When evaluating work, “Good enough” is an interesting choice, as depending on the context, it could be necessary, an insult, an easy way out, and/or compassionate. Maybe the project is over-budget and past it’s due date. Good enough lets you ship and move on. Maybe the work is under par, […]
Month: June 2021
Short Term vs. Long Term
We often tend to think of decision making through a “short term vs. long term” framework, but I think it’s really “immediate term vs. short term.” Life is too unpredictable to make many accurate long term decisions, and those types of decisions are ones that are made over long discussions […]
Question Ratios in Conversation
When you’re the type of person to ask questions all the time, you may come off as impersonal or deflective. When you’re the type of person to never ask questions, you may come off as unconversational or alternatively the type of person who can’t shut up. The hard part is […]
For Yourself or For Others
If you’re creating something – whether that’s sales copy, a new video game, art, a book, whatever – it is helpful to know if it’s for you or for other people. If it’s for other people, hopefully you’re taking the time to make sure that these people want what you’re […]
Commute or Road Trip?
Both the daily commute to work and the fun-filled road trip with friends are basically long car rides. However, the context and mindset makes all the difference. What stories are you telling yourself about an unlikable task or situation that you’re in? Does it make sense to reframe them, or […]
Contextual Cliff-Jumping
When I was young, my mother would ask me “If everyone was going to jump off a cliff, would you jump too?” This was her attempt at reminding me that blindly following the crowd is a fool’s errand, which, apparently, really stuck with me. However, I now realize that it’s […]
Juneteenth
Juneteenth becoming a national holiday was a long-time coming. Our country, at a federal level, is finally coming to terms with the need to acknowledge the fact that America was built on slavery. We’re far from where we should be, with modern day slave labor still occuring in the prison […]
Not There..Yet
By the very nature of a journey, a majority of the time you won’t be at your destination.If you’re feeling stuck, or frustrated because you haven’t achieved what you want to achieve yet, or because you might be starting out, it’s worth it to examine the stories you’re telling yourself […]
How Will You Show Up Today?
At the top of my computer monitor, on a piece of white artist’s tape, I’ve written “How will you show up today?” It’s a reminder that everything I do is a choice. I can choose to slack off, or work with focus and intention. I can choose to show up […]
Absolutes
In most cases, thinking in absolutes is a recipe for disaster. Rarely do absolutes serve us, especially if it has anything to do with people. Absolutes often blind us to nuance, and it is here in nuance that all of the skills that build trust live.