Published inSIMPLE·4 days agoMember-onlyIn praise of problems, and how to develop a taste for them3 ways to make your work, chores, and projects more enjoyable — “What if You Had a Universal Remote… That Controlled Your Universe?” The premise of Adam Sandler’s film, Click, is simple: the protagonist is granted a remote control that allows him to change the speed of his life (e.g., he can fast forward, slow motion, even rewind, etc.). …Problem Solving9 min readProblem Solving9 min read
May 17Member-onlyMuch ado about names and descriptionsDescribing your work so people know what to expect — What’s the difference between a book, an ebook, a digital book, a pamphlet, a booklet, a brochure, and a bulletin? By strict definition, they share a lot of common traits. They are all documents that hold words on them. The main difference is what each word leads a person to…Names2 min readNames2 min read
May 15Member-onlyDon’t compete with ChatGPT at its own game: Go way beyond the basicsWhatever someone is asking you, they’re asking ChatGPT first — A good friend of mine was waiting for a branding plan from an agency. A few days before the agency was sending it over, and presumably presenting it, he prompted ChatGPT: “What does a good branding plan look like?” If the marketing agency came up with the same plan, he…ChatGPT2 min readChatGPT2 min read
Published inBetter Marketing·May 4Member-onlyA.I. Will Eat 90% of Your Job as a Marketer, Editor, or WriterThese are the skills you’ll want to develop — Some friends of mine have recently asked me, “What do you think of A.I.’s implications for your field of work?” I work professionally in marketing, editing, and writing. I also wrote a book, and I write every day at my blog. My initial response was to discuss the difference between…Skill Development3 min readSkill Development3 min read
Published inSIMPLE·May 4Member-onlyYou’re Exactly Where You Need to BeHow to make the most of obstacles, setbacks, and red lights — A red light is not an obstacle getting in the way of your destination; it is the destination. You are constantly arriving at the destination, the place you’re meant to be. …Overcoming Obstacles2 min readOvercoming Obstacles2 min read
Published inSIMPLE·Apr 20Member-onlyFlexibility CostUpdating your plan in unexpected circumstances — Sticking to the plan is usually the least expensive solution. However! Plans are just guesses. Sometimes we guess poorly. Or, circumstances change, and our guess proves to be wrong. For example, you planned to quit our job, and entrepreneurship turns out to be nothing like what you guessed it would…Flexibility2 min readFlexibility2 min read
Published inEntrepreneur's Handbook·Apr 19Member-onlyThe Secret to Getting Ahead: Finish What You StartIf a project is important to you, don’t walk away until you’re finished — Completing and delivering a project, on time, will set you apart. This observation tends to surprise me, although it really shouldn’t. There are so many people who fail to meet this standard test. …Discipline3 min readDiscipline3 min read
Published inSIMPLE·Apr 18Member-onlyThe Work Needs to Be Enough: A Creative ManifestoA guide to working within the power laws that govern creative work — It’s well known that power laws apply to creative work. While the top earners can make an incredible amount of money, the rest of us in the very long tail do not. …Creative Advice4 min readCreative Advice4 min read
Published inSIMPLE·Apr 6Member-onlyDecisiveness has an Expiry DateIn praise of making decisions — For years, I’ve wanted to buy an external monitor for my laptop. I’ve worked with a dual monitor setup pretty much up till 2018. Working from a laptop screen was suboptimal. I’ve been meaning to buy one this whole time, and I didn’t until last Friday. Here’s what happened: As…Decisiveness3 min readDecisiveness3 min read
Published inThe Writing Cooperative·Apr 2Member-onlyIf You Don’t Want to Write It, People Won’t Want to Read ItIt’s okay to write with the reader in mind, but it has to start with you — A writer at Farnam Street makes the case: Great writing requires you to position your idea in a way that will resonate with the reader. Average writers start with what they want to say without considering how it will land with the reader. …Writing Advice5 min readWriting Advice5 min read