Die Empty

1. Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day

You have a unique contribution to make to the world. If you relinquish that power, then it will never see the light of day and you will always wonder "what if?" The price of regret is incalculable.

Embrace urgency and diligence. The concept of "dying empty" means unleashing your best work every day, leaving nothing unexpressed or undone. It's not about overworking, but rather about making steady, critical progress on projects that matter in all areas of life.

Overcome common obstacles. To achieve this, you must:

• Recognize that your days are finite
• Understand that you have a unique contribution to make
• Take responsibility for your actions and choices
• Focus on the process, not just the outcome
• Avoid the comfort of mediocrity

By adopting this mindset, you increase your chances of living a fulfilling life and creating a body of work you can be proud of.

2. Understand Your Unique Contribution to the World

Your body of work should reflect what's important to you.

Identify your passions and strengths. Your contribution is the sum total of where you choose to place your limited focus, assets, time, and energy. To uncover your unique value:

• Explore areas that spark compassionate anger
• Identify problems you're naturally drawn to solve
• Recognize where you see possibilities others overlook

Align your work with your values. Ensure that your daily activities reflect what truly matters to you. This alignment will lead to greater satisfaction and a more significant impact on the world around you.

3. Avoid the Siren Song of Mediocrity

Mediocrity doesn't just happen suddenly; it develops slowly over time.

Recognize the signs of stagnation. Mediocrity often creeps in through:

• Aimlessness
• Boredom
• Comfort
• Delusion
• Ego
• Fear
• Guardedness

Actively combat mediocrity. To avoid settling for less than your best:

• Regularly assess your progress and goals
• Embrace challenges and continuous learning
• Cultivate self-awareness and honest feedback
• Take calculated risks and step out of your comfort zone

By staying vigilant against these "seven deadly sins of mediocrity," you can maintain momentum and continue to grow throughout your career.

4. Define Your Battles and Align Your Resources

To counter aimlessness, you must define your battles wisely, and build your life around winning them.

Identify your core mission. Determine the change you want to see in the world through your efforts. This "through line" will guide your decisions and help you focus on what truly matters.

Set strategic goals. Implement a system of:

• Step goals (daily actions)
• Sprint goals (medium-term objectives)
• Stretch goals (long-term aspirations)

Align these goals across various areas of your life:

• Business/work
• Mental development
• Relationships
• Personal/spiritual growth

By clearly defining your battles and allocating your resources accordingly, you can make meaningful progress towards your most important objectives.

5. Cultivate Fierce Curiosity and Continuous Learning

To prevent boredom from dulling your senses, you must approach your work with a curious mind-set.

Develop a learning mindset. Combat stagnation by:

• Keeping a list of questions and exploring them regularly
• Dedicating time to pursue your curiosities
• Prototyping and experimenting with new ideas
• Finding your "bliss station" for creative exploration

Apply possibility thinking. When approaching problems, consider:

• Aspirations: What does this want to become?
• Affinities: What is this problem like?
• Assumptions: What assumptions might I be making?
• Attributes: What are the specific characteristics of this problem?

By nurturing your curiosity and applying these techniques, you can maintain engagement and uncover innovative solutions in your work.

6. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone for Growth

To make a valuable contribution, you have to get uncomfortable and embrace lifelong growth and skill development.

Embrace discomfort for growth. Recognize that staying in your comfort zone leads to stagnation. To continue developing:

• Say "yes" to new opportunities and challenges
• Walk into "dark rooms" of uncertainty
• Overcome the tendency to wait for permission or perfect conditions

Implement a growth strategy. Use the Step-Sprint-Stretch goal system:

• Step: Daily actions to maintain progress
• Sprint: Medium-term goals to build momentum
• Stretch: Long-term aspirations that push your limits

By consistently stepping out of your comfort zone and setting challenging goals, you create opportunities for significant personal and professional development.

7. Develop Self-Awareness and a Personal Code of Ethics

Knowing yourself will help you counter self-delusion and pursue the unique contribution you alone are capable of making.

Cultivate self-awareness. To better understand yourself:

• Identify and emulate qualities you admire in others
• Excavate your assumptions and limiting beliefs
• Seek feedback from trusted sources

Establish a personal code of ethics. Create a set of guiding principles for your work:

• Define 3-4 key words that describe how you want to engage with your work
• Use these principles to guide your decision-making and interactions
• Regularly review and adjust your code as you grow and evolve

By developing a deep understanding of yourself and adhering to a personal code of ethics, you can make more authentic and impactful contributions in your work and life.

8. Balance Confidence with Adaptability

Confidence and adaptability prevent an inflated ego from stalling progress on your most important work.

Cultivate confident adaptability. Strike a balance between:

• Confidence: Believing in your abilities and standing your ground
• Adaptability: Being open to feedback and willing to change course when necessary

Avoid ego-driven pitfalls. Watch out for:

• Assuming infallibility
• Feeling indispensable
• Refusing to compromise
• Rationalizing past failures
• Shifting blame for miscommunication

By maintaining a balance of confidence and adaptability, you can navigate challenges more effectively and continue to grow in your work.

9. Find Your Voice Through Calculated Risks

To counter fear of failure, you must take small, calculated risks each day.

Discover your unique voice. Your voice is the combination of passions, skills, and experiences that only you can bring to your work. To uncover it:

• Plan for regular experimentation
• Apply peripheral aptitudes to your problems
• Pay attention to intuitive flashes and act on them
• Don't dismiss ideas that seem obvious to you

Take calculated risks. Embrace the process of discovery:

• Start with small, daily risks in your work
• Learn from both successes and failures
• Be patient and persistent in developing your voice

By consistently taking calculated risks and exploring your unique perspective, you can develop a distinctive voice that sets your work apart.

10. Nurture Meaningful Connections and Relationships

Establishing genuine connections with others will prevent guardedness from infecting your life.

Prioritize relationships. Recognize that great work often happens in the context of community. To build and maintain strong connections:

• Avoid the tendency to isolate yourself when busy
• Address conflicts and tensions directly
• Encourage healthy disagreement and debate within teams

Implement relationship-building practices. Use these strategies to strengthen your connections:

• Find "mirrors" who can provide honest feedback
• Engage in probing conversations to build trust and alignment
• Use the five conversations framework: clarity, expectations, fear, engagement, and the "final 10 percent"

By intentionally nurturing your relationships, you create a supportive network that enhances your work and personal growth.

11. Implement a Daily Checkpoint System for Effectiveness

To make a valuable contribution, you have to get uncomfortable and embrace lifelong growth and skill development.

Establish a daily checkpoint routine. Use the EMPTY framework to review and align your daily activities:

• E: Focus on your Ethics
• M: Focus on your Mission
• P: Focus on People
• T: Focus on Tasks
• Y: Focus on You

Commit to consistent reflection and action. By dedicating 10-15 minutes each day to this process, you can:

• Ensure alignment with your values and goals
• Identify and close relational loops
• Prioritize tasks effectively
• Maintain focus on personal growth and development

Implementing this daily checkpoint system helps you stay intentional about your work and increases the likelihood of making meaningful progress towards your most important objectives.

Last updated: November 20, 2024