Good Advice

“If you want to avoid criticism, create less.

If you want to avoid irrelevance, create more.”

Biologist Roger Payne on the power of having your boots on the ground and paying attention:

“Any observant local knows more than any visiting scientist. Always. No exceptions.”

The people who want to be better welcome honest feedback.

The people who want to stay comfortable fight it.

Let this be a filter.

What seems expensive is often cheap in the long run.

The quicker you want something, the easier you are to manipulate.

I spend a lot of time thinking about this simple idea: The person who aligns themselves with the general principles of the world goes further and faster than the person who doesn’t.

“Competence is how good you are when there is something to gain. Character is how good you are when there is nothing to gain. People will reward you for competence. But people will only love you for your character.”

—Mark Manson

Focusing on past accomplishments creates obstacles to success in the present. If you're still talking about something great you did 20 years ago like it was yesterday, your ego is getting in the way.

What you did in the past makes a good story. What you're doing now makes a difference.