The Dots & Threads Have Answers

Intro

I started a new role in December 2024, so naturally over the time between Christmas and New Year’s, I started thinking about my career and the through-line that I can begin to pull out.

Enter the Steve Jobs quote, over-used, but just so good, and true: “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” 

― Steve Jobs (Speech can be found here)

Here’s a simple graphic of my journey:

The Story

Discipline with your day

Admiral William McRaven, Make Your Bed

Ed Mylett - 4 sections of your day

Career

“There is no perfect fit when you're looking for the next big thing to do. You have to take opportunities and make an opportunity fit for you, rather than the other way around. The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” 

― Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

It’s about growing value in whatever role you’re in. It doesn’t matter what you cost—it matters what value you bring above and beyond what you cost. Think about a college football coach, why do they make 20-40x what the governor of their state makes. The leader of their state is out-earned by a football coach, because the coach delivers value that is unique and competitive, producing commercial value, while the governor could bring millions in economic value, but it’s publicly controlled by law, and it’s not given the unique value demonstrated in the same way.

—> How’s are you producing value beyond your cost?

The reality is, every bit of value delivered in business, must exceed your cost, unless you can quantify intrinsic value with a number. Eventually that gets resolved—people must see and realize your value to compensate you for it. Employers, clients, consumers. In an age where value becomes more important as the work of people becomes more commoditized, how can you level up, find your way, and harness your focus to do something truly great? By going back to what’s important in your life. 

My mind goes to—what allows you to build the value of an unparalleled career and life?

• Your Why

• People, Relationships and Impact

• Values

• Learning & Growth

• Your Life’s Work

Through-line

For those who find their life’s work, their ultimate focus, their superpower- they have the ultimate empowerment and ability to change the world and be the greatest in the world.

Second, are those who are trying with tireless fight to find it and will stop at nothing to secure that journey. 

Third, are those going through the motions on a hamster wheel with no purpose, “why”, objective, goal, or mission. They may be less efficient and more lost than those not working toward something at all. 

No matter where you are, it’s about where you are going that matters when it comes to your development and future. Focus for the future you. 

• 1 Priority, 1 Focus, 1 Purpose, just 1

• Mission 

• Focus

• Saying no, to say yes

• Elimination

• Addition through subtraction 

• Priority, not priorities 

• The more unfocused, the less successful

….Connecting The Dots Looking Backward

https://www.eidigital.com

Closing

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."

—Warren Buffett

Lead10x OS | Building the Organizational Leadership Framework of the future

Supporting Content - For More to the Story

Hopefully, this added a little value to your business or leadership journey. Thank you for reading. If you think this may help someone else, please repost ♻️ or share. Thanks for being here. 🌍🏔️

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"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

- Mark Twain

About the Author, Graham Peelle