Carmy’s 27 Non-Negotiables from the Bear Contrasted with Reality

Among my group of friends, non-negotiables are the things we routinely DO, not how to BE. So, making time for family, exercising, meditating, and helping other people are examples of non-negotiables we’d prioritize.

However, in the third season of the Bear, episode three, the main character Chef Carmy scribbles out a list of 27 non-negotiables to help his crew take their restaurant to the highest levels. His list includes a range of items, such as:

• Cliches like “less is more.” 
• Protocols like “breakdown boxes every day.”  
• Ways to BE, like “confidence and competence.” 
• What to DO, like “change menu every day.”
• Goals like “in + out service.”

And my personal favorite, “something about teaspoons that I can’t really read,” Natalie says in the show, to which Carmy clarifies that he wants someone to buy more teaspoons.

Non-Negotiables Are Agreements You Make 

From my standpoint, there aren’t very many items that are actually non-negotiables in Carmy’s list. A quick search online tells me that my hunch is right. Many people agree that non-negotiables resemble agreements that you make with yourself, or your team, on what you need or what you will do. 

I haven’t thought too much about non-negotiables in a business sense, but I guess I have them.

Below is a brief draft of what my non-negotiables would look like if I were to combine work rules with personal priorities. Since our personal lives directly affect our work lives, it makes sense that the two types of non-negotiables would intertwine. 

Amy’s Personal and Work Non-Negotiables: 

• Write (book, not other types of writing) for an hour upon awakening.
• Do strength exercises 3-4 times per week before back pain sets in. 
• Email team and clients back when you have time to respond helpfully, but sooner rather than later.
• Work on one client/project at a time, while tracking in toggl. Do not multitask. 
• Be careful with timing emails. Never too late, nor early, and possibly not on weekends. Schedule send. 
• Revisit client requirement list when considering new client opportunities. 
• No more than two follow up’s for Veracity sales or press outreach for clients.
• Rosenberg dogs get two walks/outings per day.
• Dinner with family every night, unless people have things planned. 
• Travel is a priority for all Veracity team members.
• Attend Saturday morning meditation meeting; then coffee with the gals. 
• Continuously infuse ethical principles into all areas of life and work. 
• Personal life is more important than work for all Veracity team members.

You may think that my list is written in order of importance, but it’s more about time of day. I’m at my best in the morning and everything slowly declines as the hours tick on. So, I do my most important things first, and while I would love actually making morning meditation an actual non-negotiable, along with exercising during a set time each day, it doesn’t always come to pass. The one work thing I have consistently been doing is writing each morning. 

Tell me your non-negotiables! Which one is actually sticking? And…what did you think about Carmy’s list?