š Giannisā Rise, šµ Return on Hassle, and How to Qualify for National Championships
PROGRESSION: October 2023
Since late January Iāve been heads down working on an important project. Iāve only discussed it with a handful of people. While the time hasnāt yet come to share it with the world, I would love to start discussing it with more people and get feedback. Hit reply if youāre interested in learning more!Ā
Books, Articles, etc.
Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion by Mirin Fader (Book)
This book captures Giannis Antetokounmpoās rise from poverty in Greece to becoming an NBA champion and two-time MVP. His story is incredible. Then his life changes almost overnight when he gets drafted to play for the Milwaukee Bucks. He experiences culture shock, and struggles to adapt to his new life. At one point, he decides to buy a Playstation, but takes it back the next day because he feels guilty about the $400 he spent. His team provides free food after games and practices, and he takes the extras home in ziploc bags.Ā
Giannis is raw as a basketball player, but his work ethic is unmatched. He gets better, year after year, until he becomes one of the most dominant NBA players. His relationship with his brothers is special and his commitment to taking care of his family is admirable. I loved this book and highly recommend it. If you havenāt already, check out the movie Rise which also tells his story.Ā
The Return on Hassle Spectrum by Nick Maggiulli (Article)
Return on hassle is the idea that you need to consider the time and work associated with an investment in addition to its expected return.
Nick tackles this subject from an investment standpoint, looking at investing in real estate rentals (high return, high hassle) to investing in treasuries (low return, low hassle). He poses the question, is the hassle of the investment worth the potential return? Said differently, is the juice worth the squeeze?
But I think this question is worth asking in all aspects of our lives. I continually push my clients to see if they can make their work easier and more fun. Iām a firm believer that we should do hard things. Hard is good. But there are times when we make things harder than they need to be. As you look at challenges at work and beyond, I invite you to ask yourself, how can I make this easier? How can I make this more fun?
Observations
How Continual Improvement Led to Qualifying for the Triathlon National Championships
Earlier this month, my brother Jordan and I competed in an Olympic-distance triathlon in Salt Lake. We both finished top three in our age group and qualified for the national championships next summer.Ā (For the four of you who follow our rivalry closely, yes, I won.)
One week later, I finished 2nd overall in a triathlon that fielded 500+ athletes, something I never thought was possible. Hereās a quick post on the 12 year journey that made it happen.Ā
Do I Actually Need More Information?
I recently posed this question to my coaching clients. Better information certainly leads to better decisions and actions, but often we let a lack of information be an excuse for postponing action. We need to find a balance between information and action. When in doubt, assume that balance is found with more action.
In the words of Derek Sivers, "If more information was the answer, then we'd all be billionaires with perfect abs."
Gratitudes
Iāve found power in regularly expressing gratitude so Iāll continue the habit. Iām grateful for school teachers. As the new school year started, I had the opportunity to meet most of my childrenās teachers. They have a hard job and I admire how much they care aboutĀ teaching. The world is a better place because of them.
If you've read anything worth sharing I'd love to hear about it. And do let me know if there's anything I can do to help you.Ā Ā
Nathan
Learn about coaching | Read my blogĀ
If this was forwarded to you and you'd like to sign up, click here