Category: Turning Stories
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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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Whatever you struggle with is a great place to start writing
“A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people,” goes a quote attributed to Thomas Mann. The difficulty is, precisely, why you’d want to write. There’s something you need to make sense of, that you can’t avoid, and you need somewhere to put everything you think and feel.…
Herbert Lui
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Maybe promotion isn’t about making money, it’s about helping your work find other people
A few years ago, I republished my post on longcutting at Forge, with the headline asking readers, “What are your favorite anti-shortcuts?” “Clean the kitchen before you start cooking. Empty the drain rack and dishwasher, clear and wipe down the counters. You might not get something [on] the table as quickly, and you will feel…
Herbert Lui
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Why Allen Iverson stopped dunking
A basketball game’s regulation time is 48 minutes. When Allen Iverson played in the NBA, he would play, on average, over 41 minutes. That’s over 85% of each game. During the playoffs, that number went up; Allen played over 45 minutes each game (93%). Allen loved basketball, and he hated sitting on the bench. In…
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
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Participation is more important than the outcome
Whether an outcome turns out your way in the near term—which you and I usually call, “success”—or not, isn’t that important. Showing up to participate in the outcome is much more important. Bringing good energy, showing your expertise, and starting a working relationship before a formal engagement, is much more valuable. Participating, and constantly improving,…
Herbert Lui
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The joys of blooming “late”
For much of my 20s, I spent a lot of time feeling like I was late. I blamed my teenage self for slacking off and having fun. I blamed him, effectively, for being a teenager. I wasn’t being nice or kind. When I was 25, I considered myself a late bloomer. I wrote to my…
Herbert Lui
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While the image of success is loud, real success is quiet
If you asked me nine years ago, success often involved images that conveyed money, power, and respect. It was very theatrical. Thanks to my stomach, I realized a truer, clearer, and more real definition of success. For some people, those images are worth everything, including their health. For me, I realized that they meant next…
Herbert Lui
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Sometimes, the quiet achievements are the most important ones
One winter night, nine years ago, I was a few bites into a pad gra prow with crispy pork when I felt like I was full. It made no sense because I hadn’t eaten in several hours. A part of me still felt very hungry. When I tried forcing the food down, a technique my…
Herbert Lui
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The writer’s room inside your mind
Many TV shows hire writers. These writers work together to discuss what they want to accomplish with the show, characters, and episodes. They also share what they’ve noticed and what has caught their interest. Each writer pitches ideas, writes and edits scripts, and in the process turns them into stories that, hopefully, stick with us.…
Herbert Lui