Showing Up Beats Showing Off

I just came back from a short break in Athens.

Last night I did not sleep as well as I hoped for. This morning I was seriously not in the mood of going to the office, let alone writing this 83rd edition of this newsletter. But here it is. And the topic of the newsletter is the newsletter.

Why do I keep posting this weekly newsletter? Here are three + 1 reasons.

1. Bulwark against entropy: The commitment to write and post an article weekly keeps me on track. As a freelance consultant, I need systems and habits in place as a bulwark against entropy—the natural tendency of energy to dissipate and for systems to slide into disorder. All systems are subject to entropy. Systems include productive (not passive) habits.

2. Writing sharpens thinking: Writing (as well as speaking) is an extension of thinking. When you try to express your ideas, especially to an educated public, you have no option but to sift them diligently—to separate the wheat from the chaff and produce coherent arguments that hopefully benefit your audience. Unexpressed thoughts tend to spiral into chaos. Expression allows the best thoughts to come forward while letting unprocessed and incoherent ones dissipate.

3. Offering value to my audience: My primary aim in publishing this newsletter is to share pieces of knowledge and wisdom I've gathered over the years in the hope that people find it useful, interesting, and valuable.

4. Displaying reliability, dependability, consistency, and professionalism: Over my 20+ years of professional experience, clients, colleagues, and partners can attest to my strongest attribute—reliability. To the best of my recollection, I've never let anyone down in terms of punctuality, deadlines, and delivering what I promised. This doesn’t mean everything was perfect or without room for improvement, but when it comes to being prompt and dependable, I always show up, even when it’s uncomfortable or difficult.

Granted, I was never the flashiest professional in terms of dress, gadgets, or presence—I wasn’t focused on showing off. But I can confidently say that I’ve always been one of the best at showing up.

To sum up, showing up with this newsletter is nothing but a manifestation of my professional mode of being.

What do you think, dear reader?

Do you value people who are prompt, professional, and dependable? Do you value those who always show up and deliver on their promises?

Have a productive week ahead—and remember that showing up matters more than showing off!

Philippos