“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”-Mike Tyson

When 2020 started, I (probably like you) was excited for what the new year had in store. I personally just finished a business separation and I was more motivated than ever to take back control of Prototype and lead our team towards our vision.

But when COVID hit here in the US, cases started to spread and we needed to go into a mandatory quarantine. My vision for what 2020 could have been started to change. The uneasiness of uncertainty and what lied ahead was and still is, incredibly overwhelming. I believe we all can relate.

On Monday, March 16th we made an announcement to our community that we were closing the physical doors at Prototype. This came before the mandatory business closures and quarantine here in Massachusetts. So when I got home that day, I sat in my car for what felt like an hour (but it was probably 5 minutes) and I repeatedly said to myself “Are you ready to lead?” It sounds weird, but I said it over and over again until I said, literally out loud, “I’m ready to lead”.

After that moment, this strange rush of excitement (which may have been fear) came over me and I knew we were going to do everything in our power to continue to help others. This rush of confidence felt eerily similar to the moment when we opened Prototype in 2012. The difference? Back in 2012, I was a 24-year-old ignorant kid who didn’t understand what failure meant, so it wasn’t an option. In 2020, I very much understand what’s on the line, but failure still isn’t an option.

2020 has taught me a lot of lessons up to this point and I wanted to share my top 10 with you. 

Pivot fast. In a time where accuracy is really important, speed is equally important. Typically, when you move fast, you’re less accurate, but in these times, there literally is no time for that. In order to survive, you need to solve problems quickly, you need to make decisions quickly and you need to consult with people who are a lot smarter than you more often than ever.

Communicate more than you ever have. Be so annoying that people can’t help but read what you write or listen to what you say. Everything needs to be communicated clearly and thoroughly. Use every mode of communication possible and do it more often than you think is necessary. It never hurts. The people that don’t want to hear you, might not be the people you want to talk to.

Decision fatigue is a real thing but the hardest decisions tend to be the easiest if you have a strong set of values. We have had and still have to make a lot of difficult decisions. Not everyone has or will agree with them, but if you have a strong set of core values and principles, those decisions become a lot easier to make.

Having a strong support system of like-minded people makes things easier. Find people that you trust so you can vent and can let things off your chest. Sometimes you need a shoulder to lean on and that’s ok, even if it’s a shoulder to cry on.

Don’t be afraid to be wrong because you’re not always going to be right. 

Apologize a lot because you’re probably going to make the wrong decision and that’s ok as long as you make a decision.

Confidence is everything and it may even be our biggest asset. Every day I repeat a mantra I came up with which is: “I’m confident I’m getting more confident”. It may sound silly but your brain can be your biggest limiting factor, sometimes you need to trick it.

Stick to a routine, no matter what. Consistency doesn’t need to be altered by things that are out of your control. 

Forgiveness is important. We all say and do things that might not be true representations of ourselves when we are under stress. Recognize that and be willing to forgive and be open to forgiving yourself. 

Relationships are everything. Even in the darkest hours and during the most uncertain times, those that trust you and those that are closest to you will support you. These people mean everything to me.

The post 10 Lessons I’ve learned from 2020 appeared first on Prototype Training Systems.