“Give me a place to stand, and with a lever I will move the world 🌎” ~ Archimedes
How to spot your lever?
High impact, low-to-medium effort (outsized return).
Unblocks others (reduces waiting, clarifies ownership).
Reduces uncertainty (turns fuzzy into concrete).
Sequencing effect (makes 3+ other tasks easier or irrelevant).
“A manager’s output = the output of their organization + the output of the neighboring organizations under their influence” ~ Andy Grove
Examples by persona
Clarity-Seeking Manager: Finalize the one-page plan naming owners & deadlines for the sprint.
Trusted Collaborator: Write the acceptance criteria that stops rework on a ticket cluster.
Lean Founder / Solo: Send 3 targeted outreach emails to ICP prospects that validate the week’s hypothesis.
Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgment ~Naval Ravikant
Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgment. ~ Naval Ravikant
Quick test (choose only if you can say “yes”):
Will this make other work faster or unnecessary?
Will someone be unblocked immediately?
Can it be completed or clearly advanced today?
Non-examples
“Clean up the backlog.” (too broad)
“Catch up on Slack.” (motion, not leverage)
“Revamp the roadmap.” (huge, unfocused)
Bottom line: your lever is the small, concrete move that turns intent → momentum for everyone.
💡 Love this breakdown of “levers?” It’s like Archimedes meets Andy Grove meets Naval Ravikant at a coffee shop—and instead of latte art, they’re drawing force multipliers in the foam.
The quick test (Will this unblock? Will it compound? Can it move today?) is gold. It forces clarity and courage.
Curious to hear from others: What’s the smallest “lever move” you’ve made that created massive ripple effects for your team or business?