Endeavor Lab 11-17-23

Welcome back!

"If you take out the team in teamwork, it’s just work. Now who wants that?"

  - Matthew Woodring Stover

You’re Doing it Wrong 

TL;DR: Teamwork is underrated

I consider myself a, "Solopreneur,” but I actually have a pretty extensive team of people who help me and my businesses succeed. I have graphic artists, UI/UX experts, executive assistants, advisors, partners, SEO ninjas, web designers, and even customers who help me do what I do. They are freelancers and friends, but I could never pull it all together without them.

I say that not just because of their skills, but because they all hold me accountable. Hiring people generates an urgent obligation for me to give them what they need.

This is especially true and important when it comes to things that I don't want to do, and it's not about laziness. I would simply tend to do the things that came more naturally to me and ignore the work that didn't. I would also focus on the final deadline rather than the individual milestones along the way that are critical for a team to work together interdependently.

My goal is to build a team that helps us all maximize our strengths, but there are some things that only I can do for my business at this point. For the tasks that we dread but can't delegate, we need moral support - and pressure - from our team.

These team dynamics are incredibly important for us when it comes to mental health, personal growth, and business success. Of course, I want my business to do well, but frankly the social pressure from my web designer to give him what he needs often spurs me to action more than making more money.

I would probably never fix my website's DNS settings if I didn't dread emails asking me why I haven't done it yet more.

I have seen people unable to get out of bed in the morning to feed themselves that effortlessly move mountains for their team at work to avoid social scorn.

Sebastian Junger does a phenomenal job of exploring this powerful motivation of the human psyche in his book Tribe. He explains that for much of human history, being ostracized from the tribe was a matter of life or death. Physically surviving the elements of nature was simply too hard on one's own.

The show Alone is another great example of the power of social bonds. Some people simply hit a point where no amount of money is worth another day without someone else to share it with. Sadly, however, many people take on life's greatest challenges alone.

Some of the best advice I've ever given my coaching clients is simply this: Don't do it alone. 

Christopher McCandless also captured this concept beautifully in his journal while slowly dying from food poisoning alone in the Alaskan wilderness. In his biography Into the Wild written by Jon Krakauer, McCandless wrote that happiness is, "only real when shared."

The importance of community is not only the key to our mental health and happiness, but also one of the greatest keys to success in business.

This is also one of the key aspects of military training and mission success. The Marines Corps motto is, "Semper Fidelis" which means, "Always Faithful." We can only push each other so far, but when other people are depending on us, or when our reputation is on the line, we will go much farther. Similarly, it's often said that those who pass Navy SEAL training are not always the most physically fit. I would argue that some people simply fear the social embarrassment of quitting more than any other hardship.

Prioritizing social safety over all else might seem ridiculous, but it's at the core of our human nature. We are social creatures, and the most-successful people in the world know how to harness that social motivation correctly.

Use the acronym A.C.E.S. to remember how to build and leverage a team to reach your goals:

1. Acceleration

When you work with and through others, everything happens faster. Depending on each other creates micro-deadlines and pressure to complete work as quickly as possible. Of course, we see many companies take this urgency to an unhealthy extreme, but we need to deploy this principle to reach our own personal and professional goals.

2. Clarity

I used to help people with their resumes constantly, but it was still hard for me to work on my own. Planning our lives and businesses is the same way. You could be the best planner in the whole world, but you need outside perspective to create a crystal-clear vision and your roadmap to get there. Pick team members who will challenge your ideas and help you really figure things out.

3. Expertise

I see too many people trying to teach themselves how to do things that will take years to learn instead of hiring someone who could just get it done overnight. If you want to truly master a skillset, then be my guest. For everything else, find a friend of a friend who can help you or hire someone on UpWork.

4. Strengths

I define strengths not just by what you're good at, but by what energizes you. If it drains you, then try to round out your team with someone who can take that work on for you.

Think of your team like a good set of kitchen knives. Every knife has a specific purpose. You want each of those knives to be as sharp as possible, and you need to use the right knife for the right job.

Wrapping It Up

I'll say it again: Whatever challenge you're facing - addiction, reaching 7-figures in your business, addiction, finding a job, starting a new business, or finding more fulfillment in life - don't do it alone. Build your team. Find people who can speak into your life, challenge you, energize you, encourage you, and even stress you out enough to get things done.

When we align our powerful social motivations with our goals, we become unstoppable.

Cool Jobs:

Each week, we’ll share some interesting job opportunities you might not find anywhere else.

500 Startups - Portfolio Companies Principal Click here to learn more

CFO for Schneider Regional Medical Center in the US Virgin Islands - $130k Click here to learn more

Director of Communications for the Catalina Island Conservancy - $110-$140k Click here to learn more 

Deloitte - Associate Creative Director, Experience Design Contractor (Remote) Click here to learn more

Deloitte - Software Quality/Test Analyst - Contractor (Hybrid, Tampa, FL) Click here to learn more

Terra AI, Software, UI/UX, and Growth Engineers (Y Combinator) Click here to learn more 

Vanderbilt University - Asst Director, Athletics Facilities & Event Management Click here to learn more

The Smithsonian Institution - Director of Exhibits and Engagement - $112-$145k Click here to learn more

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