Category: Turning Stories
-
In praise of the quiet celebration
There are times for loud, big, celebrations. There are many, many more occasions for quiet, small, celebrations as well. They’re lower risk, much lighter, and more memorable in some ways. I’ve been learning to celebrate more, and doing it this quiet way is useful for me. Big parties are expensive. They need you to plan…
Herbert Lui
-
Recoverability is more useful than reversibility
A few weeks ago, I explored recoverable and irrecoverable decisions. It resonated with the Hacker News community, and the discussion was very thought provoking. Recoverable is more useful than reversible precisely because many events aren’t reversible. You only get one chance to make a good first impression; that irreversibility is what makes putting off showing…
Herbert Lui
-
No more big rings
Many years ago, I bought a gold Versace signet ring as a gift for myself. The search happened very passively, so it took a couple of years until I came across it during a layover at Rome Fiumicino airport. When I first bought it, I felt proud of myself. It represented achievement to me. As…
Herbert Lui
-
Did you know many successful artists worked day jobs?
The act of working a second job, known better as moonlighting, generally isn’t something you brag about. People might start asking questions you don’t want to answer, or doubt your commitment to your first job. The creative world is no exception. In my first column for 3 Quarks Daily, I explore artists with day jobs,…
Herbert Lui
-
Small talk sets up big ideas
When I’m meeting with someone, I almost always make the first topic discussion an introduction or catching up. I’m genuinely curious about what the person is doing, and what they’re like outside of the meeting. Small talk, its own form of ice breaker, can help make the rest of the meeting smoother. I’ll jog my…
Herbert Lui
-
Everything is impermanent
When monk and peace activist Thích Nhất Hạnh lived in Vietnam during the war, people asked him every day when the war would end. It was a tricky question. He didn’t know the answer, of course, and it wasn’t clear things were getting better. At the same time, if he told them so bluntly, they…
Herbert Lui
-
Fun first
This is the driving principle of Nintendo, the company best known for characters like Mario, Pikachu, and Zelda, as well as its game consoles Switch, Wii, and N64. The people who work there understand the power of play. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto once noticed kids sending text messages to each other on the train; that…
Herbert Lui
-
A masseur’s wisdom
A couple of days ago, my partner and I received good foot massages, along with a great motto. As the session wrapped up, the masseurs showed us some stretches to loosen up our shoulders. These were the stretches they often used themselves. Then, one of them concluded, “To be a good masseur, be a good…
Herbert Lui
-
Turn a creative fever into lasting inspiration
A few days ago, an idea came to me: why is there no business book covering Pokémon? By one estimate, the company has earned over $147 billion in its existence. It just opened a theme park, and its trading cards business has survived for 30 years and gained tons of momentum. There is, clearly, a…
Herbert Lui
-
The sauce and the main course
Creative success is a sauce. It can make a good main course great, but your stomach will be upset if it’s your whole meal, and you’ll go hungry soon after. You wouldn’t want to substitute it for a main course though. Creative sustainability is the main course. You can eat it on its own, and…
Herbert Lui