phrases

A few helpful phrases I've used 1000 times over the last five years:

"It's all pretend."

So much of what we think about and do professionally is totally made up and doesn't matter at all. Quotas? Project deadlines? Shareholder value? These are all concepts and constructs we made up to bring order and understanding to how we make money (also pretend). I'm oversimplifying, but hear me out.

Thinking about work this a way has a similar effect as meditation, it gives perspective to our common stressors. The stress and anxiety we feel at work are very real. But by zooming out and objectively looking at the situation, we can dial down the temperature.

"Nobody cares."

This one crops up when I am talking to somebody about a book, podcast, or framework I'm nerding out on. I have a quick moment of reflection mid-conversation and realize most people don't give a sh*t about the pretend things I find interesting.

I encourage people to be lifelong learners. Personally, I find psychology and behavioral economics fascinating. Most people don't share my interests, which is totally fine.

"But seriously, what do I know?"

There's a saying, "As the island of knowledge grows, so does the shoreline of ignorance." Essentially, the more we learn, the more we realize how little we actually know. I remember years ago being pushed really hard by a sales rep who was certain he was THE sales expert after taking a course by some online guru. I paused and asked him to explain sales velocity and he said, "huh?" Although I was being super cringy, the point was made.

But also, what do I know? The truth is, in some areas I'm one and a half steps ahead of people on a similar path and a thousand steps behind people on a path I’ve never considered.

Ah, right... Nobody cares.