Do You Want To Be Funny Or Happy?

“Being stuck in one place and bored out of your mind is the key to creativity.” Last summer, I went on sabbatical. Three whole months. And I did something I’d never done before: Nothing. At first, the boredom chipped away at my psyche like a tiny jackhammer. But slowly, I began channeling my idleness. Worked on some very cool projects that I’m really proud of. And by the time September came around, the boredom was worth it. Thanks for the inspiration, Aimee Man.

“Clothing is like ice cream; it loses
value as soon as you serve it.” Wow. Tough business. The constant pressure of having to sell, sell, sell; fast, fast, fast? Yikes. When I found this sentence in an article about Greg Selkoe, I thought to myself, I’d rather run a company whose products gain value over time, not the other way around. But then again, I hate to sell.

“Do you
want to be funny or happy?” That’s the question Conan’s mentor asked him twenty years ago. Jesus Christ. Is that the tradeoff? Is that why so many comedians suffer from depression, anxiety and loneliness? No thanks. I choose happiness. Anyway, this interview is a powerful insight into one of the best comedic minds we’ve seen in years. Team Coco all the way.

“I can’t dance to your fidgety tune.” If we keep telling everyone how hard it is to be single, we’re never going to meet anyone. Of course it’s hard. That’s the point. If love were easy, we would never recognize it. Three years ago, I found myself single, bitter and lonely. And instead of complaining, I forked over a hundred bucks on Match, started emailing five new girls every day for two months, and eventually found my future wife. That’s not hard, that’s hard work. Inspired by this charming video about finding Mr. Right.

“When the arms start
moving, the brain stops.” That’s why manual work is so vital to safeguarding our mental health. Whether we’re cleaning the house, drawing on the wall, playing an instrument or changing lightbulbs, anything we can do to shut down the hamster wheel, if only for a few minutes, is meaningful. Inspired by Studs Terkel’s outdated but amazing book, Working.

“I don’t have to spend many neurons on
that.” What I love about about Leonard Cohen is his exquisite understanding of energy management. The man knows how to burn his calories, where to invest his meaning and what’s worth caring about. And at the ripe age of seventy-eight, he’s happier and more productive than just about anyone. Hallelujah.

“Others
exist simply to get you the ball.” As a professional, I cut my teeth in the world of entrepreneurship, where I did everything myself. Partly out of necessity, partly out of selfishness and partly out of the need to be in control. But now that I’m working at POKE,  it’s the polar opposite. Relentless collaboration is our lifeblood. We couldn’t work alone if we tried. It’s pretty dope. Inspired by The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp.