“I don’t ever try to make a song better than my last song. I just try to make it different from my last one.” – Fetty Wap, Born Jun. 7, 1990. This one hit me like a ton of bricks, y’all. Or like a ton of feathers. Heavy either way. You’re probably pretty talented. You’re […]
Being “Different” is Better (And Easier) Than Struggling to Be “Original” Read More »
“An object imbued with intent – it has power, it’s treasure, we’re drawn to it. An object devoid of intent – it’s random, it’s imitative, it repels us. It’s like a piece of junk mail to be thrown away.” -John Hockenberry, Born Jun. 4, 1956. People seldom desire an object for the physical properties of
Stories Infect Anything They Touch With Value (If You Tell Them Right) Read More »
“If I wait for the genius to come, it just doesn’t arrive.” – Ian Fleming, Born May 28, 1908. I am going to tell you something right now. When I tell you, you’re going to know it to be true. And you can research it and prove that it’s universally true as well. First,
Inspiration Spies On You And Only Visits When You’re Busy Read More »
Serve the dinner backward, do anything – but for goodness sake, do something weird.” – Elsa Maxwell, Born May 24, 1883. There are two important parts in this lesson, but let’s talk about the obvious one first. I think a lot of people struggle unnecessarily because they try and do something completely creative, or completely
Be Weird, Work Weird, Succeed Weird – But Only a Little Bit Weird… Read More »
“If you do it right 51 percent of the time you will end up a hero.” – Alfred P. Sloan, Born May 23, 1875. I want you to know how low the bar is set. It’s set so low that primarily what it takes to succeed is basically just persistence. Whether by discipline, or by
How Much Can You Totally Screw Up and Still Be Successful? Read More »
“My real life helped me sell a lot of records.” – Christopher Wallace, Born May 21, 1972. In this age where “authenticity” is a buzzword, lots of brand wonks will tell you that what you need to do is just be yourself. Wrong, friendo. That skips a step. Step 1: Be awesome. Step 2: Be
How To Become Awesome Enough To Succeed Read More »
“I’m not famous; I am simply very well-known to certain people. Famous is something different.” – Anton Corbijn, Born May 20, 1955. Many seek fame when they get into this game. Some because they truly desire fame for its own sake. But many do only because they think it’s somehow required to succeed. But really,
How To Become An Influential Micro-celebrity (And Make Macro-money) Read More »
“Guitar solos, to me, should be a really articulate way to make fun of guitar solos.” – Josh Homme, Born May 17, 1963. Dear little baby gurus. Let me tell you what the most valuable thing is when it comes to making yourself into a lasting – even generational – personality, loved and admired by
The Secret To Lasting Relevance Is Letting Yourself Be The Punchline Periodically Read More »
“Books are like a mirror. If an ass looks in, you can’t expect an angel to look out.” – B. C. Forbes, Born May 14, 1880. Sure, studying is good. But that book or video or course that is the hot new thing to buy? That’s not gonna change you. You’re not going to magically
Study Without Execution Is invisible And Intangible And Does Nothing For Anyone Read More »
“The fact is, you don’t know what directing is until the sun is setting and you’ve got to get five shots and you’re only going to get two.” – David Fincher, Born May 10, 1962. One good thing I learned in art school is that a hard deadline is remarkably inspirational. You learn to make
Sunset Is Your Daily Deadline, So Make Hay While it Shines Read More »
