The Personal Archive of Matt Zeigler. Conversation-starters complete thoughts, and reflections shaping a life, relationships, and career(s). Quick-to-read and reference. *Served daily, since 2017*
The weirdest question I was ever asked, maybe in my entire life, was, “Can you make this sound more yellow?” The weirdest answer I’ve ever given to the weirdest question was, “Yes.” I replay that conversation in my head all of the time. There’s a perfectly good and teachable reason I was able to answer … Continue reading The Rick Rubin Of Advice: How To Have A Creative Second Act
As my friend Rusty Guinn keeps saying, “I don’t know.” More personally - I don’t know how to read the news about this, I don’t know how to think about all of the history of this. I don’t know how I personally feel about any of this EXCEPT for I knowing I hate it. Peter … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: The Human Side Of The Israel/Palestine Conflict (Via Derek Thompson and Peter Beinart)
If it sounds a little self-reverential, it’s because it has to be. Maren Morris has been battling pigeon holes long enough, and she’s ready to scream phoenix. I’m always here for artists doing this. The metaphors are all present. Take a read through the lyrics on her new EP The Bridge. Then check out the … Continue reading Sunday Music: Maren Morris Burns It The F@$! Down
Come for the conversation about finding yourself in the pressure of success, but stay for the snack discovery at the end. Maren Morris is a role model. More riffing on “their labels are not your identity” in yesterday’s post. You can get even more non-musical but still on topic takes in this episode of Breaking … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Maren Morris Breaks Away From Country
Maren Morris has been distancing herself from the country music scene. Or at least the country music machine. Because she understands their labels do not define her identity. This is the funny thing about career building. You start by wanting a job. Getting onto a track, climbing a ladder, being accepted into a group. The … Continue reading Your Job Is Not Your Identity
When Julie Frederickson was growing up, she thought she wanted to work for Vogue. They were the tastemakers. She wanted to be a tastemaker. She thought she had the eye for it, so why not? But somewhere along the way she realized how taste isn’t made on the top. The world doesn’t change from the … Continue reading The World Doesn’t Change From The Top (Julie Fredrickson’s Vogue Story)
Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” or monomyth idea is incredibly useful for critical analysis of developmental stories. If you want to compare Luke Skywalker (Star Wars) to Jesus Christ (Bible) to Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz) - Campbell’s got you covered. If you want to compare it to your own developmental journey through life, it can … Continue reading Everybody’s Hero’s Journey, Everywhere, All At Once
Julie Fredrickson at Chaotic Capital has this thing about how adaptability is more important than predictions. I’ve been following along with/reading her stuff for a few years now, but that idea and how it shows up everywhere is so powerful. When James O'Shaughnessy practically leads off the conversation with the question (well, after comparing hippies … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Julie Fredrickson on Infinite Loops
Michael Lewis has been one of my favorite writers for a long time. Moneyball was a little bit career-influencing, and The Undoing Project was a little bit focus-affirming. Not just in what the stories are about, but in the way he figured out to tell them. Anybody who writes - you have to respect it. … Continue reading Canceling Michael Lewis (Or Not, With Barry Ritholtz And Friends)
Tom Morgan is one of my favorite financial professionals for this reason: he’s curious. Not just about the standard financial person curiosity, but everything - from literature, to Jungian analysis, to spiritual energy. And not in any too woo-woo ways that make me blush (or “clutch my pearls”), but in the way that makes me … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Tom Morgan On Curiosity Calling