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Too Passionate To Process Rational Thought

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:51:00 +0000

"I’ve broken the sharing seal." I've been writing music for twenty years. But it wasn't until last year that I finally released my work into the world. Partly because I wanted to keep my art to myself, and partly because I was scared of sharing my deepest feelings publicly. What's interesting is, once the musical floodgates opened, the sharing has only gotten deeper. Since then, I've taught songwriting classes, performed at open mics and played free concerts at the park. I can't wait to see what's next.

"Too passionate to process rational thought." Passion doesn't get a bad enough rap. Thanks to a legion of commencement speakers who are afraid to scare their audiences, we've been convinced that passion is the answer to everything. Truth is, passion can work against us. Yes, it's an essential component to a meaningful life, but it also can be a veneer over the realities of that life. Inspired by an interview with John Oliver.

"We are solution agnostic." That's how my boss describes our company. I think it's a smart way to do business. Too many organizations are devoutly religious about their deliverables. If the client's request doesn't fit into their neat little box, they don't know what to do with themselves. But that's what innovation is all about. If you're doing it right, you're doing it differently each time.

"I don’t believe in optimism, I believe in optimal behavior." Enlightening passage from an interview with Ray Bradbury. What I appreciate about this attitude is, you're focusing on the one thing you can control––yourself. Everything else is wishful thinking. Once we come to that realization, the excuses of life just seem to melt away.

It's Not Okay With Me That I Don't Understand That

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:42:00 +0000

"It’s not okay with me that I don’t understand that." Seth Godin made a great point about being a noticer during yesterday's presentation. I can relate. There's this relentless mechanism inside of me that demands to know things. Like when the cashier at the clothing store asks me what kinds of things I plan to do in my new shorts. I need to know why she asked that question. Was she trained that way? Was she genuinely curious about my life? Was she just shooting the shit until the credit card receipt printed out? Why that question? Why now? I want answers. Find me the nub of why or there will be hell to pay.

"Boundless susceptibility to suggestion is just another form of intelligence." Hypnosis scared me at first. The idea of being under the spell of a shrink made me feel uneasy and out of control. And then I tried it with a doctor I knew and trusted. And to my delight, the experience was completely relaxing. Not what I thought at all. No dangling pocket watches. No spontaneous chicken dances. Just a safe place to let go. Six years later, I don't even remember why I needed hypnosis in the first place. Mission accomplished. Inspired by an article on quitting smoking.

"Choose the hard path that leads to the life you want." When I was in college, my academic advisor gave me the option of sticking around for a fifth year. It would've been the easiest two semesters of my life: Light course load. All classes in my major. Part time job in the marketing department. Sounded pretty cush to me. And I seriously considered it, too. But ultimately, I made the decision to graduate on time. I had this book inside of me, itching to get out into the world, and there was no stopping that train. Little did I know how well that decision would pay off. The point is, when we sit at the feet of that thing that sticks inside of us and says now, we should listen. Thanks for the advice, Steven Colbert.

"Easily wounded by constructive criticism." When I ran my own business, it was easy to insulate myself from criticism. But now that I work with a team, I have to face the music daily. And most of the time, it hurts my feelings. What can I say? I'm a sensitive guy who takes things personally. Fortunately, that pain only lasts for about five minutes. Once I realize people are both correct and helpful, I'm happy to make the change and get on with my life. Inspired by an article in Bloomberg.

"In the absence of an empathetic witness." Most of what we do in life has no witness. We’re all just winking in the dark, hoping somebody will make us feel seen. The secret is to point our passion in the service of that need. For example, anytime we meet with a prospective client, I always take furious notes. I can't help myself. I'm a writer and I love sentences. But before the prospect walks out the door, I print out a copy of my notes, in the raw, in real time, look them in the eye and thank them for all the interesting things they said during the meeting. People remember stuff like that. Inspired by a book on trauma.

Forgiveness Is Not An Ability, It's A Vocation

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:33:00 +0000

"People that are like batteries to your creative endeavors." The ones who answer how with yes. The ones who spark your productivity by proximity alone. The ones who don't make you feel stupid for speaking up. I love these people. Thanks to them, instead of your ideas solely living and dying in your imagination, they're able to grow up and reach the world. Inspired by Kevin Smith's description of Scott Mosier.

"My personal hell would be standing in a humid room, listening to people not make decisions." Nothing infuriates me more than the idleness of the indecisive. Sweet merciful lord, somebody help these people. In fact, schools should teach this stuff. Not how to make a smart decision, but how to make any decision, and how to live with the result. Master this skill, and our country's productivity would triple in a matter of weeks. Inspired by tourists.

"Forgiveness is not an ability, it's a vocation." I genuinely enjoy forgiving people. It makes me feel good about myself. Especially in those mundane moments of stubbed toes and bumped shoulders. I try to say the phrase, "I forgive you," several times a week. It's good practice. Not unlike saying, "I love you," "Thank you" and "I'm sorry," it's a phrase that seeps into my conscience a little more each time. And after a while, saying it becomes second nature. Inspired by a sermon at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

"We are more than our worst things." We are better and bigger than our past. We will not organize our lives around our hurts and wounds. We refuse to stay fiercely devoted to whatever keeps us miserable. And we will keep our distance from those who remind us how we are no longer what we were. Inspired by Hopeful World.

You're Paying For Psychology, Not Quality

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 03:22:00 +0000

"This is why I don’t have goals." For years I promised myself that if I could just accomplish this, then I would be happy. But despite checking off goals on a weekly basis, the list kept growing and growing. Like a regenerating monster. And the hunger was never fully satisfied. Until one day, it hit me like a slow, hot wind. Holy shit. I've done enough to be okay with myself, I realized. Since that moment, my approach to goal setting has inverted. Instead of postponing happiness until a specific goal is accomplished, now happiness is the goal. And everything I do on a daily basis helps me get there. Inspired by Dilbert.

"Everything is created for stupid people." Jeff Garlin is so right. Every time I watch television, read trashy magazines, listen to the radio, walk through the grocery store, shop at the mall or stumble across a banner ad on the internet, all I can think to myself is, I feel stupid. These people treat me like a drooling buffoon. But that's what we've come to. Mainstream media are the merchants of the lowest common denominator. Because that's what sells. Stupidity never goes out of style.

"I knew there was something waiting for me." Patience and delayed gratification are the two most underrated competencies of the human repertoire. Sadly, schools are terrified of teaching those kinds of things because they can't be tested. Crap. Looks like parents are going to have to step up and lead the charge. Which will be an especially tough battle to fight, since our entire culture is based around me me me, now now now. Inspired by the Nerdist.

