Maximum Velocity

I’m writing from the same place I usually write this week but I’m trying a new thing where I choose to believe I’m somewhere else. This week that somewhere else is the International Space Station. TBD on how well this strategy will work.

Very productive week this week. Unfortunately, I think my productivity accelerated to a bit of an unsustainable pace. I found myself pushing a little too hard to make progress. It seems as though there’s a maximum velocity at which one can make progress on a venture with a variety of parts. In my experience, trying to push beyond this max velocity is painful and almost always fruitless. Sometimes pushing too hard actually seems to have a negative effect by way of increased mistakes or rushed work resulting in a low quality product. Nothing I do requires a masochistic work/life balance. I should really get that tattooed.

While trying to adjust my velocity to avoid over extending, I was reminded of a favorite theory.

I find that when I push too hard I tend to force myself into choosing fast and cheap, (or blow my budget to outsource unnecessarily) but the reality is that I don’t need this process to happen at light speed, nor am I interested in producing a cheap product (or building a cheap business). Alas, I must slow down a bit. To be clear, my slow is still fast. I’m pushing for progress always, but this week made it clear that I need to add back in some work boundaries and self-care activities.

I mentioned in the last post that I would share more about the resources I’ve been using to learn about starting a business but I don’t think that’s very interesting. However, I will share the a few general strategies that have been the most effective for me.

1. Seeking out reputable learning resources on the internet.

2. Connecting with people who have experience with similar ventures.

3. Just plain taking action and wading through the process of starting a business.

I do want to highlight something that’s made a huge difference for me though, and that’s working closely with a team. I internalized and glorified this idea of the lone wolf from a very young age (thanks capitalism and dudes everywhere) and it’s informed my way of working and living for a long time. Unfortunately, this idea of the lone wolf is antiquated, ineffective, and isolating. I’m ready to rid myself of this idea. Unfortunately, shedding an idea I grew up internalizing and glorifying is a lot harder than I thought. But, as it turns out, surrounding yourself with people you respect and trust is the key. I’ve found this to be true in my personal relationships and also in my business relationships. (There’s some gray area here because my brother is also my business partner, but you get the point.)

I’m so excited to be a part of a team where this kind of honest communication can happen. I’m confident it will be the bedrock of our success as a team and a business.

It’s interesting, the most difficult part of this for me was not actually the act of hearing them and realizing they were right, but not judging myself for asserting what I thought was a good move. I had a number of solid reasons for thinking we needed a website designed and built from the ground up by a local web designer, it just so happens that our limited resources need to be used in other more effective ways right now. And that’s okay.

So, long story short, I feel like I’ve been walking a bit of a thin line between sanity and insanity this week. To my support system, thank you, always. I’m excited to continue inching (footing?) towards our official launch. We’ll see what next week holds.

I’m the meantime, I have some low stakes fun planned. I’m hoping to lighten the load on my mind and connect with my favorite people. I hope you have something to look forward to this week as well.

Wishing you balance,

Will

P.S. The name Will Barnes is an alias. As mentioned in my first post, I can’t leave my current job until I have another comparable stream of income and I’d like to prevent my boss from firing me first. Please don’t seek out my real identity. I will reveal myself when the time is right.

You can reach me via email at [email protected] or on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @BosslessBlog.