Herbert Lui

Blog on creativity, marketing, and the human condition.

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  • Don’t let a misunderstanding distract you from your goals

    In 2018, Louis Vuitton announced that the company had appointed Virgil Abloh as its new artistic director of menswear. It was a triumphant moment for Virgil, streetwear, and a new generation of designers and customers.  One day, as Virgil was going to work, he was denied entry by a security guard. When Virgil recalled this…

    Herbert Lui

    October 21, 2025
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Expectations, Turning Stories
  • When you do interesting things, you learn to make boring things interesting

    One useful piece of advice I came across early on in my writing career was to do interesting things. I travelled cheaply with friends. I met artists and authors. I worked with tech companies at the forefront of software, like Shopify and Figma. I moved out of the suburbs to downtown Toronto, then to Hong…

    Herbert Lui

    October 20, 2025
    Around the World, Creativity, Creator Confidential, Turning Stories
  • If optimizing for commitment doesn’t work for you, optimize for balance instead

    Early in his career, Philip Glass’s commitment to becoming a composer earned him a Fulbright scholarship to study in Europe. His scholarship covered his tuition fees with Nadia Boulanger, a revered music teacher and composer. Money was a constant concern, though. As he traveled through Europe, he mostly visited churches and cemeteries because they cost…

    Herbert Lui

    October 19, 2025
    A Matter of Time, Creativity, Creator Confidential, Turning Stories
  • Treat your morning ritual like an opening chess move

    Life throws curveballs at you. A problem might come up in the evening that needs to wait until the next morning. An evening of sleep might be interrupted, or you might wake up earlier than you’d expected and not be able to fall asleep. Perhaps you want to get some fresh air in the morning.…

    Herbert Lui

    October 18, 2025
    A Matter of Time, Creativity, Creator Confidential, Turning Stories
  • Even if the doctor recommends doing nothing, the visit will be worth it

    A lot of people—particularly men—visit the doctor less than they need to. I’ve heard some friends tell me that they’re too busy, and the doctor often sends them home without much intervention. There’s a low probability of the condition getting worse, and intervention introduces complications. Doctors even have a term for this, “the tincture of…

    Herbert Lui

    October 17, 2025
    A Matter of Time, Expectations, Life, Turning Stories
  • Create space for the things you want, so they can find you

    What do you want more of in your life? Have you created space and time for it? It’s easy and comfortable to fill spaces with things you’re familiar with or good at. It’s difficult and uncomfortable to create space for the things you want, especially when they’re unfamiliar. If you’ve been yearning to travel, you…

    Herbert Lui

    October 16, 2025
    Around the World, Creativity, Expectations
  • What tomorrow doesn’t tell you

    Every day you don’t release your work is another day people have to go without it. You think that doesn’t matter. It does, to you and to the people receiving it. It’s important to remember this when tomorrow comes calling. It nags at you, then promises to provide you with more experience, and a fuller…

    Herbert Lui

    October 15, 2025
    Creativity, Creator Confidential
  • A dollar is a dollar, except what it means when you earn it

    Money is known to be identically exchangeable. Grocery stores will accept any dollar you pay them. How you got the money is none of their business. However, earning the dollar can be, altogether, a different situation. A dollar you earn doing work you hate, is very different from a dollar you earn for something you…

    Herbert Lui

    October 14, 2025
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Turning Stories
  • Giving thanks

    In the days when most people used to farm, the end of the harvest called for a celebration. One can imagine families finally feeling a sense of certainty—knowing how much food they produced, and the relief that it would be enough to survive the winter—and wanting to express gratitude for making it another year around…

    Herbert Lui

    October 13, 2025
    Creativity, Expectations
  • It was supposed to rain

    The weather forecast said there would be rain today. You listened to the forecast, grumbled about it being on a weekend, and planned to do something indoors—maybe not even venture outdoors.  When you peeked outside the window, the sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. So you stepped outside with an umbrella, just…

    Herbert Lui

    October 12, 2025
    Expectations
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