Why It’s Better To Be a Warrior in a Garden Than To Be a Gardener in a War.

Side Hustle Reality Check: Are You a Warrior or a Gardener? 

When you are a warrior in a garden, you might not excel at taking care of the flowers — like a gardener would — but you can still do an alright job.

But when you are a gardener in a war, you are dead.

So, at its fundamental level, the saying, “It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war” is about preparedness. You need to be ready at for the worst that life can throw at you.

The saying is also about acknowledging reality. The warrior(hustler) prepares for the worst case because he understands it will inevitably come.

The gardener (or the procrastinator/corporate worker ) ignores that reality because he is focused on the divine. It’s a noble endeavor, but a risky one. Once reality kicks in, it kicks the gardener right in the face.

And finally, “It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war” is about delayed gratification.

The warrior(hustler) puts himself through a brutal training regimen now and gets rewarded for it later. When war comes, he survives.

The gardener chooses what is appealing to him now but pays for that choice later. When war comes, he dies. Such is the reality of side hustles, if you aren’t prepared you will end up dead. Start early, prepare and embrace.

Unlocking Success Through Understanding and Change: A Lesson for Entrepreneurs

In the realm of entrepreneurship and digital transformation, understanding the dynamics of deadlock can be incredibly important to enhance your outcomes.

Consider the story of a family stuck in a cycle of blame and inaction: a father who drinks to alleviate work pressure, a mother who nags under the weight of family issues, and a son who seeks solace in bad company and habits due to the turbulent home environment. Each member justifies their behavior as a response to the others', creating a perfect deadlock.

This scenario mirrors challenges faced by startups and teams undergoing digital transformation. Like the family, team members might find themselves in a deadlock, with each person waiting for others to change or take the first step towards improvement. The lesson here is profound yet straightforward: change begins with self-awareness and personal responsibility.

Key Takeaways for Young Founders and Digital Transformation Experts:

1. Acknowledge the Cycle: Just as each family member's actions contributed to the deadlock, recognize how your actions or inactions might be contributing to challenges within your organization or team.

2. Self-Initiate Change: Change often starts with one person taking the initiative. Like the family scenario, waiting for others to change first leads to stagnation. As a leader, be the first to demonstrate change, whether it's improving communication, adopting new technologies, or changing work habits.

3. Empathy is Key: Understanding the perspectives and challenges of others, as attempted in the counseling sessions, is crucial. Apply this by fostering an environment where team members feel heard and understood, especially during the stress of transformation.

4. Break the Cycle with Action: The deadlock was maintained by inaction. Similarly, in business, take decisive steps towards your goals, even if it means facing short-term discomfort for long-term gains.

5. Responsibility Over Blame: Shifting from blaming external factors to taking personal responsibility can empower individuals and teams to overcome obstacles more effectively.

The story of the family's deadlock serves as a powerful metaphor for the challenges faced in entrepreneurship and digital transformation. By recognizing our roles in contributing to issues, taking personal responsibility for change, and understanding the perspectives of those around us, we can unlock new paths to success and fulfillment. Let's not wait for others to change; the key to unlocking potential lies within our willingness to take the first step.

The '90s were a formative time for the video game industry, particularly the fighting game genre. Fighting games originated in the '80s, meaning even the original Street Fighter predates 1990.

However, there's a reason Street Fighter 2 is remembered as an origin point and more than just a classic game from the series. Before SF2 and its contemporaries, fighting games hadn't really solidified into their own genre beyond the generic beat-em-up.

Typically, most fighting games back in the '80s were much slower, and the challenge was in landing hits on your opponent. In games like Karate Champ, moves were done one at a time - they were slower and had to be much more deliberate.

The very idea of doing multiple moves in a row was completely alien to these games, and before Street Fighter 2 came around, it just was not done. Street Fighter 2 was not designed with the concept of a combo in mind. Sure, there were many conventions of the genre that Street Fighter 2 aimed to change or improve, but no one had conceptualized the idea of the combo.

It was only during development that one of the creators noticed he could perform a regular attack, then follow up with a special attack that would hit the opponent before they could react. They let the bug stick, that single decision changed the way games and gaming was shaped in the next 3 decades.

Building a high-trust service in a traditionally low-trust market is a powerful concept that can transform seemingly boring, non-sexy businesses into profitable, scalable ventures. The principle relies on cultivating trust and transparency in industries where skepticism is the norm, thereby distinguishing your business and fostering loyalty among customers. Let's delve into how this principle can be applied effectively.

The Concept: High-Trust Service in Low-Trust Markets

Low-trust markets are often characterized by skepticism towards providers, fear of being overcharged, concerns about quality, and the perceived risk of service failure. These markets provide a ripe opportunity for entrepreneurs who can build a business model centered around trust and transparency. Examples of low-trust markets include auto repairs, home renovations, plumbing, or even moving services.

Application of High-Trust Principles

1. Transparent Pricing: One of the biggest factors contributing to distrust is unclear pricing. A business that offers transparent, upfront pricing (possibly with a breakdown of costs) can immediately differentiate itself. This approach removes the fear of hidden charges and builds the foundation for trust.

2. Quality Guarantees and Warranties: Offering no-nonsense guarantees and warranties on workmanship can alleviate concerns about quality and service longevity. This assurance means that if something isn't right, the business will make it right, at no additional cost to the customer.

