Speaker explains a personal "why": every project must "leave every person, property, and community better than we found them." This rule is the speaker's primary benchmark for accepting work — if a project doesn't meet all criteria they decline it. The speaker cites Steve Jobs' pride in saying "no" as supporting the value of a clear why; the why guides quick yes/no decisions and subsequent planning.
So for me, my why is that every project that we touch must, must, must leave every person, property, and community better than we found them. Like, that is my number one benchmark. So if a project doesn't meet all that criteria, I don't touch it. I just walk away. It just becomes really clear what to say no and yes to. You know, Steve Jobs said the thing he's the most proud of is the things he said no to. Right. And so by having that clear why defined for now, it makes it clear when opportunities come my way, go. Does it meet this? Yes. No. Right. And then from there, the next steps of figuring out, like, what are the pieces.
