Seth Godin On Productivity & Taking Action

Productive Magazine recently interviewed Seth Godin. Below are some of Godin's thoughts on productivity:

1.  I focus very much on the things that have leverage and try very hard to avoid things that are stalling.
2. I focus on things I can do well and do them with leverage and passion and don't let the resistance slow me down.

Productive Question to Godin--"So, if you are busy and and you have so many things to do, how do you balance your family life?  How do you find time for the ones you love?"

Godin:--"You know it's funny.  People never say, "how do you find time to have lunch or dinner? or how do you find the time to sleep?"  We are not talking of life-lunch balance.  So I'm not sure I'm interested in conversation about life-work balance.  I think you have to have the discipline to have the life you want to have. And if you are stealing from one part of your life in order to make the other part work, you are going to pay for it."

Response to Seth Godin's Blog Re: Coach Meyer

As a coach, not a blogger, or a writer I want to respond to Seth Godin’s blog. I apologize for the stream of consciousness writing, but I saw this and wanted to respond.

He blogged about Buster Olney’s book, “How Lucky You Can Be” about Coach Don Meyer. He concluded from the book that it was a “sad book”. Not because of the accident, but because of the misguided management technique used by Coach Meyer.

Coach Meyer did push everyone in the program to excellence. ARETE. Godin’s blog stated that Meyer’s misguided attempts do not work and do not last.

This is so far from the truth, as the book points out. He set expectations to challenge us in all areas of our lives. When you look at players, coaches and student assistants that have come through the program you see, “the power of self direction and the benefits of mutual support” and we continue to seek it out over and over again.

The lessons from Coach Meyer have lasted long past any game, season, and 4 year career. The ideals of excellence, honesty, hard work, making the next best action, and on and on have not only carried me through my career, my family and onto my children.

It is not a sad book. It is sad that Seth Godin didn't see what all of us who have worked or played with Coach Meyer have seen and continue to see. The book is a great example of a legacy that Coach Meyer has left that extends far beyond the locker room.

Please read the book and decide for yourself.