We all need one. Someone who tells us what to do, guides us, and keeps us in line. Because we work better and behave better when we do.
Our teachers and parents did that. Our employers and clients do that now. We might have paid advisors or be guided by colleagues, family or friends.
There’s always a higher authority. It might be our maker, the rule of law, or our own values or experience.
Our clients tell us what they want from us. So do our subscribers and followers. We have deadlines; we make promises we are compelled to keep; we have an image to uphold. And it’s all good because without that structure, guidance, or feedback, we might have too many options or too much leeway and find it difficult to stay on our path and achieve our goals.
Don’t begrudge the rules. Precedent, tradition, and common sense make our life more orderly. We might not like being told what to do, but these constraints give us a path to follow and make it more likely that we’ll get what we want.
When we start a case or new project, we decide what needs to be done and create a plan. We might question that plan, or stray from it, but the case, the client, and the rules give us a foundation to come back to when we do.
Everyone needs a boss. Especially when we are our own boss.
Aren’t there exceptions to every rule? Don’t we have free will? Aren’t we better off when we’re different and stand out from the crowd?
Yes, yes, and yes.
Which is why we do what Daddy tells us, but not without asking a lot of questions.
