"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." -Archimedes
Archimedes was an Ancient Greek mathematician, scientist, engineer, philosopher, inventor and all around badass.
Among hundreds of inventions and discoveries, it is Archimedes who is credited with defining the principle of the lever. (source)
You probably know what a lever is, but just to clarify (thanks Merriam-Webster):
Today, the idea of a lever seems pretty ordinary, but in 200-300 BC, it was groundbreaking.
Archimedes clarified mathematically that a lighter, smaller object can move a much larger, heavier object, given the right circumstances.
More importantly, it showed us that effort and results are not linear; that we can put in less effort and get better results with the right tools applied the right way.
Here’s the thing:
The lever by itself is not enough.
For a lever to unleash its power, it requires a fulcrum.
What’s a fulcrum?
Merriam-Webster once more:
If we have nothing to set our lever against, the positive effects of the lever disappear.
So what if we have all the tools, all the drive, and all the technology at our disposal if we have nothing to set it against; nothing that supplies the capability for action?
The lever becomes a paperweight, our work - just more noise...
In the military, I was Logistics by trade (88A then 90A for the three people in the world who want to know that).
But when I deployed to Iraq, instead of running logistical operations, I served as a Convoy Security Platoon Leader for my Battalion. Instead of organizing and hauling supplies, I led over 10 guntrucks and 30+ soldiers with a mission to protect the convoys that went out every night.
The purpose of these missions was always the same: to resupply the combat arms units in our Brigade so they could continue their mission.
In the context of warfare, combat arms units (infantry, artillery, armor, etc.) are the lever. They are the units that we use to achieve a desired action.
But combat service support units (transportation, logistics, etc.) are the fulcrum. They supply the capability for action.
Without resupply, combat arms units can’t accomplish their mission. The lever is useless.
Without combat arms units, there’s no purpose behind combat service support. The fulcrum is irrelevant.
When we take a step back to examine anything in life, it’s clear that just about everything in nature has this relationship: the lever and the fulcrum.
We don’t live in a closed-loop, linear world; everything impacts everything else, directly and indirectly, often disproportionately.
So why would entrepreneurship, art, or writing be any different?
While you may have the tools, drive, and technology (the lever) to create and ship whatever you want, what effect can it have without a fulcrum?
If you write but nobody reads your work; if you build but nobody buys your product; if you start a movement but nobody follows…
If you attempt to serve others but only serve yourself...
Are you really hitting the mark?
Are you really creating the impact you set out to create?
Are you really doing work that matters?
***
The tools are important, yes. We can do much more, with much less effort and in much less time than we ever could before.
Wifi, professional grade free software, 8 core processors - I am thankful for these things...
But if we don’t have a fulcrum to supply the capability for our actions…
If we don’t have a team to support, compel, and compound our work…
If we don’t have people around us to turn our noise into a signal, to spread the message, to help us serve those who need it…
Can we really do great work?
Maybe...
But certainly not as fast, effectively, or with as great an impact in the world as we could with a fulcrum.
Don't go it alone.
Assemble a team.
Find your fulcrum.
This is the final post in a short series on great work.
To be honest, I originally wrote a short book’s worth of content on this topic.
But right before I hit publish, I decided to scrap everything and get to the heart of what I wanted to say: what great work means at the most fundamental level.
Great work is all about impact.
And sometimes, the best way to make an impact is with fewer words.
In the follow up post, I wanted to dive deeper into this concept of impact – why do some things impact us so powerfully and others don’t?
Love it or hate it, the messages, people, and things we remember are those that draw the line, that take a stand, that never compromise.
Easily said.
Not easily done.
In this final post in the series, I want to talk about a common misunderstanding of great work – the biggest mistake we make in life, actually – and leave you with a final thought on how to create your own great work – this instant if you want.
But first, the misunderstanding…
Is confusing doing great work with getting RECOGNIZED for the great work we do.
These are not the same.
When we set out to do great work, we put our heads down and create. Every now and then we share what we produce: 99% creation, 1% selling.
When we set out to get recognized, we stop creating and start plugging: 1% creation, 99% selling.
As long as we’re doing great work (truly great work), there’s no time to worry about recognition. It may come, it may not. That’s not for you to decide, nor for your great work to dictate.
But isn’t there some way to bridge the gap? Isn’t it possible to create great work that WILL get recognized? Surely, there must be a secret formula out there...
There isn’t one.
There is no 100% guaranteed 10-step model for creating great work that gets recognized. It doesn’t exist.
And anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you something.
The truth is there is no secret formula because it's not a secret and you already know the formula. You’ve known it your entire life, in fact.
It’s just hard to admit you know the formula because once you do it changes everything.
So why isn’t it possible to guarantee your work will be recognized?
Simple:
You don’t own the reaction to your work.
You can’t control the crowd’s opinion. You can’t dictate the feedback of the audience. You can’t determine the response of the client.
These aren’t for you to control – and trying to force it is either malicious or naïve. In either case, it detracts from your great work.
The reaction shouldn’t concern you because it doesn’t concern you.
You don’t own the reaction to you work, but you do own something much more important:
You own the actions that create your work.
You control the words you put down on paper; you dictate the effort you put into your art; you determine the love, generosity and humility with which you embrace each day and every person you meet.
Your actions are for you to control.
And your actions SHOULD concern you.
In all these empty plans / The ink stains on my hands.
And everyone saves / The best words for the grave.
Are these weary morning tones / I’ll probably save mine too.
[The Airborne Toxic Event]
In every minute of every day is the opportunity to put your mind, body and spirit into doing something worthwhile.
Every action is an opportunity to do something bold.
In every passing moment is the opportunity to change everything.
Want to do great work?
Serve the people closest to you, regardless of their rank, title or following. Put it all on the line for those who need you most, not those you think you need to impress. Speak to those who want to hear from you – ignore the rest.
This is generosity. It doesn’t scale. And it's what really counts, regardless of applause.
The recognition you think you want? It doesn’t matter nearly as much.
Stop saving your best words.
Spend them today on the people who count.
Would love to hear your thoughts...leave a comment below!
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