Category: Expectations
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The 48 Laws of Power started with powerlessness
Early in his life, Robert Greene wanted to be a writer. His first attempt at this started early, with a job in journalism. After working for several years, one of his editors took him out for a liquid lunch and told him, “You should seriously consider a different career. You are not writer material. Your…
Herbert Lui
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The hungry ghost’s favorite ingredient was ambition
In Asian mythology, there are ghosts known as pretas with insatiable appetites. They have big mouths and thin necks. They can eat all they want and never feel full. Spoiler alert: There’s a scene in The Ballad of a Small Player, in which the protagonist is possessed by such a ghost. Together, he wins big,…
Herbert Lui
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Craft your little empire
My friend Hamza works as a keynote speaker, author, and leader of a new tech company. If you asked him for career advice, he would tell you, “Be your own boss.” This resonates with me; it’s about taking yourself seriously, investing in yourself, and reclaiming responsibility and agency. Whether you work with other people and…
Herbert Lui
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You can either learn or be judgmental
You can’t do both at the same time. When you ask questions, with a desire to understand, and listen, you are learning. Questions like: What assumptions am I making? How else can I think about this? What is the other person thinking, feeling, and wanting? When you’re mindful, you can catch yourself being judgmental and…
Herbert Lui
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Reflecting on my failure to write a NYT bestselling book
Over a decade ago, I attended a charity gala at The Spoke Club in Toronto. I was wearing a tailored suit, having a great time with friends, and, after a couple of glasses of bubbly, feeling celebratory. My career was off to a strong start. My articles went viral at Medium and were picked up…
Herbert Lui
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When you delay a task, your mind makes it more intimidating
Delay has a way of making a simple, ordinary, task seem more intimidating. Your mind rationalizes: you must think the task is hard, that’s why it’s taking so long. That’s why you’re hesitating. The more time you give your mind, the more intimidating the story sounds. Maybe you’re even procrastinating, because it must be scary. …
Herbert Lui
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Miracleless growth
A good friend of mine had recently pivoted their career, from growth marketing in tech to the culinary arts. In their exploration, they’d realized they didn’t want to work as a chef or start a restaurant. Instead, they introduced their dishes through self-initiated supper clubs. They found their first customers by inviting friends and their…
Herbert Lui
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Make your dream something you can’t fail at
Some children have dreams of winning awards; they practice their speeches in front of mirrors, speaking into their toothbrush as if it was a microphone. Tilda Swinton’s dreams were much more ordinary. Her ambitions were to live by the sea, with a garden she could grow vegetables in, somewhere in Scotland, where she was born…
Herbert Lui
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It’s always worth spending time up front to make the process smoother
A lumberjack once said, if his life depended on cutting down a tree in five minutes, he would spend three minutes sharpening his axe. More and more, I’ve appreciated this approach to life. Here are some ways I’ve applied it: A few days ago, I wrote about how cleaning the dishes and kitchen before I…
Herbert Lui
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When is a best effort enough?
Japanese transportation is well-known for its precision. For example, when a train runs more than five minutes late, the railway company will issue a delay certificate for its passengers to show their employers and teachers. In other words, Japanese transportation all but guarantees results. In business-to-business deals, this type of guarantee is enforced by a…
Herbert Lui