good money. Not all jobs are good jobs. Learn how to say no. No is a complete sentence. I learned really early that saying No to something means saying yes to something else and vice versa. While opportunity knocks once, not all doors need to be answered. It helps to know yourself enough to detect when to say yes and when to say no. What you say yes to is as important as what you say no to.
4. prioritize doing, not just dreaming
Do. Show up. Do the work. The results will show. Don’t wait for someone to give you a job before you do the work. Don’t wait for someone to call you a techie before you practice your tech skills. Roles don’t validate you. You validate yourself. This has been something I have been conscious of since I listened to Shonda Rhimes' Dartmouth's Commencement speech. You can read my thoughts here. I think dreaming and doing is the perfect combination, but if I had to pick one, I would pick doing. Doing creates many ripples, dots, and connections that make sense when you look back.
5. show your work
Don’t only do the work show your work. Talk about the work you’re doing, and showcase it with pride. I have experimented with doing the work without sharing vs doing the work and sharing, and I realized you get more returns from the latter. It makes you discoverable and memorable and creates a ripple effect where the impact of that work is felt more and outlives just execution. Think about the times you referred someone for a role, a job, or anything; it is because you remembered something they did and only knew about it because you either experienced the work or heard/read something shared about it. Imagine if musicians created great music and masterpieces and never did the big job of promoting for their audience to enjoy the work? I spoke at a TEDx this year, and I didn't share. I was invited to speak on a keynote panel with Global leaders, including C-level executives from Giga-UNICEF and Tony Elumelu Foundation (I couldn't make it).
I was also shortlisted for a CXO of the Year Award.
6. ignore the numbers
When you share on social media, don’t be too focused on likes, retweets, etc. There are some things that cannot be measured. Someone might feel inspired by something you share, online metrics can’t tell. Put your work out there and it will speak for you. Of course, I believe in the power of data and using numbers to tell stories, but there are some things that data cannot capture in a way that you can see. I talk more about it in detail here. One person's life might change drastically by encountering you or your work, create for that person.
7. the ordinary + extra attention = extraordinary
Give extra attention to things/skills you have. You have everything you need. Look within, what do you have? What can you do with it? How can you transform it? Focus on what you have. It's so easy to focus on what you do not have but magic happens when you focus on what you have and add a bit of flair to it, to make it extraordinary.
8. pay attention to what you pay attention to
Your attention is valuable, that’s why everybody is fighting for it (Instagram, Facebook, Google, Apple, TV, Brands, everybody). So protect it. Choose what you focus on and surround your mind with the things that ass value to you. Your attention is an asset. Protect it.
9. find time to rest
SLEEP! Every other animal is smart enough to sleep. Why not you? You’re smart, sleep. It tidies your brain. It takes away toxins. It refreshes you. I am still trying to learn this one. I did so much better than last year with my sleep patterns but just watching my pets, they don't joke with their sleep. Animals in general do not joke with their sleep. Plants even respect times and seasons and go to sleep at some point. If animals and plants, and most living things are smart enough to go to sleep, we humans should be too. Our body needs it. You can only aspire to be successful if your body and mind are sound. Sleep helps you do that. So, take your sleep seriously. Schedule your rest. Build relaxation into your schedule. Be deliberate about it.
10. leave things, people ans environment better than you find them. Make things better.
I hope these lessons help you on your own journey. Did something stand out for you? Tell me in the comment section and share this letter with one person who needs to see it.
With love,
Blessing Abeng