"I'm never getting off this train." I believe people change. I really do. I also believe people have certain wirings, certain propensities and certain obsessions that never leave them. So, any time I get a chance to meet someone who isn't afraid to own that part of themselves, it just melts my butter. Better yet, any time I meet someone who taps into that engine to make the world better, oh man. Sparked by an interview with an original gangsta.

"You're paying for psychology, not quality." If you see a long line at the falafel cart, the story you tell yourself is that the food must be better. Why else would everybody be queuing up? So you get in line. And the your expectation goes to work. Because the longer you wait, the less likely you are to admit that the food is mediocre. That's too much cognitive dissonance for the human brain to handle. We all see what we want to see. Taste buds live in the mind, not just the mouth. Inspired by midtown.

Count Your Fingers After You Shake His Hand

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:31:00 +0000

"There's a breed of nerd that's become a bully." Awesome interview with Jim Jeffries about the evolution of nerds. One one hand, all the nerds who grew up in the seventies and eighties have become successful. On the other hand, all the nerds who grew up in the nineties and beyond have now become trolls. To the point that they're using the Internet to bully each other. What happens when the nerds become the bullies? Sounds like a perfect horror film to me.

"Count your fingers after you shake his hand." Earlier this week, a woman whispered that warning into my ear moments after I met her husband. I'm pretty sure she was kidding, then again, every joke contains a shred of the truth. But I should be okay without a pinky. Except for those diminished ninth chords that I love so much. Dang it.

"Men reenter humanity at age thirty." Terrific podcast about how men and women are wired differently. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. The process of getting as much as you can out of your system––spiritually, sexually, professionally, whatever––and then coming back to Earth and rejoining the rest of the species. I'm glad I did it. Turns out, once you've checked those boxes, once you've conquered the need to conquer the world, life becomes a lot less stressful.

"I've put in too much effort here." You can only burn so many calories before your body wears out. And I don't mean physically. When we're doing various projects, eventually, we come to a point where we either let go and move on, on get someone to help and come back later. Otherwise we drive ourselves nuts. Inspired by chaos.

"I would tell you about myself, but I think it's highly irrelevant." Ramone Ray made that disclaimer during his speech this week. Made me really happy. In fact, I may start using that line. Good way to keep narcissism at bay. Because as much as I'd like to believe, people aren't as interested in me as I think. That's how I describe this city to my friends back in the midwest. New Yorkers aren't rude, they're just goal oriented.

Everyone In New York Has Four Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:57:00 +0000

"Fill the silence with ideas." The first step in creating value is taking initiative. Literally, the first step. Only when you physically move your carcass out of our chair can you truly contribute. That doesn't mean you have to be right. That doesn't mean you have to be perfect. Nor does it mean you have to be loud. But if you wait for people to tell you what to do, you'll disappear. Inspired by the winner of the award for the best acknowledgements.

"Young people overvalue the importance of their own opinions." Fascinating article about the digital manifestations of modern narcissism. Their study points to the millennial generation as the highest offenders. But you don't have to be young to fall in love with your own image. You don't have to be in college to have an inflated sense of self-importance. Facebook's average user is forty years old. We live in a culture that celebrates narcissism, and we live with technology that enables it. Perhaps age isn't as big of as factor as people think.

"I examined your words as colorful butterflies flashing at my eyes." That was the headline of an email I got from a guy in Malaysia. Totally made my day. Don't you just love those lost-in-translation moments when the language feels off, but the spirit in which it's spoken feels awesome? There's something so human about that moment that just kills me.

"Everyone in New York has four jobs." Somebody once told me that when I first moved here. And they weren't joking. In this city, nobody does one thing. Partly because it's crazy expensive and people need to underwrite their lifestyle. But the other part of it is, New York is a permissionless platform. It's a city that naturally accelerates the process of putting dreams together. So when anybody can do anything, anytime, anywhere––and maybe even make a few bucks in the process––they will. And it's a beautiful thing.

"Made merciless demands on his own body as a transmitter of ideas." Creativity is not physical labor. It's not hard work. And it's rarely worth complaining about. But the process taxes your brain, and the pressure toys with your psyche. Especially when the quality and frequency of your thoughts determine your livelihood. No wonder so many artists go crazy.

Built With Thousands Of Tiny Perfect Bricks

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:34:00 +0000

"The emotional center of my customer is the most magical data I could have." I spoke at a business conference yesterday along side Gary Vee. Loved his philosophy on research. Real research. Not quant. Not sentiment analysis. Not fabricated consumer profiles. But the excavation of actual human feelings, usually compressed into something as small as a single tweet, that provides insight into their world. That's the drop of iodine that purifies all the water.

"Built with thousands of tiny perfect bricks." Fascinating book about famous artists and their journals. Wes Anderson's chapter was my favorite. His approach to the screenwriting process is highly incrementalist. He focuses on one small chunk at a time, makes that piece as good as he possibly can, and trusts that all the bricks will hold up in the end. I've always taken the same approach with books, songs, even business strategy. It's a lot less threatening when you only have to worry about the bricks, not the entire cathedral.

"The art of strategic indifference." The secret to not caring is doing some simple math. Here's an example. If somebody emails me with a list of typos they found in one of my books, I quickly factor in the calories it would take to care, plus the calories it would take to correct, then measure that against the importance of the result. That equation takes about a half a second to, and most of the time, the answer is the same. At which point I delete the email and get on with my life. You should try it sometime.

"Compete in clear air by writing all those pseudo covers out of your system." I spent the first five years of my writing career impersonating the work of my favorite authors. But eventually, once I wrote all the mimicry out of my system, there was nothing left but my own voice. I think most art is that way. We start out as carbon copies until we become originals. Inspired by the best book I've read all year.

Learning To Fall In Love With The World Again

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:18:00 +0000

"I’ve learned that I need to give it the first energy of the day." I'm fascinated by human routine. If I could host a television show, I would interview happy people and find out exactly what they do in the first three hours of their day. Then I would broadcast the show into university cable stations, require all students to watch weekly episodes in groups, and then discuss with their class the importance of daily routines. The name of the show is: Get Up! To me, that's the difference maker. That's what separates the best from the rest. Those first three hours. Thanks for that one, Salman Rushdie.

"We live in a world made of more story than stuff." Interesting article about the relationship between mobile technology and human alienation. You almost have to make little rules for yourself. At my yoga studio, I try not to use the phone until I'm out the door. Sure, there are messages and emails and texts I could check while sitting in the lobby. But that's where all the people are. People I like. People that like me. People that are like me. And if we're only sitting there for a few minutes, why resign our attention to digital involvement shields when we could make a human connection? The rest of the world can wait.

