I like working on projects with people. I just don’t necessarily like working on projects together with people.

I am so lucky. I have a few partners across a couple areas of my life, with whom I play well.

I don’t play well with everyone, it’s true. I don’t like working on things where everyone works together trying to accomplish the same thing. I like working on things where everyone works together doing those things their best at doing and adding that to the project.

We’ve been doing this together long enough that we know what one another’s strengths are and can sort the job so that the right people are working on the right jobs. We also know enough about one another that we can begin to include the beginnings of their thinking in the work that we do. We aren’t afraid to push our work out to one another when it’s time for it to be polished.

What this means is that, for the most part, I wind up getting to do the work I’m good at, the work it takes me less time to do, the work I can really add something to. They do to.

What it also means is that the work we do together is so much better, sounder, grander, more possible, more polished than anything I’d do on my own.

Now, there are some jobs I do on my own and I do them well, and I enjoy them. Partnership has its place. But it also has its Peace.