Doing something well is very different than doing something perfectly. In many cases, good is more than enough to get you started in the direction you want to go. If you need to do something perfectly in order to achieve your goal, your process isn’t tight enough yet. Something’s missing.
One of the simplest, and most challenging, ways to enlist luck on your side is to try again. I’m not saying to repeat yourself in exactly the same way, or to be nagging and annoying. I’m saying to give it another shot. Do another art show. Write another blog post. Send another email. In Twelve […]
Insider recently broke the news that Andreessen Horowitz’s (a16z’s) much-hyped publication Future will be shutting down. The news sounds surprising because it launched with such hype, and was even active in June: Head of a16z marketing and Outcast Agency co-founder Margit Wennmachers has said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not […]
I bought a lot of books in my 20s, and I wish I spent more money on learning. For example, I wish I gained more information through courses, paid for greater access to private groups (and gaining proximity), and went to more conferences. Asking to grab coffee with people is nice, but you really start […]
Specificity and focus are praised in our culture. For good reason, of course—in some cases, specificity helps us get to the finish line, and focus enables us to actually get things done. Sometimes we really are spread too thin, ineffectively juggling between several projects and subsequently making meaningful progress on none of them. Last year, […]
The closer you can help a business get to where it wants to go, the more strategic your work. (Perhaps the most strategic work involves helping business leaders figure out what outcomes they’re trying to achieve with their businesses.) It adds more value to the business, which also means they’re willing to pay you more […]
Easy businesses don’t exist. Grass is greener syndrome does. So does the Dunning–Kruger effect. Every industry and field has its own challenges and rewards. You’ll be better equipped to deal with some than others.
SpaceNTime describes Creative Doing, “The book really breaks down how one can tap into their best creative self while understanding why your shitty work comes along with it.” I’ve always described this as quantity leading to quality. Nell Painter writes in Old in Art School, “One of my painting teachers said 85 percent of what […]
In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara highlights one of restaurateur Danny Meyers’ key insights: “Danny has always understood how language can build culture by making essential concepts easy to understand and to teach. He is brilliant at coining phrases around common experiences, potential pitfalls, and favorable outcomes.” Whether you want to call them mottos, memes, or […]
I’ve heard a couple of times from friends that they’re trying to stop using social networks. The keyword is try. It’s been difficult, to say the least. The thumb seems to have a mind of its own. Social networks are not only incredibly exciting to experience, they’re also literally how many people keep in touch. […]