I did not think this would be my life right now. If I’m honest, I thought I’d be in college, hanging out with friends, or maybe attempting to become a doctor.
NOPE.
I’m working for a startup, and not just any startup. I’m working for a startup that hasn’t even launched yet.
That’s impressive. At least to me it is.
If you’re wondering what it’s like on this inside of this operation, I’ll let you in. It’s not a secret. We’re a vocal, passionate, committed group.
Here’s how I’m going to break this up:
- Mentality
- Work/Day-to-Day
- Going forward
Mentality
My mentality going into this opportunity was – “I need to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible.”
That’s still my mentality.
In the beginning of anything, there’s a period of adjustment because you have to reset your minimum standard.
Anytime you take on a new habit, learn a new skill, or commit to anything you haven’t done before, the challenge is making it your new normal.
Usually we start with our bars set a bit lower than what is required to succeed.
In order to facilitate that period of adjustment, I make sure that I am aware of my headspace. If I start to get too overwhelmed, I’ll go outside or stop what I’m doing. If I am getting comfortable, I’ll take the next step to make my work more challenging.
It’s usually a two-steps-forward-one-step-back kind of process.
The way I’ve come to understand this is that when you’re setting your new normal, there will be moments when you are tempted to revert to your old ways. You’ll test the old, like trying on an old shirt, and then you’ll realize you don’t like it as much.
I’m very aware of that process, and accept it. I celebrate the wins, and keep moving forward.
My motto right now is: eyes forward, feet moving.
Summary of this section: keep tabs on your headspace. When you need a break, take it; when you need to challenge yourself, challenge yourself. Life is about being content with your outcome and choices – make sure you are.
Work/Day-to-Day
Working in a startup is FUN!
I’ve worked in a couple of other settings and am so glad that I did because now I can appreciate the agility and humanity of a startup.
We’re working together for a specific purpose. Everything is broken up into two types of work: stock and flow.
Stock is any project that has lasting impact. Stock is what you invest in because it’s evergreen.
Flow is the short, quick project that helps you now but not later. Flow is where you allocate small, daily amounts to make sure you’re top-of-mind for your customers and followers.
The thing I love about working in a startup, especially this startup, is that everything is flexible. I need to get my work done, but I get to choose how I allocate my time to each project.
That flexibility gives me more autonomy over my work and myself.
I LOVE this work environment, and think it suits me perfectly, but I don’t want to give the wrong impression. Startups are fun, but they’re hard work too.
There’s always work to be done, an impending due date, issues and bugs to straighten out, and high expectations.
The work you do will literally make or break the company.
Summary: Startups are great if you can keep yourself on-target with your projects, want to work closely and have direct impact on the success or failure of something, and LOVE the idea of a fast-pace.
Going Forward
After we officially launch, I’m expecting to get into a more predictable rhythm. When that happens I’ll do exactly what I’m doing now, but with more fervor.
When you’re in a startup, your personal growth directly helps the company. That means that if you want your company to continue growing, you have to constantly challenge yourself to learn more.
I have a list of skills that will directly improve my output. Those are my priority.
When I’m trying to figure out what to learn and how to grow, I usually audit everything I’m doing and focusing on. I ask myself, “What is the common thread among all of your tasks and activities?” If I don’t see a common thread, I zoom out and create/find one.
Having a similar theme creates simplicity and fosters more output at a higher quality. Instead of having to keep track of 10 individual tasks, I’m focusing on one that has a string of other tasks associated with it (this concept is similar to Tim Ferris’ batching process).
Summary: Always be learning so you can offer more value.