"The world is not real for me until it has been pushed through the mesh of language." I'm weird like that. I don't know what I think until I write what I feel. It's just how I'm wired. Even if that means taking the long way around a problem. When we're crafting a creative strategy for a client at POKE, I like to compile all the research and discovery and findings and insights, physically write everything out in a logical narrative, then step back and take a look at the whole picture. It not only helps me understand the situation, but makes it easier for me to communicate that situation to the rest of the team. Inspired by an interview with John Banville.

"Take it and steer it down a creative path." We all notice little things about the world that drive us crazy. The question is, where do we put those frustrations? One option is to bury them in our bodies beneath a steaming pile of addictions. That does nothing but add stress to our lives. Another option is to purge them from our bodies through a creative expression. That has the potential to make meaning, make a difference and if we're really lucky, make a profit. Inspired by The Adam & Dr. Drew Show.

"We’re learning to fall in love with the world again." Somewhere around the age of seven, our childlike sense of wonderment beings to fade. And unless we stay in touch with our sense of curiosity, unless we practice infatuation on a daily basis by finding the memorable in the mundane, we'll never get it back. Instagram is a great solution for this. By proactively looking for interesting things to take pictures of, we can stay engaged with the world around us. As long as it's not food. For the love of god, please stop taking pictures of food. We get it. You like to eat.

Solitude Was Like A Purification

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:43:00 +0000

"When you get to the reception, you're fired." Encouraging words from our wedding emcee, Beth. She'll have the event under control, she explains. Our job is to stay in the moment and have fun. What a selling point. Forget about the songlist, music is just the functional benefit. What you're paying for is the freedom to not to think. To be able to enjoy your own party. If more entrepreneurs positioned their services in this value-added way, nobody would go out of business.

"Solitude was like a purification." To a certain extent, yes. There is something cleansing about being alone. Especially when you're communing with nature. Solitude restores body and mind. But after about two hours, solitude starts to degenerate into loneliness. We start to feel like something's missing. And if we don't proactively forge meaningful connections with other people to lift us back up, before we know it, we're alone in a corner of a restaurant with our earbuds in, eating a double bacon cheeseburger, feeling sorry for ourselves. Inspired by a woman who paints in the cold.

"Trying to paint his masterpiece by beating a blue ball against a concrete wall." I’m enchanted by any occasion an artist takes to express how they interact with the world. Like this article about Joe, the trash talking handball player. He proves that any activity, any passion, any meaningful endeavor––paid or unpaid––can be approached with a sense of craftsmanship and mastery. So cool.

"Battling your antisocial tendencies." Here's the stark difference between being a freelancer and being an employee. One is a life of solitude punctuated by moments of connection, the other is a life of connection punctuated by moments of solitude. I spent a decade doing the former. The problem is, I'm a textbook extrovert. I get my energy from interacting with other humans. And while networking events, virtual lunches, coffee meetings and coworking spaces kill the hunger for a few hours, ultimately, I still had to go back home to my living room and stare at the wall for most of the day. Fuck that noise. Thank god I found a way to flip the funnel. These days, that brand aloneness doesn't show up that often, so when it does, it's kind of nice.

"Drink big cups of toxins and head to work in soulless skyscrapers." It's both trendy and tempting to demonize the corporate lifestyle. Especially if you're standing on your own two entrepreneurial feet. But how do we know these people hate their jobs? How do we know they're unhappy? Maybe they modified their expectations. Maybe they took a stable, boring job so their spouse could follow their passion. Maybe they sucked it up so they could provide a better life for their children. Hey man. People do what they have to do.

I Became My Own Competition

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:54:00 +0000

"The best way to complain is to make things." Last week a listened to a women at my yoga studio bitch to the receptionist about the smell. She told us the carpet was in dire need of a cleaning, the mats were old and stale and the towels needed to be replaced. Then she had the audacity to pontificate about practicing non-attachment, and how the smell didn't really bother her that much. Really, Siddhartha? Is that why you just spent ten minutes complaining about it, just loud enough so everyone else in the lobby could hear you? Get over yourself and go make something. There are better outlets for anger than other people's disinterested ears.

"I became my own competition." I'm probably the least competitive person alive. But no matter how crowded the marketplace is, there's always the internal battle of me against me. I am my own worst enemy. I am forever competing against my own irrationalities, my own addictions, my own self-loathing tendencies and my own bottomless need to achieve more. It took me a good seven years to realize this, but once I did, once I gained clarity on the personal liabilities I was up against, business got a lot better. Inspired by Oprah's commencement speech.

"Throw ideas up in the air like confetti and then run under them." I'm a big fan of intellectual vomiting. Purging all the ideas out of your head and into the open. To me, there's no better way to begin the creative process. It's democratic, because you're not judging ideas yet. It's cleansing, because you're not keeping ideas repressed. It's comprehensive, because you leave no idea undocumented. And it's strategic, because you allow the subsequent steps in the creative process to flow easier. Inspired by an interview with Ray Bradbury.

"Smart had been the locus of my manhood, but it was no longer getting me anywhere." Two of life's great realizations. First, the moment you discover that what got you here won't get you there. Second, moment you discover that it's okay to be known for more than one thing. And yes, it's painful to leave that part of you identity behind. There's probably a grieving process involved. But when you trust yourself and trust the process, what lies on the other side is usually worth it. Thanks for the heads up, Jonathan Franzen.

Punch Windows In The Walls Of The Self

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 16:06:00 +0000

"Careers are things you can only look at in reverse." Who would want to work one job their whole life anyway? By the time my generation has grandkids, we'll look back at our careers and see a plethora of jobs, occupations, work trajectories and professional experiences. But here's my hunch. As diversified as our careers become, as powerful as technology gets, and as evolved as our identities become, we're still going to be the same. Whoever we were at age five, remnants of that same kindergartner will always manifest. Inspired by an video interview with Mitch Joel.

"The privilege of having yourself as a client." Every artist needs to save something just for themselves. Some expression, some output, some passion––unencumbered by the pressures of quality and audience and commerce––that we can do whatever we want with. For me, it's songwriting. That's the one place where I don't have to answer to anybody, I can be whoever I want, do whatever I want and never have to worry about any yeah-buts nipping at my heels. Very healthy.

