Blog

All creativity begins with the moment of conception. That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here. Based on my books in The Prolific Series, I’m going…

Stop making people wrong.  As satisfying as it is to firmly latch yourself onto people’s talking points and refuse to let go until you’ve sucked every ounce of energy from them, all it does it leave people feeling diminished, dismissed and discouraged.  Just let it go. Enough parading your own brilliance. Surrender your insatiable need to prove how misinformed other people are.  Because it rarely improves upon the situation….

We make our world smaller every time we say no.  Which isn’t to say we should agree to every request that comes our way. Certain opportunities simply aren’t worth the risk and effort we would need to put into them. But when it comes to the chance to act like a professional, to do what we do in the way that only we can do it, we should say…

There’s no chemical substitute for enthusiasm and passion and commitment. Those character traits will take you farther than almost any other arrow in your professional quiver.  The challenge is making sure your positive energy isn’t negatively exploited. Because the moment you start to telegraph neediness, people will take advantage of your desperation. They’ll find out that you’re a fanatic for the work, get you deeply engaged so they can…

Reacher frequently talks about the military mind. How a soldier thinks when scouting out a satisfactory observation point. And what he looks for is the following.  Protection from the elements, concealment of the observers and a reasonable likelihood of undisturbed occupation for the full duration of the operation.  This, of course, is the strong and direct and strategic language of war. However, when viewed at from a broader perspective,…

I was listening to an interview with a veteran professional wrestler, who summarized his industry in a fascinating way. Paul said, if you’re not into it, no explanation will do it justice, but if you are into it, no explanation is necessary.  It’s a perfect example of a product that isn’t afraid to polarize. A product that’s not wasting time trying to cater to the people who don’t get the joke.  Standup comedians…

Anytime we speak with a tech support, customer service, help desk, guest relations or some other frontline representative, we’re expecting that person to put the minimal amount of care and effort into our interaction.  That’s what the modern business world has trained us to anticipate. It’s the new frontier of customer conduct. Even as the phone rings, we’re subconsciously preparing ourselves for another a long, contrived, rehearsed introduction designed…

There was a fascinating study on the drug acetaminophen, which is the primary ingredient in the over the counter pain relievers.  Psychologists found that it not only reduced the people’s physical pain, but also reduced their ability to feel positive emotions. Rather than just being a pain reliever, the doctor explained, acetaminophen could be see as an all purpose emotion reliever. Because people who took it didn’t feel the same highs or…

I recently heard an interview with the highest grossing comedian on the planet. Russell explained that he refused to work for clients who insisted that he edited and tailored and cleaned up his material for certain audiences.  Because he’s not in the business of customization. And he will not be told how to do his work. In fact, he even has a mantra.  I don’t really care what you think you…

Story is the fundamental instrument of thought. The global currency of human contact. It’s a survival mechanism. A vehicle that carries us on our search for reality and satisfies the human need for narrative.  And so, you may as well create a better story to invite people into. You may as well establish a monopoly on a set of expectations that’s worth owning. Because as a business, everything you do…