Getting back to basics
Over the last few months, I’ve fallen out of my routines.
Since my former roommate had a mental health crisis in January, I’ve been living in a short-term rental. During my recent real estate sprint (which you can read about here, here, and here), I set aside all but my most important to-dos. Last week was tumultuous when someone close to me had a major medical scare.
I’m doing fine. Given the circumstances, I’m great! But it’s time to reassess my priorities. When life feels overwhelming, the best thing to do is return to basics.
And, oddly enough, when I think about that, I often refer to ballet.
My first ballet class
I stepped into my first ballet class at nineteen years old.
I was unkempt, having just run from a psychology class. And I had no idea what to expect. The class consisted of just seven women, all wearing ballet tights and slippers – and me, awkwardly standing there in corduroy pants.
Twenty years later, I know what to wear and I’m somewhat more comfortable. But the movements we practice in a ballet class are still the same. I’ve taken thousands of ballet classes, and they all begin the same way. Pliés before tendus. Practice at the barre before moving across the floor.
In order to do anything well, you have to focus on the basics. I find it oddly comforting that the best dancers in the world warm up the same way. They stand at the barre, listen to the piano begin to play, and begin at the beginning.
The more you advance in a specific field, the more tempting it is to focus on the advanced techniques. But when things get difficult, it’s usually better to do the opposite: to focus on the basics.
Apple’s turnaround
In September 1997, Apple Computers was two months from bankruptcy. Steve Jobs, who’d co-founded the company twenty years earlier, agreed to return as interim CEO.Macintosh fans were excited, but the business world didn’t expect much.
But Jobs didn’t use fancy tactics. His strategy was simply to get back to business basics. He slashed costs and replaced a confusing lineup of products with a single, powerful computer — the Power Mac G3.
At that time, the company had less than 4% of the personal computer market. By returning to business basics, focusing on the core things that kept Apple going, Jobs allowed the company to survive and eventually rise to global dominance.
Getting back to basics
We can only begin where we are. Assess the reality of the situation. As much as I sometimes enjoy tilting at windmills, I’ve learned it’s better not to argue with reality.
Take a moment to identify the basics that ground you. For me, that’s eating well, exercising daily, and going to bed early. For you, it might mean making your bed or taking a daily walk.
The only course of action available to any of us is to begin at the beginning. During challenging times, start with what you know. In a phrase: return to basics.
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3 things I’ve loved this week
Books I’m revisiting
Anytime I feel the need to reassess my routines, I pick these two books back up:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
Both copies are worn. There’s nothing in either that I haven’t already read multiple times. But sometimes just the reminder to leave my running shoes out where I can see them, or to celebrate tiny successes to reinforce a habit, is enough for me to get back on track.
Article I’ve loved
Good Writing by Paul Graham
Paul Graham is the co-founder of the startup accelerator Y Combinator, which incubated Airbnb, Dropbox, and dozens of other world-famous companies. Every few months he writes an article, and they’re always excellent. This one makes the case for the value of clear writing and highlights why I think good writing will never go away.
Video I’ve been talking about
Sam & Jony introduce io
I watch very little video, which is funny since I run a video studio. But this mini-documentary featuring Jony Ive and Sam Altman captured my imagination.
AI is world-changing. And I don’t necessarily trust that Sam Altman or OpenAI have my best interests at heart. Given that, this nine-minute video highlights the power of filmmaking. You can’t help but watch it and feel things. It’s an exquisitely filmed love letter to San Francisco, and from Jony and Sam to each other. It also cost about half a million dollars to produce.
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Until next week,
Robin
