Let's Make the Basics Sexy Again

If you know me well, you know I’ve been on a many-year journey to “fix” issues in my left

arm/back/abdominals (too complicated to explain more).  This journey forced me into a “Back to Basics” regimen of learning how the body is supposed to move.  Luckily, my ego couldn’t get in the way because the evidence was clear that this was necessary - my back was almost at a point where I’d experience chronic issues. 

In that unlearning how I was currently doing things, and relearning how my body should move, I started to notice all these other “basics” that I wasn’t doing optimally:  holding proper posture, walking, running, going upstairs, doing basic exercises.  And all these bad habits reinforced a body that would have remained unhealthy and gotten worse with age, which I saw very plainly at the physical therapy clinic.

So, in this process, I learned to value the basics across the board.  The basics of sleep, the basics of eating, the basics of movement, the basics of communication, the basics of my consulting and coaching work (which are very different).  My thesis here is that our egos and penchant for novelty have us telling ourselves that the basics are beneath us, that we’ve “moved on” and are ready for “more advanced stuff.”

In the last 6 months, I've heard about:

• Viome is a French company that takes poop samples to customize "digestive efficiency" and "microbial diversity"

• Hot Saunas and Cold Plunges are storming the wellness industry

• LED, Microneedling, and other skin treatments are all the rage

I am NOT advocating against these things, but most of us are fooled into thinking that we don't have to do the basics, because we do the more advanced stuff.

New Thought:  To be the best, to be excellent, even exceptional, requires doing the BASICS the best you can.  The basics are the 80, the advanced stuff is the 20, of anything in performance.

Think of it as building your foundation – the greater strength and size of the foundation, the bigger and better building you can create on top of it. 

Let’s see it from the perspective of the world’s top people:

• Top athletes not only focus on the basics, they perfect them – they perfect each centimeter of how their body should move when competing

• Top dancers are perfecting their basic steps and positions, not to mention remaining incredibly flexible and mobile

• Top musicians focus on basics such as breathing, scales, perfecting their pitch, tone, and tambor

• Top authors focus on the basics of storytelling, character/world-building and maintaining their writing style

Let’s look at it the opposite way.

• If you’re like younger me, you are totally fooled by the amenities when looking for an apartment/home.  I was like, “Wow, cool, there’s a pool table or hot tub,” but the home lacks sufficient lighting or a decent kitchen.  We overlook the basics as if we use the amenities.

• I see this all the time at the gym in a very basic way.  They are lifting weights that are too heavy for them, and so they don’t do the intended exercise correctly. 

  • That was me, and look what damage it did to me! 

So I’ll repeat my argument – if you’re looking to level up your life, the first place to prioritize is leveling up your “basics”. 

So think through your basics:

• Do you eat well?

• Are you moving enough and well?

• Are you sleeping enough/well?

• What habits do you have to maintain your mental health?

• How are your relationships?

• How is your job performance/satisfaction?

And so on. They're the basic questions, but don't be fooled - it's not about whether you are focused on something basic or advanced, it's asking yourself "at what level of performance are my basics?"

If your performance in some area isn’t great, it’s likely that something VERY basic is at the root of it.  For example, if you can’t lift a certain weight, it’s because you either have limited mobility or strength where you need it.  That’s ok!! Just pay attention to what you need to strengthen/improve. 

THERE’S NO SHAME IN WORKING ON THE BASICS.  In fact, the opposite!!!

I have so much respect when I see people with lower weights going very slow and controlled, or a lot of reps.  These people are truly committed to long-term excellence.

Another Example in my Life

I’m 2 years into my consulting career.  As much as I’m excited to apply AI into my work, new quantitative techniques or metrics, new business frameworks (and by the way, I have), they haven’t made the difference as much as some really basic consulting skills.  These include building trust and relationships with clients; asking curious questions; defining clear expectations for our work and shared working relationship; and communicating clearly and proactively. 

It may not be as new and interesting to work on “the basics”, but trying advanced techniques without excellent basics is just like pretending you know a language without speaking it. 

Recommendations for Professionals

The Common Core, a set of voluntary national education standards, defined 4 key (cross-cutting)

skills to be successful in any profession, no matter what technological disruption (yes, including AI): 

1.      Communication

2.      Critical Thinking

3.      Collaboration

4.      Creativity

These are 4 foundational skills (among others) that everyone should continue to work on these basics.  There are many others, but keep in mind that excellence looks like doing the basics EXCELLENT, and then adding some icing and cherry on top 😉

I hope I’ve convinced you to identify and master the basics that matter to you.  It’s the long-term, hard route – no easy way out.  But that’s what it takes to be exceptional. 

Let's make the basics sexy again.

For Learning and With Love,

Chris