Prioritizing the customer and delivering value is key to business success.
Building self-belief and confidence can be achieved by trying new things and stepping out of comfort zones.
Deep dives
Importance of Customer Focus and Value Delivery
Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, teaches the importance of focusing on the customer. The obsession with the customer and delivering value is what has made Amazon successful. By prioritizing the customer, many other problems in the business get solved. This lesson applies to all businesses, as customers should always be the primary focus. Additionally, decisions should be made based on the probability of regret. Many people regret not trying rather than failing, so it's important to take risks and pursue passions while there's still time.
Building Self-Belief and Confidence
Building self-belief and confidence can be achieved by trying new things and spending time in uncomfortable situations. Creating case studies within ourselves of our capabilities helps us build belief in what we can accomplish. Similarly, constantly challenging ourselves and stepping out of our comfort zones helps in developing confidence. It's important to keep swinging at the challenges that come our way, regardless of the criticism or negative emotions. Eventually, the perseverance and ability to overcome obstacles will lead to success.
Smart Work vs Hard Work
The misconception that working hard is synonymous with achieving value is debunked. Instead, the focus should be on delivering value through smart work, rather than simply putting in more hours. Working harder doesn't always equate to achieving better results, so it's important to prioritize tasks that deliver the most value. By spending time on high-value activities, one can achieve more in less time and increase overall productivity.
Time Management and the Importance of Every Moment
The way we use our time plays a fundamental role in our success. We all have the same 24 hours each day, and how we utilize that time can transform our lives. The analogy of using chips on a roulette table represents the importance of placing our time on tasks that deliver the best return. By being mindful of what we spend our time on and focusing on high-value activities, we can compound the impacts and make significant progress over time. The key is to make conscious choices about how we use our time and avoid wasting it on unproductive or low-value tasks.
After a couple of weeks away from the mic, I jump back on to reflect on my two recent interviews with Mark Stringer and Ben Francis, in addition to this, my diary was packed full of thoughts from the last few weeks which I couldn't wait to get into...
