💡Stones - Ep #19
I was definitely in over my head...
2 Bio kids, 2 Foster kids, a College Exchange Student from Tokyo, Peak Covid (April 2020), Systems Engineering a Surgical Robot at JNJ 100% Remote...
and on top of all that...
... I had decided to build a Massive Stone Paver Patio...
I remember listing to robotic controls risk mitigation calls while slicing through stone pavers on my Evolution Miter saw, and parenting 4 kids under 4 in the back yard...
And I thought that would be the most challenging work/life integration of my life lol... wait till Japan and 15 relocations in 3 years haha.
But I learned something during this beautiful season of building...
The idea of leaving a stone to remember the works of our hands.
Today's "Sunday Sip" is inspired by Nick... an Ultra Runner, an Ultra Dad, and the newest member of The Big Brain Club
In response to an encouragement to keep experimenting with his Community's Value Prop, he replied...
- "[I'm] Prepared to go for 100s of iterations."
What remarkable grit and an Ultra perspective.
As entrepreneurs we rarely stick the landing on our first go.
Business is a product of intentional micro tweaks, until we get a beautiful innovation trifecta that convergences across:
- Unmet Need
- Technical Feasibility
- Commercial Viability
Think of it as laying one stone at a time... until you build this:
So here are three ways you can lay stones with intention and build the life you desire...
- Living where you want
- Loving what you do
- Being paid well for it
1. Plan or Execution First? ... Yes
This patio was a massive undertaking that built upon years of work and pain.
Originally there was a huge rotting deck in its place and during heavy rains water would run down the hill towards our home and flood the basement through a damaged foundation.
So we demoed the deck, completely repaired the foundation (ouch), and had a mud pit before us.
Then came the crazy idea to build a zero entry patio at the height of the demoed deck raised up on 12 inches of dirt, gravel and sand all held together with a retaining wall so water would run away from the home.
This would require moving 50+ Tons of dirt, gravel, sand and paver stones one wheel barrel load at a time.
I had a plan... but each stage of execution provided vital inputs that shifted my strategy day by day.
As an engineer, I want everything in life to be well thought out before starting the work...
That said it is essential to run through as many iterations as possible to inform and shift the "ideal" strategy towards "reality".
Each stone you lay... even if imperfect... provides clarity on the next stone that fits by its side. Eventually you land on that beautiful herringbone pattern that my kids would skip across. All built upon a solid foundation of hand pounded rocks.
As you continue in your entrepreneurial ventures I would encourage you to loosen your grip on strategy and start taking simple action.... Looping between plan and execution faster and faster for 100+ reps.
2. Patience & Persistence
There were 100's of moments of pause during this project.
* A need to unmute a controls call so I can provide input on a risk mitigation
* A brawl between the kiddos with sand in the face
* The sun setting prompting my responsibility to feed the heard
Finding contentment with the stone "unlaid" is just as critical focusing on what stone to lay next.
When we open up the time horizon of success, it gives our ventures room to breath and flow towards progress.
In many ways it unlocks persistence and makes sustained action over time a possibility... vs burnout.
Yes, build fast and with intention...
But also embed patience in the process so you can delight in the works of your hands and celebrate what you're building towards next.
3. Retrospective Sensemaking
This is the idea of leaving a stone to remember the work we've done.
In any venture we can struggle with doubt, self exclusion, and imposter syndrome stalling us out.
I love the idea of retrospective sensemaking in which we intentionally remember historic stone laying moments to speak clarity over our life moving forward.
Here's an example of how I could leverage retrospective sensemaking to prepare for a 100k Pitch with a MedTech Consultant if I had any doubts in my ability...
I could remember my origin story of totaling my 1994 Honda Accord in highschool and completely restoring from the ground up... which led me on a path towards Mechanical Engineering.
I could remember how I originally labeled myself as "untechnical" during my first co-op at Johnson & Johnson... yet I still landed a full time role as a design engineer and progressed robotic surgical innovation for a decade with multiple patents in my name.
I could remember how I relocated over 15 times during the course of 3 years with 4 kiddos and yet found a way to deliver on key innovation objectives, led a team of 32 global innovators, and remained present as a father.
I could remember traveling Japan, attending countless surgeries and interviewing elite surgeons to uncover critical medTech unmet needs and developing new technologies on their behalf.
And finally, I could remember taking a crazy risk going all in on entrepreneurship, hitting Zero multiple times, but eventually finding my product market fit and my Nuanced Sales Methodologies that has lead to my first income online.
Navigating retrospective sensemaking, where you reflected on the stones that you've laid over the years can propel you forward with greater boldness.
This bolsters your confidence... trusting that you're either capable now or will make yourself capable as you do the work.
Benediction:
So may you reflect upon the stones you've laid in prior years and look upon the works of your hands with the highest delight.
May you trust that you are more than capable of what lies ahead as you stack up stones one at a time...
Day by Day...
And as always friend...
Keep Changing the World!
