We live in a science fiction universe.
A $20 dose of penicillin was priceless a century ago.
The five cents (a nickel!) we spend to light our home might have been the sort of thing we needed to trade an hour of labor for a few generations ago.
The ability to press a button and talk to anyone, by video, anywhere on the planet–it wasn’t even discussed until recently, and now it’s essentially free.
“Compared to what?” is a powerful question. Comparing the miracles of right now to what our parents expected is a useful way to find context and avoid ennui.
It’s easy to get hooked on the miracle of the moment, and to imagine that the next miracle must be even more amazing. And at the same time, we can take a hard look at the real problems people face and decide that no miracle is enough.
But wonder is a choice, and we can find it if we look for it.
April 7, 2025
You might be fortunate enough to have a hobby.
Something you are focused on and passionate about. You might read the journals, develop your skills, collect, connect with others in the field, and commit to getting better at it…
Time spent on a hobby feels like time well spent. Obstacles and setbacks aren’t a tragedy, they’re simply part of journey, the things that make it interesting.
It’s possible to bring that mindset to work. Not all the time, certainly, but often. And when we do, it turns out that work gets more productive and even more fun.
April 6, 2025
When someone makes an obvious mistake, it’s tempting to label them with a term that’s dismissive or even hurtful. A label is permanent, a noun, a way to sort and divide.
But of course, others can say precisely the same thing about us when we were uninformed, selfish or in a hurry.
If it’s permanent, then it’s all of us.
Perhaps instead of, “you are a mistake,” it might be more accurate to say, “you made a mistake.”
Starting from the place that we’re all imperfect makes it easy to find empathy, for others and ourselves.
April 5, 2025
Anthropologist Gregory Bateson highlighted that often, culture is based on oppositional behavior.
And it can spiral.
They say “up” and the easy thing is to say “down.”
Literally, “the creation of division.”
Your competitor launches a product and you work to undermine it with a different approach. Find small gaps and amplify them.
Schismogenesis is based on perceptions of scarcity, and is amplified by the simplicity of not having to think very hard about our next step. A little gap turns into a large one, which becomes our identity.
It’s really useful for teenagers, but it might be worth outgrowing.
The narcissism of small differences, at a tribal level.
The alternative to schismogenesis is the hard work of creating a movement. Showing up to do work that matters for people who care. When we know where we are going, we don’t have to focus on what others are doing to figure out what we should do next.
It pays to ask: “What kind of people are we?” instead of letting our opponents decide for us.
[thanks Cory.]
April 4, 2025
When there’s a complex situation that feels foreboding, you might need a manual, a coach and even a system to move forward.
Or, it’s possible you simply need someone to tell you, “you’ll figure it out.”
April 3, 2025
“Will it work?”
Along the way, we’ve been pushed to load our decisions with a need for certainty. It’s easier, it seems, to not try than it is to fail.
But the question, “is it worth trying?” unlocks possibility.
A surgeon in the middle of an operation should probably not experiment with an untested technique. But a writer, a leader or a musician can make that question part of their craft.
It’s the only way we learn.
April 2, 2025
Where do con men come from?
There are three conditions that need to be met:
First, there needs to be rising societal pressure to get ahead, cut the line and find a win.
Second, there needs to be people willing to set aside their ethical principles to take advantage of others in their community.
And third, we need to be lulled into a state of unjustified credulity, eager to believe that seeds might be magical or that motion might be perpetual.
While all three of these conditions are present throughout time, they go in cycles.
And we’re having one right now.
We’re far too tolerant of ridiculous promises, particularly around tech, money and leadership. And instead of quickly learning to become a bit more skeptical, we get caught in a cycle of letting the con man (person, actually) off the hook.
Inevitably, when it ends badly, we overreact and become too risk averse, costing us nearly as much with our skepticism.
If someone tells you that they forgot to put the word ‘gullible’ in the new edition of the dictionary, don’t dismiss them out of hand, but yes, check first.
April 1, 2025
But connection is where the value lies.
Connected, resilient communities create possibility and forward motion.
Division is satisfying in the short run, and it might even draw a crowd. But the only useful reason to disconnect is if it opens up the chance to increase connection somewhere else.
March 31, 2025
Really?
Which self?
The self you were when you were two years old, almost out of diapers?
The self you were when you were screaming with the fans at the big game?
The self you were after a long night?
How about this: Become the self you’d be proud to be. Hang out with people and ideas that help you become that self. Act like that self every chance you get.
March 30, 2025
We might not seek it out often enough in our work. It’s a musical term, but we can use it too.
The light touch. A way to make a sound without making a commotion. Delicate and graceful.
Showing up with care and with just enough extra, but not more than that.
see also: sprezzatura
March 29, 2025
