Living Thoughtfully: A Series
Making the most of what we've got.
The Dangers of Curiosity
On the risk, and power, of wondering.
Legends have long warned about the dangers of curiosity. Curiosity led to a bargain with the devil for Faust. Pandora cursed all humanity when she opened a jar full of evils. And we all know what curiosity did to the cat. In unsafe environments, curiosity really can be dangerous. An...
Once a Month
An easy way to do more things you love.
Ten years ago, I set a goal: publish one blog post a month. It worked! A decade later, I still keep the habit of writing an article every month. Over 120 sessions I’ve slowly gotten better at writing, learned tons, and built up an archive of some of those lessons....
You Should Have a Research Question
How to turn curiosity into a superpower.
Humans are naturally curious. We wonder about things. Seek answers. Read an unreasonable number of Wikipedia articles about the Roman Empire for no reason. Well, not for no reason. Our minds are wired to learn. However, without a bit of steering, this curiosity can get a little… time-wastey. Learning something...
Build a Deck of Heroes
A way to relate to inspiring people.
It helps to have heroes. Heroes are people whose stories inspire us. Steve Wozniak, in my mind, used curiosity and audacity to rewrite the rules of what technology can do. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pursues truth and change with clarity and tenacity. Marie Kondo systematically seeks joy and simplicity in the spaces...
Humans Need Play
On a vicious pattern that breeds burnout.
People are, by our nature, resilient. We adapt to the pressures placed on us. It’s pretty incredible. However. When we’re under pressure – mental pressure, time pressure, or otherwise – we tend to be less thoughtful. Less intentional. Under stress, we focus on what we need to do: submit the...
The Care and Feeding of Feeds
Three new apps make for healthier scrolling.
If you could manifest your ideal social and media consumption diet, what would it look like? Maybe it would be deep, meaningful, and personally impactful. Maybe it would be a healthy mix of informative, educational, and fun content. Maybe it would just be cute dogs. A veritable herd of pups....
Beyond Optimism
On a mindset for doing hard things.
We’re often called on to consider future events. While you may endeavour to be a realist – evaluating what may come based on the facts and odds – the future is inherently uncertain. Whether we like it or not, gut judgement drives a lot of how we anticipate and prepare...
The Burgeoning Need for Focus
How increasing resources can decrease effectiveness.
One of the core building blocks of effectiveness is focus. Much of leadership training, business strategy, executive coaching, and personal development comes down to focus: how do we choose what to focus on, and how do we stay focused on it? One of the reasons startups and small indie teams...
Fresh Air Life
On getting out in the rain.
Many of us live in a place that has weather. While weather has certain benefits, it presents us with an annual challenge. Each year, at a certain time, the weather gets worse. Warmth gives way to rain. Long days give way to short. The dark closes in. When this happens,...
Amazing Atelic Activities
On doing things for the doing.
Early in one’s life, it’s easy to be driven by goals. Pass the test, get the grade. Get a job, buy a car. Get into university, finish university. Get married, have a kid. There are a lot of things to do! While the specific goals vary from person to person,...
Books Are a Seed You Can Plant
Why every diet could use the occasional book.
For most of my life, I rarely read books. I’m a pretty high-energy person, but a rather slow reader. Ever since I grew into an Extremely Online teenager, books have felt a bit… sluggish. Less informative, per hour invested, than the alternatives. Low density. I’ve always loved the idea of...
Living, Fast and Slow
On the importance of pacing.
At the core of narrative design is the concept of pacing. Interesting things need to happen pretty frequently, and at a brisk enough tempo to hold our attention. New elements need to be introduced over time, and new situations should test our characters and help them grow. That said, an...
Multiply Your Time
Separating the garbage from the important tasks.
One of my most hated things is when someone over-fills a garbage bag. You see, an almost-full garbage bag is a small task to deal with – you just close it up and pull it out. But an over-full garbage bag is a problem. Suddenly, you can’t just pull it...
Being More than Nice
Being nice proves insufficient.
I try to be nice to people. While being nice is relatively popular here in Canada, being nice is not necessarily popular in the business world. There’s something about business that makes some people feel like it’s a license to be a heel. “Well, that’s business, kid.” Well, that’s not...
Human-Only Inboxes
Bringing humanity to email with filters.
Email is awful. Don’t get me wrong, some specific emails are delightful – who doesn’t love a short, thoughtful note from a friend? An inbox full of noise though? What a drag. So what do? Sure, you can start unsubscribing from mailing lists and notifications – as many as possible,...
No Pain, No Gain
We get out of the comfort zone.
Unlike us, our ancestors were calorie-restricted. Just like cats, pandas, and almost all large animals, humans have evolved a strong natural drive to be lazy. In the wild, laziness is smart business – seeking comfort and reserving energy for the hunt is a winning strategy in a harsh world. Millions...
Being Bad at Things
I learn to be less bad at being bad.
Today, I turned 30. Even at this advanced age, I recently realized something crucial: I’m not too old to learn new things. As a kid, I was bad at being bad at things. I excelled at certain specific subjects and skills, which made everything else seem like a waste of...