I come back to these ideas quite a bit.
When charting a course into unknown waters, there is an overwhelming temptation to search for a complex map. We assume that true growth must require a secret formula, an intricately engineered strategy, or a massive disruption. We want to use our knowledge to find this disruption. But experience has taught me a profoundly simple lesson: the obvious thing is usually the right thing.
I think it's because the obvious feels too simple. Ironically enough, there is infinite complexity in that which is simple. There are levels and depths only available to those who are willing to look harder…longer. We convince ourselves that we need a brand-new paradigm, when in reality, we just need to execute the fundamentals with a little more discipline. We mistake complexity for sophistication.
Most importantly, is the realization that the obvious thing is incredibly hard to maintain. It requires a level of daily grit and unyielding commitment that is exhausting. It is much easier to chase a shiny new initiative than to confront the mundane reality of doing the basic work well. And sometimes, the basic work is what is missing in learning a more complex skill. Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel-San Karate by forcing him to wax a car. 26 years later, Jackie Chan reminded us of the same when he said “Kung Fu lives in everything.”
As we continue this adventure together, my goal isn't to be the smartest person in the room with the most complicated strategy. My goal is to constantly seek what is right without ever finding the answer. A forever journey, with a forever crew, that stays unwaveringly focused on the horizon. We are going to build this company by honoring the fundamentals, paying attention to our experiences, and having the courage to call the simple, obvious answers exactly what they are – wisdom.
So, if you ever feel like your course is unclear, maybe you need to return to the basics. Just repeat after me: “wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off.”
With love,
Armon