Category: Turning Stories
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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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Becoming more mindful of overcorrecting
For almost all of my life, I’ve taken feedback very seriously. I wanted to stay out of trouble, so I learned to do this to make sure figures of authority—parents, teachers, etc.—knew that I was listening to what they said. In a way, this became one of my strengths. I learn and adapt very well.…
Herbert Lui
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Some teachers show you what to avoid
Scott Adams, famous for creating Dilbert and endorsing Trump in 2015, passed away last week. Several years ago, I found his book, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, useful, particularly his idea of “talent stacking,” which is to get good enough to be at the top 25% of two different disciplines.…
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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Remember the idea now, not later
What if an idea mattered more now, than it did later? What if the process was more important than the result? A notemaker scribbled his thoughts on the corners of newspapers and envelopes. He would, inevitably, always lose them. When his grandson asked him why he did this, he replied, “I’m not writing this down…
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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Stop exploiting yourself
One of the friends you grew up with is now a popular YouTuber. When they visit your city, they ask if they can stay with you, and you oblige them. You get a glimpse into their life. An employee might get a lunch break, but not a YouTuber; lunch is for filming. They constantly are…
Herbert Lui