How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything
Written by Zach Grossfeld
The same way you handle the menial tasks will be the same way you execute every task. The boring conference calls deserve the same level of presence as closing the million-dollar deals. College baseball taught me to take care of the small things, like the warm-up, the same way I approached entering the championship game. How do you get into this mindset? What can you do to cultivate an atmosphere of accountability? Here are some tips that have helped me approach the small tasks with a focused mindset:
When I played college baseball, I didn’t love warming up.
As a pitcher, I wanted to jog out to the mound and start throwing hard without preparing my body to launch a fastball.
If I didn’t put myself through the proper warmup before each throwing session, my arm and other parts of my frame would break down.
A general warmup progression for a starting pitcher is as follows:
10-15 minutes of rolling out, aka myofascial release
10-15 minutes of full-body, dynamic warmup stretches
10-minute resistance band routine for scaps and shoulder
15 minute weighted ball routine to map the arm path
20-30 min of progressive long toss
8-10 minute bullpen
Drink lots of caffeine in the form of pre-workout mix or canned espresso from the gas station
Go in the game
Each step plays a crucial role to get the body ready for the most unnatural movement in sports: throwing a baseball overhand. Except for the caffeine, that was to get the skin tingling.
One of the best jobs you can have is being a college baseball player, but not all parts of the situation feel fun or exhilarating.
Completing the small but meaningful tasks, like the warmup, determines how you will handle the big jobs, like throwing three scoreless innings of relief against the University of Virginia.
Now in the full-time workforce, I’ve taken the warmup mentality into the real world.
How you do anything is how you do everything.
Even if you have the best job, you’ll still find yourself sitting on dragging conference calls and filing tedious paperwork.
The mind screams for you to skip these tasks.
But the way you handle the bottom-tier functions is the same way you’ll approach closing million-dollar deals. No separation of mindset exists based on the glamour of the job.
So, how can you focus on the most menial aspects of your job the same way you do the master tasks?
Know that you are here to serve others as well as yourself
Find a way to enjoy at least some aspects of the tedious tasks
Just do it (Nike don’t sue me please)
Whether you’re a Wall Street Mogul or barista, serving others is part of the job. Customers are exchanging time and/or money for your product or service. Helping these customers to the best of your ability will benefit you, as well as the company. Giving the small tasks your maximum effort will translate into better customer satisfaction, and you'll be seen as a more valuable employee.
As for finding enjoyment in painful conference calls, stay aware of your bodily state.
Is your breathing heavy?
Jaw clenched?
Do you look like you want to hang yourself?
If your body relaxes, the mind will follow. You don't have to love the task, but put yourself in a position to enjoy it.
Instead of thinking, "I have to call this person," think, "I get to call this person and resolve an important issue for the company."
Lastly, just do it.
It’s overtly cliche, but it’s also the essential part.
If you don’t sit down to make that call, file that paperwork, or make the problematic firing, the anxiety will stack and your performance at other tasks will suffer.
Work doesn’t always feel good.
Sometimes, it sucks.
Performing through discomfort is a necessary part of any job. In athletics and other careers, showing up and getting it done will separate you from the people going through the motions.
How you do anything is how you do everything.