Viking Accountability: Prioritizing Work and Finding Time for Rest with Ben Catley-Richardson

Ben Catley-Richardson is the "Accountability Viking" for agencies, helping owners of 3-5 year old agencies grow beyond their own capabilities. 

With a background in video game journalism and a passion for Norse mythology, Ben brings a unique perspective to agency growth and accountability.

In this episode of Agency Journey, Ben shares insights on the importance of rest and reflection in the growth cycle, the power of creating personas, and how to prioritize effectively in an overstimulated world. 

He emphasizes the value of disconnecting and the science behind why rest is crucial for sustainable business growth.

Whether you're looking to scale your agency, improve your work-life balance, or foster a culture of intentional growth, this episode is packed with actionable advice and fascinating perspectives on Viking culture and modern business practices.

Episode Insights:

💡 Rest and reflection are crucial parts of the growth cycle. Taking time off isn't "doing nothing"—it's driving you forward and making sustainable business growth possible.

💡 Creating a persona (like Ben's Viking persona) can give you permission to stand out and motivate you to live up to that image.

💡 Digital agency owners are often overstimulated. Constantly being "plugged in" can hinder growth and learning.

💡 Sleep is crucial for health and growth. Most people need more than 6 hours of sleep per night.

💡 Focus on having a single priority rather than multiple "priorities." This makes decision-making easier and reduces procrastination.

💡 To find your priority, identify the main blocker preventing you from achieving your goals. Your priority should be removing that blocker.

💡 Create an environment that supports your priority (e.g. removing distractions).

💡 Make the right sacrifices by prioritizing what truly matters. Don't sacrifice your life enjoyment for unnecessary work.

💡 Aim to finish each week satisfied with your progress towards your priority. This makes it easier to truly unplug and enjoy life outside of work.

💡 Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Ben uses a handbell to mark achievements.

💡 Ben's 5-gate system for growth and learning:

🏛️ Awareness: Recognize the problem or opportunity

🏛️ Agitation: Find motivation to take action

🏛️ Attention: Focus without distractions

🏛️ Reward: Reflect on progress and build momentum

🏛️ Process: Rest and "bank" your gains

Resources Mentioned:

🌐 Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/accountabilityviking/

(☝️ check it out to sign up for Ben’s weekly “Thor’s Day” accountability emails + get a free 20-minute accountability MOT session!)

🌐 Ben’s website: https://getshitdone.fun/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-304-ben-catley

📚 "The Alter Ego Effect" by Todd Herman

📚 "Why We Sleep" by Dr. Matt Walker

📚 "Atomic Habits" by James Clear

📚 "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman

🏛️ The Norwegian Rune Poem

⚒️ Mjolnir (Thor's hammer) as a symbol of accountability

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What is Agency Journey?

How do world-class agencies continue to grow profitably and hit their goals, even through the choppy waters and challenges of agency life?

How do leaders like Tiffany Sauder, Marcus Sheridan, Jay Acunzo, Shama Hyder, David C. Baker, Nikole Rose, and Zeb Evans think?

Join Agency Journey host Jakub Grajcar as he interviews agency operators and leaders to share insights, actionable tips, and hilarious stories from the builders who live in the agency trenches.

Each episode focuses on crucial aspects of growing an agency like building the right team, delegation, project management, client success and retention, and operating frameworks like EOS.

Brought to you by ZenPilot: we help lead your agency through the final project management implementation you’ll ever need. Book a call to learn more at ZenPilot.com/Call.

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