"Punch windows in the walls of the self." Love this interview with Anne Carson about artistic identity. Years ago, my mom coined a term for this––living larger than your labels. Literally and figuratively. It's a reminder that we don't have to brand ourselves into a corner. We can tell our minds that there are other things, other outlets, other mediums, other pursuits and other passions. Between you, me and the Internet, I never thought I'd work for someone else. But sure enough, here I am. A bona fide employee. And I couldn't be happier. And it's only because I called bullshit on my beliefs and gave myself permission diversify my identity.

"I felt like I got through a door just as it was closing." I know that feeling too well. Part the reason I left the world of publishing, consulting and public speaking is because of the state of the state. I didn't like what the industry had become or where the industry was going. Too saturated, to incestuous, too systemized. Too many experts, too many mediocre books and too many amateurs playing dress-up at pointless networking events. So I left. And in the year that I've been gone, I've never looked back. Inspired by an interview with Hunter S. Thompson.

"Ditch the pitch and start an energy exchange." It's all about infection. Transferring the passion and excitement and meaningfulness to the other people in the room. That trumps everything. The theater of presenting the idea is just as important as the idea itself. We have to gift happiness as part of the sales process, otherwise the client will never buy. Inspired by a research report on memes.

Nature Has An Agenda

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:31:00 +0000

"If you can’t have religion, there are big absences that you have to find somewhere else." The word religion means "to link back." Forget about gods or churches or temples or prayers. Religion is the organizing principle, the iron rod at the center of our lives, that everything else links back to. We don't need to believe in god, we need to have a system for refilling our reservoir of meaning. Otherwise life starts to feel real emtpy real fast. On my computer desktop, I keep a visible list of my religious repertoire, as it were. Activities, pursuits, practices and passions that are guaranteed to provide me with the experience of meaning. That way, any time waves of anxiety, unhappiness or disappointment come crashing in, I know exactly what to do. Inspired by Salman Rushdie's famous interview.

"From a very early age, I wanted to be scared." Fascinating conversation with Stephen King on Fresh Air. His life could be a case study on the formative power of our earliest longings. Isn't it amazing how the experiences we gravitate to as a child manifest in our adult lives? I've always said that the older I get, the more I remind myself of the younger version of me. Inasmuch as people change, I think there's always a component of our original identity that never leaves us.

"Make peace with your pile." As an entrepreneur, you're working against an infinite pile. There's always a million things to do because you're the only person around. So you work and work and work until the day is done, even if it feels like the pile hasn't moved an inch. But as an employee, you're working against a finite pile. There's only so many things to do because your role is more specific. So you learn to ease into the work, to pace to yourself and to take more care with your limited amount of tasks. Inspired by a conversation with my old publishing buddy Bob Baker.

"Nature has an agenda." I sweat more than any human being alive. By the time yoga class ends, there's a sweat lake encroaching in on my mat. It's annoying and embarrassing. But it's also healthy. It's how my body functions. And the idea of getting Botox injections for excessive perspiration is ridiculous. Why disrupt nature's course? It's bigger, smarter and better than me. And if I've learned anything from watching action movies, it's that the guy who stand in nature's way almost always gets crushed by a falling redwood. Inspired by Carolla's take on bee stings.

"If the movie is really good, it doesn't matter how well it does." Big launches are highly overrated. It's not about killing on opening weekend, its about making something meaningful that you're proud of. It's about doing something awesome that kicks open the door of opportunity so you can do more of that thing in the future. I've written books that nobody cared about initially, but later went on to inspire new audiences I never would have anticipated. You just have to give the work time. If the quality is there, people will find it.

Loss, Theft, Damage Or Mysterious Disappearance

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:12:00 +0000

"Loss, theft, damage or mysterious disappearance." In the personal property world, that's what they call comprehensive coverage. I learned that when I bought insurance for my fiancee's engagement ring. Turns out, the most common claim filed by women who lose expensive jewelry is "mysterious disappearances." Such a great phrase. I imagine a committee of 1950's insurance executives sitting around a table, smoking heavily, trying to coin a term for this phenomenon. And then my wife said her wedding ring mysteriously disappeared. Johnson! That's it. You're a genius. That's what we'll title this claim. Mysterious disappearances.

"Maybe we just find a cold trail." It's the strangest phenomenon. You email back and forth. You chat on the phone. You meet in person. You send over a contract. Both parties are excited about the project, and it's so close to being real that you can almost taste it. Then a few days go by. Then a few weeks. Then a few months. And eventually, despite your greatest efforts, despite your certainty that this project was the one, it ... just ... goes away. No explanation. No follow up. No apology. It just goes away. And there's nothing you can do about it. In this instance, it helps to have zero expectations. For everything. Yes, you can have good intentions. But no expectations. The sooner we learn to accept these kinds of disappearances as inevitabilities of life, the happier we will be.

"If you cannot delude yourself into thinking your work is significant, find another career." It’s not about loving every part of the work, it’s about finding the small corner of the work that we can touch, making it perfect, and setting it free. Even if the client is annoying. Even if the project is stupid. Even if the brand is dying. We have to carve out morsels of meaning to keep us alive. Otherwise we'll never rebalance ourselves above the precipice of meaninglessness. Inspired by my favorite video series about the desktops of smart people.

"I'm in the business of writing books, not selling them." I heard a fiction author make this statement at a writer's conference, and it always stuck with me. When you're a kid and you want to become a writer, nobody ever tells you that writing is the easy part. It's not until you have fifty cases of books collecting dust on a palette in your storage locker when you suddenly realize, oh shit, now I actually have to sell these things. Then the real fun begins. Daily trips to the post office, schlepping boxes across town, shipping books to foreign countries and paying their retarded customs fees, dragging sample cases through the airport at midnight, stressful conversations with your printer because there's a typo on the back cover, friendly cockroaches nesting inside a case of books but not making themselves known until the client opens the box at their office, a septic tank flooding whereby four boxes of books drowned in a river of human excrement ... ah, memories. Good riddance.

"There was a tool I wanted to use that didn’t exist." Love this interview with David Karp from Tumblr. Proves my theory that art is wildly selfish. We make things for ourselves, that we want to use, that we want to see in the world. From apps to books to movies to albums, what we make is for the maker. And the irony is, the more personal the art, the more universal the appeal.

That’s Where I Feel Most Excited About The World

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:30:00 +0000

"I wish there was something wrong with you so this would be easier." That's how my friend Wendy described her first time firing an employee. She said it tore her up inside because the guy was so talented. Makes total sense. Humans hate playing the role of the heartbreaker. There's something in our blood that's averse to inflicting emotional pain upon others. And when we know we're about to devastate another person's world, we reach for reconciliation. We try to make it okay with ourselves by looking for justification that they deserved it. Even when they didn't.

