The following piece was featured in the LA Egotist:
2018 was The Bigger Picture’s first year, and the first time I’ve been the solo owner of a company. So to say I learned a lot…well, that would be an understatement. It was an extremely productive time, where lessons came fast and in unexpected moments. That’s production life, in a nutshell. You plan and anticipate, move mountains in short periods of time, deliver & celebrate, then do it all over again. It’s a sprint wrapped in a marathon. Those of us who live this way…we love it. Truthfully, we thrive on it. So for what it is worth, here’s a list of what I have learned:
- CURIOSITY IS THE ELIXIR OF LIFE. It helps to propel creativity and innovation.
- The things I thought I knew I’m still learning and the things I didn’t think I could do, I actually did.
- Enthusiasm is only good when backed up by experience; and what you lack in experience in some areas is made up by enthusiasm.
- It was a year of contradictions because nobody really knows what’s happening or where things are going. Not just in the industry.
- The most important thing is to surround yourself with like-minded people who have similar values, complementary skill sets and mutual respect. When you spend time with those who aren’t in alignment with that…it ends up costing you time and money.
- Work with people you like, enjoy spending time with and collaborate with constructively when the shit hits the fan.
- Being wrong comes with the franchise of working within an unknown future.
- Hone Dynamic Resilience – your ability to bounce back mentally and emotionally after a setback is much more important than toughness or assertiveness.
- There is no rule that will work in every case. You need Superior Judgment: Which is knowing when you have information that others don’t, when your information is likely to be valid and when you are off track.
- You need to be a great listener to be in touch with your intuitive wisdom (the pattern recognition of human behavior) and process knowledge (organizational component.)
- To move the needle you need to be persuasive and empathetic— to find out what people need, even when they can’t express it specifically or directly.
- We need to lean into the unpredictability of the world in order to do better in it.