Engage With Exponential Effort

Two Core Abilities for Thriving in the New Economy.
1. The ability to quickly master hard things. 2. The ability to produce at an elite level, in terms of both quality and speed.
― Cal Newport

While it is tempting to plan a day filled with as little friction and stress as possible, the reality is that most of the rewards and satisfaction in life goes towards solving big and difficult challenges.

Fortunately, there is no need to make problems for yourself. If you look around, there are plenty of problems already waiting to be solved. There is a book by Russell Conwell called Acres of Diamonds that describes how your opportunities lie all around, typically right in your own backyard. He might very well have renamed the book Acres of Problems - but it probably wouldn’t have become a best-seller.

No one wants to hear about problems, but underneath problems are where the acres of diamonds are buried. How to find a good problem to work on? Begin by assessing the relevance, impact and feasibility of your potential problem task. Some problems you might find personally challenging or interesting, but if you are aiming for wider impact, make sure to choose something that has high relevance and impact.

In addition to being broadly relevant, it is also important to decide if the problem really interests you and aligns with your goals. If you don’t have at least some level of affinity or passion for a project, eventually you will run out of motivation and inspiration. Another key factor to consider is whether or not you will learn anything by tackling this problem. Also be sure to consider who can help you move forward and if your solution has potential to scale.

Identifying the right problems to work on has a large impact on the level of satisfaction and rewards you will reap at the end. Be sure to take time to make sure your ROCKET Goals are headed in the right direction and are addressing worthwhile challenges that you find meaningful and exciting.