going the long hard stupid way is the best way

As someone who has decades of experience on the web, I hate to compare myself to the tortoise, but hey, if it fits, it fits. Let’s be more like that tortoise: diligent, direct, and purposeful. The web needs pockets of slowness and thoughtfulness as its reach and power continues to increase. What we depend upon must be properly built and intelligent... See more

a lot of times ideas and projects are formed out of a more ambient kind of thinking and talking and doing. Research is not always this thing of sitting down and concentratedly looking through archives or something.

My favorite quote is by Goethe: at the moment of commitment, the universe conspires to help you. The universe knows when you’re committed. All the trials and tribulations are merely tests of your commitment. Pass the test. Keep going. Even if the rest of the world ignores you, the universe sees you.

Everything takes longer than you think it will. It takes approximately 140 hours to establish friendship; 300 hours to make it a close one. The path to success is circuitous and not without detours. But oftentimes, that only makes it sweeter.

But busyness has a way of stealing creativity from you. Generative work, like art and writing, requires long periods of nothingness: it’s only in that wide empty space that ideas emerge. Long runs, hot showers, commutes that don’t involve harried Slack messages and listening to podcasts at 2x speed. Sitting at the edge of a dock, listening to the o... See more

While stepping into new platforms and niche digital communities is a long-term game, the initial focus shouldn’t be on direct conversions. Instead, the immediate KPIs should centre on building brand affinity, engagement, and traffic. In other words, these early efforts are vital for laying the foundation, fostering a community, and ultimately drivi... See more

When I asked Whaley about the competitive advantage or vision for MSCHF, he bristled slightly and would only answer obliquely. “I have to think about MSCHF in a 100-year timeframe,” he told me. “Otherwise we are incentivized to take shortcuts.”

I think I understood what he meant. A century-long vision allows you to build something that mostly ignor... See more

Simplicity takes an enormous amount of time and effort.

We’ve been sold this bill of goods by hucksters capitalizing on the human inclination for results. And the chance to bring that goal sitting on the horizon a little closer. Yet somehow we’re all surprised when things we’ve barely fought to acquire fail to deliver satisfaction. The instant gratification disappears nearly as fast as it arrives. As th... See more