Know Where You Are
Through my work in esports I have connected with a portfolio of phenomenal professionals from around the industry. Since I am still a “new” professional in the esports world, I take every opportunity I can get to continue educating myself. While in Dallas over President’s Day Weekend 2020 with Lost Tribe Esports (LTE), I had the opportunity to meet Jordan Sherman in person after countless phone calls while he has been an integral part in some BIG things we are working on with LTE. Jordan is the Head of Revenue Operations at Gen.G Esports, the leading esports organization connecting the U.S. and Asia. Gen.G is the only major organization that owns and operates top teams in the world’s leading esports markets: China, South Korea, and the United States.
Jordan joined me for a day in Dallas as we partnered with Mavs Gaming, the official esports team of the Dallas Mavericks. Jordan was one of a handful of esports industry experts who sat on a panel with over 100 BBYO members to talk about their backgrounds and provide insight on esports. After the successful event, Jordan and I shared an Uber back to our hotel where we got to know each other a bit more.
We discussed our work and Jordan asked how things were going with Andrew Exler Consulting as he knew I had just launched last November. “You may not be asking for it, but I have some advice”, Jordan said as he provided me with a great piece of insight I wanted to share & expand upon with a blog post. Jordan told me to keep a journal of my journey. As someone who started their own business with BIG goals, it is important to track where I am. It is also essential to take moments to stop and see how far you’ve come, especially if you have moments where it may seem like things aren't going as planned. "You'll be grateful that you did". In life, it's important to remember how far you've come and recognize which goals you have reached & exceeded, as well as recognizing which goals you still need to attain or may need to adjust.
When starting your own business, it’s easy to say how busy you are and make every excuse not to take the time to review your progress. Now that it is (somehow) already March 2020 (best month of the year!), I’ve taken the time to catch up to see how far I have come since the launch of Andrew Exler Consulting on November 19th, 2019. I make sure to note things that were great, good and not so good. If I don’t take the time to acknowledge where things could have been better, using a prospective client turning down my services after an initial meeting as an example, then I won’t be able to continue assessing and move forward. I don’t always show the failures (there have been plenty), but it wouldn’t be entrepreneurship without wins and losses.
Are you ready to start tracking how far you’ve come or have you already started? Whether it be in regard to your business, education, career progress, leadership positions, etc., it is key to see where you are.
Here are some my top tips when it comes to knowing where you are:
Be consistent with how often you “check-in” with yourself to track your progress
Consistency is key. This will be different for each individual, but make sure you are checking-in weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc. How do you check-in with yourself? Posting my blog each week allows me to consider a variety of topics & see how it relates to myself & my network. Are you physically writing down your progress? Are you discussing it? Blogging or podcasting? Meditating? Do whatever works for you! Doing so on a regular basis will allow you to be more efficient in setting attainable goals & measuring results.
Take note of the good AND the bad
It is always great to have a win. That’s the goal, but how many losses and failures took place in order to earn that win? Social media these days is often perceived to be a fake world, which is true in many cases as it is common to only see the great things people are doing & seeing, yet there is a lot that people don’t want you to see. You are allowed to keep certain things to yourself, but you MUST be honest with yourself and acknowledge what doesn’t work. If you don’t address your shortcomings, you aren’t going to learn and move forward.
Who helped along the way?
How much do you value your network? Taking the time to acknowledge the assistance of those individuals and/or business who have helped you progress through life is important. Let them know how much you appreciate them. It could be a handwritten note, text, social media post, conversation or genuine kindness. This will only strengthen your relationships & your reputation as an individual.
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Life is serious, I get that. Don’t forget about the kid inside of you who dreamt big when you were younger. What were the activities that you loved to do and made you feel free? Don’t just follow along. Be unique & be yourself. There is nobody in the world like you. Allow yourself to take a step back if things get stressful or overwhelming and look at the big picture.
Take a break
There are few things I value more than mental health. I’ve been depressed. I was once in a place where I put so much pressure on myself to a point where I thought I would be a failure if I didn’t stop working 24/7. In turn, I failed more because I didn’t give myself a chance to unwind. It’s ok to take time for yourself, just have some accountability. Put your phone away. Take a walk. Schedule time to be away from your email. Travel with yourself or your loved ones. Treat yourself to a great meal. It’s all ok. You are allowed to take time for yourself to relax. If you are in a working environment that doesn’t value personal freedom, it may be time to reassess that situation.
I am not an expert on life, nobody is. However, I have experienced a lot in my 29 years of life. I made the decision in starting this blog that my experiences are going to be made more public than many prefer & I am happy to share. If I can help just 1 person, that is a win for me. Questions or thoughts? Contact me! I promise I will respond!
“As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has- or ever will have- something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.” - Fred Rogers
- Andrew