"That’s where I feel most excited about the world." When I started my new job last year, I made a conscious effort to monitor my motivations in everything I did. Does this project give me energy? Does this task make me want to skip lunch? Does this role stoke my work fire? If the answer was yes, I knew the output would be meaningful. If the answer was no, I knew there we better uses of my time. Simple as that. You can't argue with biology. Your body never lies to you. Follow your effort, not your passion. Inspired by Marc Cuban's genius article.

"You’re out here to be somebody, nobody’s just living." Nobody does it just to do it anymore. Instead of enjoying the adventure of the moment, falling in love with the process and soaking in the stillness of the work, everything is vehicle. Another opportunity to act like a mercenary, always trying to get somewhere, never trying to do something great, only hoping to exit. Mihaly writes about this distinction. He calls it exotelic activity, doing something not because you enjoy it but to accomplish a later goal, and autotelic activity, having no reason for doing something other than to feel the experience it provides. I'm all for the latter. Inspired by Bruno Mars' unfortunate comment about living in Hollywood.

"By pursuing actualization and avoiding absorption, you may create something bigger than yourself." Grant Snider's cartoons are so endearing, they make me cry. But they also make me think. For example. When I worked for myself, scale was a scarce commodity. My work was only as big as my abilities. Like a solo songwriter who refused to play with a band, there was a musical ceiling I could never surpass. But now that I'm working with a team of designers, developers, technologists and makers, the equation has changed. Our work is greater than the sum of its parts. The sky is only the beginning. Sweet.

"People without a life raft all linking arms together instead of swimming." This article about the pointlessness of social media made me smile. Especially when Bruce says the idea behind LinkedIn is a place where unemployed people can go ask other unemployed people for job. Freaking perfect. That could be an Onion article. God, I'm so over social media. Such a cesspool of bullshit. Such as incestuous game of inside baseball. I think I'll find other sports to play, thank you very much.

The Tsunami Of Generosity Is Too Strong To Say No

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:39:00 +0000

"When you gamble on yourself, it's an asset you understand." The last time I gambled, I won a hundred bucks on blackjack. Later that night, I got a speeding ticket for the same amount. Pretty much ended my career as a card player. And then I started a business. Which meant I had to gamble on myself. Completely different ball game. Now, I could control the dice. Now, I could place smarter bets. Now, the odds were in my favor. And although I had my share of bad hands over the years, at the end of the run, I came out up. Take that, Casino Queen. Inspired by a fascinating discussion on taking risks.

"Even when the issue isn't worth the effort, they still want to win." I can't stand editors. People plagued with the pathological need to improve on, argue with and add value to everything you say. Your thoughts are never enough, their ideas are always better, and there's nothing you can do to stop them. They just can't leave well enough alone. Let me just say this. Somebody needs to comandeer these narccissists, cover them with a thick blanket of agave nectar amd let loose a swarm of yellow jackets to feast on their pretentious, hyper competitive, terminally certain flesh. The world would be a happier place. Inspired by an oldie but a goodie.

"The tsunami of generosity is too strong to say no." Most of us are never taught how to receive. Only how to give. And when we encounter people who refuse to let us leave empty handed, we don't know what to say. The correct answer is, yes, thank you, I would love three pounds of stuffed mushrooms to take home with me. Doesn't matter if you're hungry. Or even like mushrooms. You have to allow yourself to be the recipient of their generosity. Just let the wave wash over you. Don't rob people of their joy. Inspired by memories of family dinners.

"I'm okay with being unimpressive, I sleep better." Proving yourself is an exhausting enterprise. It's an ego addiction that fucks with your psyche, and nobody warns you of the possible side effects until you're already in the thick of it. Hopefully, though, you'll reach a point when you've finally done enough to be okay with yourself, and you'll stop chasing that dragon of achievement. Which doesn't mean you'll stop achieving, but it's amazing how much your posture shifts when achieving isn't your whole identity. Inspired by watching one of my favorite movies ever.

"His value cannot be quantified by statistics alone." Each of us brings an arsenal of intangible assets to whatever team we join. Whether it's energy, humor, compassion or attitude, we all sling arrows from soft quivers. The hard part is, organizations are servants of the bottom line. They want people who produce, who execute, who deliver and who perform. And being the nicest guy in the office who always shows up on time and occasionally bakes cupcakes doesn't necessarily convert to the hard numbers that matter. Bummer. Inspired by the retirement of the greatest point guard in the game.

It's Hard To Face Change Alone

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 11:23:00 +0000

"Surrendering birthed amazing things." Don't you just love the moment when you relax into your vulnerabilities and accept life as a perpetual series of happy coincidences? So peaceful. So otherworldly. Letting go is such sweet sacrement. Inspired by a podcast about Tig Notaro's battle with cancer.

"It's hard to face change alone." My whole thing about change is, once life becomes different, I adapt quickly. But until then, until the pain of staying where I am outweighs the pain of switching, I don't move. I wait until I have a gaping hole in my sandals before buying another pair. And even that's not enough sometimes. Thank god I found myself a change companion. A storm weatherer. A hole spotter. Someone to remind me that my heel is hanging through the leather, and it's time to move on.

"Changing so much that it was not his naturally inherited domain." In the same way that I don't remember the world without cell phones, I don't remember my previous life as an entrepreneur. Not that I regret it. Or that I'm trying to forget it. But there's this inevitable amnesia that comes with the package. It's part of personal growth. And we have to trust that our memories forgive us. Triggered by a fascinating obituary of an iconic actress.

"Theology has always had a vested interest in foolishness." What I dig about science is, ideas that seemed foolish at the time were later proved to be factually accurate. Unlike religion, whose ideas also started out as foolish, but endured because they were too convenient to be killed. Perhaps our emotional want for narrative trumps our mental need for logic. Inspired by the wisdom and wit of Roger Shinn.

"There's talent everywhere, but our city had an outlet for it." You don't need to move to a big, expensive metropolis to make it as an artist. What you need is to work in a place with a natural platform. Somewhere with access to audiences. Somewhere that embraces the weirdness you have to offer. The Internet is a fine start, but eventually, you need the physical public. Pulled from an article about the legendary Roland Janes.

Put That Through The Spouse Filter

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 13:41:00 +0000

“It gives me a craftsman’s pleasure.” I am forever attached to the poignant scraps that flow through life. At any given moment, ideas flock to me like iron fillings drawn to a magnet. From every source imaginable. And the next thing I know, I’m borrowing energy from the ideas themselves, riding on little waves on language, completely tuning out the rest of the world, lost in my linguistic vortex until something is resolved on paper. It’s like responding to a psychic summons. Inspired by an interview with John Banville.

