Deeper Thoughts — Juwan Platt
Juwan Platt is a thinker that helps people and companies become better versions of themselves. He alongside two partners run a content creation company by the name of BCKYRD.
What’s the one thing you grade yourself on? What about your company? How do you know if you are succeeding?
I grade myself on in inner peace. If I’m at peace, everything else follows. I’m more energetic, loving, and creative. Peace to me is freedom — to do as I please. Anytime I feel constrained, especially for non-essential reasons, I’m thrown off and have to reevaluate what I’m doing.
I grade progress within my company on balance. There are several moving parts and to make sure everyone is getting the one thing that they want can be challenging. But when there is balance, everything is beautiful and progress has been made.
I know if I’m succeeding by how reactionary I am. If I find myself reacting too much, I’m losing — my inner peace is off. I feel terrible and take great strides to rectify it. But, if I’m on top of things and being effective rather efficient then I feel like I’m winning. At that point, life is good.
How do you learn?
I learn through reading. I read 10–15 articles a day, hundreds of tweets, and I’m always in-between 3–4 books at a time. I read most of it on my phone via Twitter, Instapaper, and iBooks. I may read something one day then wait a week or so to read it again to see if I glean any new insight.
I process a lot of information, the good stuff sticks around and the rest I discard.
I also realize that sometimes I may not be ready to comprehend what I am reading — I don’t have the proper context to apply it. Having skin-in-the-game is important. I think that’s what wisdom is, having the proper context (wisdom) to back up the content (knowledge).
I also take risks and fuck up a lot. I am a stubborn person who needs real life to punch me in the face to truly learn a lesson sometimes.
What book, movie, or podcast do you recommend the most?
It’s dependent on who I’m talking to and their personality — I like to be as specific to that person as possible. But, I typically recommend Peter Drucker’s “Managing Oneself” the most.
Self-awareness is key and this book addressed it with masterful clarity.
When your company has experienced hardships, what have you done to get back on top?
I reduce.
I figure out what can be cut and cut it. Simplicity is my drug. I realize that most people desire too much and that’s where grief lives. Usually minimizing my desires takes care of things.
But, if not, I rely on my relationships. I start helping people solve their problems for free or at a discounted rate. This is a sign to the Universe that the money isn’t the mission and that I’d still do this even if Inever made another dollar from it. It’s good faith. From there, the momentum builds and I’m thriving again.
What’s an idea that you are dedicated to?
I am dedicated to this idea of remaining independent of my time and location. That idea has led to me to turning down opportunities and switching career-trajectory. I hate having to be in an office at certain times during the day. Sometimes I just need to take that hour nap at noon or work until 3 AM.
