Minute With Mallon: Let's Write a Swimming Pool!
Something I learned
According to Paul McCartney, people often viewed the Beatles as anti-materialistic artists who only cared about the music. Paul said that wasn't entirely true. He joked that he and John Lennon would sometimes sit down together and say:
"Now, let's write a swimming pool."
What they meant was simple: if they wrote a great song, the royalties might pay for something significant—a swimming pool, a home addition, or some other luxury.
But the lesson isn't really about money.
It's about giving your work a reason that matters to you.
Instead of saying, "Let's write a hit song," they would say, "Let's write a swimming pool."
Many of us create goals that sound like this:
Increase revenue.
Improve profitability.
Grow the company.
Get healthier.
Those goals are fine, but they're abstract.
The Beatles were really asking:
What does success make possible?
What does this goal actually create?
Why does it matter?
A business owner may not really be trying to grow revenue by $500,000.
He may be trying to:
Pay off debt.
Work fewer hours.
Hire another leader.
Take a dream vacation with his wife.
Build a stronger financial future for his family.
In other words, he's trying to write a swimming pool.
It's amazing how much more motivated we become when we can actually picture the outcome.
That story also reminds us that world-class performers are often more practical than we imagine. Lennon and McCartney didn't sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. They treated songwriting like a craft. They showed up, got to work, and trusted that creativity would follow.
That's a pretty good lesson for leaders, too.
This week, take a few minutes and ask yourself: What does success actually make possible for me?
Because when you connect today's work to tomorrow's reward, it's amazing how much easier it becomes to show up, do the work, and let motivation catch up with you.
So...what swimming pool are you writing right now?
Something to Ponder:
"Simplicity is the key to brilliance."
Bruce Lee
Something I Learned:
In the book, "Buy Back Your Time," Dan Martell said this:
"80% done by someone else is 100% fricking awesome!"
Enough said…
Something I Saw:
Limone Dessert at Sorelle Charleston made with whipped ricotta, Coosaw Farms blueberries, and Graham cracker crumbs. Absolutely delicious!
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Hope you have an incredible week!
Robert
