Things to remind myself about

I worried about the next deadline, the next idea, the next story. There wasn't a moment for the next fourteen or fifteen years that I wasn't writing something in my head, or wondering about it. And I didn't stop and look around and go, this is really fun. I wish I'd enjoyed it more. It's been an amazing ride. But there were parts of the ride I... See more

“Why is this so hard? Because you’re utterly habituated to steady progress—to completing things, to producing, to solving. When progress is subtle or slow, when there’s no clear way to proceed, you flinch away. You redirect your attention to something safer, to something you  can  do. You jump to implementation prematurely; you feel a compulsion

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Lack of patience derails more ambitions than a lack of ability — talent gets you noticed; patience gets you through the third draft, the tenth rejection, the year no one claps. In an age drunk on speed, same-day shipping, instant fame, viral everything, we forget that most masterpieces were once mistaken for messes. Genius isn’t a spark; it’s... See more

Here is my definition of imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is the persistent, unrealistic, fear-inducing, fucking ridiculous belief that you are supposed to magically eliminate all variables for failure before trying anything new in the presence of others. 

So next time that feeling creeps in, try this HoJo (that’s what we insiders call the... See more

There are two ways to make the world more mesmerizing: to seek out new and increasingly intense experiences, or to loosen the filters that make ordinary experience “ordinary”. You can go skydiving, or you can meditate for long enough that walking feels like skydiving. Either way, I think what we’re seeking is an escape back into what we used to be,... See more

If you're struggling with negative thoughts, achieving flow is probably the best medicine. Contrary to popular wisdom, forced positive thinking often makes things worse.

The thing about patience is that you need to practice deliberately by slowing yourself down, taking a break, and not following the crowd.

By slowing down, you might not get to the finish line first. You might get an average result. But you are also more likely to stay in the game longer because you avoid burning yourself out over the short run.