3. Customer Education: Educating customers about your services and the processes involved empowers them to make informed decisions. This could be through detailed FAQs, informative blog posts, or even free consultation calls. Education fosters trust by demystifying the service process.

4. Visible Customer Reviews and Testimonials: Leverage positive customer feedback to build credibility. Showcasing real reviews and testimonials, especially on your website and social media, can significantly impact potential customers' trust levels.

5. Personalized Service: Offering personalized services where customers have a direct line of communication with the service provider or manager makes your business more relatable and trustworthy. Personalization can also extend to tailoring services to meet individual customer needs.

6. Community Engagement: Engaging with your community through sponsorships, events, or charity drives can increase your business's visibility and reputation as a trustworthy member of the community.

Scaling the Business

Once trust is established, scaling becomes more feasible. Satisfied customers become repeat customers and are likely to refer others, reducing the cost of customer acquisition. Scaling can also involve expanding services, geographic reach, or diversifying into related areas where the trust factor can be leveraged for new opportunities.

For instance, a transparent auto repair shop could expand into related areas such as car wash services, tire sales, or even educational workshops for car maintenance, all underpinned by the same high-trust ethos.

6 Stories that will make you better at any thing you do…

The Compound Effect of Skill Stacking

Skill Stacking isn't about being the best at one thing; it's about combining several good-enough skills to create a unique value proposition. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, famously attributed his success not to being the best cartoonist or the funniest person but to a unique combination of skills, including business acumen and writing, that perfectly suited his career in comic strip creation.

Why It's a Monetization Power Move

1. Less Competition: By combining skills that are individually common but rarely found together, you position yourself in a niche market with less competition.

2. Increased Value: This unique combination of skills can make you incredibly valuable to employers, clients, and collaborators, as you're able to offer solutions that others can't.

3. Adaptability: Having a broad skill set makes you more adaptable to changes in the market, technology, and job landscape, securing your income streams against obsolescence.

Real-Life Application: The Tech-Savvy Public Speaker

Imagine someone who is an average public speaker, knows the basics of web development, and has a grasp of digital marketing. Individually, these skills might not make them the best in their field. However, combining these skills can make them exceptionally well-suited for roles like digital marketing consultant for tech startups, a niche with a specific demand for someone who can speak confidently, understand the technical product, and market it effectively.

How to Apply Skill Stacking to Monetize Your Time

1. Assessment: Start by assessing your current skills, interests, and areas where you could reasonably develop proficiency without years of dedicated study.

2. Market Needs: Look for overlaps between your skills and market demands. Where do your interests align with what people are willing to pay for?

3. Continuous Learning: Adopt a mindset of continuous improvement and learning. The goal isn't to reach a final destination but to keep adding and refining skills that complement each other.

4. Networking: Share your unique combination of skills through networking. The more people understand what you offer, the more opportunities will come your way.

The Story of Skill Stacking

This approach to monetizing your time is not just a strategy; it's a mindset shift. It's about looking beyond the conventional paths to success and creating your own by leveraging a diverse set of skills. The magic lies in how these skills, when combined, multiply your value, creating opportunities that are uniquely suited to you.

In a world where specialization is often heralded as the key to success, the art of skill stacking reminds us that sometimes, breadth combined with depth in just the right proportions can lead to an extraordinary career path and financial success. It's a powerful reminder that in the quest to monetize our time, how we combine our skills can be just as important as the skills themselves.

Imagine your brain is like your phone, and dopamine is the battery life that powers up all the fun stuff you want to do. But, not all apps on your phone use the battery the same way. Some apps, like reading a book or learning something new, are like the apps that don't drain your battery too fast. They keep you going longer and make you feel good for a longer time. Let's call these your "Main Apps."

Then, there are other apps that are super fun and light up your screen with notifications and colors—like TikTok, YouTube, or playing video games. These are like your "Fun Apps." They're awesome and make you feel great, but they also use up your battery super fast. So, if you use them all the time, your phone (or brain) runs out of juice quickly, and then even the Main Apps seem boring because your battery is so low.

What grown-ups often say about eating your veggies and protein before dessert is actually a cool trick for managing your brain's battery life. If you spend time on the Main Apps first—like diving into a good book, solving a challenging problem, or picking up a new hobby—you're charging up your brain. You're getting that slow, steady energy that makes you feel accomplished and ready for more.

Then, after you've powered up with some good stuff, it's totally fine to enjoy those Fun Apps—your TikTok, your Netflix binge, whatever you love. It's like having dessert after you've had a solid meal. You get the best of both worlds: the satisfaction from doing something great and the fun of chilling out with the stuff you enjoy.

So, the idea is to balance your "brain's battery" by mixing up the Main Apps with the Fun Apps. This way, you keep your brain feeling good and make even the fun stuff feel more rewarding because you've already nailed the important things first. It's all about not letting the Fun Apps drain your battery before you've had the chance to enjoy the rest of the day.

Bonus! Thought(s) of the week

Embrace the "Edge of Boredom"

Innovation thrives at the edge of boredom. It's in those moments, when the world quiets and distractions fade, that the mind ventures into uncharted territories. This week, challenge yourself to embrace quiet moments. Turn off the noise, set aside the endless to-do list, and just be. It's in this space, at the brink of boredom, where your next great idea is waiting to emerge. Remember, still waters run deep; sometimes, the quietest moments fuel the loudest breakthroughs.