Year Two

My first problem is simple: when I look back on everything I did last year, there’s not much creative work I’m proud of. I spent far less time writing than I did the year before, and what I did write was mostly rushed. This was not an accident—it was a strategic decision my co-founder and I made. My focus this year was to build Every into an organi... See more

I miss those wide open days. I love waking up in the morning and having all day to do one big thing. I love the feeling of finishing that big thing and seeing it produce results. It’s so immediate and tangible. Managing is important, but it does not give me the same satisfaction. Giving away my space to create burned me out.

The thread that unites these three goals is the idea of service. When I think about spending less time on management, it makes me worried I’m being selfish. But I realized a core thing I am good at, one of my unique superpowers, is producing creative work. And I am at my best when I’m producing creative work that’s meant as a gift for other people.... See more

Here is what I got: I like to spend my days mostly making. A little management here and there isn’t so bad, but when it prevents me from making for too many days in a row, I get sad. This is who I am.

This is a classic challenge: organizations need people to coordinate activity and act as the glue that holds everything together, but for the people who volunteer as tribute to the machine, it can be difficult. Managers create extraordinary value for organizations—for which they are rewarded with increases in pay and power—but management is often e... See more

The core issue is that I cling too tightly to an original vision. I’m afraid if I let go then we will get mired in mediocrity. But in fact my fear of loosening up is often what causes mediocrity to creep in. It’s not bad that I care about excellence or get excited about big ideas. The problem is when I fixate on too specific and narrow a frame of r... See more