There’s a piece of advice I still struggle with, but that I’m more and more convinced lies at the heart of meaningful productivity, successful creative work, and a more vibrant life in general. That advice is: act fast. Move quickly. When you get a good idea, make it your default policy to put it into practice as soon as you reasonably can.

Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress who once said “if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair”, we decided to host our own dinner.

I can tell you that it wasn’t because of any business skills or much of my knowledge; it was 90% because every time I had an idea (for a career project, a new initiative in my business, a role I wanted to learn to do), I would take advantage of the momentum of inspiration immediately and act on it.