I received a number of comments from people about yesterday’s post, There is only expansion or contraction. They wanted to know how to expand in their organization. Here are a few tips–and they are likely things that you have heard before:

Take responsibility. Work. Be smart about where you spend your energy. Strive to provide value. Take on jobs that other people aren’t willing to do. Get involved. Lean forward. Be relentless. Be tactful. Make connections with others inside and out of your organization. Write well. Read. Don’t be afraid to ask. Get in the habit of asking for forgiveness, instead of asking for permission. Complete your work. Take notes. Present ideas and a plan to bring them to life. Break projects into pieces. Build a team. Make time to rest. Set aside time for yourself.

However, there’s more to this than just hustling or learning how to treat people:

It is imperative to know that we all go through cycles of expansion and contraction at regular intervals. Whether daily, weekly, monthly, or over the course of years, people are constantly cycling through periods of work and rest or growth and reduction. The key here is being aware of these cycles and learning when to be the most productive when the time is right. Otherwise you are wasting your time and energy.

Why would you try to surf when there are no waves? If there are no waves where you are, then you have to go out and find them.