đŁ Newsletter Announcement: Level Up with Ethan Evans
Level Up is a newsletter from former Amazon Vice President Ethan Evans that breaks down how he succeeded and how you can get to the next level.
We cover career-related topics, including:
Breaking through to executive.
Managing up effectively.
Leadership resumes that get results.
In his 2018 Letter to Shareholders, Jeff Bezos said, âSometimes (often actually) in business, you do know where youâre going, and when you do, you can be efficient. Put in place a plan and execute. In contrast, wandering in business is not efficient ⊠but itâs also not random. Itâs guided â by hunch, gut, intuition, curiosity, and powered by a deep conviction that the prize for customers is big enough that itâs worth being a little messy and tangential to find our way there. Wandering is an essential counter-balance to efficiency. You need to employ both. The outsized discoveries â the ânon-linearâ ones â are highly likely to require wandering.â
Do not underestimate the power of wandering. Although most conversations about productivity are on increasing efficiency and getting more done, one of the greatest benefits is creating more time to wander.
How do we do this?
I do not know all the answers, but here are my thoughts on what I have found effective. Combine these three frameworks:
Work Like A Lion, Not A Cow.
Eisenhower Productivity Matrix.
One Thing Today.
Work Like A Lion, Not A Cow
(h/t Naval and Shaan Puri)
Cows: Lethargicly graze on grass at the same slow pace, day in and day out. This is how many people are trained to work, the standard 9-5.
Lions: Patiently prepare for their prey, then sprint to capture. Lions feast in celebration, then rest and recover to generate energy for the next sprint. Prepare, sprint, rest, rinse, repeat, again and again. Focus productivity on critical projects with high velocity, then celebrate and rest. Be a lion.
Eisenhower Productivity Matrix
Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th President of the United States) remarked, âWhatâs urgent is seldom important, and whatâs important is seldom urgent.â Thus, the Eisenhower Productivity Matrix was born (visual below). Make better decisions via prioritization.
One Thing Today
Identify the one high-value task that is most important to accomplish today. Know when you are most productive and do it then. I replaced my 5+ item âto-do listâ with this one framework and it works well.
The Power of Wandering
Actively create more time in your day to wander and think. Retain a childlike sense of wonder to never stop questioning and learning. Jeff Bezos also said, âI believe in the power of wandering. All of my best decisions in business and my life have been made with heart, intuition, guts â not analysis. When you can make a decision with analysis, you should do so. But it turns out that your most important choices in life are made with instinct, taste, and heart.â
Putting It All Together
Maximize your productivity and output (work like a lion). Make better decisions via prioritization (Eisenhower Productivity Matrix). Check off the must-do task (one thing today). Then, with your remaining time, explore and wander (the power of wandering), read something new, have that 1:1 catch up, go for a walk in a new area, deconstruct hard-to-solve opportunities using first principles, actively listen to customer feedback, etc.
Read this post on productivity: Hyperfocus through Deep Work
Thanks to Catherine for the input and edits!
The past two weeks have been a lot of fun! Keep the comments coming and check out popular posts like:
Lessons on Stoicism with Ryan Holiday: No one is fit to rule who hasnât first mastered themselves.
Fireside Chat with Alexis Ohanian: Be relentlessly resourceful and have a bias for action to get things done. If you wait for someone elseâs approval or are afraid of taking risks and failing, then opportunities will pass you by.Â
Fireside Chat with Leon Logothetis (The Kindness Guy): Kindness is a choice. You earn trust with people when you connect with them. Bypass the mind and go to the heart.
Business Writing Tips: Clarity of writing = clarity of thought. Numbers > adjectives. No âweaselâ words.
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âFly High, Burn Bright, Be Curious.â