I learned a valuable lesson from my razor this week. (Yes, really.) Something that happened to me in my twenties was still affecting me today. And, it made me realize that there are beliefs I hold about leading and creating that are untested assumptions from decades ago. So today, a shaving lesson. Considering this will require you to be brave. It will require you to focus. But, if you do it, it will help you be brilliant. You have ghost rules in your life. They are limiting your potential....
11 days ago • 2 min read
This past week, I (accidentally) almost walked a marathon. It was a much-needed time to reflect on some work, and it was very helpful so I thought I'd share my experience with you. This practice will help you be brave. It will help you focus. And, it may even help you be brilliant. I accidentally (almost) walked a marathon.I didn’t really mean to. I just needed some time to think. Often, I’ll think while sitting on my office chair with a pad of paper in my lap, but last week I realized that...
18 days ago • 2 min read
As summer comes to a close (here in the northern hemisphere), many of us are turning toward one last push to close the year. So this week, a few sparks to help you make the push. One to help you be brave. One to help you focus. One to help you be brilliant. Brave: The Cult Of 5AM Have you ever felt like a loser because all of the "gurus" are pouncing out of bed at 5AM, doing fifty pushups and running a 5k, reading half a book, and doing a cold plunge before diving into their workday? Well,...
25 days ago • 3 min read
Ideas are the lifeblood of your work. When they're flowing, all is well. When they're not, all is... well... This week, three tips on idea generation and curation. One to help you be brave. One to help you focus. One to help you be brilliant. Brave: Obvious To You Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, once wrote: Everyone's ideas seem obvious to them. Do you ever feel that way? Like all your ideas are just too easy, too obvious? I’ll bet you do. I do too.Over time, I've learned that what’s...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
My family and I spent last week in Guatemala. I thought I'd break the format of the newsletter this week to tell you a quick story about my experience. I cried in the grocery store this week. My family has just returned from a service trip to Guatemala, where we had the chance to spend time in rural areas helping kids with projects to improve their school. (The kids led the projects, which was very cool.) We also had the chance to experience much of the beautiful country and learn about its...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
A request: we'd love to share some books that newsletter readers are currently enjoying. If you'd like to be a part of it, just reply with (a) the book and author, and (b) why you liked it. We'll be sharing over the coming weeks. We love to think that career success is about big efforts and visible projects. However, it's usually the result of steady, persistent progress. This week, three tips for the everyday march. One to help you be brave. One to help you focus. One to help you be...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
The path to success is rarely linear. You’re likely to hit some dips, or need some tools to help you push through moments hen you’re stuck. This week, three tips on pushing through the tough parts of the process. One to help you be brave. One to help you focus. One to help you be brilliant. Brave: Be Persistent, Not Obstinate In an essay called The Right Kind of Stubborn, Paul Graham distinguishes between persistent belief in your work and mere obstinance. In the degenerate case they're...
2 months ago • 2 min read
There is often a gap between your effort and the recognition of your work. This week, three tips on getting the work done, even when you don’t see immediate success. One to help you be brave. One to help you focus. One to help you be brilliant. Brave: Create from a “place of power” This week, my friend Lionel forwarded an essay from George Saunders in which he answered a question from a reader who was concerned that their work was not “successful” in the way they wished. They were doing the...
2 months ago • 3 min read
To do work you’re proud of, sometimes you have to go all-in. This week, three tips on how to commit. One to help you be brave. One to help you focus. One to help you be brilliant. Brave Plant The Flag Last fall, I had a number of important projects that simply had to be completed - or else. The problem was, I had so many things happening simultaneously that even when I made a little progress on each one, it felt like nothing was really getting done. I was pushing a wall forward a few inches...
2 months ago • 2 min read