While cleaning out my desk, I found a note from my amazing boss at Bose, Patty Youngblood.

Here it is:

Bose

Apparently, instead of going the expected route with our style guide presentation, I wrote a screenplay. Patty noted the “wit and style” of the presentation. Why did I share this?

Because this note was written six years before I would ever write a book. It was seven years before I would ever speak to a big audience. It was ten years before I would try to go it on my own.

The problem is we don’t think we should be awesome right now, right here. We have jobs that don’t completely fit our dream so we don’t completely lean into them. We write boring style guide presentations believing that later we’ll write awesome books.

Here’s the thing, if you want to be awesome later. Be awesome now.

Be amazing at the job you have, regardless of what that job is. Be great at the little things in hopes that the big things will come someday, if not in ten years. Don’t ever half do a job hoping you’ll whole do a dream.

Quit trying to be awesome later. Be awesome now.