"Trying to pull back on the reins of his ambition." I used to set a hundred goals every year. Fifty personal, fifty professional. Kept a copy of the list in my wallet. Until one day, it occurred to me that I had done enough to be okay with myself. The drug of accomplishment didn't have the same effect that it used to. The buzz was wearing off. And now, for the first time in a long time, there was a part of me that was resting. Which, ironically, was euphoric as hell. Inspired by The Rolling Stone interview with Bruno Mars.

"Put that through the spouse filter." The hardest part about shifting my pronouns is resisting the urge to make decisions unilaterally. Whether it's scheduling a workout, cooking dinner, going on a man date or getting a haircut, there's a new coefficient that didn't used to be there. And if I'm not conscious of that number, the whole equation goes to hell. Inspired by a conversation with old married people.

"Massage your worried mind." I was a daily meditator for ten years. The practice kept me sane, kept me healthy and kept me focused. Now, I hardly ever do it. And I miss the ritual, but at the same time, the fact that I don't need to do it is a positive sign. Funny, you move to the biggest, craziest, fastest city in the world, and all of the sudden, you're more relaxed than ever. Didn't see that coming.

"Finally clawed our way to stability." Yesterday I went to LaGuardia for the first time in six months. Possibly my longest stretch without air travel in years. And I couldn't be happier. Traveling loses its cache after a while. Especially when you can't even remember which city you're in. Reminds me of that John Mayer song, Homelife. Who knew staying put could be so profitable?

There Is Where We Got Carried Away

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:36:00 +0000

"I do not believe in unscrambling scrambled eggs." Every time somebody asks me how I did something, part of me wants to slap them upside the head. I don't know. I never know. That's why it's art. We should never feel obligated to explain our process. First, it cheapens the product. Once you know how the magic trick is done, you lose all of the effect. Second, it corrupts the process. Once you know how to give someone an orgasm, you ruin it by trying too hard every time. Third, it defeats the purpose. Once you bastardize art into a factory, it's no longer art––it's a combination lock.

"This is where we got carried away." One of our technology vendors made that comment during a demo this week. Put a huge grin on my face. Sure enough, the product they demoed was mind blowing. Mind. Blowing. All because they got carried away. They chased a whimsy and let their imaginations run wild. And it took them to places they never thought possible. That's innovation. Inspired by Walmart's augmented reality.

"Individuality resides in the way links are made." When I was in fifth grade, we practiced analogies. We'd compare things that were usually thought to be different from each other, but had similarities, i.e., knife : cut :: ruler : measure. I was smitten. Coolest exercise ever. Little did I know, analogous thinking would become an invaluable skill. The ability to notice patterns, make relationships between disparate subjects and connect unlikely dots is perhaps the most underrated skill on the planet. We just have to ask ourselves, "Did you ever notice that this looks like this?" Inspired by an interview with Anne Carton.

"With fame and reputation, you have to follow your own act." Robert Crumb makes a powerful point––success doesn't breed contempt, it breeds expectation. The audience is waiting to see what your next trick is, and they demand it to be better than the first. And if you don't deliver, they won't be happy. Tough crowd. My thought is, why not just find a new theater?

"You don’t need to write a novel if you feel at home in the world." My wedding ring is made of meteorite. Fitting, since I've always felt like kind of an alien. But after reading this interview with Andrew Barrett, I'm convinced that the very feeling of alienation is the very fuel that makes great art happen. Thank god our society produces not-of-this-world folk who take ownership of their outsiderness and alchemize it into beauty. Humankind is overrated.

If You Can Measure It, It’s Probably Not That Interesting

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 30 May 2013 13:59:00 +0000

"Why can't people do everything the way I do it?" Comedian Jimmy Pardo summarizes the crux of every therapy session on the planet. Good book title. Isn't that what drives us all mad? Isn't that the baseline of every argument in history? People pleading to each other, "Why can't you be more like me?" A deeper understanding about that fundamental dilema would answer most of our questions about human behavior. Which reminds me. What's the deal with people hyper-focusing on pointless video games on their cell phones on the subway? Doesn't anybody read anymore?

"If you can measure it, it’s probably not that interesting." Yesterday I was fiddling around with sentiment analysis applications, which identify and extract subjective information from published content. For example, the emotional states of tweets using the phrase "home schooled." Well, that got me nowhere. Apparently it's very hard to measure context with those tools. Instead, I started reading message board conversations between parents. Found some pretty interesting patterns. And while that process was more labor intensive, and while I don't mean to universalize any particulars, I agree with Joi Ito that what can't be measured, matters.

"Ruining your day in a quixotic quest for fairness." There's this obsessive, vengeful part of me that loves to prove a point and teach people a lesson they'll never forget. The problem is, it's often more fun to think and plan and talk about it than to actually execute. Plus, anytime I do make example of someone who pisses me off, it usually backfires in my face. And then the joke's on me, not the original offender. God damn it. Thank Seth.

"Heads nodded in the distance, and that’s all I needed." I thrive off of an audience. Performance is in my blood. But it's not the bottomless need it used to be. These days, a little affirmation goes a long way. If I'm playing music in the park, it's not about drawing a crowd or accumulating a guitar case full of tips. A smile here, a peace sign there, a kid singing along with his mommy there, and I'll make a meal out of that. Who knew that would be enough? Turns out, once we come to terms with the ceiling of our narcissistic needs, life becomes a lot more satisfying. Inspired by Amanda Palmer's lecture on dots.

"Men are sold a bill of goods about what they have to be." I never bought into mainstream masculinity. Measuring your worth by how many women you've fucked, beers you've drank or sports you've mastered is a pathetic, outdated equation that deserves to be deleted from human consciousness. That's all I have to say about that. For now. Inspired by an interview with Bret Easton Ellis, author of American Psycho.

Few Have Paid So Dearly For Their Idealism

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 29 May 2013 14:37:00 +0000

"The gradual shifting from promotion motivation." Happiness evolves as we do. As we get older, certain activities, pursuits or experiences that held meaning for us five years ago may seem pointless to us today. For example, part of me that wishes I still enjoyed going to movies alone. But most of me knows there are a dozen better ways to spend two hours of my life. Especially when I have someone to share them with. Inspired by an outstanding article on a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately.

