Writing the report is the important part

When we’re preparing for our quarterly meetings with our clients, we spend a lot of time digging into their analytics from the previous quarter. We want to understand what worked, what didn’t, what’s growing, what’s fading, and anything that could be of value to them.

While the output of that research is certainly important to the client, the work that we put into the research is where the real value lies, because that’s what helps us to really understand what’s going on.

In his book “ High Output Management “, author Andrew Grove relates it to reports:

“Reports are more a medium of self-discipline than a way to communicate information. Writing the report is important; reading it often is not.”

That’s kind of like these posts that I write. I hope you find value from them, for sure, but my value is in putting them together. Finding quotes, linking ideas, and thinking through my own thoughts are where I get the most out of them.

I find this to be true of most creative endeavors. I shared the example of David Senra’s “Founders” podcast recently and it’s the same way. David’s output for us is fantastic, but the value he gains in putting it all together is easily 100x more valuable.

You might find this kind of value in creating videos for YouTube, creating a podcast, or even journaling privately with yourself. Look for the avenue to force yourself to dig into your work, and you’ll find immense value in the act of digging itself.

Originally published at https://www.mickmel.com on August 2, 2023.