#156 - Ideas Are King (But Not Enough)

Welcome back! We hit our 3rd year of writing this newsletter last week! Wild sh!t.

As I thought about that, I started to think about how in the world has this newsletter gone for so long. Definitely felt a sense of pride mixed with a little bit of awe. Doing one thing consistently for that time period is challenging as hell. I make it a priority to get it done each week, and hitting this milestone reminded me why that commitment matters.

When I sat at my desk before writing this edition, I realized something: there are 3 things that have been the lifeline to why this newsletter has gone for 3 years. And I believe these 3 things are important takeaways for you too — whether you're building your career, starting a side-business, or working on that multi-million-dollar idea ChatGPT told you to pursue.

• Ideas

• Partnerships

• The Why

I'm taking over this edition by going into the importance of these 3 things, and hopefully this will help you in any way as you pursue whatever it is you're working toward.

PS: Prof Mike is on vacation. He'll be back next week, so you're stuck with me until the plane lands.

Let's take off, shall we?

Ideas Are King and Its Queen is You

There is nothing like a random idea. Whether it's to improve a workflow, make your bedroom feel more comfortable, or solve a problem you've been dealing with for months, ideas are where everything starts.

OTF was derived from an idea. The idea felt simple in retrospect: create a resource I wish I had when I first started my career. While the newsletter has taken a different direction as of today, it all started from an idea.

I remember working in LA and I had my first team. A small team…just 3 of us. They interned at the company and were hired the following year. We had a meeting during their first month and all I remember sharing with them was that I loved brainstorming ideas on how we could improve the experience for young people just starting their careers in underwriting.

But here's what I believe made that conversation stick: I wanted them to always feel comfortable bringing up ANY idea. Whether it was an idea about the role, dealing with operations, or how we could improve overall workflow. I wanted them to feel confident to bring any ideas to the table early on because they had minimal experience. They just started. They were so fresh they could see things without being blinded by experience.

And you know what happened? They began to question everything - "Why do it this way? Can't we do it this way?" especially when it came to certain projects. They began to suggest alternatives for a better outcome. That's the power of creating an environment where ideas aren't diminished - they're actually celebrated!

Here's the thing though: the idea that sits in your head may be forgotten. Sure, you may remember a couple of the many you've thought of over time, but if you don't document them and then go back to expand the idea or bring it to life, then what's the point of having all of these ideas without action?

When you write down and explore your idea with action, it comes to life. The power of this is the following: you create other paths for more ideas off of your original idea. In my experience, the brain works better when there is momentum. So if you get going on an idea, your brain may pick up on something else that leads you to another way to improve your idea. You don't get this when you let the ideas sit in your head.

Write them out. Get them out of your head. Experience a problem? Brainstorm a solution with AI. Figure out ways to solve it. You can create something from nothing.

Prof Mike and I talk about ideas every week. We always challenge ourselves with improvements and never get shy of bringing ideas to the table. It's a major component to the development of the newsletter, its content, and everything in between. Which brings me to the next point...

Partnership

If you look at successful teams or companies, they all have strong partnerships. Whether it's the co-founders' partnership, the company's partnership with their vendors, or the collaboration between departments…partnerships help get things off the ground and keep them moving.

Prof Mike played a huge role BTS when I first launched this newsletter. While he didn't fully come aboard until later, I brainstormed the idea with him on an hour-long call. We threw idea after idea at one another.

But what made that partnership essential wasn't just having someone to talk to. The partnership was essential because it brought this belief that this could be something. He gave feedback, brainstormed ideas with me, and had me think about different things I never thought about because I was just focused on the concept. He also listened a ton and questioned the hell out of my ideas, which led my brain to build momentum to extend my thoughts even further.

That's what a real partnership does. It pushes you further than you could go alone.

Here's what I've learned: you want to partner with someone that has stronger skill sets than you in other areas. You can't be everything, so you need to partner with people who are better than you in areas you know you're not as good in.

For example, Prof Mike is always challenging and testing my boundaries when it comes to content, the message, the structure. He's always well thought out in his responses and he's on top of it when it comes to writing... 24/7/365. (I wonder if he’ll judge this edition…I’ll find out this week 😆 ). But maybe that's the professor in him…I mean, he has taught writing and public speaking for nearly 15 years.

That complementary skill set makes us better though. I bring a little vision and I love me some raw ideas! He brings the structure and makes sure we don't lose sight of what we're building. Together, we created something neither of us could have created alone.

So when you're thinking about partnerships in your own life, whether it's a business partner, a mentor, or even an accountability buddy, look for someone who complements your skill set. Partner with people who will make you better at what you're working towards. Partner with people who have a common goal. Partner with people who care.

The Why

Probably the most important of the 3. The Why.

While ideas are important to get things started and partnerships help keep the engine running, the why helps you break through the noise that comes up. Especially during challenging times.

Let me be real with you: the challenges are the late nights on a Monday getting the newsletter issued for Tuesday (like last night). It's barely having any time during the week because of my career, but making time on the weekends. It's the resistance I feel when writing is just tough sometimes.

But, reminding myself of the purpose helps me push through the barriers of the resistance all around me.

My why is a variety of things. My why is for my future family. It's for the life I envision a decade from now. It's knowing I don't want to do it, but still doing it to hopefully inspire someone else to push through and keep publishing, keep posting, keep creating.

The newsletter fits into my vision because it's a way for me to document what I am working towards and share what I learn on the fly with you. Painting the picture means doing the work I enjoy doing, always striving for just a little more, and taking ideas and bringing them to life.

If you ever look at a company's website, you'll see their About Us, their Mission Statement, who they serve. That's their why. And when times get tough, when budgets are tight, when people are burned out, when the market shifts, that ‘why’ is what will help push you forward.

So ask yourself: Why do I want to pursue what I'm working towards? Why do I want to put the time and effort into something? What's in it for others? Will what you're working on make an impact?

The why must be found within. That's not something anyone I believe will be able to find other than yourself.

I will leave you with this: Please reflect on the ideas you have and bring them to life.

We have all of these (ai) tools available to us, but it starts with the belief and the action that you, too, can bring what you envision to life!! Use the tools to get things going for you.

Then partner with people who will make you better. Partner with people who have a common goal. Partner with people who care.

And find your why. Not the surface-level answer, but the deep one that'll get you through the late nights and the moments of resistance.

Three years in, I'm more convinced than ever that these three things…ideas, partnerships, and the why are what separate the people who keep going from the people who quit.

Before You Go!

The plane has landed and thank you for reading!

In the meantime, if you have any stories, ideas, or things you’ve read that you believe would benefit our readers, feel free to shoot us an email at [email protected].

Doors always open and we’d love to feature it in an edition.

As always, see you on Tuesday with Prof Mike making his grand return from FL!

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