Get bored

The next edition of NO DRIFT, my weekly newsletter for men, goes out tomorrow. Breaking down Rule #2 of NO DRIFT. Get it here. 

Friday, January 16

Everyone loves the start. The launch. The big idea. The new goal. Everyone loves the finish. The trophy. The feeling of crossing the finish line. The promotion. People cheer us on when we start, and they celebrate us when we complete the goal.

But no one loves the middle.

The middle is where the adrenaline fades. The middle is where the crowd goes home. The middle is just dirt, sweat, and repetition. You’re 8 miles into a marathon, alone on the course, wondering why you started and if you’ll finish.

Most leaders quit here. They mistake boredom for failure. They think because it isn't "exciting," it isn't working. It’s interesting because we say about kids of this generation that they can’t be bored. Yet we’re the same. As soon as the excited of the new wears off, we need to find another shiny object to chase temporarily.

Boredom isn't a problem. It’s the process. Excellence is simply the ability to do the mundane things over and over again until they compound. When nobody sees it. When you aren’t getting credit for it. When it feels like it doesn’t matter. When you wonder if it’s worth it.

That’s where you win. Be the person who shows up, every day, and does the work.

Stop looking for the fireworks. Start embracing the middle.
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Keep chopping wood. 🪵🪓

-Kevin