On being a novice
I am currently between jobs which may be one of those rare times in ‘adult life’ where the persistent feeling of responsibility and the need to execute abates somewhat (unless, that is, you are looking for a new job). The past few days have been filled with true relaxation—not the constant-side-glances-at-the-cellphone kind—and a much-welcomed deflated sense of preoccupation.
A very basic but non-obvious fact of adult life seems to be that there is no ideal time to pause, to take in one's surroundings and cogitate. Sure there are those Sunday afternoons and commutes back from the city but unplanned reveries are to true reflection as the lighting bug is to lighting.
I wanted to briefly cover a topic I have been discussing often with friends and colleagues, which is: The feeling of being a novice.
If there is another very basic but non-obvious fact of adult life it is that we begin to learn—and at different paces, accept—that a tacit sense of utter ineptitude in one's functions, the quiet but ever-present notion that we are flailing wildly about without the singlest idea of what it is we are doing, is not a temporary condition but rather the permanent state of flux in which the adultus humanus exists. The main difference among of us is whether we choose to attempt to ignore this truism or relent and learn to live comfortably maladjusted in its acceptance.
Of course we have seen and been forced to adapt to constant change before 22. It is a natural component of growing older. But there is a safety while at school knowing that ahead is a neat, four-course semester, a safety that quickly fades once in The Real World when it becomes plain that responsibilities are not a terminable set of check boxes but rather endless to-dos, draft e-mails, half-finished applications, and well-intentioned but oftentimes unfulfilled promises that mount and pile up in the corner of the room and tend to give you dirty looks, especially when you are trying to take a load off on Sunday afternoon. Pass the Bud, right.
There are different approaches to the lifestyle shift. Some prefer to try and dodge the 'adult paradigm' for as long as possible. Others choose to embrace it. In any event it is true a couple of years out of college that an increasing proportion of the conversations I have with friends and colleagues circle around or at least reference a nagging discomfiture to the schemas of growing up.
The discussion almost always follows the below dialectic:
1) Young Adult A: "Your progress is almost exclusively your own doing and no one is going to make it happen for you".
2) Young Adult B: "Perhaps, but we are all just winging it anyways and it probably doesn't even matter in the long run".
Both are right, of course, which makes it confusing as to what the resolution, if any, of the conversation should be besides the acquisition of another twelver of Bud.
And so the solution it appears to me is not to futilely attempt to reconcile the zealot and the nihilist but rather to engage in a couple of strategies that help moor us somewhat in adult life and shake off the ‘wow I have no fucking idea what is going on’ feeling a bit.
I often broach two distinct but self-reinforcing initiatives: Creating content and building a community. I will outline them briefly here.
Understand your subject matter deeply
- Select a topic you are truly interested in. Ideally the topic will select you.
- Focus on quantity over quality. The idea in the beginning is to comprehend the existing landscape. Remember, you are not part of it yet.
Automate information exchange
- Set up a data aggregation system.
- Select content leaders, follow them closely, and note their sources. Track their interactions and observe their presentation styles.
understand the ecosystem deeply
- Leverage content to generate additional information exchange.
- Identify community leaders and study their engagement efforts. Become familiar with their approaches and timing.
- Think through ways in which you might be helpful.
develop a differentiated view
- Focus on quality over quantity. The idea now is to isolate noise in the existing landscape. Remember, you do not want to be part of it.
- Connect to content and community leaders with unique thoughts or novel frameworks.
- Demand feedback and require that most be critical.
Begin curating content
- Appreciate that in the beginning you are not primary material but rather a purveyor of fine primary goods.
- Be thorough and consistent. Become known for shipping Grade A product. Demand for your view will increase.
engage opportunities but be selective
- Volunteer to organize a seminar, meetup, conference or call. Expect and require nothing in return.
- Collaborate with leaders on materials or events. Help them build their visibility but be careful to retain your unique brand.
begin creating content
- Appreciate that now you are the primary material and others will purvey your fine primary goods.
- Make promises and learn to keep them. This helps adhere to deadlines and fuels motivation. It also produces reputation and social capital to exchange later on.
Serve as a connector
- Create and maintain a database of knowledge. Serve as the central point of access to the repository.
- Foster serendipity through symbiotic introductions. Be mindful of your reputation capital.
- Understand when to make asks and how to plan for them in advance. Be mindful of your social capital.
begin building a community
- Invest in relationships for the sake of it. Do not seek immediate returns but value your time appropriately.
- Become an expert on available resources, consider who might be interested in what, and provide them at no cost.
- Be a friend to leaders and novices alike. Recognize that in due time the difference between them will blur.
remember: nobody knows what the hell they are doing