​

To do work you’re proud of, sometimes you have to go all-in.

This week, three tips on how to commit.

One to help you be brave.

One to help you focus.

One to help you be brilliant.

Brave Plant The Flag

​
Last fall, I had a number of important projects that simply had to be completed - or else. The problem was, I had so many things happening simultaneously that even when I made a little progress on each one, it felt like nothing was really getting done. I was pushing a wall forward a few inches at a time.

So, I planted a few flags.

“No matter what, no matter how hard it is, I WILL complete this manuscript by next Friday.”

Then, “Even if I have to work all weekend, I WILL finish this slide deck by Wednesday.”

I planted a few flags and I got it done. There are rhythms to our work, and that means that there will be times when we simply need to go all-in.

Do you need to plant a flag this week?​
​

Focused Tune Out The Noise

​
News flash: There are people who make their living by monetizing your anxiety.

Yes - that’s right. There are people are right now anxious about the fact that you might not be anxious enough to tune in 24/7 to their anxiety-inducing media/website/podcast.

Be a concerned citizen? Sure. But, in order to function properly - with your full faculty - you have to learn to ignore the noise and focus in on what’s in front of you. Set some boundaries around your attention.

Are you guilty of allowing others to control your mood or level of anxiety?

​

Brilliant Refuse To Be Bored

​
I’ve recently been attending a Quaker meeting on Sundays.

You know what happens at a Quaker meeting? Silence.

An hour of it. It’s a group of people in a room together basically, well, being silent.

A funny thing happens. Ten minutes in, I’m staring at my watch wishing it was over. Thirty minutes in I glance again and can’t believe we’re only halfway there.

Then, suddenly, POOF! It’s over.

In that last thirty minutes, my mind comes alive and I follow my thoughts. I discover things I didn’t even know I was thinking.

Many of us don’t even know what’s on our mind because we can’t still ourselves long enough to find out.

When was the last time you were uncomfortably alone with your thoughts?

​

This Week:

• Plant a flag and commit to getting something done sooner than you think possible.
• Set boundaries around your attention and anxiety.
• Set time to be uncomfortably alone with your thoughts.

​

And, finally:

If you enjoyed this newsletter, my new book The Brave Habit is a practical guide to making brave decisions every day in your work. I hope you’ll read it. (You can download a few sample chapters here.)

Your turn to lead:

Do you know someone who might find this email helpful? Please forward it to them.

​ Todd Henry teaches leaders and teams how to be brave, focused, and brilliant. He is the author of seven books, and speaks internationally on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. ​TODDHENRY.COM​ ​​

​