The Velvet Rope

You're awesome.

I know it's true. For one, you read this blog which means you're smart. And you read blogs about how to be awesome, so you're willing to learn. That alone puts you ahead of most. So I'm pretty confident in my assessment that you are awesome.

The problem with awesome is that everybody wants a piece of it. You're time is a precious commodity and so you're always being asked for help and expertise. No one said being awesome was easy. But that ok, you love it. You love to help, love to say yes, and love to give.

But here's the thing; time is limited.

You only get 24 awesome hours a day. And you need to sleep at least 8 of those to be at peak awesomeness.

So you have to be picky about who you give access to your time. You need a filter. You need to check credentials. You need a velvet rope.

Think about it. Every awesome club has a bouncer and a velvet rope out side making sure only the most awesome people get in. That's how they stay exclusive and, thus, awesome. Now, high school popularity politics aside, you need the same mentality. You need to start saying no. You need to be selective when it comes to the people and projects you grant access to your awesome talents. You may not go so far as to put a 300lb linebacker outside your office- that was my choice, but mostly because he matched the decor. But the mentality has to be the same. Limit your access, remain exclusive, and make people who want in have some standards. That could mean jacket and no jeans; or it could mean they must have defined goals and a solid timeline.

Because the point is, without standards, things start to go downhill. Let in a few guys with stonewashed Levis and Ed Hardy shirts and your club will loose swagger. Start taking on projects that are a mess, and you're awesome reputation can suffer too.

Hey, you're awesome. Don't forget it, and don't be ashamed of it. And more importantly, act like it. Don't be afraid to be a little exclusive. Especially if you want to maintain that awesome reputation.