The contract . . .

I have a friend who just does the stuff I think about doing but don’t follow through on.

I have an idea and half start it with great enthusiasm in February [cough cough] to find my friend doing what I had in mind in and blasting it out with great success a few months later.

It’s not that I don’t do anything. I have spreadsheets of ideas and pages of notes, but nothing is shared or brought to life.

I’ve just started listening to Atomic Habits on Audible and When James Clear talked about how his conscious choices and tiny actions helped him realise his potential.

I thought . . . Yikes

If depression is likened to being followed by a black dog then I think my imposter thoughts and feelings are like being followed by a vortex of crows. If stuff feels uncomfortable or exposing

I avoid it.

I lie to myself.

I distract myself.

I don’t get stuff done.

Last Autumn, I trained with Dr Tara Halliday to deliver her flagship programme ‘Inner Success’. It’s an increadible programme that eliminates Imposter thoughts and feelings by using techniques based in neuroscience. When I first tested on the Clance scale I was in the high 80s, since doing the programme I am at 11%.

I don’t have imposter syndrome

I have bad habits, based on old surival patterns

So I’ve made a contract with myself

To get my project off the blocks and start working in the open. To change the way I work from someone who thinks ‘I could do that. . .’ or ‘If would be lovely if . . ‘ to a Doer and a master in self-leadership.

The contract isn’t my idea, it was sparked by an email Thomas Amador sent me when I joined his writing group.

Here’s my contract:

• I will write everyday for 20 minutes, I will do this in the morning around 7.30am

• I will use my Mac or Ipad to capture thinking in word documents and store all writing in a dedicated google folder

• I will write about value creation in leadership and what I am observing as an executive coach of tech leaders

• I will publish my reflections and 'thinking in the open' every Friday on my substack channel

• I will embrace 'done is better than perfect' and focus on my ideas, not form or cleverness

• I will not use AI

• I will not use likes, followers, or comments as a measure of success. Success is daily writing and weekly publishing.

• I will write from my heart and will not accept as writing anything that is an 'academic essay' in disguise

The contract has really helped me narrow in my what and why. It has made it very clear in my head what my intentions are, and it has melted any resistence.

I have created a model for what I have seen in the leaders I coach. Some create value at every touch point and some don’t. I’m going to talk about that.

I am thinking as I write. I am taking concepts and experiences and creating new understandings. So I’m not going to use A.I. because I need to do the deep work and I don’t want to get distratced by suggestions to optimise what I say for the platform.

My writing may not be pretty, I will have poor grammar and spelling mistakes. I am letting go of the idea that this is school, you are my teacher and you are going to red pen my use of semi-colons.

This is about thinking, and ideas and creating ways of working with others that could spark positive change.

If you are interested in creating value as a leader in Tech or know people who do, please share

If you are a writer and want to take part in Thomas Amador’s challenge, it’s really simple pick a time and write everyday. message me/ comment if you want more details.