Dan Coyle compares practice to eating. Saying, “I’m going to practice” is like saying, “I’m going to eat some food.” Practice what = eat what How good are you at typing? When is the last time you improved? Do you feel - kind of plateaued for a while? Life is full of things like typing. … Continue reading Practice Is Like Eating
Tag: practice
Toni Morrison On Making Your Work Look Effortless
So you want to get good, eh? Here’s Toni Morrison on leveling up: I thought of myself as like the jazz musician: someone who practices and practices and practices in order to be able to invent and to make his art look effortless and graceful. I was always conscious of the constructed aspect of the … Continue reading Toni Morrison On Making Your Work Look Effortless
The Secret To More Good Ideas Is…
If you want more good ideas, you have to start with more ideas. Regular, terrible, brilliant - any and all ideas count. Up the overall quantity, then dig for overwhelming quality. Idea generation becomes an essential step. Podcasts are one of my personal favorite sources. One thing I love about my Spotify podcast feed … Continue reading The Secret To More Good Ideas Is…
Find An Expert, Become Their Apprentice
“One of the only true shortcuts in life is finding an expert and apprenticing under them.” - James Clear Pick something you want to be good / better / great at. Identify who the goods, greats, and gods are in the field. Read, listen, watch whatever you can, and... Let them know. Maybe you'll form … Continue reading Find An Expert, Become Their Apprentice
Mitch Hedberg On How To Name An Appliance
Mitch Hedberg on the art and science of appliance naming: I want to get a job naming kitchen appliances. That seems easy, you know? Refrigerator, toaster, blender - you just say what the thing does, then you add “-er.” Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute: “What’s this thing do?” “It keeps (expletive) fresh.” “Well, that’s a 'fresher.' … Continue reading Mitch Hedberg On How To Name An Appliance
Different Meanings For The Same Events
Everybody comes back from vacation and inventories their frustrations and failures, right? Just me? I’m an optimist (or so I tell myself). I’m working on the list of positive things to focus on too. This James Clear quote sums up the backward-looks well: Different meanings can be assigned to the same events. Look for evidence … Continue reading Different Meanings For The Same Events
Draw Smaller Circles
One of the problems with coming back from a vacation is having a to-do list 18 miles long with no less than 47 new “shiny objects” begging me to give chase. Michael Bungay Stanier would tell me, “draw smaller circles.” And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do. The idea is simple. Treat an idea … Continue reading Draw Smaller Circles
Mistakes Are The Greatest Natural Resource On Earth
Danny Meyer says that “Mistakes are the greatest natural resource on earth.” Mistakes are always occurring. Mistakes are never in short supply. Mistakes can be learned from, and therefore the lessons can be harnessed. Look for the mistakes. There’s gold in them there errors. h/t Danny Meyer's interview on The Knowledge Project
Sunday Music: Remembering Gift of Gab
The first time I heard him, it was (probably) a Napster lifted version of "Alphabet Aerobics." Somebody inevitably pitched it to me as, "dude, you've gotta hear this. He does the whole alphabet in rhyme and it's just redonculous." Yes, that was certainly my gateway introduction to Gift of Gab. Yes, we also said redonculous. … Continue reading Sunday Music: Remembering Gift of Gab
Podcast Of The Week: Making The Big Leaps With Angie Colee
Angie Colee is a marketer and coach I greatly admire. A big part of the reason for my admiration is her "get back up and keep fighting forward" attitude. She's taken some amazing career strides very publicly in the past several years and it's been remarkable to follow along. Angie recently appeared on the Copy … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Making The Big Leaps With Angie Colee