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It’s the work. It’s always been the work.

Not the grind. Not the hustle. Not the next buzzword.

Not the work for the work’s sake. Not the work for self-aggrandizement. Not for better titles and bigger teams.

The work needs partners, collaborators, mentors. The work knows “No one has the corner on smarts.”

Not tools, technology, process instead of work. Tools, technology, process to learn, to improve, preferably faster – but always to learn and improve.

Not the work instead of family. The work because of family.

The work is a challenge. The work feeds curiosity. The work needs creativity – and solutions, results.

Not always fun. Not always fulfilling. But I’d like to always be able to say “Maybe a waste of words and time, but never a waste of life.”

(Credit to Roy Spence for the first quote. Credit to Uncle Tupelo for the second quote.)

This is not a “you got this” or “you should do this” (whatever “this” is), “everything is broken and there’s nothing you can do about it”, or “you’re expendable in the future” type of post.

This is a “there are a whole lot of things in this world you can’t control, but you’ll never get to where you’re going unless YOU take the steps to get where you’re wanting to go” post.

And for the Christians out there, this is a “It’s His plan, not your plan, but you gotta put the work in” kind of post.

I am, by nature and by trade, a strategist, a planner. Someone who observes and researches markets to identify and take advantage of opportunities. And then does it, measures it, and continually improves how it’s done.

I am not, by nature or by trade, a person who frets over things I cannot control that are occurring in markets and chooses to complain or chooses to not seek to find options or opportunities to improve.

Let’s find where the opportunities exist now and where they will exist next. And then go see what we can do to take advantage of them, learn from what we do, and keep improving as we go.

Let’s take the steps to be successful in the current state and even take steps to make our side of the market (whatever the market, whichever side you may be on) work with efficacy for all vs. lamenting about all that’s wrong, blaming the other side of the market, or playing the game the same way as the competition – even if it seems the competition is “winning” right now.

More than likely, each of us are going to be on the other side of the market (whatever the market, whichever side that may be) at some point in time. So let’s do our part now to make it work better.

There is only one way forward – forward. Create a plan that allows you to look at the market, whatever the market may be, whatever role you play in the market, as a strategist and a planner, find where the opportunities exist for you, and go get it.

Let’s go!

The next thing is perpetual. There’s really no point in getting worked up and worried about the next thing.

There’s no point in getting sucked into the hype and cottage industries that are built around the next thing.

The best thing to do is just that – do. The other option – do not – makes no sense.

Why do nothing when we have free access to everything we need to do something?

I’m not talking about how you can build a six figure income in a half hour on AI.

But what I am talking about is learning how and why to use the many free AI tools that are at your disposal.

Learn a few of them yourself, figure out which provide you the most benefit in your day to day and in your job, and be open to new iterations.

You don’t need a special program or training for this. And if you do, find a free one. There are many.

The next thing is perpetual. There’s really no point in getting worked up and worried about the next thing.

Do or do not. There is no try.

If you are asked, “Have you done this before?”, and the short answer is, “No”, always follow through with an answer as if you were asked, “Can you do this?” or “How would you do this?”. And/Or give an example of how you were tasked with something you’d never done before, and how you went about figuring it out.

And if you ever ask someone, “Have you done this before?” as a means to winnow down a consideration set of people for a task or a role or whatever, strongly consider following up with, “OK. Give me an example of an instance where you were tasked with something you’d never done before and you had to figure it out. What did you do?”

How to do something can be taught. Whether it’s using a tool, a technology, an interface, rules specific to a business or industry, and so on.

Curiosity, problem solving, and resilience are traits that are typically inherent and not easily taught. Find those and build around them.

Thinking about this exercise took me to vivid places in my memories between roughly 1979 and 1997. Yes, these are the musings of a mid-to-late Gen X’er.

The “Compilation” album is fertile territory for a writer who enjoys music of many kinds. I’m seeing a few pieces along this vein coming.

This exercise, and any that follow related to music, books, movies, etc, is one of personal favorites. Not “the greatest” or “the best”. There was not an intensive list making process followed by creation of analytical tools to rank, followed by a final use of whiteboards and/or sticky notes to order and reorder things qualitatively to truly get things where they should be. The Good Lord knows I had to fight that urge because I would enjoy the process.

No, I didn’t go there. I believe there are parts of life that are best left outside of a data-driven approach to define what is “good”. I think art is meant to, loosely quoting Emerson, belong to the eyes that see it, the ears that hear it, the memories or feelings provoked by it.

My Favorite: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (1993 release)

This CD was, I think, in the last cache of ones I got from Columbia House. Which means I also had Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits, (at least the first one), Eagles Greatest Hits (at least the first one), and Jimmy Buffett Songs You Know by Heart.

Again, the musings of a mid-to-late Gen X’er who grew up in a small, Midwestern town on rock/classic rock radio of the late 70s-early 90s when what streamed to you in terms of music were post cards from mail order music services.

Reflecting on this one, Tom Petty the lyricist is like Ernest Hemingway. Nothing is wasted. No more is said than what is needed. No need for over wrought adornment. You know what he means. Like you’re sitting across a table from him, having a conversation. It’s not like he sees into your soul. It’s more like he hears you out, nods his head, and provides a better, crystal clear articulation of what you meant.

The revelation was just how good this band was. “Tight” is the best way to describe it. Hooks, melodies, layers. Yet they seemed like they could be the best garage band of all time.

Yes, I realize there were a few songs from Full Moon Fever, Tom Petty technically “solo”, but the backing band for that album was mostly The Heartbreakers. I’d rather not quibble over that.