How to do great work
If you're small, you're in a position where it's to your advantage to be weird—you can have a point of view that the big tech companies never could. In the world of chairs—you're not going to build a cheaper chair than Ikea. Why not build something they couldn't—like a more interesting one
(Not Boring) Software Inc. • No More Boring Apps | (Not Boring) Software
/// 100 QUESTIONS /// to gain clarity via Alex Morris:
Why are we doing this?
Ask that of yourself and the team with regularity.
What’s the simplest explanation?
What reaction should all the creative achieve?
What’s your most controversial opinion?
What little frictions exist that might bleed out the work if allowed to compound?
Are you solving a
- Capture the ideas and insights that spark your interest. A sticky note, a voice memo, or an app like Notion—whatever works.
- Organize them so you can find them later. Categories, tags, or even a simple “Projects” list will do.
- Distill your notes into their essential meaning. Ask: What’s the big takeaway here?
- Express your ideas by using them in
Jenn • How to Build a Personal Knowledge System That Fuels Your Creativity
if you have any sizable job of specific material gathering to do it is useful to learn the card-index method of doing it.
James Webb Young • A Technique for Producing Ideas - the simple five-step formula anyone can use to be more creative in business and in life!
met a solo traveler/artist today and she gave me her business card. 10/10, no notes.
Erin Shetronsubstack.com
The three most powerful motives are curiosity, delight, and the desire to do something impressive. Sometimes they converge, and that combination is the most powerful of all.
Paul Graham • How to Do Great Work
July 2023
If you collected lists of techniques for doing great work in a lot of different fields, what would the intersection look like? I decided to find out by making it.
Partly my goal was to create a guide that could be used by someone working in any field. But I was also curious about the shape of the intersection. And one thing this exercise... See more
If you collected lists of techniques for doing great work in a lot of different fields, what would the intersection look like? I decided to find out by making it.
Partly my goal was to create a guide that could be used by someone working in any field. But I was also curious about the shape of the intersection. And one thing this exercise... See more