Herbert Lui

Blog on creativity, marketing, and the human condition.

  • About
  • Creative Doing
  • Newsletter
  • Speaking
  • Five random posts 

    A couple of days ago, I introduced random posts to this blog. You can find the Random button at the end of every post, or type in herbertlui.net/random in your browser bar. I’ve been clicking it quite often, and wanted to share some posts that have come up, as well as a line of commentary:…

    Herbert Lui

    April 6, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential
  • Nonsense

    People say nonsensical things all the time. They don’t know better, they’re mindlessly expressing their second nature, or you caught them at a weird time. Sometimes, all of the above. You do it. I do it. Nobody’s perfect. Nonsense shows up as a decision that doesn’t make sense, vague instructions, or a belief that conflicts with…

    Herbert Lui

    April 5, 2026
    Expectations, Turning Stories
  • Introducing random posts

    This blog has over 1,500 posts. If you’re feeling lucky, you can read a random one. Try clicking this: There’s a link to do this at the bottom of every post. If you’re using a browser, you can also type herbertlui.net/random Happy reading!

    Herbert Lui

    April 4, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential
  • Second nature

    A second nature is a behaviour or thought that’s very deeply ingrained in you. It could take you towards your goals, like calming down when you feel confused or hugging a loved one when they’re hurting. Or, it could take you away from them, like holding a grudge or beating yourself up. It happens almost…

    Herbert Lui

    April 3, 2026
    Creativity, Expectations, Turning Stories
  • Be curious, not judgmental

    Being judgmental is useful for doing difficult things. (Sanctimonious, self-righteous, prideful, are all variations of what I mean by being judgmental.) When you believe in a statement that’s judgmental, it gives you the energy you need to stick with letting go of bad habits, persisting in a challenging situation, or breaking through a self-limiting belief…

    Herbert Lui

    April 2, 2026
    Creativity, Expectations
  • Thank you, Faiz

    My friend Faiz Ahmed passed away yesterday. Thanks for being a good friend. Thanks for being you. Thanks for encouraging me with my writing, including reading the very rough first draft of Creative Doing. Thanks for writing your blog.  Thanks for reading and sharing your ideas. Thanks for asking thoughtful questions and listening. Thanks for…

    Herbert Lui

    April 1, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Life
  • What’s obvious to you might not be to me

    In school and work, you’re conditioned to believe, “Your contribution isn’t valuable if it’s obvious.” But more often than you’d think, you take for granted what you know, and assume that I know it too.  What’s obvious to you might not be obvious to me; it might be the first time I’ve learned about it.…

    Herbert Lui

    March 31, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Expectations, Turning Stories
  • Add purpose to the payoff

    Airline loyalty programs are difficult to navigate. They’ve made it this way intentionally, because it provides customers with a sense of challenge—the same way a video game would. The question is, what’s the payoff? Provided enough reward, the more of a challenge something is, the more you’ll strive to chase after it. Will it provide…

    Herbert Lui

    March 30, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Expectations, Turning Stories
  • A final goodbye

    Today, I visited a friend in palliative care. I was joined by three other friends, and the shared presence made the trip feel lighter. We talked to each other and his family in his hospital room. Our friend’s eyes were closed, and he didn’t respond to our comments. He seemed to be sleeping. He looked…

    Herbert Lui

    March 29, 2026
    A Matter of Time, Life
  • Bias for continuity

    After over 50 years of operation, the Ontario Science Centre shut down its main building a couple of years ago because the infrastructure was failing, and it was no longer safe. This type of decay happens naturally. The world can be chaotic, and its environment is always changing. Instead of repairing it, the government decided…

    Herbert Lui

    March 28, 2026
    A Matter of Time, Creativity, Creator Confidential, Expectations, Turning Stories
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