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Slowing inspiration down
Receiving a new idea is an incredible experience—to me, the sensation is a whirlwind of hope, opportunity, and excitement. This is a double-edged sword though, because all of us take in new ideas every day, which means if we were to act on all of them, we would perpetually be stuck in the middle of…
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Do Less, Little By Little
Sam wants to gain weight this year. He also wants to cook nine meals per week, so he can support that goal. He’s locked down in the pandemic, so he also needs to find a new gym or arrangement to workout. Sam’s also in a relationship and wants to be more present in that than…
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Don’t make “Bad” the enemy of “Good”
There’s a saying I’ve heard countless times, some variation of, “Don’t Let ‘Perfect’ Be the Enemy of ‘Good.’” (Here’s an example.) I like it, because aiming for perfection is the surest way to a creative block and paralysis by analysis. Aiming for good is a great rallying call to actually get things done—to aim for…
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Audiences in the arenas
It used to be that spectating was the only way to experience creative work. Stadiums, arenas, and theaters are based on this premise. People who spectate are known as the audience. Spectating is still an incredibly popular activity—just look at Twitch. Sure, I listen to podcasts, I watch films and TV, and I read. I…
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Hard Work, Plus
In September 2007, J. Cole stood outside Roc-the-Mic studios in the rain for 2 hours waiting for Jay-Z to hand him a beats tape for American Gangster. The second Jay-Z saw it, he said, “I don’t want that, give it to one of them.” That’s why self-promotion is, understandably, one of the most dislikeable parts…
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Reiterate
Wonder Shuttle is an editorial studio that works with companies to turn their team’s knowledge into additional hires at lower costs. It’s a way to make an impact with content, beyond marketing. I started Wonder Shuttle in 2013 and publicly launched it in 2014. From 2016 to 2018, I worked with Shopify and its enterprise…
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The Museum of You
At the Museum of Innocence in Istanbul, named after his novel of the same title, author Orhan Pamuk proposes a manifesto. Here’s an excerpt: “I am against these precious monumental institutions being used as blueprints for future museums. Museums should explore and uncover the universe and humanity of the new and modern man emerging from…
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Fans stick together
A fan is a person. That person who watches The Mandalorian might want to listen to the Midnight Boys and House of R while they wash dishes or during their commute. For most of the day though, the person isn’t actively being a fan. They’re working at their job, they’re making contributions to other people…
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Lighthouses
If you want to build something, and aren’t certain what yet, start by making work that brings people together. In other words, build a lighthouse for people to swim towards and congregate. Add value to their life—through insight, delight, or convenience. Analyses, templates, and free job boards are all great examples of lighthouses. (Memes can…
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Permission to Wonder
The millionaire author is sitting on the stage, and the host is taking questions. “Hi, great speech. I want to write books, just like you. I’ve met a couple of agents, I’m halfway through writing a book proposal, and I’ve got a very small mailing list. I know I should be promoting myself more, and…