"Anything you write can scratch an opening in a scarred up heart." The hardest part about writing isn't pressing the publish button, it's praying that another person in the world will care that you pressed it. Fortunately, the Internet proves that whatever you're experiencing––and whatever you're feeling about that experience––you're not alone. There are a thousand other people on the planet who can relate. Inspired by Amanda Palmer, who never fails to fire inspiration into me.

"This town is so filled with celebrities that it tricks you into thinking you’re a celebrity." Before relocating to New York, my fiance and I met with a friend of a friend who grew up in Manhattan. Here's the warning she gave us: People will feed you with things that will make you feel bigger than you are. I never forgot that. And hopefully, as long as we live here, I never will. There's nothing more dangerous than an inflated sense of self. Inspired by an interview with Mike Birbiglia.

"Few have paid so dearly for their idealism." Over the years, I've spent time on both sides of the idealism spectrum. As an artist, it was an asset. Idealism got me heard. But as an entrepreneur, it was a liability. Idealism didn't get me paid. Eventually, I learned to compromise. I found a balance between blue skies and green dollars. And I retained just enough idealism to prevent cynicism from busting through. Inspired by Gabby Gifford's commencement address.

"If you cannot delude yourself into thinking your work is signifcant, find another career." You’re told to love what you do. But since there are days, sometimes even weeks, when that just ain't gonna happen, loving what you do is only part of the equation. Meaningful work comes from a combination of loving what you do, but also loving how you do it, why you do it, where you do it, when you do it, whom you do it with and whom you do it for. Inspired by a virtual tour of Edward Wilson's office.

You Will Use Everything You've Ever Learned

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:40:00 +0000

"Make the rest of your life happy." What good is an blossoming career if you have nobody to share it with? What good is a ton of money if you're too stressed to spend it? What good is an impressive client list if you don't have a decent friend list? Those are some of the mistakes I made by being too focused on my career. Turns out, happiness doesn't have the same effect when it's not diversified. Thanks for the inspiration, Ron Swanson.

"One of the greatest tools you have as a songwriter is anonymity." Reading this article about Shane McAnally proves there's something beautiful about moving away from the spotlight and working quietly. Cranking out songs, selling them for heaps of cash and watching the rockstars sing them as you sit back and play with your kids? That's the best of both worlds. You retain the beauty of crafting the music without surrendering to the bullshit of hawking it. Sounds like a dream job to me.

"What he lacks in output he makes up in opinions." I'll give Billy Joel a pass on this one. But for any other artist, if all you do is complain, that doesn't count as work. If all you do is use social media to rant about social media, that's not art. You're not being productive, you're being annoying. Go make something. Sheesh.

“Godlessness never goes out of style.” For years, I gorged myself at the buffet of religion. Tried almost everything. But eventually, after about six trips to up the bar, it finally occurred to me that I wasn’t even hungry anymore. So I stopped eating. And the strange thing is, I’ve never felt more satisfied. Interesting. Can God still have a sense of humor if you don’t believe in him? Inspired by an interview with Ira Glass.

"Advertising doesn’t add value, interactions do." The organizations that have the greatest impact are the ones that create an unavoidable, irresistible call to interaction. Not action, interaction. Meaning, real humans connecting with each other in a real way. Asking customers to fill out comment cards isn’t interacting with them, it’s just wasting paper. What is the obvious space for interaction to happen in your industry? Inspired by a heated discussion at POKE.

"You will use everything you’ve ever learned." That was the advice Johnny gave to Conan, twenty years ago. Love this concept. I think of it as compressing your personality. I will make use of everything I am. I will demonstrate all of my skills at once. I will bring all of myself to everything I do. I will take all of my assets and alchemize them. I will create micro moments of individual expression. I will fulfill my whole capacity for living through the firepower of my creative arsenal. Not a bad way to work. Inspired by an interview with the funniest man alive.

Preach The Gospel And Sometimes Use Words

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 27 May 2013 14:55:00 +0000

"A mess is a sign of an active mind." As far back as I can remember, my room was always mess. Not in the sense that clothes were scattered everywhere or beer cans were strewn about. But every inch of my walls were covered. Pictures, magazine covers, posters, found objects, neon ceiling stars, random stickers and personal artwork completely engulfed my room like an amoeba of inspiration. Best decision ever. By surrounding myself with a perpetual collage of creative stimuli, it was impossible for my mind to run idle. And I began laying track for an artistic foundation that would still matter decades later. Inspired by an interview about Neil Tyson's desktop.

"Preach the gospel and sometimes use words." Looking back, I don't remember my dad teaching me how to be a man. I don't remember my mom teaching me how to be polite. I don't remember my parents teaching me how to be a conscientious, disciplined worker. Why? Because instead of teaching those things, my parents lived those things. He was a man. She was polite. They were disciplined. So instead of taking notes, I just followed suit. That's what kids do, right? They take cues from behavior, not language. A good reminder that values aren't taught, they're caught. Inspired by an amazing interview with Rob Bell.

"Bad choice that I rationalized as fate." Once we admit to ourselves that it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't god's will and it wasn't the universe's magical plan to conspire against us, we can actually take ownership over our behavior. What a glorious, freeing moment. We realize there's no external force coercing the trajectory of our lives. We finally discover that we are the result of ourselves. From that place, anything is possible. Inspired by Footprints of God.

"Get out of the basement and go play for people." Musicians have a few options. First, there's open mics. You show up late at night, put your name on the list, sit there for an hour pretending to be interested in the other bands, then play two songs through crappy house equipment to a moderately interested audience and hope that somebody comes up after your set and thanks you. Another option is to pick yourself. To find a public place with amazing acoustics, set up your gear and play whatever you want, as loud as you want, for as long as you want, to whomever happens to be walking by, having the time of your life. I've done both, and the second approach is infinitely more meaningful. Inspired by the fancy fingered Doyle Dykes.

"There is creation inside them, but they won’t set it free." When we encounter that thing that sticks inside of us and says now, we have a human obligation to let it out. Not necessarily perfectly. Not necessarily for money. And not necessarily on the web for all to see. But ideas aren't meant to stay that way. Whatever expression is crawling around inside our brains, it doesn't belong there. We need to get it out. If only for the experience of expelling it. Start today. Inspired by the best book I've read all year.

I Never Discovered A Fact I Didn’t Love

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sun, 26 May 2013 13:03:00 +0000

"Thank you for repairing the chip in my funny bone." Kevin Smith recently received that compliment during the question/answer portion of his podcast. Nearly made me cry. To see that your art helped a humorless person laugh again? That's about as good as it gets. I met a woman like that a few weeks ago. Wouldn't know funny if it swallowed her whole. Even we whipped out our best material, still, crickets. So sad. I wonder if she has teeth.

