Josh Allred's Blog

It’s tempting to wait until someone picks you before you begin.

But why wait to be picked?

Why not simply begin?

For thousands of years, you didn’t get paid for making music or writing books. You did it because you wanted you.

And when you were a kid, no one told you what to draw, you just picked.

Somewhere along the way, we lost that. The ability to make things for the fun of it.

We are creators by nature. All of us have this special ability to create things that bring about joy in the world.

The thing is…

No one is stopping you from writing your book or to sing your song.

No one is stopping you to start that non-profit you always wanted to start.

If you are waiting to be picked, you will be waiting forever.

Let’s be honest, no one is showing up with a blank check.

Instead, decide. Create. Initiate.

That’s the thing about initiation. It never runs out.

Are we responsible for telling someone the truth?

or

Do we wait for them to figure it out?

If we choose the latter, how long do we wait?

What if the path they are on is one of self-destruction?

It’s a fine line to walk.

Few thoughts on this:

1. There are no maps. No step-by-step set of instructions to live a life of joy or meaning or happiness. What we need is a compass. A compass that helps us navigate through life’s challenges.
2. Focus on the system, not the outcomes. Build a better system that leads to more desired outcomes.
3. The story you’re telling yourself is not the same story they are telling themselves.

So, my answer is both and neither. Both because we should tell the truth and wait for people to figure it out. We can do that through storytelling, becoming a better choice architect, mastering the art of persuasion, leading with generosity and respect…And neither because when you have enrollment, you are much more likely to create change.

There are no right answers. Just better answers that lead to the next set of problems.

A good sailor doesn’t demand the wind to change. They don’t sit there and bargain with things they can’t control.

No, they adapt. They change their tactics based on the external conditions at play.

Much better and more effective to point your sail to help you get to the places you want to go.

Until 1998, there were only 300 research papers on positive psychology and the study of happiness.

Today, there are now over 8,500.

The problem is that positive psychology is still wrongly rooted in this idea that good emotions lead to good outcomes and that bad emotions lead to bad outcomes.

That simply isn’t true.

Life is not about the pursuit of pleasure.

You can’t feel good all the time.

It might not feel good to run mile 25 of 26 but many still do because the reward of running their first marathon far exceeds the momentary and temporary discomfort.

There is no comfort in growing zones and no growing in comfort zones.

It is unlikely you will become the next Michael Jordan of basketball or the next Donald Bradman of cricket.

We can always find a way to measure ourselves in a way where we are average (or worse). There will always be someone who is better than you at whatever it is you decide to do.

So, why even try?

Is that the goal to be the best in the world or bust?

Sure, if you are trying to become an Olympic athlete. For the rest of us? We don’t have to be afraid of average. It’s not about the work but the story we tell ourselves and others.

It’s worth noting that Randall Munroe who runs one of the most popular blogs in the world, xkcd, uses stick figures to create his art.

And Steve Martin changed comedy with a banjo and a magic act.

The world needs more average people to step up and do more than what the measures tell them.

It’s overwhelming to think about all the ways to fix the world.

Plug one hole and two more spring up.

Instead of thinking about, “How can I make the world a better place?”, a more effective approach would be to recognize “How am I making the world a better place?”

The work you do, it matters.

If it doesn’t then go find something more interesting to do.

Each of us lives two lives. The life we live and the unloved life. What stands between the two is Resistance.

Resistance is the voice in our head that tells us we are not good enough. It tells us to blend in, avoid making a ruckus.

Resistance takes many forms. It could be in the form of anxiety—worrying about things before they happen. Addiction is another obvious one. But it also appears more subtlely. Sitting down to work on a project that you’re stuck on, you have the sudden urge to pick up the phone and call your mom. It’s not a bad thing, and yet, we are still avoiding the scary, important work we must do. It is another form of hiding.

Why is it so hard to commit to doing work that might fail?

Because of Resistance. Because we don’t want to waste our time, to be laughed at or judged.

The greater the calling, the more Resistance you will face.

HT Steve Pressfield.

You can accept things as they are

Or

You can work to make things better.

[Are you fighting to maintain the order of things or are you trying to break it?]

When we’re not busy, we’re tired.

When we’re not tired, we’re hungry.

And so on…

There’s always a reason to delay, to wait to take action.

Here’s the thing about change:

Change means action and action means change.

It’s not about convenience, it’s about opportunity.

And, of course, taking them.

Be careful, not casual with how you spend your time.

[There’s never enough time. Do it anyway.]

Is who you love.

One thing you can’t control?

Who loves you.