Statue of responsibility
“There is a beautiful statue dedicated to liberty in New York City’s harbor. There is no such monument to responsibility.“
Bitter is a flavor too
Stress and sadness and annoyance aren’t necessarily things to be avoided at all costs.
Stop asking for the third thing
This quote struck me a few weeks ago. It wasn’t until I heard Ryan Holiday say it so plainly that I realized I’m always looking for the third thing.
Popularity vs Longevity
Everyone wants to create a smash hit: a movie or a book or a song that is instantly popular, and remains meaningful for decades thereafter. In order to do this, you have to balance popularity and longevity.
What’s the ROI on a clear conscience?
We’re good at considering the costs of being truthful when we make creative excuses. But having a cloudy conscience has costs, too, and we’re not so quick to consider those costs.
Stop squeezing every last drop
“I’m not interested in squeezing something so tight that I get every last drop.”
Engaging with lasting work
As someone in high school in the late 2000s and early 2010s, I spent a microscopic amount of time actually reading classic novels, or watching award-winning movies, or seeing great paintings.
It’s not a principle until it costs you money
In 1964, when the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about cigarette smoking, Bill Bernbach decided he wouldn’t be in that corner of the business anymore.
Our need to be the best robs us
In five two-minute rounds of Boggle, I scored 15 points. My wife scored 50. She crushes me (and most people) at this game. I knew this going in.
When “good ideas spiral into dogma”
For better and for worse, we extrapolate success from one area to another.