EDITOR’S NOTE:

“Hey, Jesse,” I said. “Be honest…”

Jesse Rowe is my friend. He also heads up the Growth team at G2. He’s also a founder, currently working on BetOnWeather dot io and ResultsPreviewer dot com.

“What do I need to get better at?”

Jesse stared into space for a bit, thinking.

“Honestly,” he said, “learn growth tools.”

I nodded.

“And techniques,” he said.

Fact is, if you want the internet’s attention, copywriting will only get you so far. You also gotta know how to spread your message around as efficiently as possible.

So I listened to Jesse, learned from him, applied what he taught me — and have since doubled the size of my email list.

“Hey, Jesse,” I said, “do a micro-interview, yeh?”

“Well twist my arm,” he said.

And here we are.

In just 536 words, you’ll learn:

• The best way to grow, hands down…

• A quick trick to help you avoid burnout...

• How to think better, cutting out noise and distraction…

And more…

Enjoy!

Thank you, Jesse.

Let’s get started:

1) “What’s your work routine?”

I wake up at 6:15 AM. (I use an alarm app that makes you solve simple math problems to keep you from snoozing too much.)

Depending on what my morning looks like, I'll either do a quick workout or grab a cup of coffee and head straight to my desktop. (Lately it's been the latter.) 

Work has been busy for the past few months, so making the most of every minute is crucial...

For the past 4 years, I've tracked all of my computer usage through an app called Rescue Time. It helps me see not only how productive I'm being while on the computer but also how much time I'm spending on any given website. 

Once the work day is over, I’ll usually transition to a side project. 

That said, I like having a "palate cleanser" (e.g., working out, gaming, calling friends) when moving from work during the day to side projects at night. Helps me avoid burnout. 

2) “What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”

The best way to grow is to grow together. 

It's easy to get caught up in the hoopla of tech and startups, especially when it comes to individual success. But we're playing an individual AND a team sport here.

If you can learn a topic or subject with someone else, then the results tend to compound. 

If you can work on a project or campaign with someone else, then the results tend to multiply. 

If you can help a teammate get recognition for doing great work, then the gesture will be reciprocated.

It’s true what they say about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

3) “What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”

I learned this doing Track & Field in college but it also applies to the professional world: 

KNOW. YOUR. WORTH.

You literally know yourself more than anybody else. Regardless of what you read or see — and no matter what anybody says or does — you know who you are and what your true value is. 

If you're interviewing for a company and they say they're not interested, shake hands and thank them for their time. Write their feedback down, too. Then read it and smile when you get the dream job you knew you deserved later down the road.

4) “What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”

Without a doubt, applying First Principle thought models to everyday life.

First Principle thinking requires adopting a new mindset when your old way of doing things becomes obsolete.

It requires distilling a problem to its fundamental building blocks, its essential elements. Then asking powerful questions and getting down to the basic truth, separating facts from assumptions. Then constructing a view from the ground up. 

If you can build a consistent mental framework around this structure, it'll help you think on a more exponential level while also cutting out the noise and distraction.

5) “What book has helped you the most over your career?”

Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim Grover.

6) “And your parting piece of advice?”

You can learn something between every blink, so long as you’re looking.