Kill the guesswork
Guesswork feels cheeky and daring - and you could be forgiven for thinking that creativity and innovation can't exist without it - but really it's just a cheap way to avoid accountability.
I recently heard Steven Bartlett mention that he has a simple mantra he embeds and nurtures across his companies: Kill the guesswork.
It really stood out to me because it's elegant and intuitive, without being entangled in any particular project management methodology or industry jargon.
So I've started to meditate on those three words to myself regularly now like a frustrated scientist who has smashed enough test tubes to know better.
Guesswork feels cheeky and daring - and you could be forgiven for thinking that creativity and innovation can't exist without it - but really it's just a cheap way to avoid accountability.
Whenever I catch myself squinting at a problem and filling in the blanks with imagination I can almost hear my future self groan.
Why pretend to be psychic when I could just ask clarifying questions, collect simple data or run a quick experiment?
Life is already full of uncertainty and I don't need to manufacture more with sloppy assumptions. Cutting the guess out of my work is like wiping steamed up glasses.
Suddenly the outlines sharpen and options stop hiding in the mist.
Conversations get shorter because I have real numbers instead of vibes.
Meetings lose their theatre because I arrive armed with evidence (as much as I might have at least) not theatrics.
Even creative projects flourish once the fog lifts; feedback loops tighten and that elusive state of flow comes round more often because I'm not constantly second guessing invisible critics.
The discipline sounds clinical but you know what - it's surprisingly compassionate.
When I remove guesswork I spare myself and everyone around me from the stress of silent misunderstandings and from the blame game that erupts when reality refuses to match our fantasies.
And we can redirect that liberated energy toward deliberate action, which beats theatrical busyness every time.
So I treat guesswork like heavy sugar in my coffee: tastes nice and fun in the moment, guaranteed crash later.
On the other hand, a clear mind running on good information is a long distance engine.
I've also come to appreciate that the mantra also scales outside the office.
In friendships, in fitness, in the way I talk to myself during a tough run, I swap analysis whispers for actual signals from my body and from the people who know me best.
That exchange buys me trust, progress and peace.
Guessing will always be easier in the moment, but clarity compounds over time.
Commit to killing the guesswork as much as possible, and the world will start telling you exactly what it needs. And maybe exactly what you need.