A data analyst at WCI in Bentonville, Arkansas, Cameron Writt collects and analyzes sales data for a range of companies and products to create reports for clients and help them predict supply needs and opportunities. Cameron Writt is an undergraduate of the University of Arkansas with a double degree in sociology and criminal justice.
During his studies, Mr. Writt also worked as an information analyst at Writt & Company, tracking the national shipment, delivery, and display of food products in 600 stores and helping reduce shipping and sales discrepancies. After graduating in 2011, he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served for 4 years as a supply officer.
In addition to his work as a data analyst, Cameron Writt is a stand-up comedian and writer. He writes original comedy pieces and performs live in various venues. He was invited to perform in the Belly Room of the Los Angeles World Famous Comedy Store, and in 2020 he appeared at San Francisco Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival.
Mr. Writt dedicates his free time to creative writing, journaling, and traveling. He also enjoys running and resistance training.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I first have some coffee. I then write in my journal, reflecting on events of the previous day, my tasks and goals for the next 24 hours. I compose and print my clients’ programs and go to the gym for their appointments. I have a one-hour workout at some point in the day before heading home to eat and rest.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I write them down and revisit them later for a fresh perspective. I consult with friends and family and ask for their opinion. I like the idea that an invited opinion should not be contested, but should be entirely embraced with appreciation and encouragement. Then I prioritize the necessary actions, make a plan, and take notes throughout the process. I am happy to reassess and adapt along the way.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m optimistic about the newest generations being more savvy about the world and how to navigate it. They see trends come and go at the highest rate ever experienced and can hopefully identify schemes and fads much more quickly. However, I don’t envy the fact they had to develop these senses at such an early age.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Journaling every day. If I develop a new habit that helps or hurts my productivity, I have a solid record of what that action is and what the results are. The direction of my life ceases to be a mystery when I can observe myself from the distance afforded by time.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Learn the difference between who you are and who you imagine being. You cannot help but be yourself. If you fit into your fantasy, that’s only terribly convenient. No amount of forceful indoctrination or routine will change you. And trying to make yourself someone you’re not will be a great source of discomfort and disappointment. In short, play to your strengths and bolster weaknesses when possible.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Discipline is not better than motivation. The two aren’t fit for comparison. Motivation makes for an excellent primary fuel. Wanting to do something is more potent than having to do something. Discipline is a special reserve, like a spare tire or backup generator that keeps operations flowing normally when difficulties arise. Discipline is a limited resource, and its abuse results in eventual contempt toward anything that overdraws on it. Motivation is so gleeful and insistent, it’s immune to corruption. Exhausted discipline is fertile ground for rebellion.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Allow time for guilt-free, uninvolved rest. Recreation often has a work-like sense of organization and urgency attached to it. I think it’s good to have more spare time with no plan, no great ambition, but easy relaxation or aimless curiosity. I suspect that many people never know who they are until they learn to comfortably hold still.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
If possible, I switch tasks or find the soonest opportunity for food and rest. Overwhelm and poor focus are strong signs for near-exhaustion. To continue in that state is to chance unmendable mistakes. The central nervous system doesn’t deal in mixed messages, and warning signs for burnout should not be ignored.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Being prepared to learn from absolutely anyone and everyone. I expect a lot out of anything I’d consider to be “my methods,” but that’s no excuse to be closed-minded.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
When I first became a personal trainer at 18, I let my clients down. Over the course of many months, I was not able to sufficiently challenge them and help them reach their goals. Defeated and lacking confidence, I quit the profession for another 18 years. After recertifying, I faced the same sense of uncertainty. I began to apply what I had learned in the intervening years that I knew to be true within the academic framework and immediately began to see results in my clients. They began lifting better, and their body compositions reflected this change.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A “local agent” service to handle awkward or peripheral business for clients. Say you have a relative in another state who lives alone and is recovering from surgery. They can have medications, food, and items delivered to them through existing services, but they cannot put the groceries away themselves, assemble crutches on their own, or handle returns very easily. A “local agent” can conduct scheduled visits to do the shopping, put away the groceries, and assemble the crutches. The agent can also correspond with you live from that location to confirm the family member’s wellness and the overall state of the home. Agents can fill in the gaps not covered by other services and act on your behalf without necessitating your travel. Similarly, if you have a vehicle in storage in another state, the agent can document its loading and transport to your location, or its sale, without requiring you to travel there yourself.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Microsoft Word and Excel. Both have excellent uses in creative endeavors that don’t yet have an exact form. Excel can help with sorting ideas, and Word can give them a more distinct sense of purpose.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I’ve been enjoying Words Unravelled (sic), which features two etymologists discussing the interesting origins of words and phrases. The hosts have excellent senses of humor, as well as friendly, likeable demeanors. It’s great casual fun for language enthusiasts.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Detroiters starring Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson. It’s absurdist comedy genius that generates hilarious and highly quotable lines of dialog at breakneck pace.
Key learnings
- Productivity starts with self-awareness.
- Embrace authenticity and play to your strengths.
- Iterative learning drives success.
- Solve unmet needs with creative solutions.