The “Getting Better” Newsletter digest

As I was putting together my last newsletter I noticed that I’d written a few times on the subject of team building, and it occurred to me that it might be interesting/useful to do a round-up of some of my previous writing on key themes.

I’ve been writing this newsletter since March 2021, and looking back I’d say the overarching theme I try to explore is: How do we get better at stuff?

When I dig into the details a bit more, I see some common themes under that umbrella. There’s a lot of overlap in these themes — they are likely relevant to leadership in various forms; to sport and achievement; to generally trying to grow as people and be better, happier humans.

Some of the main themes that jump out to me are:

• Team building, communicating, giving/receiving feedback, and getting along

• Mental skills (Growth mindset, positivity, hope, resilience, etc.)

• Athlete mindset

• Goal setting, planning, and personal commitments

• Pivoting, making big choices, and adapting to change

• Doing hard things

• Leadership, responsibility, and role modeling

• And, the Olympics (which to me are kind of a microcosm of everything above!)

I don’t know about you but I always have a ton of stuff on my reading list, and I might not always get around to it. So I thought it might be helpful/interesting to do a bit of a round-up on key themes. Take a scroll through the following and check out anything that feels pertinent to what you’re working on or dealing with right now. 

(My suggestion? Open this in your browser (if you’re reading it in an email) and bookmark this article. Then re-title it: Random Getting Better Resources)

Meanwhile, if there’s a topic, question, or idea that’s on your mind – write me back and let me know. As my friends know, I love discussing, debating, and brainstorming on areas that lead to what’s written about in this newsletter!

Team building, communicating, giving/receiving feedback, and getting along

• 3 Lessons on building teams at 95 mph

• Half the fun in life

• Sticky notes, and when critical feedback is an act of care:

Mental skills (Growth mindset, positivity, hope, resilience, etc.)

• Can’t wait to see the Bills at the Superbowl

• The grocery store, personal assessments, and growth mindset

• Reflections (and research) on hope

• If it’s not right, it’s terrible

• Cure the other sickness for a day to win

• Skills that will help you achieve your big goal (and might hurt you in life)

• How our instincts to work harder can hurt us

• Energy dragging? Here’s how I snapped out of it

Athlete mindset 

• Athlete mindset – 3-part series

  • Part 1: The black leather chair

  • Part 2: Can’t always get what you want

  • Part 3: Be willing to see what others won’t

• Cure the other sickness for a day to win

• It’s OK to win

• Getting better

Goal setting, planning, and personal commitments

• Non-negotiables

• Recommitment and who we should tell

• Intentionality and snoozing

• You don’t need a better plan

Pivoting, making big choices, and adapting to change

• Accept or change?

• A chance to pivot

• The pivot of a lifetime

Doing hard things

• When the novelty is gone - why doing things the second time is harder

• We should take the hard way

• Serenity now, Insanity later

• Making hard choices

• Why we love a good failure story

• The middle part

• Courage, it couldn’t come at a worse time

• The low bar

• Love the love of the process

Leadership, responsibility, and role modeling

• It’s not about you, but it is about you

• Quarterback vs D-Line leadership

• Everyone tells kids to follow their dreams but these people actually do it

• Show your work

• My kryptonite skill

The Olympics

• (Guardian OpEd) The Olympics face an existential crisis. An American-led effort could save them

• Do we need the Olympics

👍

- Steve