Saved by sari and
On Writing More
Howard Aiken—the inventor of the earliest general purpose computer—was never worried about people stealing his ideas. “If your ideas are any good” he’s quoted as saying, “you'll have to ram them down people's throats.” And yet, we think that the moment that we hit the dance floor, all eyes will be on us. The moment we hit publish, the world will ta... See more
Zac Solomon • Freedom in Obscurity
Expected elation. Society has built a world that defines what's appealing and what's not. What success should look like. I spent years chasing this idea, and achieved it. And never felt truly happy. Why? It seems so obvious, there are a million songs and movies about how wealth and fame aren't the end all be all for human states. Yet we pursue it a... See more
The details we think matter likely don’t when we go deep enough : The “accordion” exercise we did felt like powerful psycho technology the way it completely changed how I thought about getting to the essence of experiences and ideas. In the exercise, you go from 3 minutes of a speech to 2 minutes to 1 minute to 30 seconds to 15 seconds, and then ba... See more
Paul Millerd • Speaking, Turning Off Subscriptions, Book Names | #260
It’s A Game OF Tonnage
Back in the ‘80s, Jerry Seinfeld’s friend was teaching a comedy course at The Improv in Los Angeles. The friend asked Seinfeld if he’d be willing to visit the class and speak to the students. Seinfeld agreed. “I went in and there were maybe 20 people in the class,” he recalled. “I went up on stage, and I said, ‘The fact that ... See more
Back in the ‘80s, Jerry Seinfeld’s friend was teaching a comedy course at The Improv in Los Angeles. The friend asked Seinfeld if he’d be willing to visit the class and speak to the students. Seinfeld agreed. “I went in and there were maybe 20 people in the class,” he recalled. “I went up on stage, and I said, ‘The fact that ... See more
Billy Oppenheimer • SIX at 6: The Twelve Labors, the Pains of Relentless Repetition, Infinite Options, a Game of Tonnage, the Next Thing, and the Blessing of Labor
Once you go viral, the temptation is to decipher the formula for how to do it again. Unfortunately, what’s interesting is not always popular. Furthermore, trying to manufacture virality is a surefire way to create saccharine writing and, eventually, cull your own creative vision. Too often, I think we sacrifice slow, chewy art for attention.
About ... See more
About ... See more
Attempts at originality can often feel forced and precious, but authenticity has quiet resonance that never fails to stir me. Just say what you want to say, then, and say it with all your heart. Share whatever you are driven to share. If it’s authentic enough, believe me—it will feel original.