Vernon Chatman on Staying True to Your Stupid Ideas

I know that sometimes, persistence is not a virtue. I would trade my other abilities to be an exceptional songwriter. I gave it a serious enough try to know that I don’t have the knack, for years, and I’m not interested in being publicly mediocre at the performing arts. My life is incalculably better for having let the dream go. The world will be h... See more

5) Fun is rocket fuel . If my hazy memory stands, Perry Marshall said this in the context of biz—as in, if you can genuinely have fun while doing whatever you’re doing professionally, the energy you tap could well launch you to Mars. Maybe this sounds obvious, but to me it was a revelation. I survived graduate school in contemporary art, a niche wh... See more

I know that sometimes, persistence is not a virtue. I would trade my other abilities to be an exceptional songwriter. I gave it a serious enough try to know that I don’t have the knack, for years, and I’m not interested in being publicly mediocre at the performing arts. My life is incalculably better for having let the dream go. The world will be h... See more