Archive of posts from September 2020

We learn when we’re surprised

In school and in sales letters, it’s that which surprises and relates to us that we remember most.

Story Over Logic

“Logic is an invention of man and may be ignored by the universe” – Will Durant, historian

Remember to Check Both

If you ever give or receive feedback, consider this:

Best & Worst

Whatever you’re working on in your team, project or business:

“How’s it going?”

These are words we should never hear from those we serve.

On Being A Fool

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool. — Richard Feynman

We All Go First Sometimes

What do you like to go first on?

Thinkers vs Thinker-Doers

Let’s see which of these three things you are:

The Problem With The Eisenhower Matrix

Ever seen the Eisenhower Matrix?

Finished Enough

When is something “finished”?

New & Improved VS Tried & True

When we create great work, we (should) nurture a passion for our craft, our audience, and our tools.

The Setback And The Setforward

What is a setforward?

The Tax For The Things You Want

Taxes are part of the trade you made:

The Things That Make You Better

I hear a lot from folks that they want to improve in their craft but don’t know how.

Complexity Has Its Place…But Not There

Complexity has its place…

But Does It Make Sense?

And is it really better?

Marketing That Doesn’t “Wear Out”

For most marketing tricks, there are a few companies that jump to mind that succeeded with it.

What Makes Your Work Human

The race to automate a business or marketing campaign is both alluring and the path to your demise.

Talking With the Dead

Before Zeno founded Stoicism, he was told that to live a good life he needed to talk with the dead.

Trading in Enthusiasm or Anxiety

Which do you trade in?

The Problem With Changing The World

The problem with changing the world, is that the world is too many things.

Empathizing With Yourself Is Actually Quite Hard

It’s easy to promise you’ll eat no chocolate tomorrow after eating chocolate.

Too Much To Do Or Not Enough Organization?

If you do work that matters, you probably experience the feeling of “too much to do” fairly regularly.

Bill Gates’ Breakfast

“Should I be doing this?”

Ship What You Can

Every great project brims with an overflow of ideas. They seemingly never stop coming.

Creative Muscles

This is the 1000th consecutive daily post, yay!

Make & Shift

“Makeshift” things – temporary constructs of any kind – get a bad rep.

Beliefs Getting In The Way

In post #671 we talked about “Red Fred Theory”, where we can assert a little alien called Fred is true and there’d be no way to prove (or disprove) it.

Your Business’ Ancestry

You’re a part of it.

That’s Not Always True

In marketing and business, we hear about “truths” that everyone accepts as absolute fact.

On Being Paid To Think

“I’m not paid to think about that, so I won’t.” With that attitude, you never will be!