Mission
Mission. BHAG. Quest. Heart’s Desire.
What do I want? Here I sit, a grown man, with decades under his belt, and I don’t know the answer to that question.
A mission is mandatory. Otherwise I will drift like a rubber ducky.
This, I don’t know what it is. Yet. I can’t articulate it except “peace” or “contentment”.
It may turn out that a goal is like the horizon: clearly visible, always moving as you move, and impossible to reach.
Rule of three
When things are really going to shit, I can barely remember to eat. I get in a doom loop.
Three things propel me toward my mission. Three is an arbitrary number, but the number reveals a truth: when the shit is flying (and it’s always flying) I can barely concentrate on one thing.
So, even in good times have three areas of responsibility and no more. In each of these areas, drill and rehearse and build habits so when the metaphorical bullets are flying, I know what to do.
The rule of three. Don’t get hung up on the number. It’s a concrete expression of “keep it simple”. Simple usually means just a few things. Three is just a few.
My three
Business. Body. Brain.
Business, because this is my chosen craft. I have some skills. Effort here leverages into money, and money is stored energy.
Level up as a laborer.
Body. This is self-evident: it’s good to be healthy. Let’s just keep the Starting Strength quote in mind here:
Strong people are harder to kill than weak people and more useful in general.
Mark Rippetoe
Level up as an athlete.
Brain. This is where it happens. Get smart, get clear. Navigation skills are paramount.
Level up as a leader (of self).