It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
LEADERSHIP QUOTES
We're exploring some great quotes that will help us in our lives and leadership. If you'd like to share your favorite with me, please post on the comments section of the Blog. You can read these past posts HERE.
The format for this season is the following:
#1) LEADERSHIP QUOTE: I'm going to share a quote with you. I'd like to encourage you to think about it, respond to it, process it. You can stop here, or go to Section 2.
#2) A LITTLE BIT DEEPER: I'm going to share a couple of thoughts that come to my mind when I think about the quote. Just a short reaction from me. You can stop here, or go to Section 3.
#3) DEEPER STILL: I'm going to share something I've found from someone else: A quote, some tips, a challenge, a thought....
#4) RUSS' LIST: I'll continue to share some links, ideas, books or products that I think some of you might benefit from.
Russ
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." Steve Jobs
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
Continuing the conversation around simplicity, Steve Jobs makes the above statement and it's so true.
Simplifying things is difficult!
Example: Prepare for a 20 minute presentation and a 5 minute presentation. Which one is more difficult? When you have to limit your words, you are forced to choose the RIGHT words.
I think this is why we make things so complicated... it's easier!
Jobs proved that simplicity around technology created not only a great product, but a brand that would last. He was so focused on being simple that he drove people crazy with his demands and his pursuit of the right
features on his products that would keep it simple, but make it highly functional.
We can learn a lot from that pursuit, and when I say "WE", I mean ME.
I don't pursue simplicity because I don't have the margin in my life to focus on it and keep it simple and effective. I tend to just throw myself into everything, keeping things moving, which often is much more complex. What keeps you from the pursuit of simplicity?
DEEPER STILL:
Jesus makes things simple. In Matthew 22, he said in verse 37: "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself. These two commands are pegs; everything else in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." (MSG)
He takes the Bible and sums it up in these two things... Love God and Love Others.
Life is complicated. Work is complicated. Leadership is really complicated.
I want to encourage you to work on finding ways to simplify your life. This takes work, it takes intentionality, and it takes focus.
But... it brings simplicity, and did you notice what Jobs said about that? "...you can move mountains..." I think I've heard that someplace before.
Jesus figured out how to communicate purpose in a way that we could not only understand, but with clarity around what we need to do in order to focus on the right things. If only we could learn to do the same.
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
We can learn from Steve Jobs some things to do and some things not to do. I really enjoyed reading his biography: Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography
I've always enjoyed the music of James Taylor. Classic singer/songwriter that has stood the test of time. Have you heard his son Ben Taylor? I really like his album: Another Run Around The Sun
You should connect with Harbor Ministries and one of their events. They challenge people to SIMPLIFY by finding space and rhythm in their lives. Check out their upcoming events.
OK, this might seem trivial, but last week my water bottle lid didn't close and it leaked all over the passenger seat of my car while I drove. I found a solution! Check out this Cup Holder Expander so a larger bottle can fit in the small drink holder on my truck! Game changer and don't have to make up excuses for a wet seat in my car.
I use Freshbooks for invoices and accounting. It's a great online option for small businesses!