It's Not A Trend Until It's Too Late

I turn 30 in 30 days and I've been reflecting on a transitory decade from adolescence to adulthood. During this period I've been fortunate to manage a handful of businesses, each one seemingly more challenging than the last. I am perpetually humbled. Here are a few tricks that got me through:

1. Roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, bury yourself in the mud. No podcast or textbook or blog (ahem!) prepared me better than real life.

2. Practice patience. All great businesses experience peaks and valleys. Remember that Warren Buffett has owned Coca-Cola stock for the equivalent of 220 million 5-second TikTok videos.

3. Catch your breath. I take elongated pauses before speaking to avoid interruption, which also provides a split second for reflection. Awkward at first, but productive conversations will follow (credit to Certus CEO Dave Bradford).

4. Never stop learning. If I am critical of last quarter, then I am winning this quarter.

5. Your parents misled you, talk with strangers.

6. It's not a trend until it's too late.

7. Get comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. I silence anxious late-night thoughts by confronting the topic tomorrow. Relief thereafter is bliss.

8. Set aside time to work ON the business (not only IN the business). Actually, I have continuously failed at this objective. It's my next decade priority.

9. Meet a great life partner who will smile back at you on the bumpy ride.