Recently I was out for a beer with a mentor of mine where we were discussing a number of our plans for the upcoming year, and we got onto a topic of recipes and checklists. The idea that repeatability in the physical world is something that many are yearning for, and if there’s a way to help automate/simplify/accelerate elements of our lives outside of work as well – why not?
It was a wide ranging discussion for sure. One of the topics we hit upon was the idea of taking ‘pre built kits’ and making them readily consumable both in the online and analog/physical worlds. We discussed how this is happening all over the place with curated content online, community-driven sites that charge a premium for members only content/interaction, bespoke monthly fashion box drops, wine of the month clubs, and even pre-made meals that can be drop shipped. The trend is obvious, and I particularly enjoy a few blogs where there are quarterly round up articles on the best recommendations for the topical area of the site.
I’ve debated what sort of curated content to rally around, and rather than focusing on an ‘apps round up’ or ‘favorite hacks of the month’ type of theme, I landed upon this notion of a kit. This was influenced due to the conversation mentioned above and another conversation with an acquaintance that started asking for preset recommendations spanning a number of areas that a guy in his 30’s would want to have. This idea of a curated approach that I’ve tested out either in the digital, analog, or hybrid world gives me enough freedom topically while also grounding this into some real world value for you as a community member. If you’ve ever baked a cake, brewed some beer, or built a garage – these KITs will have enough specificity for you to ignore or to follow and then to tweak as needed for your own purposes.
So what is an Energy and Action KIT?
There is no fancy TLA (three letter acronym) in play here… A KIT is a feature of this project that I’ll be publishing on at least a monthly basis aimed at delivering a readily repeatable recipe based upon my personal/professional/familial/relational – ok you get the idea – experience.
I have a ton of KITs in play in my life, and many times – the materials are purchased via Amazon or another online player – so you can readily recreate the same valuable approach to solving a given problem or exploiting a given opportunity. Other places sometimes call these life hacks – in my mind, they are sometimes very generalized. Here – at Energy and Action – you will get the detailed, specifics of what to purchase, how to configure it, and what sort of mileage you can expect.
Every KIT will have the following pieces of the recipe:
KIT Definition & Purpose – A high level statement of what the benefit is that you can expect if you were to build the KIT. The problem statement or opportunity statement that the KIT addresses.
KIT Payback / Value Prop – This will be characterized in time and/or money usually. These are the two primary definitions that I think will be applied as we uncover the KIT articles. There may be other ways to measure the KITS that get shared, and if that happens – I’ll share that new approach in this portion of the KIT article.
KIT Contents – This is the shopping list, where to purchase, expected cost, and any caveats or alternative providers/materials that could be used in a derived KIT. There may be optional elements to the KIT that gets published, those optional bits will be outlined here as well.
KIT How To’s – I’ll outline step by step, perhaps excruciatingly so – the things you need to do to create the KIT for yourself. Many times, the KIT will be a DIY type of thing, as I usually combine things to land on the KITs. The first few KIT posts certainly fit this characterization. One the KIT is built, I’ll also outline the ongoing operation approach/steps to be taken to ensure that you continue to have a similar experience as what I am writing about here.
KIT Links – Finally, I’ll cite the sources of the material, inspiration, and any other resources that could be used for further enrichment.
Now that you know what an Energy and Action KIT is, and that you can expect at least one a month – the January KIT will be published shortly.
