Month: March 2023

The dialogue of discourse today has devolved into comparison. Comparison is the thief of joy. Instead of seeing how we can get to the places we all want to go together, we are dissecting who has what.

We can only proceed forward until we let go of what others have and instead focus on meeting the needs of someone who needs our help.

This is a dramatic simplification of a complex problem. But we can at least start by looking in the mirror and ask ourselves, “How can I help someone in need today?” When we give (whether it is time, energy, or resources), something magical happens. You realize, you have enough–hence why you shared.

Each of us often have more to give then we realize.

In our post-industrial world, we have become so accustomed to the fact that when you turn on the faucet, clean water comes out. That is so remarkable. Considering in 1908, Jersey City, New Jersey was the first city in the United States to begin routine disinfection of community drinking water. Dramatically reducing Cholera and Typhoid in the process.

And yet, it was met with so much controversy. John Leal was the first to come up with the idea of using small amounts of chlorine to disinfect drinking water. Implementing it without permission, Leal faced not one but two lawsuits before being vindicated.

The hero of public health rarely got the credit that was much deserved. Saving millions of lives and allowing cities to function as we see today.

If you want to disrupt how things are, you are not likely going to be met with open arms. And if you actually go through with it, it won’t necessarily lead to the fame and glory that is deserved. But if you want to do something important, you are on the right track.

Data is more available to more people than ever before in human history. Anyone can dig in and really understand any topic of choice. Just look at what is being tracked for MLS and the NBA these days. There is more information available than any one person can consume in a lifetime.

I have said it many times on this blog, if you read a book on a subject, you are above average in domain knowledge. 10 books you have something to say. And if you read 100, you can be a world expert. I think this is still true because most media consumed is at a micro level. Whereas books, they have all your attention. Even in 15-minute stretches that is a big deal when we are used to the seconds it takes to read a tweet. The difference now is that with the amount of data we have, getting a better, more complete picture has never been easier. At the same time, it has never been easier to create your own narrative.

For better or worse, if you torture the numbers enough, they will confess to anything.

Prolific author, Steve Pressfield, often asks, “How many words did you write today?”

What he means is if you are going to be a professional writer, and if you sit down to write three or fours a day, regardless of the quantity and quality, eventually you will have a book or a script for a movie. By simply putting the ass to the chair, you are able to do the work that is necessary to put together a work of art.

Too often, we think that every time we sit down, we need to have a masterpiece. But really, you get your masterpiece eventually by sitting down long enough to make something out of nothing.

All paths come with risk. Regardless of whichever direction you choose to go. Stay with the job you hate but know or change. Perhaps you will find something better. Perhaps something worse. The perspective we have can change too. Understanding that experience is neither good nor bad, risky or safe; but actually something we can choose to learn from or not.

You only know better once you learn better.

You can get the gist when someone texts a sad face or a thumbs-up. So, why haven’t we fully adopted this way of communication? After all, English is a difficult language to master.

Because context matters. And the better we can describe something that even a six-year-old can comprehend and an adult can contemplate, the more likely we are able to change our minds.

Yes, an emoji could get the point across. And perhaps, we need to add a like button on an email chain to avoid unnecessary clutter. But we don’t change people’s opinions without changing the emotion in the room. Emojis can’t ever do this.

Pride can get in the way of seeing things as they are. Holding on so tightly to the status quo we can get in the way of progress.

There is also the other kind of pride. The kind where you made something that you are proud to have your name on it. The kind of pride you have if a project fails, you were still proud you tried it. The kind of pride that comes when you see the rewards play out decades later.

What is it that we are truly proud of? And how can we rally around this person or thing to make it better?

Like most, as much as I love to win, I hate losing more. (Social scientists also agree with this too.) And when we feel we are in a situation where there is no way to win, perhaps the better alternative is to make plays not to lose.

For instance, is a bad boss forcing you out of a job? Well, perhaps out the door, you make an appointment with HR so the next person doesn’t have to suffer.

Leaving a toxic relationship? Skip the part where you mourn for the time lost and get back on your feet.

There is no reason to be petty. At the same time, taking an “L” is hard on our egos. Perhaps, humbling. Perhaps, a teachable moment. And maybe there is a sliver of solace in there too.

The only one stopping us from creating our art is the inner demon. You don’t need a million dollars for some paint and a canvas. You don’t need 10 years of schooling to write a book. A legal notepad is sufficient.

So why do more people just pick up the guitar and start playing? Or start the business they always wanted to start?

The answer is Resistance. The personal shame we all carry is that we feel not good enough to be creative. And when we can learn to accept this a whole bunch of possibilities open up.

That is the beauty of the internet. Before it, we had paper. And before paper, there wasn’t much available to record outside people’s memory.

With technology, we can document our journey and share it with others. That is one of my hopes with this blog that when I am gone people who knew me can find a piece of me on the web.

That is really powerful.

The internet isn’t just a micro medium, a connection tool, or a place to waste time but also a place we can remember each other just a little longer.