Unequaled

CHAPTER XIXCONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.”

Amelia Earhart, Aviation pioneer

The most happy and well-adjusted people I know are self-disciplined. They make a habit of being focused, leading a healthy lifestyle, and being intellectually curious and enthusiastic. They know how to separate the urgent from the important. Self-discipline enables you to get things done and command the respect of others.

In his book, The Checklist Manifesto—How to Get Things Right, Dr. Atul Gawande describes how the disciplined use of a checklist reduced infections and other complications in his surgery practice.¹ He discusses how by-the-book routine can be more important than intuition or individual infallibility. His book provides other examples of better outcomes for pilots and investors using disciplined procedures. This approach is especially relevant in the faster-paced environment that includes volatility and uncertainty.

Controllables include the goals or targets you set for the team, a schedule or timeline of deliverables against those goals, the costs and resources you invest, and the communication and teamwork you reinforce along the way. All of these controllables contribute to creating a durable business model and robust internal culture alongside the excellent ...