Minute With Mallon: The Barefoot Duck Problem!
Welcome to Minute with Mallon!
Something I Taught:
I was working with a client recently who, at the beginning of our coaching call, kept bringing up one small thing after another that he was worried about.
None of them were huge problems. As a matter of fact, most of them probably would never happen. But together, they were taking up a lot of space in his head and pulling his attention away from the things that really mattered.
I finally told him one of my favorite sayings:
“Quit worrying about the ducks going barefoot in the rain.”
I actually said that to a guy back in the 1980s, and he wanted to fight me over it!
🤣 True story.
But there’s a serious lesson behind it.
How much time do we waste worrying about things that don’t deserve our attention? Little problems. Minor irritations. Things that might happen. Things we can’t control. Things that, six months from now, we probably won’t even remember.
Every minute you spend worrying about the ducks is a minute you’re not focused on what only you can do.
This week, make a list of the three things taking up the most space in your head. Then ask yourself: Does this really deserve my attention, or am I just worrying about barefoot ducks?
If it’s a barefoot duck, let it waddle on by and get back to what matters most.
And whatever you do, don’t try to fight the guy who points it out. 🦆🤣
Something to Ponder:
Worrying is a magical attempt to influence the outcome of something that can't be influenced by worry.
Something I Learned:
Have you seen the TV show The Bear? Part of it was inspired by ideas found in one of my favorite books, Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara.
The book has a powerful leadership idea: Give people more than they reasonably expect, and make them feel genuinely cared for.
Guidara calls it the “Rule of 95/5”: Manage 95 percent of your business down to the penny; spend the last 5 percent “foolishly.”
Here’s an excerpt I loved:
"A family of four from Spain was dining with us on the last night of their New York City vacation. The children at the table were incandescent with excitement, and for the most wonderful reason: thick snow was falling past our massive windows, and they’d never seen real snow before. Spur of the moment, I sent someone out to buy four brand-new sleds. After their meal was over, we had a chauffeur-driven SUV whisk the whole family up to Central Park for a special nightcap: a few hours of play in the freshly fallen snow. That 5 percent, spent “foolishly” (really, with tremendous intention), allowed us to create those special memories for our guests."
BTW, Under Will Guidara and chef Daniel Humm, it earned three Michelin stars, the highest Michelin rating. It also went on to be named the No. 1 restaurant in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2017!
So much for "foolish!"
Something I Saw:
“Even the forest knows how to accessorize.” 🍄🌿
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Hope you have an incredible week!
Robert
