Kevin Kelly says you’ve got space for about one big project every five years.
He also gives you a way of working out your DoD… he calls it the Countdown Clock… the day when, according to insurers’ actuarial tables, you’re likely to die.
Mine’s September 15, 2043… I know that because it’s the startup screen on my mac, so I’m constantly reminded of my theoretically impending doom.
So that leaves… well, not as much time as I might prefer. Which means I better stay focused on the big projects, the ones that matter most to me.
I’m starting to use the language Worthy Goals: projects that best combine Thrilling (it matters to me), Important (it matters to the world), and Daunting (it helps me stretch and grow).
Here’s are the four big things on my plate right now (April 2021).
1. A new podcast
My new podcast, 2 Page with MBS, will go live sometime this month. It’s taken a year or so going back and forth on the format, but I think we’ve found something that’s different and interesting: brilliant people reading the best two pages of a significant book (and not one that they’ve written.)
Guest will include academics, activists, leaders, authors, celebrities … broadly, people who’ve got an interesting point of view and (like you perhaps) have been influenced by a great book.
Our goal is a top 3% podcast — 10,000 downloads per episode — by the end of 2021.
(You can help by subscribing here now.)
2. A new book
Pub date: January 2022. It feels a lifetime away and also just around the corner. I’m working on the second draft, and it’s slowly edging from ugly to… well, still ugly, but less ugly.
I’m not quite ready to reveal what it’s about (but there’s a clue to be found in the “Worthy Goal” comments above). I will say that I think this has the same potential as The Coaching Habit … I’m very excited about what this book can bring to the world.
3. Leading well
I have two people I work closely with. Shannon, who’s the CEO of Box of Crayons, and Ainsley who’s in charge of The Conspiracy here at MBS.works. These are two brilliant, big-hearted women, and I’m doing all I can to lead them well: offer support and encouragement where needed, nudge them towards courage and bravery, and mostly getting out of the way so they can work their magic.
4. Going pro with book sales
Book sales are, amazingly, a key contributor to the revenue for MBS.works. The Coaching Habit in particular continues to sell and sell and sell, five years after its launch, and without me really doing anything. So… imagine if I did something!
So working with my marketing partners, Peaceful Media, and also with my publishing company, Page Two, we’re upping our game on book sales.
The ambition is to pass one million copies sold before the end of the year.