"We have a wonderful floor for your great shoes." That's what the train conductor said to a disrespectful passenger who stretched his feet out on the seat. Classic. Here's why that moment made me happy. First, she was fundamentally affirmative. Second, she was completely friendly. Third, she was funny enough to diffuse the situation, but stern enough to show she meant business. You could build an entire course on customer service around that one sentence. Respect.

"Make art because when it’s in the world, the world feels better." Fame and fortune can go to hell. Expecting nothing beyond the satisfaction of creating something awesome is enough motivation for me. I think that's the problem with artists. They attach too much entitlement and expectation to their work. Instead of enjoying the adventure of the moment, falling in love with the process and soaking in the stillness of the experience, everything is vehicle. Another opportunity to be a mercenary, always trying to get somewhere, never trying to do something great, only hoping to exit. Wherever people are in the artistic food chain, there’s always somewhere else they need to get. The point is, we don’t always have to be digging for treasure. Sometimes digging is the treasure.

"I never discovered a fact I didn’t love." Even if it scares us. Even if it contradicts our beliefs. Even if it makes us rethink our opinion. Even if it's an inconvenient truth. Even if it's dangerous enough to change us. Even if it's inconsistent with the fairytales used to scare us into good behavior. If all humans reach this level of sheet mental flexibility, there's no problem we can't solve. Inspired by an interview with ecologist Edward Wilson.

"There's more to life than simple euphoria." Irrational exuberance isn't the only form of happiness worth having. Nothing against overwhelming joy, but sometimes when we say we're happy, what we really mean is, we're satisfied. When I drag my saggy bones out of yoga class at seven in the morning, sweat pouring out of me like a carwash, feeling pain in muscles I didn't know I had, happiness isn't the first word that comes to mind. But the satisfaction of doing something meaningful, healthy and challenging––while the rest of the world is still hungover and asleep––now that's the stuff life is made of. Euphoria will be there when I need her.

Kicked Fear In The Ass And Lived To Tell The Tale

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:15:00 +0000

"What kind of stove did you use?" Nobody ever asks that question to the chef of the restaurant. Because it's not the tool, it's the perspective of the artist using it. If you're a master, you can make do with anything. Amateurs lean on equipment as a crutch to compensate for mediocre abilities. Professionals don't care if they're using a Nikon D3200 or an iPhone. The pictures will still be amazing. Inspired by a conversation with George the photographer.

"Nobody knows shit, so trust your instincts and enjoy the ride." In a book full of advice for young musicians, this passage really stood out for me. That's the problem with advice, people assume their specific past matches your infinite future. Rarely the case. The smarter approach is to just start, make our own mistakes, learn things the hard way and keep our distance from people who are chomping at the bit to say they told us so. Sticking your fingers in your ears and ignoring everybody is wildly underrated.

"I got taken for a ride before I was ready to go on one." That's how Chris Rock describes the early days of his comedy career. What's interesting is, it just as easily could have gone the other way. Sometimes we get too successful, too early, too often. And because we realize our dreams long before our maturity is strong enough to contain the experience, we leave behind a trail of missed opportunities, wasted attention and underleveraged exposure. Money loves speed, velocity creates stress, and stress kills people. Careful folks.

"Kicked fear in the ass and lived to tell the tale." Somebody said that to me on Twitter, and I thought it was a great line. But here's the thing. Fear doesn't go away, it just changes shape. When I was running my own business, I feared the empty calendar, the blocked brain, the depleted constitution, the unwanted offering, the jailed expression, the rejected deliverable and the ambient pressure of working straight commission. Now that I have a new gig, the fears are different. It's more about not letting my team down, not creating value for the organization and not wasting resources.

"Curation is not a substitute for achievement." If you’ve interviewed a bunch of successful people on your blog, you might know what it takes to be success, but it doesn’t mean you are, or will be, successful. If you’ve pinned three hundred boards of cool household items on Pinterest, that doesn't make you an interior designer. Reading about pushups doesn’t make you stronger, doing them does. Inspired by Gary Vee.

Looks Great Except Change Everything

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

"Build a lexicon for what sets your heart on fire." Yesterday I read the most engaging book of the year. It's called The 360 Deal, which brings together short articles by a diverse range of people with a lot of experience in music and the business. As soon as I put the book down, I walked straight into my room, picked up my guitar and started writing a new song. That's precisely the kind of reaction you want from a book. The above passage about amassing a creative inventory especially hit home with me.

"What you’re hearing is the sound of a squealing dinosaur." Michael Moore made an inspiring point on Bill Maher last week. America isn't as screwed as we think. This next generation of citizens are amazing: They're politically involved, professional proactive, smart as a whip, don't like guns, support gay marriage, don't know what racism means, couldn't care less about religion and couldn't be bullshitted with a ten foot pope. I love these people. They are our future, and for the first time, I'm legitimately convinced that we're going to be okay.

"Looks great except change everything." Yesterday I overheard a conference call in which a client actually made this statement. Priceless. And yet, that's the problem. Nobody judges anymore. We're hyper sensitive, obsessed with being politically correct and terrified of hurting people's feelings, so our feedback lacks enough truth to actually improve anything. Do business with any other country in the world, and they'll tell you straight up that your work is shit. It stings, but ultimately makes the work better in the end. Plus, it speeds up the process. Sugarcoating is the great time suck.

"Online statistics are a way for nobodies at home to feel glorious." Lefsetz hits the nail right on the digital head. Page views and unique visits are the last refuge of the deluded. When I think back to my days of obsessing over web analytics, it's borderline laughable. Sure, I gloated to my colleagues about getting twenty thousand hits a day, but I also lived in my parents basement and worked a part time job so I could keep my website up and running.

"Scaring people is good for ratings." That's one of the main reasons I don't watch television. Life is scary enough. There's a surplus of fear, and we don't need any more of it. Sadly, the mantra of the media is, if it bleeds, it leads. There's no such thing as a reality show about people getting along famously. All the more reason to stop participating in other people's drama and start living a lives worth telling stories about. Inspired by another Dr. Drew rant.

"All of the homeruns are usually contested." Wait a minute. You're telling us you want funding to build an online encyclopedia, that's free to all, that anybody can edit, that contains the sum of all human knowledge? I would have given my third testicle to be in the pitch meeting for that startup. Behold, the beauty of innovation. If people don't think you're crazy, you're doing something wrong. Inspired by a fascinating interview with Joi Ito.